News Archives

Benson stands tallest at SportMod Nationals

BRITT, Iowa (July 4) – Aaron Benson finished first on The Fourth. As a result, he drove out of the pit area at Hancock County Speedway with a check for $3,500 and a trophy taller than himself. Benson led all 25 laps from the pole in the twice-rescheduled, MaxYield Seed-sponsored Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod Nationals. The victory was good for $2,500; Benson also got $500 bonuses for having won previously this season at Britt and for racing at least three times there previously in 2014. “I’ve been second at big-money races before. We finally got a big win here,” said Benson, at 5-8 four inches shorter than the hardware he took home. ”There were a lot of good cars lined up behind me. It was good to win in front of friends, family, my car owner and sponsors at my home track.” Shane Swanson, George Nordman, Greg Sidles and Matt Lettow completed the top five. Benson built a straightaway lead by the 10th circuit and the first 17 laps clicked off caution-free. Cautions late in [Read More]

Grabouski gets second Dakota Tour win on record-smashing night at Mandan

MANDAN, N.D. (July 10) – For a driver who’s never followed the series before, Jordan Grabouski is making himself right at home on the Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Track Side Tour. With a mind-boggling and new series event record 92 IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds at Dacotah Speedway, Grabouski sped to his second $2,000 feature win of the week Thursday night. Of equal importance, Grabouski climbed to second in the standings going into Friday’s finale at Jamestown Speedway, 17 points behind Jeff Taylor. “The track was really racy,” said Grabouski, who started sixth and led the last 21 circuits of a 30-lapper that ran without caution. “I’ve never been to any of these tracks before but they’ve been a lot of fun. Mandan is a really cool place.” He ran the top side early on, moving lower as the race progressed and he caught up with the back of the pack. “I got slowed down in traffic,” Grabouski said. “When I was running with lapped cars, I wanted to stay cautious and be smart.” Grabouski beat [Read More]

Ruter outruns Dakota Tour Modified foes at Southwest

DICKINSON, N.D. (July 9) – Ryan Ruter proved to be fastest in a fast-paced feature for IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, on another record-setting night for the Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Classic Tour. Ruter led every circuit of Wednesday’s main event at Southwest Speedway. The 30-lapper ran caution-free and Ruter held on for the $2,000 checkers ahead of Jeff Taylor after getting mired in slower traffic. A track record 79 Modifieds ran at Dickinson. Car count records for the division have been broken or equaled each of the first four nights of the 25th annual tour. Taylor ended the night in second, just a car length off the pace. Jordan Grabouski, Jeremy Keller and Scott Drake were third through fifth, respectively. After drawing the outside row one start, Ruter ran the middle line until catching up with the back of the field near midway. His big lead disappeared in traffic but he held off the seventh starting Taylor for the win. Ruter was already on the ballot for the upcoming Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Defending champion [Read More]

Grabouski gets ‘huge win’ in Dakota Tour show at Williston

WILLISTON, N.D. (July 8) – A long green flag run ended with Jordan Grabouski taking the Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Classic Tour checkers Tuesday night at Williston Basin Speedway. Grabouski caught Ryan Ruter for the lead nine laps into the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature. The race stayed green for the last 19 of 30 laps with Grabouski getting the $2,000 victory ahead of Steven Pfeifer, hard charger Jeff Taylor, Ruter and Travis Hagen. “This was a huge win for us. This series is tough,” said Grabouski, who started 10th after winning the second ‘B’ feature and used the middle line to find his way forward. “We had a track we could race on and pass. It means a lot to win here.” Taylor, winner of the first two tour events, put on a passing demonstration of his own after starting 19th. Already a qualifier several times over for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, Grabouski added the Dakota Tour triumph to a list of 2014 accomplishments that already include his 100th career win in [Read More]

Kay wins duel with Marolf, Deery feature at West Liberty

WEST LIBERTY, Iowa (July 8) – The Deery Brothers Summer Series got its first repeat winner and Justin Kay gave himself a bit more breathing room in the IMCA Late Model tour points race Tuesday night. Kay got the better of Nick Marolf in a back-and-forth battle at West Liberty Raceway that saw the frontrunners swap the lead six times over the course of 40 caution-free laps. The win paid $3,000 and was the Deery career fifth for Kay. Kyle Hinrichs regained third late in the race from defending series champion Brian Harris. Completing the top five was Andy Eckrich, still second but now nine points behind Kay in the standings. Kay started third and followed the inside groove while Marolf drew the pole and ran a line higher. Marolf’s longest stint in the lead covered laps 14 through 28. Three lapped cars separated Kay and Marolf at the finish. Kay’s first tour victory this season came on May 4 at Quad City Speedway. Tire samples were taken from each of the top two so [Read More]

