Weekly Archives

Motocross veteran races to success promoting Arizona tracks

SAN TAN VALLEY, Ariz. – A native of the Midwest with a two-wheeled background is finding success promoting racing on four wheels in Arizona. Jonah Trussel has raced motocross many of his 37 years and promoted events for that sport at Arizona Speedway for the past 8-1/2 seasons. A 1/3-mile dirt oval was built at the Apache Junction venue and IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds joined regular shows beginning in 2011; Trussel kept the sanctioned division on programs at Central Arizona Speedway when he took charge of the Casa Grande track last January. “Promoting is something that I like to do. I enjoy being involved with racing and racers, and I’ve had fun doing it,” he said. “The better percentage of weekends of my life have been spent at the track, whether it be motocross or a dirt track. A lot of my buddies grew up driving stock cars so we spent a lot of time watching each other race.” The Indiana native began competing at a club-built motocross track conveniently located right across the [Read More]

Executive secretary filing out after 25 years with IMCA

VINTON, Iowa – IMCA’s longest tenured employee will end one career and start another on Nov. 26. Executive Secretary Rick Haefner will retire after more than 25 years with the sanctioning body. He’ll trade scheduling, record-keeping and correspondence chores for time with grandchildren, a honey do list, travel and plenty of golfing and fishing. “I’ll miss the people here and a lot of the people I’ve worked with in my 25-plus years at IMCA,” he said. “Meeting and making friends with so many different people from across the United States is what I’ve enjoyed most about working here.” IMCA had just four other full-time employees when Haefner punched in for his first day of work on March 3, 1989. He was in charge of points and membership, in a position created because of the amount of time his co-workers spent on the road and out of the office. There were 85 sanctions – 59 of them for Modifieds – at tracks in 15 states when Haefner started at IMCA. “The computers we were using then [Read More]

No increase in license cost for next season

VINTON, Iowa – The cost of an IMCA competitor’s license will remain unchanged for the 13th consecutive season in 2015. Licenses will run $115 for Modifieds, $135 for Late Models, $105 for Sprint Cars, $95 for Stock Cars, $90 for both SportMod divisions, $85 for Hobby Stocks and $60 for Sport Compacts. Optional associate/crew member licenses are also unchanged at $60. IMCA will not administer the West Coast Super Stock program next year. The same insurance coverage remains in effect. A subscription to Inside IMCA is included with license purchase. The 2015 license application form is published on Page A21 in this month’s newsletter. It will also be available online.

Derek Fralin named director of competition at Beatrice

BEATRICE, Neb. – The Gage County Agriculture Society has promoted head flagman Derek Fralin to director of competition at Beatrice Speedway. Fralin has been head flagman at Beatrice for the past eight years. He competed in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Factory Stock and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car divisions for 15-plus seasons, winning the Hobby Stock track title at Beatrice in 1999 and the Stock Car crown in 2003 and 2004. He comes from a strong racing background which includes his father Monty, brothers Tim and Matt, and son Tyler. Fralin has worked at Exmark Manufacturing for 18 years and is currently a quality control supervisor at the Beatrice plant. He’ll assume his new role at the track in November. Dan Crawford had been director of competition at Beatrice for the past four years.

Stallbaumer clinches Thunder Hill Modified crown

MAYETTA, Kan. (Sept. 13) – Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts and Wix Filters Championship Night at Thunder Hill Speedway brought an end to the 2014 point season. At the end of the night, champions were crowned in each of the IMCA divisions. In the BSB Manufacturing IMCA Modifieds, Mat Stallbaumer took the lead and a 29-point cushion. All he had to do was compete in this heat race to win the championship. Stallbaumer locked up the championship and moved on to the main event where there was a dominating performance by a former track and national champion. Jordan Grabouski brought a new car to Thunder Hill Speedway. As a matter of fact he didn’t even have any numbers on it, only a plain black car rolled out onto the track. By the time his heat race rolled around he put a no. 30 on with duct tape. After starting 10th, it took Grabouski one lap and a turn before taking the top spot. He rode the high side on the opening lap and roared by [Read More]

