Newswire

Jennings holds off heavyweights for first IMCA Stock Car feature win

By Greg Grabianowski ALGONA, Iowa (June 3) – It was a memorable night for McCain Jennings as the Algona driver picked up IMCA Sunoco Stock Car career feature win number one on June 3 to highlight an exciting night of dirt track racing at the Kossuth County Speedway. Jennings started on the outside of the third row before working his way to the front and holding off a challenge of three much accomplished drivers in Derek Green, Donovan Smith and Kelly Shryock to win the main event. Kevin Opheim was the early leader in the feature as the yellow flag came out on the second lap. Loren Pesicka became the new leader after the restart and held that spot until Jennings took over the lead on lap number four and refused to give it up for career win number one. Shryock ended up second with Green placing third as Smith took fourth and Calvin Lange rounded out the top five. The Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature was another entertaining race as Matthew Hanson was the [Read More]

Braathun takes first-ever Boone Speedway win

By Joyce Eisele BOONE, Iowa (June 5) – Jon Braathun became a first-time Boone Speedway winner in the first Saturday night feature at Iowa’s Action Track. The IMCA STARS Mod Lite 15-lap feature was led from start to finish by Story City’s Braathun. Joel Huggins made it interesting at the finish when his slide under the leader out of the final corner fell just short and he had to settle for second. Third went to 10th place starter Mike Kennedy. It was another exciting IMCA Modified 20-lap feature that had the crowd cheering. Dylan Thornton grabbed the lead from Tim Love on lap 10 but then had to fend off the advances of the rapidly advancing Jimmy Gustin, Jake McBirnie, and Nick Roberts, who were locked into an intense battle for second. That battle resulted in some contact being made between McBirnie and Roberts which sent McBirnie out of the race while Roberts able to gather it back in and continue on. A late yellow sent cars scrambling for position in the final run to the [Read More]

Wroten recovers, wins IMCA Stock Car thriller at the Bullring

VINTON, Iowa (June 6) – When Damon Murty takes the lead of an event at Benton County Speedway, the race is typically for second. Someone failed to mention that to Leah Wroten. Wroten, who led throughout the 15-lapper for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars presented by Albert Auto, lost the lead late to Murty, then took advantage of a caution with two laps to go to drive to her first division win on the Vinton quarter-mile. From her second row start, Wroten quickly raced past front row starters Shaun Bistline and Riley Hanson while the field gave chase. Damon Murty, Jeff Mueller, Dallon Murty and Miciah Hidlebaugh kept pace as the pack of five remained in tight formation with Wroten leading the way. Just prior to a caution with three laps remaining, Damon Murty inched around the outside of Wroten to assume command. On the restart, Wroten quickly went back to work on the bottom groove, making her way past Murty and back into the top spot. She held off a late surge from Mueller to [Read More]

Top Don Gumke Racers’ Memorial check for IMCA Modifieds is $2,222

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – IMCA Modifieds run for $2,222 to win, with a berth on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot on the line as well at Jamestown Speedway’s Saturday, June 12 Don Gumke Racers’ Memorial. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. for the second annual event. The grandstand opens at 5:30 p.m., draw cutoff is at 6 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Side Biter Chassis North Central Region and KMJ Performance State points will be awarded. Grandstand admission is $20 for adults, $5 for students ages 12-17 and free for kids 11 and under. Pit passes are $30. Car and driver is $50. More information is available on Facebook and at www.jamestownspeedway.com. The Don Gumke Racers’ Memorial will be broadcast by DacotahSpeedwayTV.

Hibdon gets biggest IMCA Modified win at Dacotah Speedway’s Iron Man

MANDAN, N.D. (June 5) – Kollin Hibdon brought a simple strategy into Saturday night’s 100-lap Iron Man main event for IMCA Modifieds at Dacotah Speedway. And after staying patient and “not burning stuff up,” the 17-year-old from Pahrump, Nev., had a career highlight-type win and $5,000 to show for his first visit to the quick North Dakota oval. “This was my biggest win ever. I’ve won $1,500 to win and $1,700 to win races but nothing over $2,000,” said Hibdon, who chased teammate Casey Arneson over the first half of the race, then caught and held off Jeremy Keller the last 21 laps. “I kept looking at the leader board late in the race and knew if I didn’t burn stuff up that I had a pretty good chance.” Arneson and Hibdon ran 1-2 to the mandatory caution at midway. Keller had moved to third on lap 25, right before top five running Tom Berry and Marly Seidler were part of a multi-car tangle. Defending national champion Berry exited for the pits and Spencer Wilson [Read More]

Hometown hero wins NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series feature at The Hill

