Feature Archives

IMCA honors best of the best at national awards banquet

LINCOLN, Neb. (Nov. 29) – The best dirt track drivers in the nation were honored Saturday night in Lincoln, when IMCA hosted its national awards banquet. 2014 national champions taking their turn at the podium were Zane DeVilbiss, IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds; Justin Kay, IMCA Late Models; Clint Benson, IMCA Eagle Motorsports RaceSaver Sprint Cars; Mike Nichols, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars; Shannon Anderson, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks; Matt Looft in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods; Chad Hertel in the Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMods; and Nate Coopman in the Mach-1 Sport Compacts. Benson and Hertel were both first-time national kings. DeVilbiss, Kay, Looft and Coopman each reigned for the second time, Nichols and Anderson for the fifth. Modified regional champions were Zane DeVilbiss in the Larry Shaw Racing Western, William Gould in the Razor Chassis South Central, Johnny Saathoff in the Jet Racing Central, Chris Abelson in the Belleville Motorsports North Central and Chris Fleming in the Dort Works Eastern. Mike Nichols reigned in the Arnold Motor Supply Northern Region and Matt Guillaume repeated [Read More]

Taylor tops big money show at Desert Thunder Nationals

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Nov. 22-23) – The top check at Central Arizona Speedway’s inaugural Desert Thunder Nationals went home with a driver already familiar with victory lane at Casa Grande. Jeff Taylor led every time around the track in Sunday’s $3,000 to win IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified main event. The 30-lapper ended green, white, checkered after a late caution and Taylor pulled away from Ricky Thornton Jr. to win by six car lengths. “We got into a little lapped traffic about halfway but that didn’t give us any trouble,” said Taylor, driving the Industrial Electric and Allgayer Inc.-sponsored ride. “We had a pretty good car.” Thornton challenged after one restart but wasn’t able to maintain the pace. Cody Graham and Tyler Mecl were next across the stripe as home state drivers ran 2-3-4. Graham had started 15th. Hunter Marriott raced from 22nd on the initial grid to round out the top five. Jesse Sobbing collected the $1,000 IMCA Modified checkers on opening night at Casa Grande. Thornton was second and Marriott was promoted to [Read More]

Few changes made in IMCA rules for 2015 season

VINTON, Iowa – Few changes have been made in IMCA rules for next season. The quick change option for Modifieds was announced in August. Most of what will be different in 2015, noted IMCA Vice President of Operations Brett Root, are clarifications to the rules for 2014. Snell-rated SA 2015 helmets, as well as SA2005 and SA 2010, are approved for use in all divisions beginning next season. That’s the only difference in safety rules from this season to next. An industry trend is addressed with the addition of the term vortex generator in body rules for the Modifieds and SportMods. No additional fins, tips, wings or vortex generators will be allowed in any of those divisions. “We are seeing these items added to the bodies of race cars and being incorporated on roofs,” Root explained. “Google it and you’ll understand. A vortex generator is an aerodynamic add-on and will not be allowed.” Clarified exhaust rules for Modifieds, Stock Cars and SportMods give a maximum length of 19 inches for the collector and turndown. A [Read More]

Speckman tops Fan Favorite voting for fendered entries

By Ryan Clark SLEEPY EYE, Minn. – Aside from his travels during the Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Classic Stock Car Tour, Matt Speckman stayed close to home during the 2014 season. The Sleepy Eye, Minn., driver earned a handful of feature wins in weekly competition at Arlington Raceway, Murray County Speedway in Slayton and Redwood Speedway in Redwood Falls. Speckman earned one more win in November as the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car driver was the top vote-getter in the Sybesma Graphics IMCA Facebook Fan Favorite Contest for fendered divisions. He receives a mini-hood from Sybesma Graphics. “Our season was all right,” said Speckman. “We ended up with five wins.” Those wins were scattered at all three tracks where he competed regularly. Chasing points, though, wasn’t on Speckman’s list of priorities. “We weren’t really able to run for points anywhere,” he explained. “Since I went to the Dakota Tour, I had to miss some nights at home.” Speckman has made the Dakota Tour an annual part of his racing schedule in recent years. “A buddy of mine [Read More]

Record $75,000-plus in contingencies awarded to IMCA drivers in 2014

VINTON, Iowa – More than $75,000 in contingency awards will go to IMCA drivers, based on their participation in sign-up programs or having met other requirements unique to individual programs in 2014. “The value of contingency awards and cash prizes continues to increase each season,” noted IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder. “I would encourage our drivers to redeem any mid-season or season-ending certificates as soon as possible, and to continue supporting the businesses that support them.” Certificates, cash and some product awards will be presented during the national awards banquet later this month in Lincoln, Neb. The rest will be mailed directly to drivers beginning in early December. The following contingency awards were not necessarily determined by actual regional finish, but by either driver sign-up sheets or other unique requirements. For all contingency awards winners where it applies, their actual finishing position, either regional or national, is in parenthesis. All awards are product certificates unless noted otherwise. AFCO Racing Products Top 3 Modified drivers in each region: 1) $250, 2) $150, 3) $50. Larry Shaw [Read More]