Wakeeney Speedway crowns track champions

By Mike Hughes WaKEENEY, Kan. (Sept.14) – WaKeeney (KS) Speedway wrapped up the 2014 racing season Sunday night with the regular five classes in action. Point leader Kyle Rohleder led all 20 caution-free laps in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature to capture his second win of the season and the track championship. Dylan Sherfick gave chase the entire race but had to settle for second. Clay Sellard was third, followed by Nate Moore and Chris Heim. The 20-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature saw track champion Jeff Tubbs jump out to the lead. Then as the field came to the halfway mark, Jason Rogers of Selden passed Tubbs on the outside in turn four to take the lead and drive on to win his third Wakeeney feature this year. Tubbs held on to the runner-up spot, followed by Chad Sterling, B.J. Wagoner and Josh Crombie. The Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature was cut short a couple laps due to the time limit. Point leader Blaine Walt shot to the lead from his pole [Read More]

Huls, Phillips, Abbot capture season championship night wins at Quincy

By Jack Walbring QUINCY, Ill. (Sept. 14) – Abe Huls put on a dominating performance in the Powder Coat Plus IMCA Stock Car season championship feature Sunday at Quincy Raceway, as he pulled away from the field to take the win and the track title as well. Following Huls to the checkered flag were Jake Powers, Brandon Savage, Jerry Jansen and William Dahl. Patrick Phillips grabbed the lead on the second lap of the Summy Tire and Auto Center IMCA Northern SportMod main event and held off all challenges to capture his first feature win. Joey Gower took the second spot followed by Brandon Dale, Adam Birck and Tanner Klingele. Tony Dunker won the track championship. Austen Becerra took the lead in the IMCA Mach-1 Sport Compact feature event on the fifth lap and looked to be on his way to yet another win but Kimberly Abbott closed thegap over the closing laps and took the lead with two laps to go. Abbott scored the win followed by Becerra, Brandon Lambert, Austin McClean and Spencer [Read More]

Season Championship Night at Marshalltown rained out

By Jeremy Fox MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (Aug. 29th) – Friday’s Season Championship Night at Marshalltown Speedway has been rained out. Two inches of rain overnight and more in the forecast has forced the weekly points season to come to an end. Season Championship Night at Marshalltown was last lost to inclement weather in 2003 … also on Aug. 29. Unofficially, track champions are Ronn Lauritzen in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, Donavon Smith in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Clint Luellen in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and John Watson in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Also rained out is Crawford County Speedway at Denison.

Fourth time a charm for Handschke

By Dave Panske SEYMOUR, Wis. (Aug. 24) – The fourth time was a charm Sunday night at Seymour Speedway for Beau Handschke. Handschke has led the last three Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod features entering the final lap, only to end up second. He stayed in front this time for his first career win in the division. Handschke had opened a big lead before Rod Solem moved into the runner-up spot after a battle with Kevin Bethke and point leader Jeremy Cota. Solem slowly started to close the gap on the leader and with three laps to go was in striking distance. Handsche moved from the outside line to the low groove to close off Solem’s line. Solem tried to make it there but Handschke would not be denied. Solem was second with Cota taking third. Bethke, Colten Van Hierden and Bruce Belland rounded out the top six. Benji LaCrosse held off Mike Wedelstadt to collect his second straight Budweiser IMCA Modified feature flag. Kyle Frederick collected his second Coors Light IMCA Stock Car feature win [Read More]

It’s Money time in SportMod Mayhem at Dodge City

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (Aug. 23) – Clay Money stepped up to the occasion by racing to a $1,000 victory in Saturday night’s Inaugural 30-lap IMCA SportMod Mayhem feature event atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval. The high school junior from Penokee, Kan., battled past Kameron Gruber for the lead on the 14th lap then kept reigning track champion Jeff Kaup at bay over the final 10 circuits to secure his second feature win of the season at DCRP over a stout field of 33 competitors. With Money gridding the Sport Modified Mayhem main event outside the third row, Gruber outgunned Michael Shenberger to snare the early lead from the pole position. Money made his way to third behind Gruber and Angel Munoz by the time the first caution flew after four laps and then took second from Munoz on the eighth circuit. Money wasted little time closing the gap on Gruber in short order and began pressuring for the point, finally squeezing underneath in turn three on the 14th [Read More]