Feature Archives

IMCA Modifieds, Northern SportMods Deer Creek bound for 33rd Harris Clash

SPRING VALLEY, Minn. (July 19, 2024) – Even after all these years, event promoter Bob Harris is getting as pumped for the 33rd annual Harris Clash as he did for the inaugural race. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds run for $5,000 to win, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods for $2,000 to win when they return to Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., for the Tuesday, Aug. 6 Clash, sponsored by Wehrs Machine and Racing Products. “We have always done a good job with the payout and this year we’ve done especially well with the people who help partner with us in this event,” said Harris, noting Wehrs’ title sponsorship of the Clash itself and the Modified main as well as Fast Shafts’ title sponsorship of the Northern SportMod main. “They all do a really good job helping support this race.” “The Modified winner gets another $500 if their chassis builder is part of our manufacturers’ cup program and we have a couple new chassis manufacturers who have jumped on board with that,” he added. “That’s always [Read More]

Lemmens is best of the best at 141’s IMCA King of the Creek

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (July 17, 2024) – Luke Lemmens drove back to the pits after hot laps Wednesday night knowing he had a good shot at winning 141 Speedway’s King of the Creek special for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. After 50 laps of main event racing, he’d done just that. “This has been a race that‘s probably eluded me for years. We’ve won a lot of races at 141, a lot of $1,000 to win races and two track championships, and we’ve finished in the top four, top five three or four times in this race,” the Green Bay driver said after outrunning Troy Jerovetz to the $10,000 checkers. “This race brings a lot of competition, guys like Benji LaCrosse and Mike Mullen, the best of the best, so this one is definitely one I’ve wanted for a long time. “It’s a relief and absolutely amazing that we finally got it done.” More than 80 of the best drivers in the division from Wisconsin, the Midwest and from as far away as New Mexico were [Read More]

Winebarger sails to Modified Nationals checkers at Grays Harbor

By Ben Deatherage ELMA, Wash. (July 13, 2024) – Four wins in four races led to the biggest payday of Collen Winebarger’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified career. Winebarger topped both his heat races and the $500-to-win race of champions on Friday, then followed with the $7,500 checkers in Saturday’s 25th annual Modified Nationals main event at Grays Harbor Raceway. “The weekend was really good, Winebarger said after leading the caution-free, 40-lap finale start to finish, racing the last 19 times around the track with a broken right front upper control arm. “It was rough. I couldn’t feel my arms afterwards. The last few laps, holding onto the steering wheel, was tough,” he added. “We were still OK, we just slowed down a fair amount. Fortunately it didn’t break all the way off and end our race.” Grey Ferrando ended in second with Nick Trenchard, Brenton Schnitzler and Craig Moore completing the top five. Lapped traffic came into play starting on lap eight but didn’t slow Winebarger’s methodical run on the inside line. Ferrando made his move [Read More]

Sanders wins $15,000 IMCA Western SportMod Nationals at Yreka

By Ben Deatherage YREKA, Calif. (July 13, 2024) – Matt Sanders would be the first driver to the stripe of the 40-lap finale for the $15,000 to win Finley Farms Western SportMod Nationals at Yreka Speedway on Saturday, July 13. The Siskiyou Golden Fairgrounds assembled some of the country’s best Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod pilots to the 1/4-mile clay over the weekend. When the main event began, Friday night prelim winner Joe Docekal led the opening stanza after a brief battle with Ethan Killingsworth. Docekal tried to pull away from the runner-up as Tyler Bannister settled into third. After eight laps were completed, things slowed down due to a chain reaction crash on the front stretch. When the green returned, Docekal had his hands full with Bannister overtaking Killingworth shortly followed by a claymaker toward Docekal for the lead in turn three. Docekal countered with a bit better run off the bottom of the fourth corner, retaining the position. Sanders came to call on the ninth circuit with a move under Killingsworth to procure [Read More]

Registration opens July 15 for IMCA Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa (July 12, 2024) – Go ahead and set your alarm for 9 a.m. CST Monday, July 15. That’s the time drivers in seven divisions can begin pre-entering for the 42nd annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Links to driver registration, pit stall reservations and camping forms are posted at www.imcasupernationals.com. Modified, Stock Car, Hobby Stock, Northern SportMod, Sport Compact, Late Model and Mod Lite drivers must register online for the Sept. 2-7 Super Nationals at Boone Speedway. Drivers have to have a valid 2024 IMCA license and are required to register for Super Nationals before reserving a pit stall or stalls. Registration fees of $50 for Modifieds, Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks, Northern SportMods and Mod Lites, and $25 for Sport Compacts include entry fees for the Aug. 31-Sept. 1 Prelude. Late Model entry fee is also $50. “The level of anticipation is as high as ever,” noted IMCA President Brett Root. “Super Nationals is by far the biggest dirt track event in the country, one that IMCA drivers want to be part of year [Read More]

