Feature

Marriott celebrates birthday with Winter Challenge checkers 

By Lonnie Wheatley PEORIA, Ariz. (Jan. 23) – Hunter Marriott celebrated his 24th birthday by winning the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified main event on Saturday, night two of the five-race Winter Challenge at Canyon Speedway Park. Marriott denied Friday winner Ricky Thornton Jr.’s effort at going two-for-two by battling into the lead on the 18th round en route to victory lane. “It took a little while for me to get rolling. Ricky picked his line and I picked mine, and I thought mine was a little faster,” Marriott said. While Thornton led from the front row at the drop of the green flag, Marriott worked into second and pressured Thornton much of the way before sliding into the lead with just seven laps to go. Thornton tried to slide back into the lead with the white flag in sight, only to slide too far sideways and nearly loop it. Marriott took the win by nearly a straightaway while Thornton recovered and held on to the runner-up position ahead of Ethan Dotson, Jason Noll and 13th-starter Paul Stone. [Read More]

Feature

Thornton captures Winter Challenge opener

By Lonnie Wheatley PEORIA, Ariz. (Jan. 22) – Defending champion Ricky Thornton Jr. was the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified main event winner when the Winter Challenge opened Friday at Canyon Speed­way Park. Thornton earned $1,250 by besting a loaded field. Forty-four Modifieds were entered in all. Thornton led all 25 laps – the victory was his career 79th in the division – while keeping a host of challengers at bay. Jason Noll took runner-up honors while Lance Mari raced through the field from 21st to capture the show position. Paul Stone and 18th-starter Hunter Marriott rounded out the top five. Thornton was already a 2016 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot candidate. Feature results ­– 1. Ricky Thornton Jr.; 2. Jason Noll; 3. Lance Mari; 4. Paul Stone; 5. Hunter Marriott; 6. Collen Winebarger; 7. Ethan Dotson; 8. Tim Ward; 9. Jesse Rogotzke; 10. Guy Nor­ton; 11. Anthony Roth; 12. George Fronsman; 13. Jeff Stafford; 14. Bryson Curry; 15. Zack Ma­drid; 16. Ross Statham; 17. Cody Laney; 18. Cole Peterson; 19. Kyle Strickler; 20. Joey [Read More]

Results

Another Arizona trip planned as Gaylord builds on 2015 IMCA Modified success

LAKEWOOD, Colo. ­– Tows to sunny Arizona in January and February have helped make Ryan Gaylord faster when the IMCA racing season starts closer to home. He’s headed back to Cocopah Speedway next month to begin building on what was a very successful 2015 Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified season. From Lakewood, Colo., Gaylord racked up three feature wins and another 11 top five finishes in 31 point season starts ­– at 16 different tracks in seven states ­– before ending the year with first, second and third-place October finishes at three specials in Kansas. “Looking back at everything, it was kind of chaos,” Gaylord said of his seventh season in the sanctioned division. “My younger brother Tripp is my crew chief and before the season we talked it over and decided we wanted to do what was the most fun for us.” While he qualified for just two of the four Winter Nationals features last year, the long trip was another learning one and paid dividends later in the season. “We had gone to [Read More]

Feature

Funeral services are Wednesday for former Heart O’ Texas promoter Gene Adamcik

WEST, Texas – Former Heart O’ Texas Speedway promoter and owner Gene Adamcik died Fri­day, Jan. 22 at Providence Health Center in Waco. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church of the Assumption in West. Burial will follow at the church cemetery. A lifelong race fan, driver and track employee, Adamcik and partner Richard Rogers purchased Heart O’ Texas in 1981. He remained involved after selling the track in 2013 and spent his final day on earth at his favorite place. HO’T began sanctioning its Modifieds with IMCA in 1995, Stock Cars in 1999, Hobby Stocks in 2004 and Southern SportMods in 2005. “The Adamciks were the face of Heart O’ Texas for many years. Gene was loved and respected for the passion and perspective he brought to racing,” IMCA President Brett Root said. “Gene was a great supporter of IMCA and put the Southern SportMod division on the map for us. He was so instrumental in its growth and deserves all the credit [Read More]

News

Foulger, Frye win drawings to attend 2016 Bob Harris Race Tech Info chassis schools

AMES, Iowa – Troy Foulger and Tyler Frye won drawings to attend upcoming Bob Harris En­terprises Race Tech Info dirt chassis schools. Winners of 30 designated Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified specials and 15 Karl Chevro­let Northern SportMod specials in 2015 were eligible for those drawings. Foulger, from Martinez, Calif., won the Jan. 2 Modified season opener at Antioch Speedway. Frye is from Belleville, Kan., and won the Northern SportMod main event during the Duel In The Desert as Las Vegas Motor Speedway in November.

