Results

PEORIA, Ariz. (Jan. 30) – The folks at Bank of America in his hometown of Chandler have seen a lot of Ricky Thornton Jr. lately. Thornton deposited the $1,000 proceeds from his third straight Winter Challenge Series victory after a back-and-forth IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified battle with Tim Ward Thursday night at Canyon Speedway Park. “I’ve been fortunate once to win nine in a row but never against the caliber of drivers I’m racing against now,” said Thornton, who kept the same setup that helped him to Jan. 25 and 26 victories. From the sixth starting spot, Thornton made a move to the bottom groove in the second set of turns and was up to third by the time the first of 25 circuits was scored. He caught Jason Noll for second a couple laps later and set his sights on Ward. Two cautions interrupted their run at the front, the second of which negated Ward’s pass for the lead. Thornton went higher on the oval after that close call and while Ward threatened [Read More]

PEORIA, Ariz. (Jan. 29) – Jason Noll and Ricky Thornton Jr. own IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified fea­ture wins but consistent Jesse Williamson has the top spot in the point standings following the first three Winter Challenge Series shows at Canyon Speedway Park. Williamson, from Coburg, Ore., finished third, fourth and then second in series events Jan. 24-26. Gilbert’s Tim Ward has yet to finish outside the top five and is just a single point off the pace. Thornton, from Chandler, won Saturday and Sunday features and is four points behind William­son. Opening night winner Noll, from Peoria, is eight points back. Three more $1,000 to win, minimum $100 to start features are on tap Thursday, Friday and Satur­day Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at Peoria. Pit gates open at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Gates open at 3 p.m. and racing starts at 5 p.m. on Saturday. IMCA Speed­way Motors Weekly Racing National, Larry Shaw Racing Western Region, All-Star Performance State and special series points will be awarded. From Canyon, [Read More]

PEORIA, Ariz. (Jan. 25-26) – Ricky Thornton Jr. admitted that he missed on his setup for Friday’s Winter Challenge Series opener at Canyon Speedway Park. Unfortunately for his IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified foes, he was right on the mark Saturday and Sunday, topping both $1,000 to win feature races. “We were too loose on opening night,” said Thornton, who’d previously piloted the ride borrowed from Anthony Madrid for the Duel At The Desert at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last November and then for the Jan. 19 Snowbird Classic show at Arizona Speedway. “We thought the track would stay more tacky Friday and finished 11th but we hit our setup the next two nights.” After starting third on Saturday, he snuck into the front on the second set of turns and led all 25 circuits. Sticking to his preferred inside line, Thornton held off challenges from Tim Ward and took the checkers by three car lengths. Ward, Friday winner Jason Noll, Jesse Williamson and Brian Schultz completed the top five. Running the inside line paid [Read More]

PEORIA, Ariz. (Jan. 24) – Jason Noll couldn’t have asked for a better start to his 2014 race season. Noll led all 25 laps from the pole in winning the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified main event on Friday, in the first of six Winter Challenge Series features at Canyon Speedway Park. “Everything worked out really good,” said Noll, the defending champion at Canyon. “I was able to get to the top side of the track and I ran there all the way.” The $1,000 win put Noll on the ballot for the 2014 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational and came in an MRT Chassis built by runner-up Lance Mari, who finished three car lengths back. Noll managed to get some distance on Mari and Jesse Williamson after midway. Stephen Pfeifer also ran with the frontrunners before ending in fourth. Tim Ward, a former Canton track and series champ, rounded out the top five. Feature results – 1. Jason Noll; 2. Lance Mari; 3. Jesse Williamson; 4. Steven Pfeifer; 5. Tim Ward; 6. Mark Stewart; 7. [Read More]

APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. (Jan. 18-19) – North Dakota visitor Spencer Wilson had more than the track conditions and the competition to rave about following Arizona Speedway’s Snowbird Classic. Wilson led all 25 laps Saturday and again Sunday night to sweep $1,250 and $1,400 to win main events for the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds. Both features were 2014 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifiers. “I have to tip my hat to them, those guys did an excellent job prepping the track from top to bottom. The track was racy all over,” said Wilson, getting some early-season starts in while avoiding the brutal winter weather back home. “The surface was smoother than a paved road.” “There was a lot of pretty close racing and the guys were respectful of other guys’ equipment,” he added. “I love that. Two nights of racing and I didn’t even have to put a rivet in afterwards.” Wilson drew the outside front row both nights. Following a pair of restarts Saturday for errant racers, he jumped to an immediate lead while [Read More]

KIRKWOOD, N.Y. (Nov. 9) – Mike Wilmot clinched his career first World Products Empire State Series title with his third tour win of the season Saturday at Five Mile Point Speedway. After avoiding early race collisions that slowed the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified finale, Wilmot raced from eighth to third before getting caught up by a spun car. He restarted at the rear, used the high side of the oval to make his way back toward the front and was running side-by-side with Gary Roberts for the lead by the 15th of 25 circuits. Finally pulling ahead, Wilmot beat Roberts to the $600 checkers by less than a car length. Matt Cole, Kevin Cole and Matt Jones rounded out the top five. Dirt Works Eastern Region champion and former tour titleist Chris Fleming had the best shot mathematically at displacing Wilmot atop the standings but was slowed twice by trips to the pit to fix flat tires. He still managed to finish 11th. The regular season champion at 5MP, Wilmot had also won the [Read More]