Feature Archives

Obertello, Sanders sail to Pettit IMCA wins at Ocean

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (Sept. 28, 2024) – Andy Obertello has always been a fan of long races. Now he’s the winner of one. Obertello led the last 78 laps of Ocean Speedway’s of Ocean Speedway’s Pettit Memorial main event for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, earning a career-best $3,006 payday for his efforts in the 103-lap marathon. “I’m not a rookie to these longer races. I used all the tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years. My main focus was to not overdrive late in the race,” said Obertello. “When I got to fourth I did a double take when I saw (multi-time race winner) Bobby Hogge. I knew I had something developing and I made it happen.” From Hollister and newly eligible for Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying, Obertello had run fifth in the Friday feature and started eighth in Saturday’s big show. Hogge and Friday winner Troy Foulger both time at the front before Obertello took charge. “I knew we had our work cut out for us but we had a fast car. I had [Read More]

Flatlander checkers fly for Rohleder

By Sheldon Wickwar GOODLAND, Kan. (Sept. 27, 2024) – Kyle Rohleder kept up his winning ways on opening night of the 35th annual Flatlander at Sherman County Speedway. Rohleder’s third Friesen Performance IMCA Modified victory of the season at Goodland was good for $1,000 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. Seventy-nine race teams checked in for the night and joining Rohleder in victory lane were Troy Burkhart in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Cody Williams in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Blaine Walt in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and Gage Porter in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. The Modified 20-lap feature event started with a front row of Marshal Hoppe and Trevor Geist, with the latter leading until lap three, the circuit that saw a multi-car pileup that ended the night for four of the seven drivers involved. Geist restarted the field but Rohleder sped by to take the lead. There was no catching his Zero numbered machine from that point as the WaKeeney hotshoe was flawless through lapped traffic. Second was [Read More]

Friday is another good night for Nightingale at Salina

SALINA, Kan. (Sept. 27, 2024) – The track where Jake Nightingale says he’s “always had some pretty good luck” was the site of more of the same Friday night. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified heavyweight from Hutchinson took the lead right after midway in the championship night main event, earning $2,000 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. “It was a pretty hammer down deal with lots of moisture. We were wide open all the time,” Nightingale said following his third win and 10th top three finish in as many Salina starts this season. “We ran a lane and a half off the top all the way around.” He started fourth and passed Austen Huehl for the front spot on the 11th of 20 circuits. Restarts kept the field close but Nightingale would build an advantage of three seconds when green flag racing prevailed. Tenth starting Tyler Sutton and Huehl completed the top three. Nightingale heads to Sherman County Speedway in Goodland on Saturday for night two of the Flatlander special in his defense of the Jet [Read More]

Hearty wins two races on emotional Saturday night at Shelby County

HARLAN, Iowa (Sept. 21, 2024) – Jack Hearty won two races on Saturday night at Shelby County Speedway. The first was just to get his IMCA Sunoco Late Model on the track. The second was to win the Tiny Lund Memorial and Brandon Saltzman Showdown main event. Hearty, just 22 and from Omaha, won his career-first IMCA Late Model feature and $3,098 on a night dedicated to both the hometown hero and 1963 Daytona 500 champion and to the late 2021 track champion. “There have been a couple races where I’ve led late and had a tire blow out, or lost the lead after a late caution,” said Hearty, who got up at sunrise Sunday, walked from his camper and sat at the track, letting everything from the night before set in. “We had a caution with four to go and I knew Cory Dumpert was right behind me. I just told myself ‘Let’s go do what we know we can’ and it all worked out.” Dumpert, the five-time defending national champion, and Sterling Perkins [Read More]

Sweep at Skyline nets NY-Penn Series crown for Morgan

CORTLAND, N.Y. (Sept. 20-21, 2024) – Going into the two night Turbo Blue Weekend at Skyline Motorsports Park, Rodney Morgan was second in points in the Close Racing Supply NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series standings with two wins on the season. At the end of the second night of racing, he had doubled his win total and was not only the points leader but his two feature wins clinched the title of the 2024 series for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. Morgan also becomes the first driver to have two championships in the four-year history ofthe series. Prior to this weekend’s racing, Morgan trailed Keith Lamphere by 15 points, but Lamphere became a new father this weekend and did not make the trip north. Twenty-two cars signed in for the Friday night show. The redraw put heat winners Tyler Belcher, Rich Michaels Jr. and Morgan all mid-pack. Logan Terry and Jason Butler led the lineup to the green flag. Butler was on top during the early laps, but Terry kept the pressure on and had the lead [Read More]

