Feature Archives

Belec dominates 1,000 Stars finale for IMCA career best payday

By Chad Meyer BRITT, Iowa (Aug. 10, 2024) – Eddie Belec had a DNQ and a rainout to show for his first visit to Hancock County Speedway. He has a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified career-best $5,000 payday to show for his second. The Colorado speedster led all 40 laps of Saturday’s Night of 1,000 Stars main event at Britt, the final event of IMCA Speed Week. “This is huge. We’re lucky enough that we get to race with these guys a few times a year. I get to watch them a lot and see them win a lot of races,” he said from victory lane. “When you can come out and line up with them and win, it feels pretty good, for sure.” “I had a few notes from last year and we did make some changes from Friday,” added Belec, who had run third in the opening night qualifier. “I knew we could make the car a little bit better because I knew the track was going to be a little bit different because [Read More]

Rich checkers fly for Ward at Schattschneider Memorial

ALGONA, Iowa (Aug. 8, 2024) – Tim Ward didn’t quite have the track figured out, but he figured that no one would catch him if he didn’t change what he was doing. He was right about that, and $5,600 richer after the checkers flew Thursday night at Kossuth County Speedway’s Gene Schattschneider Memorial feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. Ward swapped the lead with pole starter Zach Dockter on each on the first four circuits, then led to the end of the 25-lapper. Dockter stayed close right through the first 10 laps, then gave way to Joel Rust following a restart. Rust ran second the rest of the way. “It was fun racing with Zach, hats off to him for a good run,” Ward said of their lengthy side-by-side duel. “The track changed on me a bit and I wasn’t sure where to run, so we struggled just a bit,” he added. “I wasn’t sure exactly where to run but figured it would be hard for Joel to get around me if I kept doing [Read More]

Chased, challenged, never caught, Thornton collects Clay County Clash checkers

SPENCER, Iowa (Aug. 7, 2024) – He was chased and he was challenged but Dylan Thornton was never caught. Thornton led every lap of Wednesday’s Clay County Fairgrounds Speedway Clash main event for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, keeping Tim Ward behind him the first 20 laps and holding Tom Berry Jr. at bay the last 10 times around the track. The IMCA Speed Week win was also Thornton’s Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying third and was good for $2,500. He parried a last-turn slider from Berry, winner of Tuesday’s Harris Clash, to secure that big check. “I saw his (Berry’s) nose so I knew he was close enough to slide me,” he said. “What you have to do coming down the backstretch is not make a mistake and not stuff it into the fence or something stupid, you have to be able to turn back down.” “We actually went home after last night, woke up this morning, decided we were too dumb to quit and decided to drive four hours back up this way,” said Thornton, who’d [Read More]

Harris Clash checkers are second for Berry, Reimers repeats

SPRING VALLEY, Minn. (Aug. 6, 2024) – Fifty-nine other Friesen Performance IMCA Modified drivers had high hopes for the 33rdannual Harris Clash but none of them had anything for Tom Berry Jr. Berry led all 30 laps of Tuesday night’s main event from his middle of the front row start, then pulled away before and again after three cautions near midway before taking the $5,000 checkers ahead of Zack VanderBeek. “I’ve had my ups and downs here but I’ve had a lot of ups lately,” said Berry, also the winner at Deer Creek in 2022. “Winning this race always means a lot, just the effort by so many people that goes into it. Everything is always top notch.” “Luck has been on our side, we’ve started on the front a lot this year,” he’d acknowledge, following his latest Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying victory. “I’m just taking that while I can because you never know when your luck is going to turn and you’ll be starting in the back.” Sixteenth starting Ethan Braaksma, 11th starting and [Read More]

Hagen hoists hardware on night two of Coal County Classic

By Ben Deatherage UNDERWOOD, N.D. (Aug. 3, 2024) – Travis Hagen made like lightning twice, on night two of the Coal County Classic The McGregor motorist bolted to the front twice in the late stages of Saturday’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event, first to take the lead and again to get it back. Hagen would then lead to the finish of the $1,500 to win feature at McLean County Speedway. Lap one of the feature saw Jason Grimes beat night one winner Steven Pfeifer for the early lead. Pfeifer became the new trailblazer when they hit the line. Shortly afterward, Hagen arrived on the scene to try to take second away. The position was exchanged no less than five times in six laps as Grimes and Hagen battled. Hagen, after securing second place, unleashed a burst of speed on a restart, making a daring crossover move on the front stretch to get ahead of Pfeifer. The race was far from over, however, with the yellow flag bringing a temporary halt to the action and [Read More]

