News Archives

Wehrs Machine & Racing Products marks quick decade of support for IMCA specials

BANGOR, Wis. – Wehrs Machine & Racing Products reaches another sponsorship milestone in 2021, renewing special events awards for drivers in six IMCA divisions. The Bangor, Wis., manufacturer gives $50 gift certificates to a top five finisher at 80 designated specials for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Late Models, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods. Wehrs opened 24 years ago in the building that had been home to the Chevrolet dealership owned by company founder and owner Chad Wehrs’ grandfather. More recently, distribution was moved to the former location of his father’s auto dealership. “It’s exciting – it seems like just yesterday I went to Super Nationals for the first time and knew this was something we needed to be part of,” Wehrs said of his 10th IMCA sponsorship season. ”Probably one of the best decisions I made in the last 10 years was the partnership with IMCA.” All special certificates will be mailed from the IMCA home office the week after official race results [Read More]

Oil Capital Racing Series returns to Lawton Speedway on Saturday

By John Rittenoure TULSA, Okla. (March 22) – After four nights of racing, the AmeriFlex/Oil Capital Racing Series for IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars travels southwest to Lawton Speedway on Saturday for the first time since 2017. A total of 61 competitors have raced with the AmeriFlex/OCRS series to date this season and four different drivers have visited victory lane. In 2017, the AmeriFlex/OCRS visited Lawton three times and past champion Alex Sewell won twice, then finished second behind Andrew Deal. Racing gets underway at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Sewell wins on final night of Creek County Speedway Spring Fling

By John Rittenoure KELLYVILLE, Okla. (March 20) – Alex Sewell became the fourth different AmeriFlex/Oil Capital Racing Series IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car winner in four nights Saturday to close out the Spring Fling at Creek County Speedway. The 2018 series champion charged his way through the field from the eighth place starting position to win his 13th OCRS career feature, moving him into a third place tie with Sean McClelland on the career win list. Jase Randolph drove off the pole into the early lead while Sewell started his run through the field. In the final laps, Sewell was able to challenge Randolph and found a way to pass him for the victory. Randolph held on to second while current AmeriFlex/OCRS points leader Casey Wills finished third. Friday winner Noah Harris managed a fourth place finish, advancing six positions, and 2014 non-wing champion Danny Smith rounded out the top five. Feature results – 1. Alex Sewell; 2. Jase Randolph; 3. Casey Wills; 4. Noah Harris; 5. Danny Smith; 6. Alison Slaton; 7. Joe Bob Lee; 8. [Read More]

Harris earns first Oil Capital victory with late pass for lead

By John Rittenoure KELLYVILLE, Okla. (March 19) – Persistence paid off in a career-first AmeriFlex/Oil Capital Racing Series IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car victory for Noah Harris Friday at Creek County Speedway. Harris chased down race-long leader Josh Tyre and finally passed him with three laps remaining for the lead and eventual victory. “I struggled around the bottom. I thought that is where we had to be,” Harris said of his early laps in the 25-lap race. “I ran a couple of laps down there then we went to the top.” That is when Harris started to advance. After a lap 12 restart, Harris drove around veteran Danny Wood for second and chased after Tyre. It took Harris 10 laps before he was finally able to pull even with Tyre. “He ran a really great race,” Harris said of Tyre. “Josh is a great racer and I was finally getting lucky through (turns) three and four to get a run to catch him. “My guys did a great job getting the car ready and making the [Read More]

Stock Car awards new to PEM’s 10th IMCA program

ST. CLAIR, Mo. – The growing number of Stock Car drivers who have supported Performance Engineering & Manufacturing are reflected in the St. Clair manufacturer’s 10th IMCA sponsorship program. PEM adds awards for The Class Too Tough To Tame to special events and post-season prizes for IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Late Models. Both regional champions receive $250 PEM certificates, the two runners-up each a $150 certificate. “Stock Cars are a good class, a growing class. I’ve been around them forever,” said PEM Sales Manager Randy Harrison, noting the uptick in rear end and center section sales to drivers and builders alike. “The class is very competitive, with lots of close racing.” “It’s a good, blue collar class where everyone races hard,” he continued. “There are a lot of times when you go to the track and the Stock Car feature is the best race of the night.” PEM also gives $250 certificates to champions in each of the five Modified regions and the Late Model national champion, and $150 certificates to runners-up in the Modified regions and [Read More]

First Arizona shows for Wild West Tour see Baca, Hibdon top IMCA Modifieds at Cocopah