Feature

General rules, procedures announced for 2016 IMCA season

VINTON, Iowa ­– A word to the wise if you’re even thinking about using an altered rev limiter or competing with chemically treated tires in IMCA this season: Don’t. Penalties for either infraction have been upped to $1,000, plus a 30-day suspension and the loss of all IMCA points. That change is the biggest in 2016 general rules and procedures announced and posted on the IMCA website this month. “These are significant penalties, on par with an engine claim refusal,” IMCA President Brett Root said. “Both would have resulted in $250 fines and suspensions last year so this is obviously some­thing we are taking very seriously.” Rev limiters are used in the Modified, Late Model, Stock Car, Hobby Stock and Northern and South­ern SportMod divisions. The penalty for using chemically treated tires apply in those classes as well as the Sprint Cars and Sport Compacts. While the rev limiter penalty can be imposed following discovery at a local track, the tire penalty would only be assessed after samples are tested at the laboratory contracted by [Read More]

Sponsors

Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center continues title sponsorship for IMCA Southern SportMods

LUBBOCK, Texas – Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center maintains a very visible role while backing both IMCA SportMod divisions this year. In addition to returning as title sponsor for the Southern SportMod class for a fourth consecutive season, the Lubbock, Texas, GM part retailer, Chevrolet engine dealer and certified engine rebuilder is part of the national decal program for Southern and Northern SportMods. SDPC will provide a portion of the $9,500 point fund to be paid to top 15 drivers in na­tional stand­ings for Southern SportMods; this is the company’s third year of partnership in regard to the na­tional decal program. Point fund checks will be presented during the national awards banquet in Novem­ber or mailed beginning the following week from the IMCA home office. Southern and Northern SportMod driv­ers are required to display two Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center decals on their race car to be eligible for point fund shares. “What we like best about our partnership with IMCA, number one, is that we sell a lot of sealed engines to a lot of the same customers [Read More]

2016 Super Nationals

Southern SportMods new on opening night at Super Nationals 

BOONE, Iowa ­– The first Southern SportMod champion will be crowned at the upcoming IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. A complete program for the class will be run on opening night Monday, Sept. 5 at Boone Speed­way. Purse and entry fee amounts are to be determined. “We wanted to make this announcement now so drivers can make plans to attend,” IMCA President Brett Root said. “A lot of them will be traveling from two or three states away so we hope to get sponsorship involved to bump up the purse to help cover travel expenses.” The division won’t be part of the Sept. 3 Prelude to the Super Nationals show at Boone but drivers can hotlap that evening. Their qualifying format will be similar to the one used for Sport Compacts. The main event field will take the green flag three wide and 10 deep. “The problem we have had adding Southern SportMods at Super Nationals in the past has been the day,” Root said. “After the Late Models rained out on Monday, they [Read More]

Events

Ken Schrader joins IMCA Modified fields for Frostbuster specials at Oskaloosa, Vinton, Marshalltown and Boone

OSKALOOSA, Iowa – Ken Schrader returns to Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified fields for all four nights of Frostbuster Week. Southern Iowa Speedway at Oskaloosa hosts opening night on Wednesday, March 30. Frostbust­ers follow on Thursday, March 31 at Benton County Speedway in Vinton, Friday, April 1 at Mar­shalltown Speedway and Saturday, April 2 at Boone Speedway. Top prize each night for the Modifieds is $1,000 with a berth on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invita­tional ballot at stake as well. Most recently a Frostbuster competitor last spring, Schrader has enjoyed early-season success in the Belleville Motorsports North Central Region in the past. The popular NASCAR driver was a Frostbuster winner in 2012. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for $500 to win, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods for $400 to win and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $250 to win each night of the Frostbuster. One thousand dollar point funds will be paid to top five drivers in each division. Champions will be eligi­ble to qualify for their respective race of champions events during the IMCA Speedway [Read More]

Events

Hawkeye Dirt Tour set for Memorial Day opener at Vin­ton 

VINTON, Iowa ­– Opening night for the seventh annual Hawkeye Dirt Tour brings Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds to their traditional home track on Memorial Day. The Monday, May 30 show marks the fifth occasion the tour has taken its first green flag of the season at Benton County Speedway. The Vinton oval was the site of the first-ever IMCA Modified event in 1979. In all, nine dates are on the 2016 tour schedule. Features pay a minimum of $1,000 to win and $150 to start, and will be qualifying events for 2016 or 2017 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational bal­lots. Following the opener at Benton County are Dirt Tour programs Thursday, June 9 at Kossuth County Speedway in Algona and Tuesday, June 14 at West Liberty Raceway. Touring Modifieds headline Hancock County Speedway’s Tuesday, June 28 Salute To Veterans program at Britt. The first-ever HDT race at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway in Des Moines is Tuesday, July 19. The rest of that midweek tripleheader sees the tour at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa on Wednesday, July [Read More]