Feature Archives

Tim Ward looks to better 2021 IMCA Super Nationals success

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 3, 2022) – Last September, Tim Ward captured the checkered in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event in the Wild Rose Casino Prelude at Boone Speedway. The Chandler, Ariz., transplant now racing out of Harcourt, Iowa, backed up the Prelude run with a runner-up finish in the Big Dance on the final evening of the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “Last year, winning the Prelude gave us a ton of confidence and momentum going into the Super Nationals,” commented Ward. “We had a good car, so it helped us a lot.” Ward has made the Big Dance four times since 2016 and has finished in the top 10 twice. In addition to getting second last year, he was 10th in 2016. Both those years he also won a qualifying main event. Ward has had a lot of success at Boone Speedway over the years. He has won three weekly main events this season, on April 9, May 14 and most recently on Aug. 13. [Read More]

Record 1,004 pre-entries for 40th annual IMCA Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 2, 2022) – The records continue to fall before the first green flag of the 40th annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s even waves. The number of drivers pre-entered hit 1,004 Friday morning, 82 more than the previous mark set last year. 2022 entries come from a record 29 states and four Canadian provinces. “Super Nationals has been the biggest event not only in IMCA but in all of dirt track racing for much of its history,” said IMCA President Brett Root. “We are honored that so many drivers want to be part of the 40th annual event. We will do everything possible to make their week at Boone Speedway the highlight of their 2022 season.” The 29 states represented among this year’s pre-registered drivers include Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. Canadian provinces represented include Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Saskatchewan. By [Read More]

Qualifying starts tonight at RaceSaver Nationals

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (Sept. 1, 2022) – The first night of the 10th annual IMCA Racesaver Nationals went off without a hitch Thursday evening at Eagle Raceway. Mother Nature cooperated, giving us a beautiful afternoon and evening with a nice breeze as the fans watched several sets of hot laps to allow the out-of-towners a chance to get reacclimated with the high-banked 1/3-mile oval. After hot laps were done there were five heats of IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars attempting to be a part of Saturday’s Race of Champions. Plenty of Sprints were on hand, with a good deal more expected on site as quite a few of the regulars at America’s Home Track will join them in the house beginning on Friday. Tonight’s action kicks off with hot laps at 5 p.m. and racing to start at 6 p.m. to set the front three rows of three cars for Sunday’s Big Dance. Front gates open at 4 p.m. with adult admission $18, children 6-12 $5 with kids five and under free. Pit gates will [Read More]

Guaranteed to be a “10,” IMCA RaceSaver Nationals kick off at Eagle

EAGLE, Neb. (Sept. 1, 2022) – An event that’s guaranteed to be a “10” kicks off tonight at Eagle Raceway. More than 100 IMCA Sprint Car drivers from 13 states and New Zealand are in town for the Thursday practice session and race of champions qualifying that set the stage for the 10th annual RaceSaver Nationals. They’ll race for $3,000 to win and a minimum of $1,500 to start the Sunday, Sept. 4 main event, with IMCA adding a $1,500 bonus to the winning driver provided they had made at least one 2022 sanctioned start coming into the weekend. Another $2,500 bonus will be paid to the highest finishing driver who has competed at each of the first nine RaceSaver Nationals. Miss Eagle Raceway will be crowned during intermission on Sunday and 27 cars start the main event three-wide. Friday, Sept. 2 and Saturday, Sept. 3 qualifying features both pay $700 to win. RaceSaver Enterprises pays $100 to heat winners both nights while Precise Racing Products sponsors Saturday’s $1,000 to win, $200 to start race of champions. [Read More]

$41,000+ in IMCA.TV bonuses added for 40th annual IMCA Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa (Aug. 30, 2022) – Saturday night champions crowned at the 40th annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s will go home with even bigger paychecks courtesy of IMCA.TV. On the heels of a $15,550 boost last September, the official broadcast partner of IMCA and Super Nationals adds another $25,500 to bonuses paid to Modified, Stock Car, Northern SportMod and Hobby Stock drivers at the upcoming Super Nationals Sept. 5-10 at Boone Speedway. The Modified champion will earn $10,000, with $7,500 paid to win the Stock Car main, $5,000 to win the Northern SportMod main and $3,000 to win the Hobby Stock main. Correspondingly, purse shares will be increased throughout each championship night starting field. Second through fourth place pay in each division for example will be $7,000, $3,500 and $2,000 for the Modifieds; $5,000, $2,500 and $1,500 for the Stock Cars; $3,000, $1,500 and $1,000 for the Northern SportMods; and $2,000, $1,000 and $500 for the Hobby Stocks. “Divisions with multiple days of qualifying see the lion’s share of increases this year [Read More]

