Results Archives

Memorial services pending for Larry Larson

BUCKEYE, Iowa – Memorial services are yet to be scheduled for Larry Larson but when they’re held, friends will have countless stories to share of the race fan, pit crew member and National Anthem singer. Larson, 59, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 21 at his home in Buckeye. White-bearded and almost always wearing a Rick Brown T-shirt, he was known for painting the lines in the pit area at Boone Speedway as well as singing The Star Spangled Banner at race tracks across the state. “He was a fan turned crew member turned friend,” said long-time IMCA Sunoco Stock Car driver Brown. “Larry was at home when he was at the race track. He’d go up and down the pits and talk to everybody. He wished everybody good luck.” After the races were over, Larson joined more than a few drivers for victory lane photos, often displaying the checkered flag. Jerry Vansickel met Larson in the mid-1980s at an area go kart track. They’d become friends and frequent travel partners to tracks where Vansickel announced. “Larry’s passion for [Read More]

A first for Arizona: Cocopah adds IMCA Late Models

SOMERTON, Ariz. – The wave of the future is taking IMCA Late Models to Arizona. Cocopah Speedway at Somerton becomes the first track in the Grand Canyon State to sanction the division, with five dates on the schedule announced for the 2020 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season. “The fans are excited and we have drivers who have never competed in a Late Model before looking to get into this class,” said promoter Benji Lyons. “”We are committed as a track to this division and we’ve got a group of drivers who are committed to building cars.” “We have to do something to reduce the cost of Late Model racing and we’re going to stick to our guns,” he concluded. “This is going to be the wave of the future.” The division makes its Cocopah debut on Feb. 1. Other point season dates are March 7 and 21, May 2 and Sept. 26. “With the stability of IMCA, sanctioning Late Models just made sense,” Lyons stated. “It’s going to be a building project but I [Read More]

Funeral services are Friday for Don Gumke

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Funeral services for Don Gumke are at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 24 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Jamestown. The long-time driver, businessman and former Jamestown Speedway owner passed away last Tuesday in Somerton, Ariz. He was 66. Friends may call at the Haut Funeral Home in Jamestown beginning at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23. A prayer service will be held at 7 p.m. that evening at the funeral home.

New destinations abound for URSS in 2020

By David Smith Jr., OKTidbits OBERLIN, Kan. – Officials with the Lucas Oil POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series presented by Mel Hambelton Ford Racing have released the 2020 race schedule that consists of events at 14 different race tracks in four different states. The IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car tour’s 15th consecutive season will kick off at RPM Speedway in Hays, Kan., Thursday-Saturday, March 26-28, with the Thursday night set for practice night. The track will again host the series on Saturday and Sunday night, July 11-12. The tour will make its first of five appearances at Dodge City, Kan., Raceway Park on Saturday, April 4. The tour will venture into uncharted waters as a pair of West Texas events are slated. First will be Friday, April 24 at West Texas Raceway in Lubbock before making to trip north to Route 66 Motor Speedway in Amarillo. On Friday, May 29 the tour returns to WaKeeney, Kan., Speedway before a stop at Thomas County Speedway in Colby, Kan., on Saturday, May 30. Once again, part of the annual Dodge City Raceway Park 305 Nationals highlights the middle [Read More]

Four race dates in Canyon’s IMCA Winter Challenge

PEORIA, Ariz. – Four IMCA divisions race all four dates in the 2020 Winter Challenge at Canyon Speedway Park. IMCA Modifieds run for $1,250 to win and a minimum of $125 to start Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying features on Saturdays and Sundays Jan. 25-26 and Feb. 1-2. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods both vie for $1,000 to win and a minimum of $100 to start. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks run for $500 to win and a minimum of $75 to start. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and E3 Spark Plugs State points will be awarded. Pill draws are $50 for Modifieds, $40 for Stocks and SportMods, and $30 for Hobbies. Front gates open at 11 a.m. and racing starts at 1 p.m. each day. Grandstand admission is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and military and free for kids ages 11 and under. Pit passes are $35, $20 for children ages 7-11 and free for six and under. Open practices on Fridays Jan. 24 and Jan. 31 [Read More]

