Feature Archives

James’ patience rewarded with first Spring Nationals IMCA Modified win

BEATRICE, Neb. (March 20, 2022) – Fifteen years and 21 laps of patience paid off for Jeff James. James finally chased down Tim Watts, then led the last four times around the track for the much anticipated Spring Nationals IMCA Modified feature win Sunday at Beatrice Speedway. “I followed him and I followed him and I followed him, and I was finally able to sneak up underneath him,” said James, $2,500 richer and newly eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “We’ve been coming to Beatrice for the better part of 15 years and have never won one before. We’ve been trying and doing a lot of different things for a lot of years. It’s a relief to finally win one.” James had started outside Watts on the front row. Jacob Hobscheidt, Todd Shute and Johnny Saathoff, a seven-time Spring Nationals winner, completed the top five. James’ victory came in his sixth start in a second-hand 2020 Rage by Precision Performance. He’d posted second- and third-place finishes in the same ride last fall [Read More]

Saturday night special again for Grabouski with IMCA Modified and Stock Car Spring Nationals wins

BEATRICE, Neb. (March 19, 2022) – Opening night of the 2022 Spring Nationals looked a lot like opening night of the 2021 special. Just like he did last March, Jordan Grabouski won both IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and IMCA Sunoco Modified features at hometown Beatrice Speedway Saturday night. The two sets of checkers upped his Spring Nationals career record total to 14, a dozen of them in a Modified and dating to 2008. “It was fun. It’s kind of crazy to think about,” said Grabouski, who motored to B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility with the $2,000 Stock Car win before taking the $2,500 Modified victory. “Every year you ask, ‘How can I do it again?’ but we had some luck and it all played out. It was awesome.” Grabouski raced from ninth starting to battle Tyler Frye and take over the lead with five laps to go in the Stock Car headliner. Frye, the Saturday winner at Beatrice Octoberfest last fall, stayed right behind to the finish. Kyle Vanover, Scott Brown [Read More]

Ward completes IMCA Modified Southern Stampede sweep

ARDMORE, Okla. (March 19, 2022) – Tim Ward went 372 days between his first and second IMCA Modified Southern Stampede feature wins. He went just 24 hours between his second and third. Ward completed his weekend sweep at Southern Oklahoma Speedway Saturday night, racing from eighth starting to the $3,000 checkers. He’d won $2,000 from the pole on Friday at Ardmore. “Weekends like this are everything we go for. We try to win every night,” Ward said. “We had a good car and really good draws both nights. Everything worked out for us.” Ethan Braaksma, 13th starting Jeff Taylor, Matt Bonine and Drake Findley completed the top five. The more than 100 IMCA entries on Night 2 of the Stampede included 49 Modifieds. Making a rare three-wide start, Ward took the initial green flag for the 30-lapper from the middle of the third row. “It took a few lap fort the top side to come in and I was about the only one up there,” he said. “I got up to second before there was a [Read More]

Ward stampedes back to winner’s circle at Southern Oklahoma

ARDMORE, Okla. (March 18, 2022) –Tim Ward raced his way back to victory lane while Blake Clark won for the first time at Ardmore and Tim Hamilton won for the first time in his IMCA career on opening night of Southern Oklahoma Speedway’s Stampede special. Ward topped Friday’s $2,000 to win IMCA Modified feature, leading all 25 laps from the pole. The 10th starting Clark collected the $1,000 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car checkers a fraction of a second ahead of Shelby Williams and Hamilton was the $1,000 Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod winner at his home track from sixth starting. Early cautions kept lapped traffic from becoming a factor in the Modified main event and Ward caught up with the back of the field again late in the contest. “Southern Oklahoma really fits my driving style,” said Ward, who’d become a first-time winner in the state at last year’s Stampede. “It gets slick and slippery when it dries out. You’ve got to slow down (for the corners) and be patient in the car.” “It’s a lot [Read More]

Antioch opener all about family as DeCarlo tops IMCA Modified feature

ANTIOCH, Calif. (March 18, 2022)– Winning the opening night feature at Antioch Speedway was great. But even better, said Nick DeCarlo, was that he got his first IMCA Modified victory since late in 2020 while racing with his father and brother. “It was emotional. I was really relieved,” DeCarlo said following the rare start with father Terry Sr. and brother Terry Jr. “It had been so long since I’d won I’d considered giving up. There was a feeling of relief, to be honest, but with just that one win, man, I’m excited about racing again.” The Martinez driver brought 32 career wins in the division into the March 12 show. The last of those checkers came more than a year and a half ago, in mid-August California Speedweek and early September weekly races at home track Antioch. His best finish in what proved to be a star-crossed 2021 was second, also on opening night and at Antioch. “I had no luck last year,” said DeCarlo, ticking off a list of DNQ’s and DNF’s that concluded [Read More]