Hibdon gets his name on T-shirt with bucket list win at Jamestown

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (Sept. 21, 2024) – Kollin Hibdon wasn’t just happy about the bucket list win. He was happy about getting his name on the T-shirt. Hibdon led all 25 laps of Saturday’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at Jamestown Speedway’s Stock Car Stampede, earning $3,069 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility along with the bucket list checkers. Plus, he’ll see his name on the souvenir T-shirt sold at the 54th annual Stampede next September. “We’ve been in North Dakota for a few years now and it seems like we’ve won just about every special but this one,” said Hibdon, a Nevada native who just celebrated his 21st birthday late last month. “It means a lot to me to be able to win this race and I’m excited to get my name on the T-shirt.” The first 20 laps ran green; Travis Hagen and Zach Frederick headed the pursuit of Hibdon but never challenged and finished 2-3 behind him. Hibdon is headed back to his home state shortly. He’ll do some racing out west with his [Read More]

2024 IMCA point season ends Sunday, Sept. 29

VINTON, Iowa (Sept. 17, 2024) – Final points races of the 2024 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season are Sunday, Sept. 29. Modified, Late Model, RaceSaver Sprint Car, Stock Car, Hobby Stock, Northern SportMod, Southern SportMod, STARS Mod Lite and Sport Compact drivers have their last opportunity that day to compete for points applicable toward track, state, regional and national standings. Track championship bonus points will be figured and national and regional champions and rookies of the year, as well as the Junior National Champion and Lady Eagle winner, announced as soon as possible after all race reports are received. Track and series officials have until noon Central Standard Time on Monday, Oct. 14 to notify IMCA of corrections that affect their top 15 point standings before 2024 standings become official. Questions about IMCA point totals and standings should be directed to Virginia Lindsey, director of membership and points, at vlindsey@imca.com or by calling 319 472-2201, ext. 215.

Car photos needed for Aero, Allstar awards

VINTON, Iowa (Sept. 17, 2024) – IMCA drivers will be big winners even after the point season ends, courtesy of Aero Race Wheels and Allstar Performance. Aero, of Estherville, Iowa, awards a complete set of wheels to the driver with the most feature wins during the 2024 point season. Allstar, of Watervliet, Mich., gives a $100 gift card to every driver winning 10 or more heat races and a $250 gift card to the driver winning the most heats. What’s required as part of both programs is for drivers to email pictures of their race car proving display of the heat and/or feature win decals they received after making checkered flag runs at weekly and special events through Sept. 29. Those pictures can be sent to IMCA Marketing Integration and Sponsorship Director Carson Becker-Gramm at contingencies@imca.com. Deadline for doing so is 4:30 p.m. CST Friday, Nov. 1. Gift cards will be presented during the IMCA national awards banquet in Lincoln, Neb., on Nov. 30, or mailed beginning the following week. “These are great programs with the potential [Read More]

Rookie rules at IMCA Modified Sean Lias Memorial

By Morgan Colegrove SUSQUEHNNA, Pa. (Sept. 14, 2024) – A Friesen Performance IMCA Modified rookie reigned at the Sean Lias Memorial, part of the King of the Can show Saturday at Penn Can Speedway. Brad Delamater earned $1,037 for his career first win in the division while becoming eligible for 2025 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying. The 57-year-old from Wyalusing was making his fifth Close Racing Supply NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series presented by Insinger Performance start. “This was probably one of my most exciting wins ever, especially with how competitive this class is,” said Delamater, who had a goal of getting a heat race win this season and got a feature win instead. “We’ve had some decent starts and knew we had the car (a 2014 Victory) to win. We just had to keep ourselves out of trouble and stay smart.” Brandon Smith and A.J. Hunsinger made last-lap moves in their respective heats to get into the redraw for the feature and drew the front row starting spots to lead the field to green in [Read More]

Corn State Nationals outing yields $5,000 payday for Fitz

DAVENPORT, Iowa (Sept. 14, 2024) – Trevor Fitz had himself quite a night Saturday at Davenport Speedway’s Corn State Nationals. The California native made his first-ever visit to Davenport, a track he says is pretty different than any other he’s been to, winning the Saturday night Corn State Nationals feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and $5,000. “It was awesome. I met a lot of good people there and made a lot of friends,” Fitz said following the career-best payday. “I always like doing that, and the money was good.” Now eligible to qualify for the 2025 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, Fitz was driver and sole crew member until some buddies in two to watch Late Models pitched in and helped him with the car. He started the main event from fifth and ran third most of the first 20 of 31 laps. Fitz then swapped the lead back and forth with Austen Becerra, finally taking over at for good with just two circuits to go. Becerra ended in the runner-up spot, a second and [Read More]