Newswire

Record-setting IMCA Dakota Classic finale sees Thornton win 100th; Marriott clinches tour crown

MANDAN, N.D. (July 14) – Ricky Thornton Jr. won for the 100th time in his Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified career and Hunter Marriott reigned as champion of the Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Classic Tour Thursday night. The biggest Modified tour in the world concluded with a single night record 101 cars entered at Dacotah Speedway. The 27th annual tour averaged an all-time best 90.4 Modifieds a night. Thornton, the 2015 tour champion, led all but the first time around the track in a caution-free 30-lapper contested by many of the best drivers from across the United States and Canada. The checkers were Thornton’s 22nd of the season and paid $2,200. “It was pretty special to get my 100th win tonight, especially because this was the first tour race where they had more than 100 cars. There were a lot of good guys here tonight,” said Thornton, noting that he’d needed a provisional to start at Mandan last year. “Everything just clicked for us tonight. Being out front with all that clean air in front of us helped.” The Arizona [Read More]

Laney holds his line, leads every lap in Dakota Tour feature win at Southwest

DICKINSON, N.D. (July 13) – Cody Laney followed the script Hunter Marriott had written the night before in winning Wednesday’s Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Classic Tour main event. In front of a packed grandstand at Southwest Speedway, Laney led all 30 laps in topping the $2,200 to win feature for Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds. A track tour record 90 Modifieds saw action at Dickinson. Marriott had led from start to finish Tuesday at Williston Basin Speedway and challenged Laney in the late going before settling for second at Southwest. “I knew if I could hold my line, I’d be all right,” said Laney, new to the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot and a three-time winner this season in his home state of California coming into the night. “Hunter was the one who worried me … I saw his nose a couple times but I kept hitting my marks.” Laney started outside the front row and held off Lucas Schott following a pair of early restarts. Marriott settled into second on lap 11 and tried high [Read More]

Super Nationals pre-registration required to compete at Sept. 3 Prelude at Boone

BOONE, Iowa – Pre-registration for the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s will be required for drivers planning to race in the Saturday, Sept. 3 Prelude to Super Nationals event at Boone Speedway. Modified, Stock Car, Northern SportMod and Hobby Stock drivers must have completed pre-registration for the Sept. 5-10 Super Nationals prior to the deadline date in order to compete at the Prelude. “The volume of cars for the Prelude is huge and resulted in a Super Nationals-type format last year,” IMCA President Brett Root explained. “It’s most efficient for us to have all Prelude drivers be pre-registered for Super Nationals. Once we open the pit gates that day, we’ll be racing within two hours. This requirement will streamline the race day process.” Drivers in those four divisions who are not pre-registered will be allowed to hot lap but not compete. “We’ll be very steadfast in this,” assured Root. “We will not add racers who are not already registered for Super Nationals to the lineup for any race during the Prelude.” A [Read More]

Wheatshocker Nationals up next for URSS Rebels

HAYS, Kan. – The 2016 chase for the Myers Racing Engines URSS National Championship continues this weekend with the Rebels taking to the 3/8-mile oval at RPM Speedway in Hays. RPM will come alive with one of the most anticipated two-day shows on the schedule. Six drivers have captured the coveted crown, Patrick Bourke, Kasey Beckham, Ty Williams, Jake Bubak, Zach Blurton and C.J. Johnson, the only multiple winner of event. Only two drivers, Johnson (2008) and Williams (2012) have swept both nights in the history of the event. So far three national races have been run in the 2016 Myers Racing Engines National Points chase with three different drivers claiming victories. Luke Cranston, Jason Martin and Blurton have been victorious thus far. This year’s preliminary night will pay $500 to win and $125 to start with the Sunday Championship Night event paying $2,000 to win and $200 to start. In addition, S&W Supply/Federated Auto Parts will give away a special Pitt Boss custom pellet to the driver with the highest combined points total for [Read More]

Willamette readies for mid-season championship night

By Ben Deatherage LEBANON, Ore. – Racing at Willamette Speedway in 2016 nears the midway point. The famed 1/3-mile clay oval will host the annual Mid-Season Championship Night, presented by Les Schwab Tires, on Saturday, July 16. Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds are on the card. Pit gates will open up at 4 p.m. and racing is scheduled to begin at approximately 6:30 p.m.