Heckman spins, wins Pahrump’s Day After The Duel backwards

PAHRUMP, Nev. (Nov. 16) – Although he crossed the finish line backwards, Kyle Heckman captured the $1,500 first place prize money at the Day After The Duel IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified event at Pahrump Valley Speedway Sunday evening. By virtue of winning his heat race and a straight-up starting order, Heckman led every lap of the 30-lap affair, winning over teammate R.C. Whitwell. Both drove Victory Circle chassis cars owned by Bill Henderson. William Gould overcame an early flat to return with a vengeance to take the third spot. Heckman jumped out to an early lead over pole sitter and defending race winner Randy Thornell. Scott Lenz ran third before the 10th starting Whitwell moved into third by lap five. Despite several yellow flags for spinning drivers that slowed the event, Heckman was up to the challenge on every restart. Coming out of turn four heading for the win, he tangled with a lapped car and spun across the finish line backwards, barely ahead of second place Whitwell and Gould. Cody Laney and Lenz [Read More]

Record 91 IMCA state champions rule in 2014

VINTON, Iowa – IMCA crowned a record 91 Allstar Performance state champions in 2014. That number is four more than the previous mark set last year and includes 55 drivers who won career-first state titles in any division. RaNai Toler became just the third driver to win two state crowns the same season, ruling Mach-1 Sport Compact standings in Colorado and New Mexico. If not already vote eligible, their state championships put 23 IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified drivers on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. Brandon Beckendorf captured his career fourth and second straight Modified prize in Minnesota. Drivers winning back-to-back titles included Paul G. Jones Jr. in Wyoming, Jesse Taylor in Colorado and A.J. Ward in Michigan. Cory Sample also became a two-time king in Nevada. Taylor topped Colorado Stock Car point standings in 2012. Earning their first state crowns were Ryan Roath in Arizona, Brint Hartwick in Arkansas, Kyle Wilson in California, Blake Lyle in Idaho, Brandon Durbin in Illinois, Ronn Lauritzen in Iowa, Clay Sellard in Kansas, Jeremy Meirhofer in Montana, [Read More]

Phillips rules Duel Modifieds, Howell paces SportMods at LVMS

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 15) – Teammate Jordan Grabouski made it close in the final laps but there was no denying Terry Phillips a third career Duel In The Desert title Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Phillips ran in front the last 35 circuits in the caution-free, 40-lap main event for IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds at the LVMS half-mile Dirt Track. He led by as much as a straightaway before being slowed by a lapped car, holding on to beat Grabouski to the $7,777 checkers by little more than a car length. Also the 2010 and 2011 Duel winner, the new Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier was followed across the stripe by Grabouski, R.C. Whitwell, Johnny Scott and Chris Brown. J.C. Howell dominated from start to finish in winning the 25-lap main event for Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMods and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods. That victory paid $1,777 and came ahead of Robert Elliott, Gabe Tucker, Daniel Gottschalk and Tyler Fain. A record 332 drivers from 26 states and three Canadian provinces [Read More]

Scott, Phillips, Elliott are first in Friday Duel In the Desert qualifiers

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 14) – Johnny Scott and Terry Phillips both took $777 checkers but better yet qualified for Saturday’s IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified Duel In The Desert main event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Top four finishers from each of the two Friday Modified features at LVMS move on to the $7,777 to win show. Drivers from eight different states advanced from night two of the 17th annual special. Scott, from Shreveport, became the first Louisiana driver to qualify for the main event at the half-mile Dirt Track. Phillips hails from Springfield, Mo., and will be in the running for his career third Duel title. Scott won in front of Chris Brown of Cleveland, Texas, Kyle Strickler of Mooresville, N.C., and Robert Hellebust of Minot, N.D. Chasing Phillips across the stripe were Jordan Grabouski of Beatrice, Neb., R.C. Whitwell of Tucson, Ariz., and Jeff Taylor of Cave City, Ark. Robert Elliott of Clinton, Okla., won the Friday SportMod qualifier and pocketed $500. He’ll be joined on Saturday’s outside row by fellow top [Read More]

Duel In the Desert is another record-breaker; Saathoff, Shute, Howell win qualifying features

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 13) – Car count records fell and checkered flags flew for qualifying feature winners Johnny Saathoff, Todd Shute and J.C. Howell on opening night of the IMCA Duel In The Desert special at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Three hundred and thirty-two IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMods saw action Thursday evening on the LVMS half-mile Dirt Track. That’s the highest total car count in the 17-year history of the event. A record 96 SportMods took to the track, 22 more than the previous best set last year. Top four finishers from each of the two Modified qualifiers advance to the $7,777 to win show on Saturday. Saathoff, from Beatrice, Neb., and the 2004 and 2009 Duel winner, raced from eighth starting and beat Ryan Ruter of Kanawha, Iowa, Jake O’Neil of Tucson, Ariz., and William Gould of Calera, Okla., to the finish line in the first Modified qualifier. From Des Moines, Iowa, Shute started fourth in the second qualifier and won ahead [Read More]