Feature Archives

September Fest checkers fly for Grabouski, Saathoff

BEATRICE, Neb. (Sept. 26-27) – Two IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified drivers more than a little familiar with victory lane at Beatrice Speedway found their way there again during September Fest. Jordan Grabouski was the Friday night winner and Johnny Saathoff led the way to the Saturday checkers. Each Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying win was good for $1,500. Grabouski had won both the Spring Nationals main event and his career 100th IMCA feature at Beatrice earlier this season; Saathoff’s numerous accolades at that venue now include his career eighth victory in the traditional season-ending special. After starting fourth on opening night, Grabouski passed Cory Wray for the lead on the third of 25 laps. The final caution came near midway and he stayed on the top groove until catching lapped traffic with seven to go. Dylan Smith, Hunter Marriott, Saathoff and Chris Abelson completed the top five. Saathoff drew the sixth starting spot on Saturday and needed 22 laps to find his way to the front, sneaking inside leader Lyle Shepard in the [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds headline Oct. 3-4 Mid-America Clash at Salina

SALINA, Kan. (Sept. 29) – IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds race for as much as $7,500 to win at Salina Speedway’s Mid-America Clash on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3-4. First place will pay $3,500 if there are 39 or fewer entries, $5,000 if there are between 40 and 74 entries, and $7,500 if there are 75 or more Modifieds entered in the 2015 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier. Using the same guidelines, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods race for $1,000, $2,000 or $3,500 to win. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks race for $500, $1,000 or $2,000 to win. Qualifying begins on Friday and all main events will be on Saturday. Pre-entries submitted by mail, on line or at the track are $165 for Modifieds, $100 for SportMods and $75 for Hobby Stocks. Entry fees after Oct. 1 are an additional $25. Tow money is $150 for Modifieds and $75 for SportMods and Hobby Stocks. Non-qualifiers also get a burger and a beer to wash it down. An open practice session from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. [Read More]

Gemmill cashes in at Thunder On The Hill

By Larry Lowrey Jr. MAYETTA, Kan. (Sept. 19) – Troy Gemmill endorsed a check for $2,000 after winning the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature at Thunder Hill Speedway’s signature special. After getting the lead back from 12th starting Jordan Grabouski in traffic, Gemmill stretched the field out as the 30-lapThunder On The Hill main event wound down. A great battle for top five spots went on behind Gemmill. Cory Wray ended up in the runner-up spot with a solid run while Johnny Saathoff finished third. Scott Drake fell back and then battled his way back up to fourth and rounding out the top five was Clay Hale. Mike Nichols wrapped up the Dirt Track Central Jax Sports Grille Great Plains Series crown with his fifth IMCA Sunoco Stock Car tour win of the season. Nichols worked his way to the front of the field and then battled with Jason Rogers to stay there while Lance Borgman continued his advance. Rogers and Borgman put on a show going back and forth for second. Nichols got [Read More]

Berry makes history with Jamestown Stampede IMCA checkers

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (Sept. 20) – Hank Berry made history and $2,000 when IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds made their debut at Jamestown Speedway’s 43rd annual Stock Car Stampede special. The veteran from Montana worked his way up from the ninth starting spot to win Saturday’s 25-lap main event, a qualifier for the 2015 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “This is a pretty prestigious event. I’ve been to 30 or so of them, won the Late Model feature twice and now the Modified feature three times,” said Berry. “It was neat to win the inaugural IMCA race at the Stampede. That was cool.” Shawn Strand started 12th and made a strong charge to second. Jeremy Keller drew the pole, led the first 16 circuits and ended in third. Completing the top five were Jason Wolla and Mike Greseth. Keller got out to a big lead at the start of the race but that advantage was erased by a lap nine caution. Berry was up to third by lap 15. Making the most of the top side, [Read More]

Daughter’s draw puts Smith in right spot to win Empire State Series feature at Skyline

CORTLAND, N.Y. (Sept. 20) – Gary Smith told daughter Danielle before she drew for him that he’d like to start Saturday’s Friesen Chevrolet Empire State Series feature on the front row, and preferably on the outside. Danielle obliged and Smith promptly led all 25 laps in winning for the first time of his career in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified tour at Skyline Raceway. The checkers were good for $400. Keith Lamphere challenged but had to settle for second as Smith stayed strong following a multitude of restarts. Running the high side right to the last lap, Smith switched to the bottom line when the race ended green, white, checkered. Teammate James Cornell, Jared Spaulding and Gary Roberts completed the top five finishers in the Turbo Blue Championship Weekend show. Cornell took over the series point lead; Spalding had made a last-minute decision to race at Skyline and ended up fourth. “I was happy that James finished third,” Smith said after becoming the fifth different winner in as many Empire State Series events so [Read More]

