Feature

Fast learner Thompson wins 19 features, tops national rookie race for IMCA Modifieds

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Fast learner Cody Thompson made the quick transition to the IMCA Modified division. After collecting 80 feature wins in just four-plus Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod seasons, Thompson was a 19-time feature winner in his initial Modified campaign, earning national and Side Biter Chassis North Central Region rookie of the year honors, along with Murray County Speedway and Worthington Speedway track titles.  “I don’t know which accomplishment was the biggest,” said Thompson, fourth in national and runner-up in regional points. “Winning rookie of the year and 19 features is tough to do your first year in the Modified division.”  “I’d only raced Worthington one time before in a SportMod and that was the heat only because the feature rained out. I hadn’t raced at Slayton much before this year, either,” he added. “To win two track championships was pretty cool, too.”  Thompson made nine early season starts in Arizona and another at Beatrice Speedway’s Spring Nationals. He’d made running for rookie of the year a goal before winning his second home region [Read More]

Feature

Larson follows title talk with 2021 IMCA Modified national championship

FREEPORT, Ill. – Talk about another run at the IMCA Modified national championship began shortly after Jeff Larson finished second in the 2020 points race. Those conversations became more frequent when he won his first five home region starts of 2021. Larson did all his talking on the track from that point, winning a division-best 35 features in all, along with three track titles and Side Biter Chassis North Central Region and national crowns. “We had a good year, for sure,” said the modest Larson, from Freeport, the first Illinois driver to win the IMCA Modified national crown since 1987 and the first from the Land of Lincoln to win an IMCA regional title in any division. “We worked hard all week and raced hard on the weekend all season long. It was a big deal when we got the official call from IMCA.”  In his fourth season driving for boss and family friend P.J. Kostenbader, Larson ventured to Arizona’s Cocopah Speedway for seven Winter Nationals starts in January. His first checkers of the season [Read More]

Feature

Gould, Scrivner, Hanson hoist hardware at Heart O’ Texas Speedway Fall Classic

WACO, Texas (Oct. 23) – Another big race at Heart O’ Texas Speedway brought out the best in William Gould. The 24th annual Fall Classic saw Robert Scrivner and Lance Hanson impress, too. All three were $2,000 feature winners Saturday night, Gould in the IMCA Modifieds, Scrivner in the Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods and Hanson in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. The recently crowned Razor Chassis South Central Region champion Gould had won the All Star Shootout fueled by Fast Shafts main event at HO’T in May and led green to checkered of the 2021 season finale.  “The track was black from top to bottom and start to finish I was in the right place at the right time,” said Gould, newly eligible for the 2022 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “I led going into turn one and kept the car going where it needed to.”  Kevin Green, J.P. Dowell, P.J. Egbert and David Goode Jr. rounded out the top five. Winless in seven Heart O’ Texas starts this season, Scrivner enjoyed a flag-to-flag run at [Read More]

Feature

Four IMCA divisions primed for 24th annual Duel In The Desert

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Four IMCA divisions are on the week-long card as The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts the 24th annual Duel In The Desert Nov. 8-13.  IMCA Modifieds race for $10,000 to win their Saturday night main event on the half-mile oval and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods both for $5,000. IMCA STARS Mod Lites make their Duel debut in a $1,500 to win event. The Modified winner becomes eligible to qualify for the 2022 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational; the Stock Car winner earns a starting spot on the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational grid.  Practice is from 4-9 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 8. All four IMCA divisions will run heats and qualifying features Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 9-11, with feature winners locking into the main event but having the option to race all week to continue accumulating points for starting position. Qualifying features will be paid out each night and available at the pit shack after the races. Duel In The Desert lineups [Read More]

Feature

IMCA honors record number of champions at national banquet

LINCOLN, Neb. – IMCA returns to Lincoln to honor a record number of champions and rookies of the year at the national banquet on Saturday, Nov. 27. Drivers winning nearly 700 national, regional, track, special series and state championships, as well as national and regional rookie of the year honors during the 2021 race season will be recognized during the banquet, to be held at the Marriott Cornhusker Hotel in down­town Lincoln. Banquet attendees can go to the IMCA website and purchase tickets for $35 each and make room reservations at the Cornhusker by using www.imca.com/banquet. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and the awards ceremony starts at 8 p.m. Marketing sponsors recognized during the evening will include 25-year award recipients Aero Race Wheels, Brodix, Gil­lund Enterprises/Justice Brothers and KSE Racing Products. Kirkey, Mitchell Machine and Performance Distributors receive 15-year awards. Carolina Racing Supply, MD3, Performance Engineering & Manufacturing, Precise Racing Products, Velocita and Wehrs Machine & Racing Products will be recognized for 10 years as IMCA sponsors. Five-year sponsors are FAST, Side Biter Chassis and Swift [Read More]

