News Archives

Ferrando captures Coos Bay Wild West Shootout checkers

By Ben Deatherage COOS BAY, Ore. (June 24) – Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout career win number one for Grey Ferrando came on a rare day race Sunday at Coos Bay Speedway. Ferrando seize the lead at the drop of the initial green flag and cruised out front during the caution-free first 12 laps. Lapped traffic would come into play briefly but did not slow Ferrando down. On a handful of occasions, the leader felt some pressure only to keep all challengers in check. Mastering the restarts and setting a quick pace, Ferrando earned his first career Wild West Shootout victory ahead of Ethan Dotson and Dustin Cady. Collen Winebarger grabbed fourth while four-time and defending champion Jesse Williamson took fifth. Entrants for round three of the tour represented Oregon, California, Washington, Nevada, and North Carolina as well as British Columbia. The Wild West Modified Shootout heads to Cottage Grove Speedway for $1,000 to win features tonight (Monday) and Tuesday. Pit gates open at 2 p.m. and front gates open at 5 p.m. both days, with racing at [Read More]

Blurton wins first of 2018 with URSS In Colorado

CALHAN, Colo. (June 23) – Zach Blurton won his first feature of the year with the United Rebel Sprint Series as he bested a 19-car field at El Paso County Raceway. Nick Haygood and Brian Herbert brought the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car field to the green with Herbert getting the jump on the initial start only to have it negated by a couple cars tangling in turn on. On the ensuing restart, Haygood jumped into the lead and held Herbert at bay for the first three laps before Herbert made his move to take over the number one spot. Herbert’s lead only lasted two laps before Haygood regained the front spot, only to get high a lap later, allowing Herbert back by and falling to sixth. In the meantime, the ninth starting Blurton was moving his way up through the field and was third by lap seven and took over second on lap nine. By lap 11, Blurton made his move to wrestle the lead from Herbert with Williams taking over third from Pearce one lap later. [Read More]

Leraas leads last half for Shenandoah Sprint win

SHENANDOAH, Va. (June 23) – Mike Leraas made the most of his trip north to lead the last half of the race for his second Virginia Sprint Series feature win of the season Saturday at Shenandoah Speedway. Bill Rice and Chris Ware paced the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car field to green. Rice jumped out front with Ware in tow while Leraas and Tony Harris worked on Ware for second. Rice tried to get away as Leraas gained second and Harris took over third. Leraas went low and to the front, leaving Rice to race with Harris, which took five laps until he went to second. Leraas was out front as Harris was trying to chase him down. Glenn Worrell went to third as Rice faded with steering trouble. Harris was trying to close in but it was not to be as Leraas hit the finish line first. Worrell was third. Next it’s the second annual visit to Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va., on Saturday June 30. Feature results – 1. Mike Leraas; 2. Tony Harris; [Read More]

Winebarger dominates Wild West Shootout at Southern Oregon

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (June 23) – Collen Winebarger brought his ‘A’ game to Southern Oregon Speedway Saturday night and as a result, the rest of the Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout field was in the race for second. The Corbett chauffeur went unchallenged nearly the entire distance after the early laps were interrupted by multiple cautions. Winebarger held the point through six restarts and felt some pressure in the closing laps from Ethan Dotson, but the California challenger was unable to complete the pass for the lead. Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, Winebarger picked up the $1,000 victory, the second of his Shootout career, ahead of Dotson, Grey Ferrando, ‘B’ feature winner Darrell Hughes and Bricen James. Thirty-six drivers from Oregon, California, Washington, Nevada and British Columbia vied on night two of the tour. Feature results – 1. Collen Winebarger; 2. Ethan Dotson; 3. Grey Ferrando; 4. Darrell Hughes; 5. Bricen James; 6. John Campos; 7. Danny Lauer; 8. Nick Trenchard; 9. Jesse Williamson; 10. Curtis Towns; 11. Aaron [Read More]

Trenchard tops Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout opener

By Ben Deatherage YREKA, Calif. (June 22) – Opening night for the 2018 Wild West Shootout played out much like the opener for last year’s IMCA Modified tour as Nick Trenchard topped Friday’s main event at Siskiyou Motor Speedway. The Oregon wheelman drew the pole and led every circuit, mastering lapped traffic as the feature stayed green following a lap 13 caution. Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, Trenchard was challenged several times but crossed the wire as the $1,000 winner ahead of Collen Winebarger, Bricen James, Ryan McDaniel and D.J. Shannon. The victory was Trenchard’s Wild West Tour career third. Teams from California, Oregon and Nevada as well as the Canadian province of British Columbia were represented in the Friday show. Feature results – 1. Nick Trenchard; 2. Collen Winebarger; 3. Bricen James; 4. Ryan McDaniel; 5. D.J. Shannon; 6. Ethan Dotson; 7. Grey Ferrando; 8. John Campos; 9. Aaron Sheelar; 10. Jesse Williamson; 11. Brian Thompson; 12. Darrell Hughes; 13. Kyle Casson; 14. Danny Lauer; 15. Albert Gill; 16. Dustin Cady; [Read More]

