Feature Archives

Hogge opens Central California Clash with victory at Hanford

By Ben Deatherage HANFORD, Calif. (May 2, 2022) – A veteran and a youngster ran 1-2 in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event at Keller Auto Speedway Monday, opening night of the Central California Clash. Bobby Hogge cruised to the $1,000 checkers for his fourth win of the season and career 98th in the division while Jake Pike, the Shaw Race Cars Western Region rookie of the year just three years ago, navigated his way to runner-up honors. The main event began with a great battle between Troy Foulger and Hogge, champion of the 2020 version of the now rebranded Speedweek. Foulger had the initial advantage coming across the stripe, but that lap was negated due to caution. On the second attempt, it was Hogge leading the charge. Hogge had no real issues at the point as he piloted the Paul Guglielmoni-fielded entry around the track. Cody Laney submitted a bid on the fourth and final restart but Hogge was so good on the long green flag runs that he cruised away from everyone else. [Read More]

Kings, Thunderbowl, Merced all prepped for May 2-7 IMCA Central California Clash dates

HANFORD, Calif. (April 26, 2022) – Three IMCA divisions fill the card each of six nights in the May 2-7 Central California Clash. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds run for $1,000 to win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility each night, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods vie for $750 to win and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $600 to win. The Clash is at Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds in Hanford on Monday and Tuesday, May 2 and 3; at Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway Wednesday and Thursday, May 4 and 5; and at Merced Speedway Friday and Saturday, May 6 and 7. Kings opens the pits at 2 p.m. and grandstand at 4 p.m. with the drivers’ meeting at 5:15 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m. Grandstand admission is $20 for adults and $15 for seniors, military and students. Tulare opens at pits at 2 p.m. and grandstand at 4 p.m. The drivers’ meeting is at 4:45 p.m. and racing is at 6 p.m. Adult ticket prices are $20 for the grandstands and $15 for [Read More]

IMCA adds to list of approved connecting rods for Hobby Stocks, SportMods, Stock Cars

VINTON, Iowa (April 25, 2022) – With demand depleting supply, drivers in four IMCA divisions will now be allowed to compete with OEM replacement connecting rods produced by Eagle and Scat. “The supply of currently approved connecting rods for Hobby Stocks, both SportMod divisions and Stock Cars has largely been depleted,” explained IMCA President Brett Root. “We researched additional rods that meet our rule interpretation that are affordable and can be identified by visual inspection. The Eagle FSI and Scat Pro Series rods do just that.” “Racers and engine builders have contacted us and asked us to consider adding these to the list of rods approved for use in IMCA,” he continued. “We want everyone on the same page. All the current connecting rods in the IMCA rules remain legal. We are adding the Eagle FSI (5.7 and 6.0) and the Scat Pro Series (5.7 and 6.0) connecting rods to those rules.” “Scat and Eagle both have identification marking cast in the beams of the rods,” noted IMCA Director of Competition Dave Brenn. “The big [Read More]

Grimes sharing Sprint Car success as RaceSaver celebrates 25th season

MADISON, Va. (April 21, 2022) – The people who believed in it are the people founder French Grimes want to make sure get credit for RaceSaver and its success. What has grown to become the largest sanction for Sprint Car racing in the United States celebrates its 25th anniversary season and its 11th in partnership with IMCA this year. “The key to RaceSaver is to make sure money does not dominate any part of it,” explained Grimes, who continues to compete with the Virginia Sprint Series at the age of 78 and remains hands-on in charge of rules, enforcement and inspection. “RaceSaver rules have not changed appreciably over the years. They cannot be personality adjusted and they have to be economical.” A shared philosophy of economical and competitive racing first brought RaceSaver and IMCA together in 2012; an agreement two years later allowed IMCA long-term use of RaceSaver rules while administering points and point funds for the winged division. RaceSaver’s budget-friendly approach to Sprint Car racing caught on quickly in the IMCA ranks, particularly as its innovative [Read More]

Friesen Performance is new title sponsor for IMCA Modifieds, Northern SportMods

SUTTON, Neb. (April 13, 2022) – Drivers in the two biggest IMCA divisions enjoy new title support from Friesen Performance beginning this season. The Sutton, Neb., race shop becomes title sponsor of IMCA Modified and IMCA Northern SportMod divisions, providing a portion of national point funds to be paid in both through 2024. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds race weekly in a record 27 states and Canada this year, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods in a record 19 states and Canada. “This is a win-win program. Many drivers who are already our customers will be racing for point shares in these two divisions,” said Friesen Performance Sales Manager Al Walters. “This program kind of evolved as we talked with Carson (Becker-Gramm, marketing integration and sponsorship director for IMCA).” “These are the divisions we sell the majority of engines to,” he noted. Friesen sells and ships GM 604 and 602 crate engines to IMCA customers across the country and is also an authorized crate engine repair facility. “We have plenty of crate engines available,” said Walters, adding [Read More]