Feature

Storybook night at Beatrice sees Frye win Octoberfest IMCA SportMod, Stock features

BEATRICE, Neb. (Oct. 15-16) – After making his first trip to victory lane at Beatrice Speedway, Tyler Frye described the Saturday Octoberfest show as a pretty remarkable night. After his second main event win, it became a storybook night. Frye borrowed a ride from Cody Williams and won the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature, then wheeled his own IMCA Sunoco Stock Car to the checkers. He started fourth in the Northern SportMod main, worked the top side from the get-go and was in the lead for good when the second of 20 laps was scored. That victory, ahead of Kaylin Lopez and Adam Armstrong,  was his first at Beatrice’s fall special since his 2015 national championship season. The Stock Car win came from the pole and in just his sixth start in that ride. “The car felt awesome. I knew from lap one that I had a good car,” Frye said. “I ran my line and hoped no one stuck their nose under or around me. It’s awesome to win in a car we bought [Read More]

Feature

Ogle, Poor, Fain, Leasure score IMCA Southern Challenge wins at Abilene

ABILENE, Texas (Oct. 16) – Vince Ogle figured he’d finished every position but first in all the years he’s been running Abilene Speedway’s Ryan Bard Memorial Southern Challenge. He led all 30 laps of the IMCA Modified feature at the 27th annual event to get that first win and $2,500 Saturday night.  “I’ve been trying to win this race for 25 years and I’m pretty sure I’ve finished everywhere except first,” he said. “It’s a really awesome feeling to finally win it. I was beginning to think it wouldn’t happen. This was the best shot I had at winning it and I didn’t want to let it go.”  “I gave it everything I had every lap.”  Ogle had drawn the outside pole start, then made last-minute setup changes after main event hot laps.  Into lapped traffic early, he was challenged by track champion Fred Wojtek on the lower line, then saw William Gould’s pass for the lead waved off by a caution. Ogle held the pack at bay to the checkers, winning ahead of Wojtek, Gould, [Read More]

Feature

Fireworks follow rich World IMCA Stock Car Championship feature win by LaCrosse

BATESVILLE, Ark. (Oct. 16) – An IMCA Sunoco Stock Car marathon ended with a two-lap sprint and Benji LaCrosse took home $50,000 from Batesville Motor Speedway’s World IMCA Stock Car Championship presented by IMCA.TV Saturday night. LaCrosse took his first lead seven circuits into the 71-lapper, passed Peyton Taylor on the 21st and 43rd circuits to regain the front spot, then held off Taylor in a two-lap shootout following a late caution. “I’m just speechless,” LaCrosse said following the top payday in division history and then getting a chance to catch his breath mid-interview while waiting for a spectacular post-race fireworks display to end. “We had a good car all week and I thought if a guy could get through quick enough he had a good chance of holding the spot. It was better than I thought to start off and it worked out pretty well.” LaCrosse had started seventh, runner-up Taylor 15th. Pole starter Dylan Thornton, Derrick Agee and hard charger Westin Abbey rounded out the top five. Dallon Murty led the first six laps, with [Read More]

Feature

IMCA banquet tickets, room reservations available online

LINCOLN, Neb. – Tickets for the Saturday, Nov. 27 IMCA national awards banquet and room reservations at the Cornhusker Marriott in Lincoln are now available online.  Banquet attendees can go to the IMCA website and make arrangements for both by using www.imca.com/banquet. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and the awards ceremony starts at 8 p.m. The champions’ reception will be held from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 26 at the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed. 

Dylan Thornton
Feature

World IMCA Stock Car Championship opening night checkers fly for Thornton

BATESVILLE, Ark. (Oct. 13) – Challenged throughout a fast-paced 25-lapper, Dylan Thornton held off all challengers in winning Wednesday’s World IMCA Stock Car Championship presented by IMCA.TV opening night qualifying feature at Batesville Motor Speedway. Racing into the lead from fourth starting on the opening circuit, Thornton battled with Johnathon Logue much of the way before taking the win ahead of seventh starting Dallon Murty of Chelsea, Iowa, and 11th starting Benji LaCrosse.  “Hopefully we can get the big one done Saturday,” said Thornton, who will start on the pole for the $50,000 to win main event.  Opening night saw 95 drivers in action in the 50th anniversary season finale at Batesville, and drivers from a dozen states took the green flag for the qualifier.  Logue, of Logansport, Iowa, ended in fourth. Rounding out the top nine were Curt Lund of Redwood Falls, Minn., Tim Brown of Stoutland, Mo., Tim Johnson of Brainerd, Minn., Jake Timm of Winona, Minn., and Derek Brown of Stoutland, Mo. Jeffrey Abbey of Belton, Texas, topped the “B” feature and Jack Sullivan [Read More]