By Evan Canfield MONROETON, Pa. (June 4) – Getting to The Hill Speedway for Keith Jack Lamphere is not a difficult task. From his front yard, you can see the track lights on any given Friday night. Making it to The Hill Speedway victory lane on June 4 for round two of the NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series season was a different story, however. On a beautiful night in the Pennsylvania mountains that saw 19 cars take the green flag, getting to the checkered flag without incident was the name of the game and Lamphere led the last 14 laps in taking the checkers. Pole starter Brad Sites soared to the early lead ahead of Shawn Bruce. The challenger fell off the pace before a lap eight caution, when Sites’ brother Eddie moved up to contend. The two would ran nose to tail until lap 14 when a spinning lapped car collected both Sites cars, sending them to the rear of the field and handing the lead over to Shawn Bruce, who continued to run up [Read More]

McBirnie, Knutson, Cochrun, Sabin are first-time winners at Marshalltown

By Joyce Eisele MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (June 4) – After four straight weather outs, Marshalltown Speedway came back to life on a beautiful Friday night and new winners found their way to victory lane in the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, IMCA STARS Mod Lites and Mach-1 Sport Compacts. The Modifieds ran their 20-lap main event caution free. Pole sitter Jake McBirnie led flag to flag on his way to victory. He was challenged most of the distance by Ethan Braaksma but to no avail, with Braaksma taking the runner up spot. Trailing a distant third was Dylan Thornton. Eric Knutson took the lead on lap one, weathered the yellow flags, and led all laps to capture the Hobby Stock win. Eleventh place starter Kaden Reynolds made it interesting in the closing laps, but had to be content with a close second place finish. Carter Koop came from 12th to finish third. National point leader Kaden Cochrun led all 15 laps of the feature on his way to the Mod Lite win. Cochrun, who hails [Read More]

Block, Czarapata, Steenbergen are best at Outagamie

By Edward Anschutz SEYMOUR, Wis. (June 4) – One hundred and forty-two racers checked in to do battle at Outagamie Speedway powered by EWSC Friday with IMCA wins going to Wyatt Block Jr., Brandon Czarapata and Jeff Steenbergen. Rookie Jacob Ambrosious paced the open laps of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature until Chas Van Ooyen took the lead on lap five. Van Ooyen immediately came under fire from Czarapata and Rod Snellenberger. Czarapata used the low groove to slip by for the lead on lap 10. Czarapata pulled away as Van Ooyen fell to the wayside with a busted tie rod. Czarapata cruised to his second feature in a row. Snellenberger had his best run of the season to place second, Kevin Hebbe came through the last chance qualifier to take third, Travis Van Straten was fourth and Logan Leary completed the top five. In IMCA Modified action it was Mike Wedelstadt leading the first nine laps until Block used the low groove to get by for the top spot. Marcus Yarie charged to the runner-up position but couldn’t find the grip to catch Block. Block [Read More]

Griffiths scores first win of season at CJ

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (June 4) – After a three-week hiatus due to wet weather, racing finally resumed at CJ Speedway. The headliner of the night was the 20-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature, which saw 18 drivers take the initial green flag. The race was paced early by Stan O’Brian, who held the field at bay until three laps to go when Dustin Griffiths was able to make a move in turn three for the lead using the high line. Griffiths raced to the checkers ahead of O’Brian and defending track champion Adam Bell. The IMCA Modified feature produced a very popular win for CJ regular Dan “Stumpy” Brockert. Last year, Brockert raced in the SportMod class and the season produced one win. The move up into the Modified class has been a good one for Brockert as he has a win under his belt in the early part of the season. Brockert ran out front the entire race but was pressured late in the race by Jarrett Brown. Brown had actually [Read More]

Osborn debut for United Rebel Sprints see Russell earn Budweiser Shootout checkers

OSBORN, Mo. (June 4) – Nineteen IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars were in attendance for Friday’s POWRi Drive to Zero United Rebel Sprint Series debut at Missouri’s US 36 Raceway and Jay Russell was the $1,000 Budweiser Shootout winner. Russell and Jack Potter set the pace for the 25-lap feature, with Russell powering to the lead before a trio of early cautions. Excellent side-by-side action followed amongst the top three cars, as Stuart Snyder slid to the high side with Russell and Kenny Potter just to the inside while Ty Williams began his march forward, moving into fourth. Potter and Snyder dueled for the runner-up position behind Russell as Williams and Mike Houseman Jr. challenged for fifth. Potter moved to second and began a charge on Russell before taking the lead. Snyder moved into second around the high side, but not for long as Russell motored back by Snyder and Potter. Lapped traffic bunched the top six positions back together, all within striking distance for a challenge to the lead. In traffic, Snyder got back to [Read More]