Memorial services for Sam Hodges are Thursday

EUNICE, N.M. – Sam Hodges will make his final visit to the winner’s circle at Cardinal Motor Speedway on Thursday night, June 28. Memorial services for the late track owner, promoter and IMCA driver begin at 8 p.m. that evening in the winner’s circle at the Eunice speedplant he helped build. “Sam loved dirt track racing and it showed in every facet of his participation, from a racer to a promoter and track owner,” said IMCA President Brett Root. “He will be missed by all of us at IMCA.” Survivors include his wife Jill; his daughters, Cari Coy and husband Matt of Eunice, and Casey Hodges of Eunice; his son Cody Hodges and fiancée Jessica of Eunice; grandchildren, Tanner Bill (Whip) Coy, Tyson Coy, and Ellie Sikes; his sister Lea Ann Lord and husband Mike of Seminole, Texas; nephews and great nieces. Hodges, died last week at the age of 56. He and brother-in-law Mike Lord built Cardinal 20 years ago. He promoted before the track was leased to Chris Meyers and Toby Herring in [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings Through June 21

IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 1,109; 2. Jeffrey Abbey, Comanche, Texas, 1,083; 3. Matt Guillaume, Haslet, Texas, 1,026; 4. Colin Deming, Hobbs, N.M., 995; 5. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 993; 6. Cory Sample, Winnemucca, Nev., 956; 7. Rob Slott, New Waverly, Texas, 876; 8. Kelsie Foley, Tucson, Ariz., 850; 9. Chris Morris, Taylor, Texas, 828; 10. Josh McGaha, Abilene, Texas, 823; 11. Scott R. Smith, Davenport, Neb., 794; 12. Chad Melton, Mineral Wells, Texas, 770; 13. Bryce Garnhart, Shannon, Ill., and Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, both 746; 15. Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb., 745; 16. Jay Noteboom, Hinton, Iowa, and Drew Armstrong, Alexander, Ark., both 744; 18. Chris Bragg, Springtown, Texas, 735; 19. Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa, 729; 20. Jaden Fryer, Freeport, Ill., 726. IMCA Late Models – 1. Matt Ryan, Davenport, Iowa, 738; 2. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo, Iowa, 728; 3. Jeremiah Hurst, Dubuque, Iowa, 655; 4. Todd Cooney, Pleasant Hill, Iowa, 592; 5. Rob Toland, Colona, Ill., 576; 6. Chad Holladay, Muscatine, Iowa, 532; 7. Eric Sanders, Sherrard, Ill., 478; 8. Joe [Read More]

Thornton dominates $10,000 to win IMCA Clash at the Creek

By Mike Spieker FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (June 21) – Ricky Thornton Jr. dominated Thursday’s IMCA Modified Clash at the Creek at 141 Speedway to earn the $10,000 payday. Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, Thornton led all 50 trips around the smooth and slick 1/3-mile dirt oval. The Clash did double duty as an Arnold Motor Supply Dirt Knights Tour event, the first such held outside Iowa. Eighty-two Modifieds were entered and seven states were represented in the main event. Thornton grabbed the lead from the pole on the opening lap as Mike Mullen filed into second. A gaggle of cars, including Hunter Marriott, Joel Rust, Kyle Stickler and Benji LaCrosse, raced for the final positions inside the top five. Thornton immediately checked out from the field, establishing a one second lead over Mullen in the first five laps. Like Thornton, the rest of the drivers inside the top five ran the low side of the speedway until Strickler countered that trend. Strickler went to the top side and quickly began picking off cars, [Read More]

Celebration of life is July 6 for Ed Parker

MERCED, Calif. – Family and friends will celebrate the life of Merced Speedway owner and promoter Ed Parker on Friday, July 6, at the fairgrounds. Parker, 51, died unexpectedly on Tuesday morning. “His goal when he took charge at Merced was to make it a great track for racers and he was well on his way to achieving that,” said IMCA President Brett Root, noting increased car counts and grandstand numbers at Merced during Parker’s tenure. “Very few people in this industry had the passion for motorsports that Ed did, as a fan, driver, car owner and eventually as a promoter. Our sympathies go to his family and many friends.” Survivors include his wife Patricia, son Cody, who races in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod division, his father Moses Parker and sister Beth Pfau. Evergreen Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements and donations can be made sent payable to: Cody Parker at PO Box 3154 in Merced, 95344 The Celebration of Life starts at 11 a.m. in the fairgrounds pavilion.

Deery Brothers Summer Series gets top billing at Benton County Fair show

VINTON, Iowa (June 22) – The Deery Brothers Summer Series makes a much anticipated return to Benton County Speedway next Thursday night. Touring IMCA Late Models race for $2,000 to win and a minimum of $300 to start the June 28 main event, which headlines the county fair show in Vinton. Pit gates and the grandstand open at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. and racing begins at 7 p.m. The series has made just two previous visits to BCS, which can stake a claim to fame as the site of Darrel DeFrance’s first series win. The Marshalltown driver has competed at all 484 series events to date and captured that first victory at Vinton on July 14 of 1988. Rob Toland of Colona, Ill., prevailed when the tour returned for a July 21, 2005 show. “I know Deery drivers and a lot of fans have been looking forward to this event from the time we announced the 2018 schedule,” said Tour Director Kevin Yoder. “It should be a great night.” Spectator admission [Read More]