SOMERTON, Ariz. (March 19-20) – The first visit to Arizona by the Pitt Stop Motorsports Wild West Tour saw two IMCA Modified drivers race to career-first tour wins at Cocopah Speedway. Defending Shaw Race Cars Western Region, state and track champion Chaz Baca topped the Friday show, then ran second to Kollin Hibdon under the Saturday lights at Somerton. Both feature events on the opening weekend for the 11th annual tour paid $1,000 to win. Baca started on the pole Friday, tangled with Hibdon racing for the lead near midway and went on to lead all 25 laps. Darrell Hughes II was second and Steve McCollough third. “It was definitely a good way to start the tour. It was nice to pick up a tour win at one of my home tracks with my sponsors there to watch,” said Baca, who plans to chase the WWT crown. “I haven’t won a tour title before. It would be cool to get this one.” Scored 19th after his early exit on night one, Hibdon led green to checkers on [Read More]

Spring Nationals first for Grabouski with IMCA Modified, Stock Car sweep

BEATRICE, Neb. (March 20) – The leader in Spring Nationals career wins raced to a new Spring Nationals accomplishment Saturday at Beatrice Speedway. Jordan Grabouski won the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car for the first time at his hometown track’s season-opening special, then topped the IMCA Modified headliner for the record 11th occasion . “It was unbelievable. It just sets the tone for the whole year,” said Grabouski, a former national champion in both divisions and three-time defending king in the Jet Racing Central Region for Modifieds. “We’ve had an unbelievable start to the year already.” Entries again topped 200 for the 28th annual event, shortened to a single day due to weather. Grabouski beat Todd Shute and Ethan Braaksma to the $2,500 Modified checkers and outran Cody Nielson and Dan Nelson to the $1,000 Stock Car victory. He led the last 19 of 20 laps after starting seventh in the Stock Car feature and then every circuit after starting outside the front row in the Modified main. “The bottom groove worked for me better in the Stock [Read More]

Merced starts season with Jerry Shannon tribute race

MERCED, Calif. – Merced Speedway opens the season March 27, paying IMCA Modifieds $2,000 to win and a minimum of $150 to start the Tribute to Jerry Shannon main event. The Shannon tribute is a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier and the Modified driver with the fastest time in qualifying nets another $200. Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods run from $750 to win and $50 to start. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Shaw Race Cars Western Region, KMJ Performance State and track points will be awarded. The event will be broadcast by IMCA.TV. Pit gates open at 1 p.m. and the drivers’ meeting is at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 6 p.m. and racing gets underway at 7 p.m. Pit passes are $40. Admission to the fan/family pit area is $20 for adults, $10 for kids ages 3-10 and free for two and under. Fans and family can bring their own food and beverages but no glass or alcohol.

Bradshaw Memorial starts I-30 season for IMCA STARS Mod Lites

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – I-30 Speedway will host its first IMCA STARS Mod Lite event on March 27, with the third annual Joey Bradshaw Memorial paying $500 to win. The 21-lap feature is expected to bring a strong field of competitors from Iowa, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas to challenge the Mod Lites of Arkansas regulars, among them the likes of defending track champion Bryce Vowan, a four-time winner last season, and defending MLA series champion Blake Wilson, who collected three checkers at Little Rock in 2020. Tough customers Chris Tucker and Chad Kirkpatrick will be counted among the contenders as well. Gates open at 5 p.m. Adult spectator admission is $20 with kids 12 and under free compliments of Dove Plumbing. Pit passes are $35.

IMCA set for record 2021 season

VINTON, Iowa – Wherever you call home or travel to this year, odds are good that there will be IMCA Racing close by. The 2021 season will be a record breaker for IMCA, with more than 600 sanctions in nine divisions, in 39 states coast to coast and border to border and in Canada. “It’s gratifying to see the support we get from tracks in adding new divisions to their current sanctions, and to be able to announce new sanctions at so many different tracks,” said IMCA President Brett Root. The Modified division, of course, will remain IMCA’s biggest both in terms of licensed drivers and sanctioned tracks. Stock Car, Hobby Stock and Late Model sanction numbers all increased in 2020 and Northern or Southern SportMods run at more than 100 tracks for a fifth consecutive season this year. New records have already been set by the more than 90 tracks to host RaceSaver Sprint Car events and the nearly 60 tracks with Mach-1 Sport Compacts on their schedules. More than 20 tracks are already [Read More]