Kay nears Deery Series title with win at Davenport

DAVENPORT, Iowa (Sept. 20) – Justin Kay took a big step toward another IMCA championship with his fifth Deery Brothers Summer Series feature win of the season Saturday at Davenport Speedway. With a second straight national title already secured and a 30-point advantage over Andy Eckrich, Kay can clinch his career first series title by starting his heat race when the IMCA Late Model tour concludes in a two-day event Oct. 3 and 4 at West Liberty Raceway. Kay’s latest win paid $3,000 and came by reining in Eckrich, who had started on the pole and led the first 27 of 35 laps on the half-mile oval at Davenport. After working his way up from 10th starting, Kay was inside and almost side-by-side with Eckrich, one groove higher and always ahead when the two crossed the stripe. Following a caution with nine laps left, Eckrich switched to the lower line. Kay went outside, got a good run in the second set of turns and was in front when lap 28 went into the books. The [Read More]

Hunter, Yeager win features, Beech is EQ Wild West Modified Tour champion

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. (Sept. 12-13) – Jeff Hunter and Justen Yeager won the battles while Bert Beech won the war, when the EQ Cylinder Heads Wild West Tour concluded with Friday and Saturday features at Sweetwater Speedway. Hunter and Yeager were $1,000 winners in main events for touring IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds. Beech ran third both nights at Rock Springs to capture the series championship, his first with IMCA. “We made all the features this year and the car was real good the last three weekends,” said Beech, who caught Chase Hansen in the race for the crown. “We’ve been following the tour for about five years so it feels pretty good to win it.” Hunter’s win on opening night came in his career 14th Wild West Tour outing. He started the 30-lapper from sixth, was in front by lap five and stayed there ‘til midway. He’d get the lead back late and beat travel partner Eddie Belec across the stripe. Beech, Tony Steward and Jake Donnelly completed the top five. “I bought Eddie’s [Read More]

Marriott becomes 10th, final XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour winner

FARLEY, Iowa (Sept. 13) – Hunter Marriott enjoyed more dividends from a season devoted largely to competing at IMCA’s top events Saturday night. Marriott became the 10th different winner in as many XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour events this season, earning $2,000 for his checkered flag efforts in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified series finale at Farley Speedway. The victory came during the Yankee Dirt Track Classic and put Marriott on the ballot for the 2015 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “I really didn’t think we were that good from the get-go,” admitted Marriott, who started sixth, took the lead before halfway and beat 24th starting Troy Cordes across the stripe by a comfortable margin. “But I changed my line right before the first caution on lap 10 and just kept turning it up.” Cordes had taken a provisional and started 24th; Cayden Carter, Brian Mullen and Scott Hogan completed the top five in the 40-lapper. Forty-nine Modifieds were entered at Farley. Mike Van Genderen wrapped up the tour championship with his 10th place finish. His [Read More]

Another year older and $7,500 richer, Callahan repeats Yankee Deery win

FARLEY, Iowa (Sept. 14) – Joel Callahan finished the Yankee Dirt Track Classic Deery Series main event at Farley Speedway a year older and $7,500 richer. The 100-lap IMCA Late Model tour event started late Saturday evening and finished in the wee hours on Sunday. Callahan, who figured he turned 50 somewhere around lap 27, inherited the front spot when race-long leader Colby Springsteen cut his right rear tire and then led to the checkers in repeating as the big money Yankee winner. “I think we step up our game for this race. There’s a lot of adrenaline pumping,” he said. “To me, this is the biggest race on the Deery schedule and not because of the pay but because it’s at my home track.” “The track was fast from top to bottom,” he added. “It didn’t matter where you were running.” Richie Gustin was second in the best showing of his brief Deery career. Denny Eckrich was third and point leader Justin Kay roared all the way back to fourth after exiting to fix [Read More]

Convincingly, Kay repeats as national IMCA Late Model champion

VINTON, Iowa (Sept. 12) – At the rate he’s going, Justin Kay won’t have to make room in the trophy case. He’ll have to build another one. On the strength of a division record 24 feature wins, Kay repeated as IMCA’s national Late Model champion. He earns a $5,500 share of a $21,300 point fund to be paid to top 20 finishers in national standings that become official on Sept. 29. From Wheatland, Kay finished with the maximum possible 820 points, a dozen more than runner-up Todd Cooney of Des Moines. “We raced more this year and got a lot of wins early,” said Kay, who received 20 bonus points as champion at Dubuque Speedway and also paced the points at Davenport Speedway. “It seemed like we couldn’t do anything wrong at Dubuque. We thought last year was a dream for us when we won eight in a row. We won nine in a row at one point this year.” “It’s cool to get 820 points, the most you can get,” added Kay, also a [Read More]