Feature Archives

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]

Belleville Motorsports wins fifth Manufacturers’ Cup crown

BELLEVILLE, Kan. – Six different builders won or shared regional titles while Belleville Motorsports earned its fifth IMCA Manufacturers’ Cup crown in 2014. The Belleville, Kan., chassis builder had the top point total among the 20 manufacturers entered in this year’s program; points were awarded to 13 different manufacturers based on top 10 drivers (10 points for first, nine points for second, etc.). in each of the five IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified regions. Points from each region were then combined to determine a national manufacturer of the year. BMS tallied 47 points, Jet Racing had 28, Razor Chassis 27, Chase Allen Motorsports 24 and Larry Shaw Race Cars 22 to round out the top five. Shaw paced the Western Region points. Razor shared top honors in the North Central Region with first-time titlist Skyrocket Chassis. BMS ruled for the sixth straight year in the Eastern Region. Jet won for the fourth time in the Central Region and Chase Allen Motorsports repeated in the South Central. All regional winners get plaques and BMS receives a [Read More]

Fleming first in 100th Empire State Series event, Cornell captures crown

KIRKWOOD, N.Y. (Nov. 8) – Chris Fleming and James Cornell both had reasons to celebrate following Saturday’s Friesen Chevrolet Empire State Series feature at Five Mile Point Speedway. Fleming topped the final feature for touring IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds of the season, earning $600 for his efforts during the National Quarter Mile Dirt Track Championship Weekend show. His first-ever win at Kirkwood, third tour checkers of the season and fifth overall came in the 100th IMCA Empire State Series event. The checkers were also the 30th this year for Fleming, the two-time defending Dirt Works Eastern Region champion. Cornell, meanwhile, ran second and secured the series championship. He’s the ninth different driver to win the title in the tour’s 13-year history. K.C. Cole drew the pole. Fleming started fifth after overcoming mechanical issues in his heat and took the lead on lap five. Cornell pulled alongside near midway in the 25-lapper before Fleming pulled ahead and moved up a line. He won by a couple car lengths in a green, white, checkered finish. “We [Read More]

Jergens best by a bumper on opening night, Marriott tops second Mod feature at Canyon

By Lonnie Wheatley PEORIA, Ariz. (Nov. 7-8) – Mike Jergens measured his opening night victory by inches while Hunter Marriott raced from eighth starting to win the second IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature of the weekend at Canyon Speedway Park. Both Mr. Excitement Tribute to Terry Belcher features paid $1,000 to win. Jergens escaped a wild opening lap skirmish to nip Mike Strobl at the line on Friday with Jason Noll in third as the lead trio raced off the final corner in three-wide fashion in a dramatic duel for the win. With Jergens starting fourth and Strobl racing through the pack from 20th, fifth-starter Noll advanced from fourth into the lead in the two-lap span from round five to seven after George Fronsman paced the early rounds. Jergens battled past Noll for the point on the 18th lap with Strobl edging ahead the next time around. The trio of Jergens, Strobl and Noll swapped positions repeatedly over the final rounds before the frantic dash for the stipe off the final corner with “Jergens [Read More]

Final SST checkers of season fly for Garland

WACO, Texas (Oct. 25) – A low-budget driver raced to one of the biggest wins of his career in the Sprint Series of Texas finale. David Garland collected the Saturday checkers, his SST first, after swapping the lead with Trevor Reed three times on the final circuit at Heart O’ Texas Speedway. “Whew! What a night!” he exclaimed. “I’d started seventh and had to battle Kenny Elwood for second before I could even try to catch Trevor.” After seeing his motor expire during the Sept. 26 IMCA Eagle Motorsports RaceSaver Sprint Car series show at Mountain Creek Speedway – he and fiancée Renee traded vows in the pit area at Grand Prairie that evening – Garland ran 11th in the Oct. 4 feature at Cotton Bowl Speedway. His Wheels of America-owned Sprinter was powered the last two nights by a motor borrowed from Sebie Davis, who’d contacted Garland via Facebook after learning of his engine woes. Reed, Dustin Woods and Jerry Hammock ended second through fourth, respectively, at HO’T. Jason Howell lent a hand with [Read More]

Karlnoski captures career first Friesen Empire State Series win

DUNDEE, N.Y. (Oct. 24) – After the third time he drove away from the rest of the field, Rich Karlnoski raced to his career first Friesen Chevrolet Empire State Series feature win. Karlnoski won his IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified tour heat by most of a straightaway Friday at Yates County Speedway. He was checking out before a lap 18 caution in the main event, then pulled ahead again following the restart. The victory was worth $400. “That car was just perfect,” Karlnoski said after piloting the 2008 Ellis, with a self-designed rear end and Steve and Patty Damon-built engine, to the winner’s circle. “When this car is right, it’s perfect.” Karlnoski stayed in front following several early restarts. He was already negotiating lapped traffic and coming up on a tightknit group of six more cars when the late caution flew. “I was trying to figure out how I was going to get by and that caution came out at just the right time,” said Karlnoski, who motored away when the green came back out. [Read More]

Weekly IMCA racing Fridays at Clay County Fair Speedway in 2015

SPENCER, Iowa – The Clay County Fair is pleased to announce IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing each Friday night beginning May 15 at the Clay County Fair Speedway throughout the 2015 season. “This is a tremendous opportunity to fully utilize the Speedway,” said CCF Manager Jeremy Parsons. “Going from five races in 2014 to 14 races in 2015 will be a great benefit to not only the Speedway, but also to all of Spencer.”  According to an independent economic study completed earlier this year, five nights of IMCA racing in 2013 brought nearly $77,000 in direct spending by out-of-county drivers to Spencer. “That number will obviously exceed $200,000 by tripling the amount of race dates,” said Parsons. Races will be held each Friday night May 15 through July 31; August 21; and the final race at the county fair on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Featured divisions each Friday night at the Clay County Fair Speedway will include IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Mach-1 [Read More]