Career 100th IMCA Hobby Stock win sends Mike Smith back to victory lane at Boone

LAKE CITY, Iowa (Aug. 3, 2024) – The track that’s already been the scene for so much of Mike Smith’s success saw him in victory lane again Saturday night. Smith raced to the 100th win of his IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock career at Boone Speedway, becoming at 20 the youngest driver to reach that milestone number. He also joined his father David, now knocking on the door of 200 career IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature wins, and uncles Dustin, Devin, Donavon and Doug in the IMCA Century Win Club. “I wanted to be in that club. It’s quite impressive,” said Smith, “and it means a lot to do it at Boone Speedway, especially because we race there weekly. It’s one of the tracks that’s closest to home and it was cool to have so much of our family there for it.” A two-time champion of the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, Smith also owns hardware from the 2022 Junior National Championship, six track titles and back-to-back Iowa State crowns. “I never thought I’d get to 100 wins this [Read More]

Pfeifer, Deschamp, Medler, Heaton are night one Coal County Classic winners

By Ben Deatherage UNDERWOOD, N.D. (Aug. 2, 2024) – McLean County Speedway hosted its final race weekend of 2024 with Steven Pfeifer, Gabriel Deschamp, Darren Medler and Taylor Heaton earning IMCA feature wins. Dalton Flory was the early leader in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified ranks. Travis Hagen caught Flory and challenged on the bottom but couldn’t make it work so he transitioned to the top shelf. While that occurred, Pfeifer came into the fray to make it a three-car battle for the lead. Flory did his best to keep them all in check, but Pfeifer successfully obtained first place on lap six with Hagen motoring his way into second. Drew Christianson went into third and tried to challenge Hagen for the runner-up around lap 10. The yellow came out one last time with 13 laps complete, setting up a dozen laps left to cover. As the lap count got worked on, Hagen did his best to track down Pfeifer, but the leader did an excellent job staying ahead. Pfeifer kept Hagen in check for [Read More]

Southern SportMod Super Nationals conclude with $5,000 checkers at KSP

KENNEDALE, Texas (July 31, 2024) – You can almost predict what he’ll say, when you ask Kennedale Speedway Park promoter James Lopez about the upcoming IMCA Southern SportMod Super Nationals powered by Smiley’s Racing Products. The third annual event, scheduled Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 5-7, promises Lopez, will be super. The $5,000 to win, minimum $500 to start 30-lap main event on Saturday night is a shoo-in to feature the best drivers competing weekly in the division in Texas and Oklahoma. Total purse for the Big Dance is more than $20,000 with another $4,000-plus paid to drivers in Friday’s All-Star race. “Our qualifying format will be very similar to last year,” Lopez said. “One thing that we’re doing differently is a fan vote to add one driver to the All-Star race and a different driver will be elected to start at the back in the $5,000 to win main event.” Pre-registration for drivers to be vote eligible is required by Aug. 14: Voting will be conducted on MyRacePass and starts Aug. 16 for the All-Star [Read More]

Big Wings, Big Excitement, Big Money: $12,000 is record payday for IMCA RaceSaver Nationals winner

EAGLE, Neb. (July 31, 2024) – The team at Eagle Raceway could add to the Big Wings, Big Excitement slogan used to promote the IMCA RaceSaver Nationals. The new slogan for the 12th annual event, scheduled Aug. 29-Sept. 1 at the Nebraska speed factory, would better be Big Wings, Big Excitement, Big Money. A record $12,000 will be paid to the winner of the Sunday night main event for IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, courtesy of RaceSaver and IMCA. The big dance now pays a minimum of $1,600 to start with numerous contingency awards to be given as well. “This is the biggest event for the biggest class of Sprint Cars in the country and those numbers more than justify a $12,000 winner’s share and record-setting purse like this,” stated track operator and co-promoter Racine Hadan, noting that early entries are already in hand from more than 70 drivers coming everywhere from California to North Carolina. Qualifying heats for the BlueMax Pay-sponsored Race of Champions is on Thursday with that $1,000 to win, $300 to start race on Friday. Nine cars advance [Read More]

Improvements, updates continuing at Boone ahead of 42nd annual IMCA Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa (July 31, 2024) – Finish one project, check it off the list. Start another project, add it to the list. That list, as IMCA President Brett Root notes, is everything that has been done, is getting done or will be done before the start of the 42nd annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “There are non-stop improvements and updates at Boone Speedway which bring their own set of challenges ahead of the Sept. 2-7 Super Nationals,” said Root. “Getting ready for Super Nationals is like farming for a living in that there’s always something to be done.” A new-look infield victory lane incorporating popular jumbotrons is currently in the works, as is an updated scale pad and additional VIP pit stalls to accommodate large trailers. “Those are the most visible projects if you’re driving through Boone on Highway 30,” notes Root. “We’re also well underway with numerous other behind the scenes projects, like designing and ordering Super Nationals apparel and souvenirs, the Boone Bound social media promotion and everything the IMCA.TV crew needs [Read More]