Lagroon is tops at Salina’s Topless Challenge

By Larry Lowrey Jr. SALINA, Kan. (July 4) – By his standards, Corey Lagroon was struggling coming into Friday night’s Topless Challenge at Salina Speedway. Lagroon has finished consistently near the front almost every single night. But the former IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified track champion is out to win and victory lane had avoided him all season long. Until Friday evening, that is. Lagroon took the lead away from Danny Morrison Jr. on the fifth lap and led to the finish, earning $1,000 and a spot of the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. Morrison and Josh Blumer led the topless field to the green flag. Morrison got the jump at the start but Lagroon made all the right moves as he got by Morrison. As he completed the pass, it was evident this was going to be Lagroon’s night. He checked out once in the lead while the crowded tussle for second continued behind him. Morrison held on for second while Mike Petersilie finished third. Point leader Joe Cleveland and Jesse Richter rounded out [Read More]

Besaw is best in SportMod main at Oshkosh

By Dave Panske OSHKOSH, Wis. (July 4) – Before the crowd enjoyed a huge fireworks show, Ryan Besaw enjoyed his first Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature win at Oshkosh SpeedZone Raceway. Once the green appeared for good on lap five, Besaw took off and hid from the pack, and the race was for the runner-up spot with Steve Schneider was closing but ran out of laps and took second. Travis Van Straten ran strong on the inside and held off the challenges to collect his fourth Total Power Sales IMCA Stock Car feature win of the season. Rod Snellenberger took second, just a half car length back. The final 17 laps of the Automotive Supply Company IMCA Modified headliner stayed green and Mike Wedelstadt took over the lead on the restart and pulled away to run alone at the front to collect his first feature win at Oshkosh this season.

Smith scores Davenport Modified win

By Mike McGuire DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 4) – Another large field of Milan Heating and Air IMCA Modifieds was on hand Friday at Davenport Speedway with another surprise winner. Rich Smith, in just his second start at Davenport this season, led all 20 laps en route to the victory. Tony Von Dresky scored a second place finish with Bruce Hanford finishing third. Doug Crampton and Mitch Morris were fourth and fifth, respectively. Justin Kay chalked up win number four in the Petersen Plumbing & Heating IMCA Late Model action. Kay needed 23 laps to run down Mike Murphy Jr. and take the lead. Murphy finished second, with Andy Nezworski a distant third. Ray Guss Jr. and Ben Nading rounded out the top five. Tyler Soppe collected his second Hawkeye Auto IMCA SportMod win of the season. Soppe grabbed the lead after a lap five restart and never looked back. Bryce Garnhart got close but couldn’t make a pass for the lead and had to settle for second. Dustin Crear had a solid run in third [Read More]

Busy month of July rolls along at Independence Motor Speedway

By Ryan Clark INDEPENDENCE, Iowa – Double features during weekly racing and two mid-week specials highlight action the next two weeks at Independence Motor Speedway. IMCA weekly racing is next up this Saturday, July 12, when three make-up features will be added to the program for the eighth annual Dick Frye Memorial. Budweiser Mid-Season Championship Night was cut short due to rain June 28 after qualifying was completed. With two features already made up July 5, the three remaining events will be held July 12. Make-up features for the IMCA Late Models, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks will take place this Saturday prior to a complete program for all five weekly divisions, including the Late Models, SportMods and Hobby Stocks, along with the Performance Bodies IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. The event will also serve as the Saturday Showcase for the Hobby Stock division. Drivers competing in the regularly scheduled Hobby Stock portion of the July 12 program will vie for increased prize money. The 15-lap feature will pay [Read More]

Another record car count set as Taylor builds on Dakota Tour success at Estevan

ESTEVAN, Sask. (July 7) – Despite leading all 30 laps, Jeff Taylor got to enjoy Monday’s Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Classic Tour main event at Estevan Motor Speedway from a couple perspectives. Taylor won his second IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified tour event in as many nights while Steven Pfeifer was second and Shawn Anderson fourth in Taylor Chassis rides. “I’d have been happy with either one of them passing me and winning,” Taylor said. “I’d have been tickled to death.” The win was worth $2,000 and came in a contest slowed by caution just once, on lap 12. Curt Lund was third and Shawn Anderson fifth. Seventy-six Modifieds from 14 states and Canada ran at Estevan. That’s the most ever entries for the division north of the border as the series set new car count records in the first two events of 2014. “I never thought about winning the first two races of this series. It’s the first time I’ve ever started a series like this,” said Taylor, who’d topped the Sunday show at Nodak [Read More]