DeCarlo gets it done at Antioch Speedway

By Don Martin II ANTIOCH, Calif. (April 9, 2022) – Nick DeCarlo won the 20-lap IMCA Modified main event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. It was the second win of the season for DeCarlo and he overtook rookie Trevor Clymens to get the job done. Clymens raced into the early lead ahead of Sean Wilson and Kenneth Robles. DeCarlo started deeper in the field, and Clymens had a straightaway advantage wiped out by a lap seven yellow flag. Clymens continued to lead Robles on the restart with DeCarlo already up to third. DeCarlo went around Robles on the front stretch to take second on the ninth lap. DeCarlo was working the outside groove very well and made an outside pass on the backstretch on the 12th lap to take the lead from Clymens. A late yellow flag bunched the field on lap 17, but it didn’t stop DeCarlo. As DeCarlo charged on ahead of everybody else, Aaron Crowell made an outside pass in turn four to take second from Clymens. DeCarlo got the win ahead [Read More]

Season number 61 at Stuart starts with Murty Frostbuster photo finish

By Josh Reynolds STUART, Iowa (April 10, 2022) – The engines came to life Sunday evening with drivers from all over in attendance for the IMCA Frostbuster finale at Karl Chevrolet of Stuart International Speedway. Brad Whitney and Johnathon Logue led a pack of 25 IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars to turn one and it was Logue making it out of turn two with the lead. Damon Murty cruised by on lap three and moved out to a sizeable advantage on the field, but coming from his seventh starting spot was Damon’s son Dallon. The Chelsea Charger and The Game Changer survived a few cautions and Dallon took the lead with two laps to go. Damon snatched it back as the white flag flew and the crowd came to its feet knowing this was going to be a close finish. Dallon worked the bottom of the track and looked to have the win in hand, but Damon flew off the top side of turn four and passed Dallon at the line to win for the 287th time in his career [Read More]

Big money for Jernagan at West Coast marquee event

MERCED, Calif. (April 9, 2022) – Garrett Jernagan turned a marquee event into a career-best payday Saturday night. He led the last 26 of 30 laps in winning Merced Speedway’s Al Miller Memorial special for IMCA Northern SportMods, taking home a $5,000 check. “This win ranks right up there, knowing the Miller family and racing one night for five grand,” the Bakersfield driver said, adding plugs for the dual heat format as well as track officials and sponsors. “This is one of the marquee events on the West Coast and it’s nice to only have to go 2-1/2 hours from home and race for $5,000.” Kenny Shrader got the jump on the 20 car field before Jernagan found the fast bottom groove. “I stayed there until right around lap 14 when we had a caution. I’d heard another car (Jacob Mallet Jr.), glanced at the top and saw it was getting pretty clean,” he said. “We got the yellow, I went to the top and while I was never really challenged from there, it wasn’t [Read More]

Boone Frostbuster wins to Ward, Kuehl, Murty, Smith

By Joyce Eisele BOONE, Iowa (April 9, 2022) – Four drivers wrote their names into the history books with IMCA Frostbuster wins Saturday at Boone Speedway. One hundred and ninety cars took to Iowa’s Action Track and checkers flew for Tim Ward in the IMCA Modifieds, Taylor Kuehl in the IMCA Northern SportMods and a couple 2021 Super Nationals champions, Dallon Murty in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Mike Smith in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Forty-three ground-pounding Modifieds were on hand and it was defending IMCA national champion Jeff Larson leading the opening laps. By lap 11, however, Ward had grabbed the top spot. Ward, already Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible, never relinquished his lead as he motored home to the win. Jeremy Mills had to be content with second. Third went to Larson, Devin Fouquette was fourth and Johnathon Logue, in his Modified debut, rounded out the top five. Kuehl, another Arizona native, had just returned to Iowa three days prior to the Frostbuster kickoff and would lead all 25 laps on her way to a [Read More]

Boone, Stuart Frostbusters on for this weekend

BOONE, Iowa (April 6, 2022) – Forecasts are promising for Frostbuster specials this weekend at Boone Speedway and Stuart Speedway. IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000 to win along with Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility while IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for $500 to win, IMCA Northern SportMods for $400 to win and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $250 to win Saturday, April 9 at Boone and Sunday, April 10 at Stuart. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and KMJ Performance Iowa State points will be awarded both nights. Mach-1 Sport Compacts are also on the Sunday card at Stuart. Entry fees are $30 for Modifieds, $25 for Stock Cars and $20 for both SportMods and Hobby Stocks. Pit passes are $30. The pit opens at Boone at 2 p.m. and racing is at 5 p.m. Stuart opens the pits at 2 p.m. and starts racing at 4:30 p.m. IMCA.TV broadcasts the Boone Frostbuster.