News Archives

Cottage Grove readies for Mark Howard Memorial

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – The pit area at Cottage Grove Speedway will be filled with Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds for the 2016 edition of the Mark Howard Memorial Nationals. The event will cover two nights of action beginning Friday, July 22 and concluding Saturday, June 23. The main event winner on Saturday will receive $2,600 along with a spot on the ballot for the 2017 fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. Tickets each night are adults $13, juniors and seniors $10, kids ages 6-12 $5 and five and under free. Family passes are $30. In honor of the track’s 60th anniversary the 60th fan through the front gate gets in free. A two-day adult pass will be $20. Pit gates open at 2 p.m., the grandstand opens at 4 p.m. and racing starts at approximately 6:30 p.m. both nights. Howard was a successful racer in the Pacific Northwest before opening his own race shop in Eugene, Wash., Pro Auto Racing, and spending countless time helping drivers stay on the race track. He [Read More]

Lead changes in Modified feature are fast, furious at Arlington’s Josh Wren Memorial

ARLINGTON, Minn. (July 16) – Kelly Shryock was the winner after five lead changes in Saturday’s Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified Josh Wren Memorial main event at Arlington Raceway. Already on the ballot for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, Shryock earned $1,000 for a victory that was illuminated by a lightning display that eventually brought an early conclusion to the race program. The first race leader was Dan Menk, who took what became a commanding lead before a lap yellow was thrown for Adam Hensel, who slipped off the track and went into the work area. Three restarts followed before Brandon Beckendorf was scored the leader for one lap, then went too high and off the track, causing another yellow. Menk returned to the front spot for the ensuing restart. Shryock had moved through the field from his eighth place start, got around Menk to take the lead and stayed in front to the checkers. Nick Helmbrecht passed Menk for second with five laps left. Beckendorf raced back to fourth and Tim Pessek rounded out [Read More]

Another trip to New York yields second IMCA Empire State Series win for Ward

CORTLAND, N.Y. (July 17) – Another long haul from Michigan paid off for A.J. Ward. Ward won for the ninth time this season Friday at Tri-City Motor Speedway then ran fourth in the Saturday Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified show at Crystal Motor Speedway. After making some minor setup changes, he grabbed a nap, then hit the pavement for an 11-hour plus tow to Skyline Raceway Park for Sunday night’s Atomicwraps.com Empire State Series event. Repeating the results of his trip to New York last season, when he topped the Northeast Shootout at Weedsport, Ward raced to the $1,000 to win checkers in the fifth installment of the 2016 series. “I’d never been to Skyline but had bounced some ideas off Will Ward,” he said. “He had a spot in the pits saved for us, which was good because the place was packed. We probably would have had to park on the road.” After running second in his heat and drawing the ninth starting spot for the 25-lap main event, Ward started making his way toward the [Read More]

Deery checkers fly for Eckrich in midweek show at Maquoketa

MAQUOKETA, Iowa (July 20) – After running three-wide for the lead, Denny Eckrich ran away with Wednesday’s Deery Brothers Summer Series feature win at Maquoketa Speedway. Eckrich battled Dan Shelliam and Luke Goedert for the lead before getting the front spot of the IMCA Late Model main event on the sixth of 40 circuits. He’d be challenged up to midway. The last half of the race ran caution-free and Goedert was unable to catch Eckrich before the $2,000 checkers flew. Point leader Jeff Aikey qualified out of the “B” feature, started 16th and finished third. Matt Ryan was fourth while Andy Nezworski, the “B” winner, completed the top five. Eckrich drew the pole but it was outside front row starter Shelliam scored first across the line on each of the first five laps. Shelliam brought out the first caution of the night after hitting an infield tire on lap 15. Three more yellows came out before midway but after that the green light stayed on and Eckrich motored away from the rest of the field. He [Read More]

Renner Wraps is title sponsor for Colorado Alliance Tour IMCA Stock Cars

NORFOLK, Neb. – Drivers following the Colorado Alliance Tour for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars enjoy the title sponsorship of Renner Wraps in 2016. The Norfolk, Neb., graphics and promotional products supplier provides a portion of the Stock Car series’ $1,000 point fund, as well as complete race car wraps for the Stock, Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod champions. Eight tour dates are on the schedule this season, two each at El Paso County Raceway, I-76 Speedway, Lamar Speedway and Phillips County Raceway. “Race cars continue to be a growing market for us,” explained Renner Wraps’ Jonathan Jensen. “When this sponsorship opportunity came up, we jumped on it. We look forward to having a booth on Manufacturers’ Row at Super Nationals.” Hobby Stock veteran Tiffany Bittner will drive the company’s show car at Boone, where a strong contingent of Renner Wraps customers will compete. Renner Wraps has maintained a strong presence in the automotive racing field while diversifying into commercial vehicle and signage as well as apparel. CAT Stock Car drivers [Read More]