Win at Mandan is record-setter for Berry, Braaksma clinches IMCA Dakota Tour title

MANDAN, N.D. (July 11, 2024) – Tom Berry Jr.’s second win of the week was one for the record book. Ethan Braaksma’s third runner-up finish was good for a championship. Berry led every lap of Thursday’s Dakota Classic Modified Tour powered by Industrial Electric main event at Dacotah Speedway, his career 10th Friesen Performance IMCA Modified victory breaking the previous record held by Ricky Thornton Jr. and dating from 2006, when IMCA resumed sanctioning the tour. “It’s pretty incredible, to know what Ricky has done in his career and to pass a record like that,” Berry said. “I know he holds a lot of ‘em and we’re trying to break them. I’m kind of like his little brother, I guess. We’re just trying to do the best we can and make it somewhere in life.” Also first to the checkers Monday at Estevan and the only repeat winner in either division following the tour, Berry led Braaksma the first four times around the track before the only caution of the night – just the second in [Read More]

IMCA Dakota Tour checkers at Dickinson are first for Braaksma

DICKINSON, N.D. (July 10, 2024) – That great big sigh of relief you heard in victory lane at Southwest Speedway Wednesday night came from Ethan Braaksma. The Newton, Iowa pilot chased Kyle Strickler the first 20 laps, finally found his way to the front and led the last 10 times around the 3/8-mile clay oval at Dickinson for his career first Dakota Classic Modified Tour powered by Industrial Electric feature win. “It definitely takes a lot of weight off my shoulders,” said Braaksma, who had run second, second and then third in the three previous Friesen Performance IMCA Modified tour outings. “We’ve been itching to get this win. We finally got it and now we’re ready to get another one.” Strickler had won the Tuesday night main event with a last-lap pass at Williston Basin Speedway and looked like he had the car to go back-to-back with, leading Travis Hagen and then Braaksma through a fast-paced opening 12 circuits. Braaksma peeked inside a couple times before the front pair encountered a five-car pack running at [Read More]

IMCA Dakota Tour win at Williston as good as it gets for Strickler

WILLISTON, N.D. (July 9, 2024) – He’s won a lot of big races in his career and Kyle Strickler has to rank his first Dakota Classic Modified Tour powered by Industrial Electric victory among them. Strickler stalked and caught up with long-time leader Kollin Hibdon, finally making the pass to the front on the 30th and final lap in winning Tuesday’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event at Williston Basin Speedway. “This is about as good as it gets,” Strickler said after taking the $2,000 checkers six tenths of a second ahead of Hibdon, who’d won the opening night show Sunday at Nodak Speedway. “Kollin is really, really good on the top. He showed everybody that on night one,” he continued. “I tried being as patient as possible and actually rolled right through the middle. Some crumbs were getting thrown there and that helped me out. I could put right up next to him.” Ninth starting Ethan Braaksma, Brady Bjella and Cody Laney completed the top five. Strickler was already eligible to qualify for the Fast [Read More]

Grabouski checks Tanner Pelster Memorial off must-win list

ALBION, Neb. (July 8, 2024) – The one that got away last year didn’t get away Monday night. Jordan Grabouski led the last 11 laps of Boone County Raceway’s fourth annual Tanner Pelster Memorial, earning an IMCA Sunoco Stock Car career-best $6,111 payday for his efforts. “This race has been on my mind for about a year,” said Grabouski, runner-up last July after losing the lead and the big payday to Mike Nichols on the final circuit. “This race was one that I’ve had on my list that I’ve really wanted to win and I finally got it done.” Forty-plus Stock Cars from across the Midwest were entered at Albion after inclement weather forced postponement of the event from Sunday to Monday. Jacob Anson and Grabouski drew front row starts with Anson setting the fast pace before giving way to Dallon Murty on lap four. Grabouski lurked in third, with Tyler Iverson fourth on the lower line, before catching Anson on lap eight. Murty held onto the front spot through the first of what would [Read More]

Estevan checkers complete Berry’s collection, he’ll race next for IMCA Dakota Tour record

ESTEVAN, Sask. (July 8, 2024) – Tom Berry Jr. completed his collection Monday night. Next, he’ll race for a Dakota Classic Modified Tour powered by Industrial Electric record. Berry led start to finish of a caution-free and quickly-paced 30-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event at Estevan Motor Speedway. The $2,000 checkers were his tour career ninth, matching the record set by Ricky Thornton Jr. since IMCA resumed sanctioning the tour in 2006. “I haven’t gotten a win here since like five years ago so it was nice to get this one,” Berry said from victory lane. “We didn’t race at Estevan the year I swept the tour (2022, when two events were held at Dacotah Speedway) so it was pretty cool to win here.” “Now I’ve got a win on every track on the Mod tour.” His latest win was never in doubt as Berry started outside the front row and pulled away from the start. Ethan Braaksma took over the second spot 10 laps in and started cutting into Berry’s big lead, but [Read More]