Hobby Stock

Garrigan, Nielsen are best at Black Hills

By Ben Deatherage RAPID CITY, S.D. (May 17, 2024) – Black Hills Speedway fired things up with incredible racing Friday night, with IMCA feature wins going to John Garrigan Jr. and Brent Nielsen. When the main event for IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks kicked off, Brett Konst was a force to be reckoned with, shooting ahead of the pack and leaving Garrigan and Alan McNeil to battle it out for the runner-up position. As the caution-free race continued, it seemed like Konst was on a direct path to victory. But Garrigan launched a daring charge, closing the gap between himself and the leader. The final lap was a nail-biting duel, with Garrigan snatching the win from Konst by a mere three one hundreths of a second. Konst was second while McNeil was scored in third. Not to be outdone, the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds began with Eric Mass obtaining the lead on the initial drop of the green flag. After a lap one caution, a restart allowed hometown racer Nielsen to challenge, but Mass drove away once he [Read More]

Hobby Stock

Everything right for Wagner’s first IMCA win

JEFFERSON, S.D. (May 16, 2024) – The right track, the right car and the right driving style all combined to put Dan Wagner in Park Jefferson Speedway’s victory lane Thursday night. Wagner topped the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature for his career-first feature win in any class, holding off Matt Bonine in the final circuits. “It was very satisfying because of all the hard work we’ve put in,” said Wagner, who raced in 2001 and in 2007 before taking off 15 years to follow his five kids’ multitude of activities. “We have an old-style driving style in a modern era and that’s a little like oil and water.” Wagner ran a Harris car in his 2022 and 2023 Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod campaigns. He’s back on track in the 2021 Harris ride previously piloted by Cody Thompson with a self-designed rear suspension more accustomed to what he’s used to from back in the day. After starting outside the front row, he led Thursday’s 20-lapper from the first corner to the finish. “It was a [Read More]

Modified

Series schedule, number of new drivers have NY-Penn director stoked for 2024

WYALUSING, Pa. (May 17, 2024) – A schedule heavy on Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying dates and a host of first-year drivers has NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series Director Jake Maynard counting down the hours to opening night. “I’m pretty stoked about our fourth year,” Maynard said, just 26 days and approximately 20 hours before the Close Racing Supply sponsored, Insinger Performance presented tour lidlifter. “I’m looking forward to getting back to the track and a lot of clean and green racing.” The first green flag flies Sunday, May 26 with the $1,024 to win KC Cole Memorial at Penn Can Speedway. Following are shows June 8 at Woodhull Raceway and back-to-back outings at Selinsgrove Speedway, the $1,000 to win race on June 22 and on July 7. Skyline Raceway is site of the $1,004 to win Billy Ward Memorial on July 13; the series is at The Hill Speedway on July 19 for the $1,069 to win Billy Maynard Memorial on July 19. The NY-Penn Series returns to The Hill on Aug. 2, then wraps [Read More]

Results

Super Nationals history maker Kevin Pittman passes away at 65

WATERLOO, Iowa (May 17, 2024) – An IMCA driver best known for making history at the biggest event in dirt track racing has passed away at the age of 65. Kevin Pittman died at his home in Waterloo on May 9. Pittman was the first driver to win championship events in different divisions at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, earning the Modified crown in 1989 and the Late Model title in 1991. “The two are hard to compare,” he said in a 2007 interview with IMCA. “We kind of lucked into winning the Modified feature. We only led the last half straightaway but it was all we needed to lead. In the Late Model feature Jay Johnson had just checked out on everybody but we were able to run him down and pass him.” “Super Nationals was still a relatively new event and the idea that the same driver could win championships in different divisions had not really set in yet with a lot of people. It was all they could [Read More]

Hobby Stock

Eagle checkers fly for Zoubek

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (May 11, 2024) – It’s been a while but Bob Zoubek was back in victory lane Saturday at Eagle Raceway. After missing the last half of the 2023 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season with a shoulder ailment, Zoubek started sixth and finished first in the Mom’s Rule Night feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. “Nate Thompson and I kind of went at it for a while but finally on that (lap eight) restart I cleared him and went to the top,” said Zoubek, last a winner at Eagle on June 17 of 2023. “The car wasn’t the best and I almost spun out once. But I gathered it up from there and took off. At the end Chad Andersen made it really interesting, putting a clean slide job on me, but I held on to win by a nose.” Andersen ended in second and Thompson came home third, with Mike Densberger holding on for fourth. Rookie Thomas Etherton’s fourth start in the class ended in his first IMCA Sunoco [Read More]

