News Archives

Mackenthun tops final race, Larson is Bruns Challenge Cup champ

REDWOOD FALLS, Minn. (Aug. 10) – It was the kind of finish fans like to see, but the conclusion of Sunday’s IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature at Redwood Speedway was a tad too close from Dan Mackenthun’s point of view. Mackenthun edged Mike Bruns by all of half a car length to win the third and final race in the Dominick Bruns Memorial Challenge Cup Chase. The victory paid $1,000. Mackenthun drew the pole start and led all 20 circuits. After an early caution, the last 17 laps ran green. “I had a plan going out there,” Mackenthun said. “I drove right around the tires in (turns) one and two and on the high side in three and four.” Rich Gregoire challenged at the onset. Bruns made best use of the bottom line and almost caught Mackenthun at the stripe. “It was a good race for the fans. They like it better when it’s close like that,” Mackenthun said. Dan Veenstra, Jeff McCollum and Gregoire rounded out the top five. Jim Larson clinched the overall [Read More]

Coop, Sterling win at Elmwood Park Speedway

By Mike Hughes NORTON, Kan. (Aug. 9) – Travis Coop and Chad Sterling were first-time feature winners at Elmwood Park Speedway on Saturday night. Coop had to hold off a race-long challenge from Colton Pfeifer in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature. Pfeifer stayed closed but could not make a pass and had to settle for the runner-up spot. H.J. Colburn was third, followed by Shay Simoneau and Eric Pfeifer. Sterling also had to work hard for his win in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Chase Conaway gave Sterling a run for his money and even led on occasion but Sterling was first to the checkers. Point leader Dustin McClurg, Jason Davis and Eric Kinderknecht rounded out the top five. Brian Conness returned to the winner’s circle as he captured the victory in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod main event. Troy Attwood finished second, followed by Eric Pfeifer, Pat Bedore and J.R. Ewing. The final race of the season will take place on Saturday, Sept. 13, with the regular divisions competing.

Thies goes fastest in Raceway Park Modified main

By Bob Coney JEFFERSON, S.D. (Aug. 11) – It was “Go Fast or Go Home” in racing action Sunday night at Raceway Park. In the Jebro, Inc. IMCA Modified feature, Jim Thies moved into the top spot when the first and second place cars tangled on a restart with three laps remaining. Thies went on to take the victory. Jason Schneiders and Greg Taylor rounded out the top three. Jason Ward moved back into victory lane taking the feature win in the Casey’s General Stores IMCA Stock Car division. After having his win streak broken more than a month ago, Ward moved to the front in the early laps and took the checkers over Todd Gereau and Jim Hall. Todd Boulware strengthened his division point lead in the Skyline Casino IMCA Northern SportMods, passing early leader Aaron Plum for the win. Rounding out the top three was Rusty Montange. In the MOPAR IMCA Hobby Stock feature, Craig Clift took the victory pulling away from the field. Dave Riley was the best of the rest, followed [Read More]

Defending Modified champion gets first 2014 North Star Series win

ARLINGTON, Minn. (Aug. 9) – Defending IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified champion Brandon Beckendorf got his first win of the 2014 Redline Racing Parts North Star Series Saturday at Arlington Raceway. Jeff Coon led the first 16 laps before a caution brought the field back together. On the restart, Beckendorf dove in and took the lead away with Dan Menk right behind him. Coon then went into the pit area with a flat tire. Beckendorf led the remaining five laps with Menk on his tail and Curt Lund moving up from his 14th place start to challenge but ultimately settling for third. The victory was Beckendorf’s series career fifth. Gary Mattison drew pole and led the first three laps of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main before giving way to Dan Mackenthun. Mackenthun in turn was challenged by Jeff McCollum and Jim Larson but held off both drivers the rest of the distance for his second series win of the season and career fourth checkers. Adam Revier led all but the lap that counted most [Read More]

Sample, Fitzgerald are tops at Tonopah

TONOPAH, Nev. (Aug. 8-9) – Cory Sample and Dan Fitzgerald were $1,000 feature winners at Tonopah Speedway’s Jim Marsh Classic for IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds. Sample took the checkers Friday in his first-ever visit to Tonopah, then ran second behind Fitzgerald in the Saturday show. His five-hour one-way trip was rewarded with a flag to flag run up front on opening night. Sample started outside pole and led every circuit in a contest that saw enough cautions to keep lapped traffic out of play. Rounding out Friday’s top five were Jeff Shepard, Rick Durica, James Thibodeaux and Scott Pike. Lapped cars and a late restart both had roles on Saturday as Sample’s big lead disappeared when he couldn’t work his way through traffic. The eighth starting Fitzgerald erased most of a straightaway shortcoming before Sample got two lapped cars between them. After the yellow waved for a spun car, Fitzgerald used the high line to pass Sample and led the last two laps. Durica, Thibodeaux and Steve Evenson finished third through fifth, respectively. His [Read More]

XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour seeks first repeat winner at Vinton, Tipton

VINTON, Iowa (Aug. 11) – IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds race for $1,000 to win in a pair of XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour shows next week. Series features at Benton County Speedway in Vinton on Monday, Aug. 18 and at Cedar County Raceway in Tipton on Tuesday, Aug. 19 are qualifying events for the 2015 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot and pay a minimum of $150 to start. Pit gates open at 5 p.m., hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. and racing begins at 7 p.m. at Vinton, where IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks complete the card. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6-10 and free for youngsters five and under. Pit passes are $25. More information is available from promoter Mick Trier at 515 201-5526. Touring Modifieds join the Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models at Tipton, where pit gates open at 4:30 p.m., the grandstand opens at 5:30 p.m., hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. and racing gets underway [Read More]

Blessington celebrates wedding anniversary, 200th career Stock Car win Sunday at Stuart

BREDA, Iowa (Aug. 10) – Brian Blessington got to celebrate twice on Sunday. The first occasion was his 23rd wedding anniversary. Blessington and wife Liz tied the knot in 1991, the year after he started racing an IMCA Sunoco Stock Car weekly. The second was his 200th career feature win, during the Bones Memorial program at Stuart Speedway. “Two hundred career wins ranks right up there,” said Blessington, just the fourth Stock Car driver to achieve the feat, as well as perennial contender for national honors, a 25-time track champion and the 2001 IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s king. “It was something I tried not to think about as we got closer. I wanted to focus on the job of racing. I hoped if I did a good job at that, the wins would come.” From Breda, Blessington bought his first car after accompanying some buddies to the Sioux City swap meet. Finally realizing the near impossibility of ever making that ride IMCA legal, he bought a second car, which he debuted [Read More]

Pippert takes IMCA Stock Car Saturday Showcase checkers at Independence

By Ryan Clark INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (Aug. 9) – Scott Pippert hasn’t raced at Independence Motor Speedway much this season, but he made his fourth appearance of the year pay off Saturday night. Pippert topped a field of 17 entries to earn $500 in the Saturday Showcase for the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car division. Outside front row starter Kevin Rose held the lead at the drop of the green in the 18-lapper. He pulled away from traffic while Pippert, who started eighth, worked through the pack. Pippert sat in third behind Rose and Roger Ciesielski when the caution flag waved on lap four. When racing resumed, Pippert quickly made his way into second and promptly challenged Rose for the lead. The lead pair ran side-by side for numerous laps before Pippert inched ahead on the 11th circuit. Rose worked back into contention and pulled alongside the leader following a lap 15 restart. Although Rose held the lead at the line as the white flag waved, Pippert powered back to the front to score his first Independence [Read More]

Strickler scores big payday at Night of 10,000 Stars

BRITT, Iowa (Aug. 8) – Last year’s Night of 1,000 Stars winner took home the top check from this year’s Night of 10,000 Stars special at Hancock County Speedway. Kyle Strickler caught Adam Larson on the 16th of 50 circuits, then worked his way through lapped traffic in taking the Friday night IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified victory. “Once we got to the front, I wanted to set the pace and focus on working my way through the lapped cars,” said Strickler, who earned $8,000 for the win at Britt. “We put on new tires and tweaked the setup a bit during the pit stop at midway. Then we put the car back up on the cushion and hoped for the best.” Defending race winner Benji LaCrosse ran out of laps in his efforts to reel in Strickler and finished five car lengths off the pace while “B” feature qualifiers Jordan Grabouski and Ryan Ruter advanced 16 and 24 positions, respectively, to finish third and fourth. Larson completed the top five after taking the initial [Read More]

Tony Harris tops Shenandoah Virginia Sprint Series feature

By Jim Haines SHENANDOAH, Va. (Aug. 9) – After 10-year-old Caleb Harris pedaled to second by inches in a photo finish in the kids’ bike race, his father Tony topped a wild Virginia Sprint Series feature Saturday at Shenandoah Speedway. Chris Ware and Anthony Linkenhoker paced the IMCA Eagle Motorsports RaceSaver Sprint Car field to green with Linkenhoker out first and Harris right behind. Harris was in front by lap three and pacing the field in an effort to save tires, which is a pavement necessity. Tom Humphries made his way to second. Jerald Harris, French Grimes and Brian Lawson were all right there after a yellow for a slowing car. When the green waved it was on again with Humphries slicing to the front and Jerald Harris second as Tony Harris stayed close in third. Jerald Harris made a hard charge to the front as Humphries was getting loose and soon the top five were all over each other every lap. It all came apart with five to go for Humphries as he got [Read More]