Big numbers, big economic impact: Super Nationals brings $61 million to Iowa

BOONE, Iowa (March 17, 2022) – The proof is in the numbers: The biggest event in dirt track racing has a big economic impact not only for the Boone area but for the State of Iowa. The IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s brought a record 909 race cars and tens of thousands of fans to Boone Speedway for its Sept. 6-11, 2021 run. A study compiled by the United States Motorsports Association and Washington & Jefferson College and released today determined the 39th annual event resulted in an economic impact of nearly $61 million, along with 609 local jobs and a corresponding $16.8 million in local earnings. “We had this study conducted because we knew Super Nationals has had a major economic impact on the City of Boone, Boone County and the State of Iowa but did not realize the impact was of this magnitude,” said IMCA President Brett Root. “The goal had been for the economic impact study to provide for infrastructure spending, to continue to improve the venue and continue making [Read More]

Speedway Motors continues title support of IMCA Weekly Racing, Super Nationals

LINCOLN, Neb. (March 16, 2022) – Speedway Motors returns to invaluable sponsorship roles with IMCA in 2022, backing weekly race programs at more than 200 tracks in the United States and Canada while returning as title sponsor of Super Nationals, the biggest and most prestigious event in all of dirt track racing. The Lincoln, Neb., high performance parts manufacturer, retailer and distributor offers more than 250,000 products for circle track, street, muscle and rod enthusiasts. IMCA’s longest tenured sponsor at 43rd consecutive years, Speedway Motors traces its ties to the sanctioning body to the 1950s. “This year marks our 70th anniversary and we’re incredibly excited to continue to support IMCA and help customers in all nine IMCA divisions build their dreams in 2022. Our roots are in racing and for 70 years we’ve helped auto enthusiasts and racers build their best cars,” Speedway Motors President and Owner Clay Smith said. “By supporting IMCA and its member tracks, we hope to help customers continue to build their dreams while keeping racing, safe, fun and affordable.” “Whatever you need [Read More]

Three IMCA divisions Stampede March 17-19 at Southern Oklahoma Speedway

ARDMORE, Okla. (March 7, 2022) – Southern Oklahoma Speedway’s Southern Stampede special sees three IMCA divisions in action March 17, 18 and 19. IMCA Modifieds run for $2,000 to win and $200 to start on Thursday, $1,000 to win and $100 to start on Friday and $3,000 to win and $300 to start Saturday evening at Ardmore, with each winner earning Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. Thirty cars will start three-win on the final night. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods both run for $1,000 to win and $100 to start on Thursday, $750 to win and $75 to start on Friday and $1,250 to win and $125 to start Saturday. Stock Car winners become B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible. Each race night program will be available on IMCA.TV, which also returns as broadcast partner for weekly race programs at Southern Oklahoma Speedway this season. Pre-entry fee for the Modifieds is $75 for Thursday or Friday, $125 for Saturday or $175 for all three days. Stock [Read More]

Beatrice hosts rescheduled IMCA Spring Nationals March 18-19

BEATRICE, Neb. (March 7, 2022) – Spring Nationals now bring five IMCA divisions to Beatrice Speedway on Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19. Forecasts for inclement weather have forced track officials to postpone the 29th annual event. IMCA Modifieds race for $2,500 to win, a minimum of $250 to start and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility, while IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for $1,000 to win and a minimum of $100 to start on Friday, $2,000 to win and a minimum of $200 to start on Saturday, and B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility both nights. IMCA Northern SportMods run for $1,000 to win and $100 to start, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $500 to win and $75 to start each night, and Mach-1 Sport Compacts for $200 to win each night. Modified drivers are guaranteed $100 a day in tow money. Entry fees, which can be mailed to the speedway at Box 753 in Beatrice, Neb., 68310, are $130 for both days or $80 for one day for Modifieds; $35 each [Read More]

Devil’s Bowl primed for March 11, 12 Texas RaceSaver Sprint Nationals

MESQUITE, Texas (March 7, 2022) – The track Where Fast is Fun will be primed to host the second annual Texas 305 RaceSaver Sprint Nationals Friday and Saturday, March 11 and 12. The opening night main event at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite pays $1,000 to win and a minimum of $200 to start. Saturday’s big show pays $2,000 to win, $1,850 for second, $1,700 for third, $1,600 for fourth, $1,500 for fifth and $1,400 for sixth and then increments of $50 less for each place down to $500 for 24th. Non-qualifier pay is $50 on Friday and $100 on Saturday. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National and KMJ Performance State points will be awarded both nights. Gates open Thursday at 3 p.m. and tech starts at 4 p.m. with an open practice to follow; gates open at noon, the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors ages 60 and over, military with ID and students ages 12-15, and free for [Read More]