Travels take James to victory lane at Southern Oregon’s Rayburn Classic

MEDFORD, Ore. (Aug. 19, 2022) – His latest finish in a self-described “pretty dang good year” also turned out to be a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified career-best payday for Bricen James. The much-traveled James banked $5,500 for his win at Southern Oregon Speedway’s 55-lap Bruce Rayburn Classic. The checkers were his 10th of the season, with those wins coming at seven different tracks in three states. “We kind of went everywhere this year. We’ve chased the big races around here and have won a lot of them,” said James, who piloted a Jerry Schram-owned ride with his own Rage Chassis on the trailer and ready for the next-week tow to Iowa. “It’s been a pretty dang good year for us.” He’d started the main event from the 11th spot and was running in the top five when lap 10 was scored. After a fuel-only stop at midway, James caught Collen Winebarger for third and then Nick Trenchard for the runner-up spot. He chased down Jesse Williamson for the lead around lap 40 and stayed in front to [Read More]

“It was a pretty good night” – Mike Nichols’ 600th IMCA Stock Car win comes at hometown Shelby County Speedway

HARLAN, Iowa (Aug. 20, 2022) – Another win, another milestone. Mike Nichols, won for the 600th time in his incredible IMCA Sunoco Stock Car career, taking his latest checkers Saturday night at hometown Shelby County Speedway. “It was pretty cool,” said Nichols, the winningest driver in IMCA’s 108-year history. “Years and years ago, my first win was at Harlan and it was good to get this milestone win at the same track with so many friends, fans and sponsors here.” “The environment couldn’t have been any better,” he added. There was a good car count and the grandstand was packed. It was a pretty good night.” Nichols has enjoyed a lot of “pretty good nights” since first taking The Class Too Tough To Tame by storm in 2002. Now chasing an IMCA record extending 11th national crown, he’s averaged better than 28 wins a season over the course of his Stock Car career and leads all IMCA drivers with 44 career track titles. His resume also includes 10 EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region championships and the 2017 IMCA Speedway [Read More]

Zellner sets sails to $10,000 checkers at 141’s IMCA Captain of the Creek

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (Aug. 18, 2022) – The third time was the charm Thursday night for Jacob Zellner. Making his career third start at 141 Speedway’s Captain of the Creek special for Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, the 2021 track champion finally got the best of Dylon Waldvogel late in the 50-lapper at Francis Creek. The $10,000 checkers marked a career-best payday for Zellner, who’d run 21st and 17th in his two previous Captain of the Creek outings. “Up to this point, we had nothing but bad luck in the big shows, so this was a big win for us, for sure,” he said. “It felt kind of surreal. Usually I’m pretty calm but when the checkers flew it was like ‘Wow!’” “There are definitely expectations for a defending track champion at an event like this,” continued Zellner. “I’ve raced regularly with Dylon and we always race each other clean. I was glad to be racing at the front with him.” Seventy-three entries from seven states were on hand for the Aug. 17-18 special. Elijah Koenig, 24th starting [Read More]

40 years of memories, milestones celebrated at IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s

BOONE, Iowa (Aug. 18, 2022) – The green flag flies on Labor Day for a spectacular dirt track racing event four decades in the making. Boone Speedway is the setting for the 40th annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Sept. 5-10. A record 730 drivers from 26 states and four Canadian provinces are already among the pre-entered competitors. “We have come a long way from the first Super Nationals, at what is now the Benton County Speedway in Vinton, and have continued to see growth since Super Nationals moved to Boone in 1988,” observed IMCA President Brett Root. “The number of milestones achieved and celebrated over the years at Super Nationals has been incredible.” “And the memories we share from Super Nationals have to do with more than drivers winning races,” he continued. “Countless friendships have been made over the years and they’re renewed every September in the pits and in the grandstand at Boone.” The format for the week remains largely unchanged from previous Super Nationals, although Sport Compacts have been moved [Read More]

Tire supply secure, $10K money grab for fans announced at IMCA RaceSaver Nationals

EAGLE, Neb. (Aug. 18, 2022) – It may be two weeks before opening night but IMCA Sprint Car drivers and race fans already have reason to cheer the 10th annual RaceSaver Nationals. As for drivers from a dozen states who have already made plans to compete at Eagle Raceway Sept. 1-4, promoter Roger Hadan has announced that he’s been in regular contact with Hoosier and tires will be available throughout the event. “We have communicated with Hoosier regularly and have received confirmation that there will a sufficient number of tires available for purchase throughout RaceSaver Nationals,” he explained. “This is one of the biggest Sprint Car events, not just in RaceSaver but in the entire country. Hoosier feels the quality is there and they’ll make sure we have tires.” And as far as fans go, a number of them will have the opportunity to grab shares of $10,000 that will be up in the air, literally, most likely during the RaceSaver Nationals Pit Parties after the races during the Friday, Sept. 2 or Saturday, Sept. 3rd race [Read More]