Feature Archives

Grabouski Rallies From 11th to Win First Night of Clay County Classic

By Ben Deatherage SPENCER, Iowa (May 4, 2025) — The 2025 Clay County Classic roared to life Sunday evening at Clay County Fair Speedway with an action-packed program featuring five divisions of IMCA racing. The night’s headliner was a dramatic Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature, where five-time National champion Jordan Grabouski stormed from 11th starting to first in a late-race thriller. A three-wide scrap for the lead broke out between Kelly Shryock, Chaz Baca Jr., and Ricky Stephan in the early laps, with Shryock gaining the initial advantage. After an early caution, Baca—the two-time defending National champion—blasted to the front on lap 4. Baca, a standout in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region, tagged the wall on lap 10 but held the lead. Meanwhile, Grabouski and Shryock waged war for second, allowing the Arizonan some breathing room until Grabouski eventually broke free. The Beatrice, Nebraska, pilot made his move on lap 18 with a stunning inside pass to take the lead. Baca searched for a way back by but couldn’t stop Grabouski’s charge. The win marked [Read More]

$1,000-To-Win Features Highlight May 10 Program at 34 Raceway

By Ben Deatherage WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (May 6, 2025) — There will be plenty of money on the line at 34 Raceway this Saturday, May 10, as the track hosts a lucrative night of Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing action across four divisions. Sunoco IMCA Late Models have been added to the program and will race for a $1,000 payday. The Late Models will earn IMCA National points. Both the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars will run $1,000-to-win features. The Modified main event is a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifier, while the Stock Car winner earns eligibility for the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational. Also in action will be the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods, who will race for a $750 top prize in their main event. For more information and updates, follow the 34 Raceway Facebook page.

Jochim Wins Mandan Meltdown Finale; Carter Claims First Career Stock Car Victory on Friday

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (May 3, 2025) — Andrew Jochim was the Saturday night star in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature, outdueling a stacked field on the final night of Dacotah Speedway’s Mandan Meltdown doubleheader. Pole sitter Shawn Strand and Geoff Hellman swapped the lead in a spirited side-by-side battle until a lap eight caution regrouped the field. Strand cleared Hellman on the restart, but found himself under siege from Kalvin Kesselberg, Matt Dosch, and Andrew Jochim in a thrilling four-car battle for second. Contact shifted the running order, putting Jochim into the runner-up position. With ten laps to go, Jochim passed Strand and led the rest of the way, despite a determined charge by Strand, who searched for speed in the closing laps. Jochim crossed the line for his second win of the season at Dacotah and in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region. Kesselberg finished third. Todd Carter found victory lane on Friday night in the weekend’s opening IMCA Stock Car feature. He and Jason Berg exchanged the top spot early before [Read More]

Luinenburg Outduels Probst in Hobby Stock Thriller at Arlington Opener

By Susan Allen ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 3, 2025) — The 45th season opener at Arlington Raceway roared to life with six Speedway Motors IMCA divisions on the card and a hard-fought Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature that set the tone for an unforgettable night. Blake Luinenburg held off a furious late-race charge from Cory Probst to pick up his first win of the season on a new track surface. Jordan Robinson paced the field on lap one before a caution slowed the action. That opened the door for Luinenburg, making his debut in a newly built car, to charge to the front. Probst and Chad Volk sliced through the field from the third row to contend for podium spots, with Probst eventually overtaking Volk for second. In the final three laps, Probst reeled in Luinenburg and the duo charged through lapped traffic. Luinenburg stayed composed and edged Probst at the line for a crowd-pleasing win, his first win in the B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region. Volk settled for third. Brad Becker was awarded the Hess Technology [Read More]

Turnbull Steals the Show in Home Track Thriller

By Ben Deatherage ESTEVAN, SK (May 3, 2025) — The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds delivered an intense showdown for the 2025 opener at Estevan Motor Speedway. Five-time defending track champion Kody Scholpp set the tone early, bolting to a big lead before multiple cautions brought the field back to him. Aaron Turnbull and Steven Pfeifer—both decorated veterans—traded the second spot behind Scholpp, with Turnbull eventually getting the edge by lap 7. A caution on lap 9 tightened the pack again, and a final yellow with just eight laps remaining set up the feature’s pivotal moment. Turnbull, making the high side work to perfection, slipped past Scholpp for the lead on lap 18. The Estevan native began to pull away as Pfeifer and Scholpp resumed their fight for second. Turnbull, a two-time track champion and the 2013 Dakota Classic Mod Tour champ, earned his first Razor Chassis North Central Region win of the season. His son Eli had earlier won his first-ever Slingshot race, making it a special night for the Turnbull family. Scholpp settled for second, with [Read More]