Ladies Night is Saturday at Cottage Grove

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – After a disappointing cancellation due to rain, last weekend, Cottage Grove Speedway returns to racing on Saturday, July 16. It will be BMD Night, with the local Bohemia Mining Days festivities taking place the same weekend, as well as Ladies Night. The special promotion for Ladies Night is that all ladies ages 18 and older, get into the races for free. Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods are on the evening’s program. Pit gates open at 2 p.m. and the front gates open at 4 p.m. Racing starts at approximately 6:30 p.m.

Deery Series at Maquoketa next Wednesday, Dubuque reschedules IMCA Late Model show

MAQUOKETA, Iowa – The second half of the Deery Brothers Summer Series now starts next Wednesday, when the IMCA Late Model tour travels to Maquoketa Speedway for a $2,000 to win show on July 20. Pit gates and the grandstand both open at 4 p.m. for the ninth of 16 events on the 2016 schedule. Beginning at Maquoketa, Sunoco Race Fuels pays a $200 bonus to the feature winner if they’ve maintained perfect attendance throughout the series; that bonus will roll over to the next event if the winner has not been at every previous event. Hot laps are at 6 p.m. at Maquoketa with racing to follow. Grandstand admission is $16 for adults, $12 for seniors and students, and kids ages 11 and under get in free. Also on the midweek card are Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks running for IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and state but not track points. More information is available by calling 563 219-2478 and at the www.maquoketaspeedway.com website. The Deery Brothers Summer Series event rained [Read More]

Marriott dominant in Dakota Tour IMCA Modified win at Williston

WILLISTON, N.D. (July 12) – Another big Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified event ended with Hunter Marriott holding the big check. Marriott led all 25 laps of Tuesday’s Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Classic Tour main event at Williston Basin Speedway and earned $2,200. He pulled away from the rest of the pack following the initial start and again after the only caution of the contest, on lap 10. Lucas Schott was a distant second while 2014 tour champion Jeff Taylor used multiple lines in racing from 10th starting to third. Jason Grimes started 17th and finished fourth; rounding out the top five was Jason Wolla. Marriott was already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. Seventy-four Modified drivers from a dozen states and Canada were entered at Williston. Eight states and Saskatchewan were represented in the main event. Joren Boyce, a former Modified tour champion, passed Matt Speckman on the fourth circuit and led to the end of the 20-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Three cautions slowed the early going but the race stayed green the last [Read More]

Josh Wren Memorial is Saturday at Arlington

ARLINGTON, Minn. – Arlington Raceway hosts the Josh Wren Memorial this Saturday, July 16, paying $1,000 to the winner of the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified feature. Fans are asked to wear blue, Wren’s favorite color, to do a “blue out” in the grandstand in his memory. All regular weekly divisions are on the program along with the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional, Allstar Performance State and local track points will be awarded. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 4 p.m. Hot laps are at 6 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. Spectator admission is $12 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6-12 and free for five and under. Pit passes are $25. Wren, who died last November at age 24 of colon cancer, had raced go-karts and later Modifieds at Arlington. He also crewed for his father, IMCA Modified veteran Jerry Wren, for many years.

Career first IMCA Stock win comes Sunday for Winkler

SEYMOUR, Wis. (July 10) – Jerry Winkler drove to Coors Light IMCA Stock Car career win number one Sunday at Seymour Raceway Park, beating Rod Snellenberger to the finish line by a matter of inches. The Stocks had a bonus field of 34 entries with 22 starting the main event. Winkler put his car in the top spot after the opening lap and opened a lead early as the field sorted out behind him. Trent Nolan secured second with Jerry Leary, Dan Nelson, Snellenberger and Larry Karcz Jr. behind. By lap seven, Winkler was out front with Nolan in a tight battle with Snellenberger, Karcz, Kyle Frederick and Leary. A lap nine caution erased Winkler’s lead and bunched the field. Snellenbeger moved into the runner up spot after the restart with Nolan, Frederick, Karcz and Travis Van Straten right behind. Lucas Lamberies was the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod winner.