News 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]

Maupin prevails in IMCA Modified opener at I-37

By J.M. Hallas PLEASANTON, Texas (March 19, 2022) – Spring has (almost) sprung, with the new season only hours away before the green flag waved for the I-37 Speedway season opener on the ¼-mile, semi-banked dirt oval, just south of San Antonio. As the IMCA Modified 20-lap main fired off it was Jared Maupin off turn two with the lead trailed by Chris Morris, Cameron Starry, Robert Liese and Ryan Doyon in top five. After a quick spin and caution, Morris began his challenge on Maupin for the lead, throwing everything but the kitchen sink at him. Morris tried diving in low and got alongside Maupin, but Maupin held him off. Another quick spin-caution set up a repeat of Morris trying to stick the nose inside Maupin on the restart, to no avail. After a lap 16 restart, the top three broke away quickly back under green with Morris still trying to dive in under Maupin. Morris got his best chance on lap 18 getting door to door with Maupin on the back stretch, but [Read More]

Chadwick, Robles, Ryland share Antioch Speedway spotlight

By Don Martin II ANTIOCH, Calif. (March 19, 2022) – Kellen Chadwick picked up the win in the 20-lap IMCA Modified main event victory Saturday at Antioch Speedway. Threatening skies gave way and allowed racing to take place. Chadwick proved to be the class of the field with a dominant feature performance and a win in his heat race. Bobby Motts Jr had a front row start and charged into the lead from the get-go. Chadwick moved into second on lap two and made a turn four pass to take the lead on the seventh circuit. Previous winner Nick DeCarlo settled into third on lap 13. Chadwick stretched his advantage to a straightaway in victory. DeCarlo made an outside pass attempt in the final turn but Motts held him off for second. Jason Robles won the 20 lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. This race was destined to go without a yellow flag. Robles bolted into the lead at the start ahead of Dave Hill. Previous winner Fred Ryland started back in the fourth row [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]

Edwards off to fast 2022 start, wins Oil Capital main at Creek County

By John Rittenoure KELLYVILLE, Okla. (March 19, 2022) – Blake Edwards came close to winning his first AmeriFlex/Oil Capital Racing Series IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car main event two weeks ago with a second place finish at Red Dirt Raceway. Saturday at Creek County Speedway, Edwards got the win, taking the lead after a lap 14 restart and pacing the field to the checkers for his first OCRS career victory. “We have been fast the first three races, almost won the second night at Meeker and finally won tonight,” said the smiling Edwards. Two-time 2021 Creek County OCRS winner Noah Harris jumped into the early lead from the outside front row and was chased by pole sitter Alex Sewell in second and Edwards in third after two lap one restarts. Edwards passed Sewell for second on lap 12. On lap 14, the yellow waved for a mishap that saw Edwards and Harris make contact. Harris left the race and Edwards was able to continue and took over the lead. “We made a little contact there,” Edwards [Read More]

Abilene Race Rads rewards special events drivers in five IMCA divisions

ABILENE, Texas (March 21, 2022) – Special events competitors in five IMCA divisions are in the running for $50 gift certificates given by Abilene Race Rads. The third-year sponsor awards those certificates, good toward the purchase of a racing radiator or fan blade, to a top five finisher at each of 80 designated specials for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods and IMCA Northern SportMods. Certificates will be mailed after official race results are received at the IMCA home office. In addition, the Modified champion at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s receives a single pass racing radiator and Stock Car, Hobby Stock and Northern SportMod champions all get Super Sucker 4-blade fans. Abilene Race Rads owner Kyle Wisdom is a former Southern SportMod track champion at Abilene Speedway. He now races a Modified and hopes to compete at Super Nationals for the first time this September. “We like that this program with IMCA helps promote our products in multiple regions and not just close [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]

AERO Race Wheels continues awards for IMCA special events drivers, state champs

ESTHERVILLE, Iowa (March 18, 2022) – Drivers competing in special events and winning state championships receive awards from 26-year IMCA sponsor AERO Race Wheels. The Estherville, Iowa, manufacturer again gives $40 product certificates, good toward the purchase of two wheels, to a designated place finisher at 80 special events for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA STARS Mod Lites, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, IMCA Northern SportMods and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods. KMJ Performance state champions in those divisions and the Mach-1 Sport Compacts all receive $25 certificates. STARS Mod Lites were added to the AERO program last season; 2021 also saw a record 106 state champions receiving AERO certificates. “We like the consistency of IMCA as a sanctioning body with their rules across all divisions and the wide exposure they give all across the country,” AERO Director of Sales and Marketing Kelli Peton commented. “IMCA has been very easy to work with.” Special event certificates are mailed within a week after official race results are received, while state champion certificates will be presented [Read More]