Jimmy Ford: Racing Through Loss, Guided by Love

By Ben Deatherage YUBA CITY, Calif. (May 2, 2025) — The first win of a new season always feels special. For Jimmy Ford, the checkered flag he claimed at Rattlesnake Raceway on April 18 meant far more. “It feels like the weight is off my shoulders,” said Ford. “It was a special win. I lost my wife in February and it’s the first one that I’ve won since she’s been gone, and it meant a lot to me. The last race I won with her was at Rattlesnake in October.” That win, in the no. 12T Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod, was the kind that transcends stats. It was about love, grief, healing—and remembering someone who never missed a race. A Racing Life from Day One Ford’s path to the racetrack was practically preordained. His grandfather, Nick Burcher, owned race cars from the time he was 18 until he was 78. Ford went to his first race when he was just three months old. By the time he was five, he was behind the wheel of [Read More]

DeYoung Powers to Crystal Victory, Extends Incredible Streak

By Ben Deatherage CRYSTAL, Mich. (Apr. 26, 2025) — Myron DeYoung proved the high side was the fast lane at Crystal Motor Speedway, using a late-race move to claim his first Friesen Performance IMCA Modified win of the 2025 season — and extend one of IMCA’s most impressive streaks. With the victory, DeYoung has now won at least one IMCA Modified main event in each of the last 31 consecutive seasons, continuing a remarkable run that spans more than three decades. Jaycob Truemner grabbed the initial lead after a spirited battle with Jerry Hunt. However, defending track champion Jeff Reay was on the move early, methodically working the bottom line and powering into the top spot by lap three after starting seventh. A lap 4 caution bunched the field, and on the restart, multi-time Crystal track champ and two-time defending DeVilbiss Racing Eastern Region titleholder DeYoung began mounting his charge. Running the cushion with confidence, DeYoung drew alongside Reay several times before finally clearing him on lap 13. Once out front, DeYoung never looked back, navigating [Read More]

$5000 to Win Second Annual Mike Melton Memorial Set for May 9-10 at Kennedale Speedway Park

By Ben Deatherage KENNEDALE, Texas (Apr. 29, 2025) — A heartfelt tribute to one of the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car community’s most beloved figures is set for Friday and Saturday, May 9-10, as Kennedale Speedway Park hosts the 2nd Annual Mike Melton Memorial. A $5,000 payday awaits Saturday night’s winner, with $500 to start the feature. Friday’s preliminary night offers $1,000 to win and $150 to start. Drivers will also chase a $500 bonus for fast time and another $500 prize for winning the pole dash. The top eight finishers from Friday night will be locked into Saturday’s feature. Drivers are encouraged to pre-register on My Race Pass to save time and secure their spot. Mike Melton was a fixture in the racing community for more than 40 years, remembered for his generosity, passion for the sport, and deep-rooted commitment to helping others. Away from the track, Mike shared a wonderful life with his wife Margaret, to whom he was married for over 35 years. He passed away in November 2023, leaving behind a powerful legacy [Read More]

Ryan Roath: Racing With Purpose, Fueled by the Coast Guard’s Call

By Ben Deatherage KAMRAR, Iowa (Apr. 28, 2025) — Some race for trophies. Some race for adrenaline. Ryan Roath will be racing for something more this summer—a tribute to the U.S. Coast Guard, the branch that brought closure to his family after tragedy struck in 2018. That year, Roath’s life changed forever when his mother, Sandi Rader, was lost at sea while sailing her 53-foot ketch sailboat YachtCruz. She had acquired the boat in Florida and spent years cruising through the Caribbean and Panama. After the birth of her first granddaughter Parker, Sandi set sail for port in Chula Vista, California before getting to Arizona to meet her. But on January 7, 2018, she encountered a severe storm about 50 miles south of Ensenada, Mexico. The Mexican Navy received the initial distress signal and conducted a search without success. They then contacted the U.S. Coast Guard, who launched a 3,200-nautical mile search over several days. Eventually, they located the remains of his mother, bringing a measure of closure to an unthinkable loss. “I was sitting at work [Read More]

Logan Veloz Takes First Late Model Win at Davenport

By Mike McGuire DAVENPORT, Iowa (Apr. 25, 2025) — Logan Veloz scored his first ever Sunoco IMCA Late Model feature win. The 21-year-old Colona, Illinois driver took the lead of the race on lap 3 and never looked back. Veloz becomes the third different Late Model feature winner at Davenport in as many races this season. Travis Denning started on the pole in the race and led the first two laps before finishing second. Evan Miller was third. The full field of Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds was sprinkled with some top-name talent. Wisconsin’s Skyler Woods jumped out to the early lead in the 20-lap main. However, the race would be halted by a red flag on lap 5. An eight-car pile-up on the frontstretch blocked most of the track. All drivers involved were able to walk away from the incident. On the restart, Woods resumed the lead, but now with Spencer Diercks on his rear bumper. Spencer would grab the top spot on lap 10 and pace the field the rest of the way. Ben Chapman [Read More]