Modified

Leach scores electrifying win at Great Falls

By Ben Deatherage GREAT FALLS, Mont. (May 11, 2024) – Electric City Speedway was back to it on Saturday, May 11. The Great Falls 3/8-mile hosted the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds for their third race of the 2024 campaign. Sun River teenager Tyler Leach seized the lead in a battle with Taylor Johnson right from the start. The race was a nail-biter, with Devon Jadwin and John Price dueling for second place while both tried to catch up with Leach. As the green flag run developed, the contest for second became a three-car affair. Cody Kuglin came to call, taking over just before the third caution flag of the race waved. Before the stoppage, Leach had a big  advantage over the rest of the field. Leach was excellent on the restart, setting a rapid pace on the high side in turns one and two and utilizing the bottom in turns three and four before another yellow came out, bunching the field up. On the ensuing restart, six-time and defending track champion Joey Price got an excellent [Read More]

Modified

Allerdings, Killingsworth are winners at Southern Oregon

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (May 11, 2024) – Southern Oregon Speedway had gorgeous weather on Saturday for the first round of the 2024 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season.  The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds didn’t just compete on the 3/8-mile oval, they ignited a fierce battle for bragging rights. Timothy Allerdings, hailing from Prescott Valley, Ariz., set a torrid pace and the race went 13 laps before the first caution flag waved. On the restart, things remained the same, as the Canyon State traveler slayed the competition to win his first race of 2024. Veteran Monte Bischoff placed second over Travis Peery in third. In the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod finale, Ethan Killingsworth demonstrated his dominance when the green flag dropped and continued that whether in an open race track or heavy lapped traffic. As the race progressed in Killingsworth’s favor, a fierce battle for the second-place position unfolded between Mike Medel and Jorddon Braaten, with Braaten eventually making a daring overtake while the two were locked in a fight amidst traffic. [Read More]

Modified

Byron battles to brilliant win at Petaluma

By Ben Deatherage PETALUMA, Calif. (May 11, 2024) – Petaluma Speedway hosted its first Friesen Performance IMCA Modified event of the 2024 Speedway Motors Weekly Racing campaign, with hometown ‘shoe Michelle Byron taking  the Saturday checkers. Jeffrey Faulkner swiftly took the lead on the first lap, setting a blistering pace. This set the stage for a thrilling battle for second between Byron and Michael Paul Jr. Byron secured second and began to close the gap on Faulkner, making for an exciting chase. Just when the race was heating up, Faulkner’s night took a turn for the worse. His driveline unexpectedly spat out of his mount, forcing him to retire on lap six. This unfortunate incident handed the top-place position to Byron. The race was far from over as Paul and Byron engaged in a fierce battle after the restart. Around half way, Byron’s car got out of shape and began to spin, adding a thrilling element of unpredictability to the race. However, she somehow managed to wrestle control of her vehicle. Despite Paul’s close proximity to [Read More]

Northern SportMod

Patience pays off at Cottage Grove for Schmidt 

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (May 11, 2024) – Patience paid off Saturday night for David Schmidt. The Roseburg racer kept things close before finally finding his way to the front of Saturday’s Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main event at Cottage Grove Speedway. Jason Kocks took control of the top-place position early on. The Creswell pilot had to deal with four straight restarts but maintained the top-place position each time. However, when the field came back to life after the sixth caution, he was challenged and overtaken by Aaron Bloom on lap eight. Bloom then tried to separate from the rest of the pack, but the persistent Schmidt kept things close. Schmidt tried to make the pass numerous times but couldn’t until finally on the 21st circuit. Unfortunately, shortly after being passed, Bloom had mechanical problems that forced him to retire early. Schmidt had no issues once in first and picked up the win. La Pine teenager Landyn Philpott rallied to finish second, with Kocks wrapping up the podium in third.

Modified

Marsh, Allee sail to IMCA wins at Ocean

By Steven Blakesley Blakesley Sports Media  WATSONVILLE, Calif. (May 10, 2024) – Robert Marsh and Steven Allee were IMCA feature winners on Friday night during round five at Ocean Speedway. Marsh led all 25 laps for the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified victory. Outside polesitter Todd Hermosillo drifted outside the top five within the first two laps of action. Eighth starting Jim Pettit II, aiming for his third consecutive track championship, drove up to second by lap six and brought along Jacob Mallett, Jr. into third on lap seven. Pettit ran on Marsh’s bumper through traffic before the caution flew on lap 19 for debris in turn four. Pettit drove inside of Marsh twice in turn three to no avail. Marsh and Pettit raced side-by-side down the front stretch on lap 24 but Marsh edged ahead. Robert Marsh scored the win followed by Pettit, Mallet, Bobby Hogge IV and Raymond Keldsen. Allee earned his first career Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature win in a 20-lap contest. Mike Kofnovec Jr. led from the pole position and [Read More]