Next IMCA Hawkeye Dirt Tour date will be at Knoxville

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (July 20) – The next event on the schedule for the IMCA Hawkeye Dirt Tour will be Thursday at Knoxville Raceway. Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds race for $1,500 to win and a minimum of $300 to start in the July 21 show. Also on the Dynamic Drivelines Dirt Duel card is a $1,000 to win feature for Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. and the 6:15 p.m. drivers’ meeting precedes 7:15 hot laps with racing to follow. The grandstand opens at 6 p.m. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, $10 for students and free for 12 and under. The Dirt Duel will be broadcast by IMCA.TV. Wednesday’s scheduled tour event at Southern Iowa Speedway was rained out. Hawkeye Dirt Tour top 20 point standings – 1. Joel Rust, Grundy Center, 167; 2. Chris Abelson, Sioux City, 164; 3. Corey Dripps, Reinbeck, 161; 4. Kelly Shryock, Fertile, 149; 5. Kyle Brown, State Center, 148; 6. Richie Gustin, Gilman, 126; 7. Mark Elliott, Webster City, 125; 8. Brian Irvine, Oelwein, 118; 9. [Read More]

Miller conquers Sunset’s Dancin’ Bare Topless 100

By Ben Deatherage BANKS, Ore. (July 16) – Kenny Miller took his roof off and then took care of business after taking the lead 12 laps into Sunset Speedway Park’s Dancin’ Bare Topless 100 Saturday night. The marathon victory paid $1,000 and put Miller on the ballot for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. T.J. Richman got to the front at the start. Richman managed to stay there before Cody Jones got around him on the third lap. Jones, like Richman, held down the position for only a few laps as Aaron Elwess drove by on the fifth circuit. Elwess lost the coveted top spot on 12 as Miller blazed the trail the rest of the way. The remaining 88 trips past the flag stand saw Miller as the leader. It was the first win of the 2016 season at Banks for Miller, the sixth different winner in as many years the event has been held. Craig Cassell was second followed by Jesse Williamson. Rob Ireland was fourth while Jeff Lovell placed fifth

Hawkeye Dirt Tour show at Des Moines rained out

DES MOINES, Iowa (July 19) – Tuesday night’s IMCA Hawkeye Dirt Tour event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway has been canceled due to inclement weather. The July 19 program for touring Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds will not be rescheduled. The tour is at Oskaloosa, along with the completion of the Stock Car Shootout show rained out earlier this month, for a $1,000 to win feature on Wednesday, July 20, and at Knoxville Raceway on Thursday, July 21. Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods are also on the program for the Dynamic Drivelines Dirt Duel at Knoxville. Modifieds race for $1,500 to win, the Northern SportMods for $1,000 to win at Knoxville. Racing starts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Merfeld wins classic battle at Dubuque

By Jerry Mackey DUBUQUE, Iowa (July 17) – The IMCA Weekly Racing Series action at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds Speedway on Sunday night included a fantastic Out-Pace Racing Products IMCA Late Model feature that saw two Dubuque drivers battle for the entire 25 laps. Luke Merfeld and Joel Callahan delighted the fans with plenty of wheel-to-wheel action and slide jobs were a big part of the tight racing. When the checkered flag flew it was Merfeld scoring the win and the $300 bonus money from sponsors, Pro Care Auto of Dubuque and Associated Real Estate Counselors of Preston. Callahan settled for second with Luke Goedert taking third. The Merfeld Brothers Automotive IMCA Modifieds also put on a hotly contested race with Matt Gansen getting to the checkers with less than a half car length win. Mark Schulte raced Gansen very hard but came up just short at the finish line. Tyler Soppe scored his 19th feature win of the 2016 season by topping the GSI Collision Specialists IMCA Northern SportMod feature. Troy Bauer got into second [Read More]

Herbert sweeps Wheatshocker Nationals at RPM

By Mike Hughes HAYS, Kan. (July 16-17) – Brian Herbert pulled off a sweep in the annual Wheatshocker Nationals at RPM Speedway during the Ellis County Fair races. In the Sunday night United Rebel Sprint Series main event, Jed Warner looked to have the $2,000 winner’s check in sight. Warner took the lead from Koby Walters on the second lap of the 30-lap event. Warner pulled away following a lap four restart and continued to lead at the halfway mark. With four laps to go, Tracy Hill came to a stop to bring out a caution. Herbert, who was running second, took advantage on the restart and shot to the lead and held on for the win. Walters finished second, followed by Luke Cranston, Darren Berry and Mike Peters. Herbert had inherited the win on Saturday after John Carney failed post-race tech. Zach Blurton, Warner, Walters and Cranston rounding out the top five. Feature Results Saturday – 1. Brian Herbert; 2. Zach Blurton; 3. Jeff Warner; 4. Koby Walters; 5. Luke Cranston; 6. Darren Berry; 7. [Read More]