Driver Don Gumke passes away in Arizona

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Don Gumke, a fixture in the North Dakota racing community for more than four decades, died Tuesday night. The long-time driver, businessman and former owner of his hometown Jamestown Speedway passed away in Somerton, Ariz. He was 66. Gumke had raced in Late Model and Modified divisions beginning in the 1970s, earning the respect of fellow competitors and a legion of fans. Nicknamed The Grinder, Gumke had followed the Dakota Classic Tour and was sixth in the IMCA Modified points race at Jamestown last season. “He’s the reason I got into stock car racing back in the day,” said John Corell, who first raced with Gumke in a late model in the late 1970s. “I helped him build a car in my dad’s garage and we were best buds ever since.” “Don was just a nice guy, pretty soft-spoken, friendly and competitive,” continued Corell. “Everybody took a liking to him.” A member of the club that had operated the speedway, Gumke was at the promotional helm there when it received two business of [Read More]

Rush on pit stall sales results from new IMCA Modified sanction at Michigan’s Winston Speedway

ROTHBURY, Mich. – After making the announcement that he’d run IMCA Modifieds beginning in 2020, Winston Speedway promoter Dean Wilkerson had one of the hottest properties in town. Twenty Friday night dates for the sanctioned division are scheduled this season at the 3/8-mile clay oval in Rothbury. It didn’t take long for area drivers to start a rush on pit parking reservations at the newest track in IMCA’s Dirt Works Eastern Region. “We made the announcement that we would sanction with IMCA and posted pit spots for sale. We’ve already sold more than 30,” Wilkerson reported. “The response has been unreal. It’s been more than I ever expected.” The second of three generations to race at Winston – his father Dean Sr. was a multi-time track champion while son Drew has earned rookie of the year honors there – Wilkerson and wife Lynette took over as promoters last September. Wilkerson had been in charge of track prep at both Winston and Saturday speedplant Thunderbird Raceway in Muskegon, half an hour to the south “I grew [Read More]

Visitation announced for Greg Durbin

SILVIS, Ill. – Visitation for Greg Durbin will be 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12 at Van Hoe Funeral Home in East Moline. Durbin, 41, died Wednesday at his home. The family has requested those attending the visitation wear their favorite racing shirt and jeans in his memory. Durbin had raced for more than 20 years. He was a three-time IMCA Modified track champion at Quad City Speedway and also won three Illinois State crowns. In lieu of flowers, memorial may be made to the family. Survivors include his wife Michelle; three children, Lexy, Brooke, and Gavin; two brothers, Brandon Durbin and Eric Barnes (Aleic Underwood) both of Colona; mother Jean Durbin (Jeff Peterson) of Colona; father Dennis Barnes (Juli Spindler) of Silvis; maternal grandparents John and Mary Ann Durbin of Colona; paternal grandfather A.C. Barnes of Silvis, brother-in-law Michael Stottler; nieces Kaylee and Addie, and several aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandmother June Barnes; mother-in-law Carol and uncles Jody Durbin and John Barnes.

IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars on Jan. 1 card at Arizona Speedway

QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. – The first green flag of the 2020 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season flies Wednesday, Jan. 1 at Arizona Speedway. A 40-lap feature for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars is on the program for the ninth annual New Year’s Day special. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region and E3 Spark Plugs Arizona State points will be awarded. Pit gates open at 10 a.m., the grandstand opens at 11 a.m. and racing is at noon. Grandstand admission is $15 for adults and seniors and free for kids ages 11 and under. Pit passes are $35 for adults, $10 for kids ages 7-12 and free for six and under.

Gottschalk, Johnson win Harris Race Tech drawings

AMES, Iowa – Daniel Gottschalk and Michael Johnson will hit the books next year, courtesy of Bob Harris Enterprises. The names of both IMCA special events competitors were drawn from a pool of 35 eligible drivers to attend BHE Race Tech Info dirt chassis schools. Gottschalk won the IMCA Modified main event at RPM Speedway’s Fall Nationals while Johnson was runner-up in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod headliner during the Duel In The Desert at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Top five finishers at designated Modified, Northern SportMod and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod events were entered in the drawing and all received BHE certificates good for two shock rebuilds. Modified drivers receiving certificates included Austin Arneson, Casey Arneson, Tom Berry Jr., Cayden Carter, P.J. Egbert, Troy Foulger, Gottschalk, Jordan Grabouski, Eddie Kirchoff, Ryan McDaniel, Josh McGaha, Hunter Marriott, Terry Phillips, Joel Rust, D.J. Shannon, Casey Skyberg, Jesse Sobbing, Alex Stanford, Collin Thirlby, Ricky Thornton Jr., Dominic Ursetta and R.C. Whitwell. SportMod certificate recipients were Guy Ahlwardt, Lance Borgman, Brayton Carter, Kaden Honeycutt, Johnson, Luke Krogh, [Read More]