Weekly Archives

Forsberg teaches Sport Compact lessons, returns to classroom to focus on own studies

SLAYTON, Minn. – After teaching her competition a thing or two, Stephanie Forsberg is going to concentrate on the classroom. Forsberg raced to her third consecutive Mach-1 Sport Compact track championship at hometown Murray County Speedway in 2014. She was a nine-time winner at Slayton, capturing her final victory of the season and career 26th checkers on the day after her 20th birthday. “I just like this class and the people I race with,” said Forsberg, who had started racing in a non-sanctioned 4-cylinder hornet class at the tender age of 13. “I took some lumps and nearly totaled my first car before we sold it.” She was 15 when she came home and announced that not only was she ready to get back on the track, she’d already bought a car. Forsberg returned with a pink ride in honor of her grandmother Maddy, who’d been diagnosed with breast cancer. “I always had a passion for racing. I grew up around the track and I missed it,” she said. Forsberg enjoyed a career-type season in [Read More]

Buhr races into IMCA Modified history book with third straight crown at American Valley

LAKE ALMANOR, Calif. – Her place in the IMCA history book secure, Erica Buhr will race for a fourth straight IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified crown this season at American Valley Speedway. Boosted by a string of consistent finishes through early August, Buhr won her third straight title at Quincy, an hour to the southeast of her Lake Almanor, Calif., home, in 2014. She became the first female driver to win three consecutive titles at the same track in the division’s 36-year history. Minnesota competitor Stephanie Forsberg accomplished the same 2012-2014 feat in the Mach-1 Sport Compact division. “You win championships in the shop,” said Buhr, who owns At Your Service Auto Repair and does all the non-engine work on her car. “I don’t win a lot of features but I’m consistent. I don’t keep track of points. I race my race, do the best I can and lately I’ve been coming out on top, which is awesome.” Buhr had raced for four years, three seasons in a local stock car class and another in [Read More]

IMCA Weekly Racing, rookie feature winners receive Speedway Motors support again in 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (Jan. 19) – America’s Oldest Speed Shop continues invaluable roles supporting drivers in all IMCA divisions this season. Speedway Motors returns to title sponsorship of IMCA Weekly Racing, a special awards program for rookie feature winners and of the biggest dirt track racing event in the nation in 2015, IMCA’s Centennial Season. “Speedway Motors is proud of its longstanding affiliation with IMCA and is excited to continue its tradition of support and sponsorship into the 2015 season and beyond,” said Speedway Motors President Clay Smith. “This relationship has been so strong for so long because Speedway Motors and IMCA share so many core values, namely keeping weekly dirt track racing accessible, affordable and safe for all racers. All of us at Speedway Motors are thrilled to further this mission.” Affiliated with IMCA since 1950 and recognized most recently with a length of sponsorship award during the 2014 national banquet, the Lincoln, Neb., high performance parts manufacturer, retailer and distributor maintains a high profile at all sanctioned tracks through its IMCA Weekly Racing program. [Read More]

Lee Meyer is back as boss at Buena Vista Raceway

ALTA, Iowa – Buena Vista Raceway celebrates an anniversary season in 2015 and Lee Meyer will be back in charge of weekly operations at the 3/8-mile dirt oval. Meyer promoted BVR from 2002-2007 and returns to that position, while taking on manager duties for the Buena Vista County Fair. Five IMCA divisions will be part of 18 Wednesday night programs beginning with opening night April 15. Season championship night is Aug. 12. “Racing is a passion for me. I’m totally blessed to have a second opportunity to do what I love,” Meyer said. “I love being around race people, being at the track and the smell of race fuel. It’s the best.” “Buena Vista Raceway celebrates its golden anniversary of racing this year and we’re working on some ideas, like 50-lap features for some of the divisions, to make this a special season,” he added. Weekly shows will again feature the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod and Mach-1 Sport Compact divisions. BVR first [Read More]

Feature

IMCA Sprints, Southern SportMods new to Friday shows at Red River Speedway

WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Two IMCA divisions will race weekly on the red clay at Red River Speedway this season. Veteran promoter Richard Snider will oversee Friday programs featuring RaceSaver Sprint Cars, a division of IMCA and Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMods. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Allstar Performance State and local track points will be awarded for both divisions beginning with the Feb. 13-14 Red River IMCA Invasion special through Sept. 25. Also on the card for the season-opening special at Red River, a former ¼-mile asphalt oval that ran a limited schedule in 2014, are IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. “We’re pleased to be IMCA sanctioned. It’s going to be a good deal for Sprint Car and Southern SportMod drivers and I know they’re excited about it,” Snider said. “I’m looking forward to this season, too. It’s going to be fun to get back into it again.” Snider began promoting in 1979. He was most lately the boss at Kennedale Speedway Park before retiring briefly from the [Read More]

Thunderhill Raceway drivers’ meeting is Friday, Dec. 19

By Edward Anschutz STURGEON BAY, Wis. – Thunderhill Raceway preps for the 2015 season and will hold its drivers meeting on Friday, Dec. 19 at The Draft Haus Sports Bar at 7 p.m. The Draft Haus is located at 901 Egg Harbor Road in Sturgeon Bay. Fresh off the $30,000 contingency awards banquet last month, promoter Woody Wodack feels the track gaining traction heading for the 2015 season. “We put together one of the best contingency packages any dirt track in northeastern Wisconsin has ever seen,” he said. “Every driver who ran the qualifying number of nights was rewarded greatly for their loyalty. This season, the plan is to build on last year’s success.” Pit spots must be paid for before or at the meeting. Any pit stalls that remain unpaid or open will then go to a lottery of drivers who want to purchase them. Memberships will also be available for purchase which allows for a few bucks off your pit pass throughout the season. Several other items will be addressed at the meeting [Read More]

Ganskow calls it a promotional career after 29 years at U.S. 30 Speedway

COLUMBUS, Neb. – One era has ended and another begun at U.S. 30 Speedway. Promoter Louise ‘Sam’ Ganskow called it a career following the 2014 race season after 29 years. She has sold the track to daughter Mari and son-in-law Ron Melcher. Mari and sisters Michelle Rosno and Debi Kleinheksel will continue to share race director duties. She and husband of 13 years Kenny have got plans to do some traveling, enjoy his vintage racing and help out when needed at the 1/3-mile clay oval. “People have been telling me I should stay one more year and promote U.S. 30 for 30 years,” Ganskow said. “I tell them 29 is my age. It’s the number of Kenny’s race cars and I’m totally satisfied with retiring after 29 years because that’s my number.” U.S. 30 was a family operation from the time the late Darrell Duane ‘Abe’ Lincoln built the track in what had been a soybean field in 1985. Abe, Sam, their children and grandchildren worked (and played) at the track, sanctioned by IMCA since [Read More]

Ryan Clark joins IMCA as new executive secretary

VINTON, Iowa – Ryan Clark has found yet another way to be involved in his favorite sport. Clark is the new executive secretary for IMCA. He’ll have regular Monday through Friday responsibilities at the home office while attending and working at weekly, series and special race events as needed. “I grew up around the race track. My dad, Dwayne Burkey, raced and then worked at the track for many years,” said Clark, a Vinton native. “I’ve always enjoyed the family aspect of racing, which you have to if you’re involved in it at any level. I’ve always been a numbers and statistics guy and that’s probably part of what drew me to the sport, too.” A former editor of Hawkeye Racing News, Clark announced at Independence Motor Speedway for six of the 15 years he worked at that track and penned the popular In Staging blog. Clark had worked part-time in the points and membership and public relations office at IMCA for the past year and a half. Part of the announcer team for the [Read More]

Benning returns to promotional helm at Independence Motor Speedway

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa – Dana Benning returns to the helm at Independence Motor Speedway in 2015, this time with a partner. Benning and son Brady comprise B & D Promotions, which will oversee events at the 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval. “It’s exciting to come back,” said Benning, who had promoted Independence from 2000-2002. “We put new lighting in 15 years ago and that was a starting point for improvements made since then. The facility has been much updated, so it’s kind of like walking into a turnkey operation.” A new victory lane and continued work on the racing surface are on the more immediate agenda at Indee with a new front straight catch fence in future plans. “There isn’t a lot of work that has to be done to the facility,” acknowledged Benning, most recently event manager at Benton County Speedway. “What we need to do is polish the show and make sure it continues being the best in Eastern Iowa.” Five sanctioned divisions, the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, IMCA Late Models, IMCA Sunoco Stock [Read More]

Top five Modifieds, SportMod winner pass post-Duel In The Desert tire test

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Tire samples taken from top five finishers in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified main event and from IMCA SportMod main event winner J.C. Howell revealed no use of any foreign substance(s) at the Duel In The Desert. This was the third year samples were taken from top finishing Modifieds and submitted to a testing laboratory following the special at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Terry Phillips, Jordan Grabouski, R.C. Whitwell, Johnny Scott and Chris Brown comprised the top five. With the increase in Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod and Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMod entries – a record 96 competed at the Nov. 12-15 Duel – tire testing was expanded to include the winner of that main event as well. “Since results are final we will begin mailing the complete payout to all drivers who earned shares of the Duel In The Desert purse,” IMCA Vice President of Operations Brett Root said.