Newswire

Regular season kicks off at RPM

By Mike Hughes HAYS, Kan. (April 9) – After a very successful Sunflower Classic two weeks ago, the regular points season got underway at RPM Speedway in Hays, KS, Saturday evening, April 9. The NAPA Auto Parts/Gib’s Auto Supply IMCA Modified feature had the wildest finish of the night. Danny Morrison led the opening lap before Dylan Sherfick took the lead. Sherfick appeared to have the race well in hand until a caution on the final lap for a spinning car set up a one-lap shootout to the finish. Sherfick led the field back to green, trailed by Morrison and Tyler Frye. As the field headed into turn two on the final lap, Frye shot around Morrison for second, dove under Sherfick in turns three and four and made it stick, then held on to the checkers by a car length. Morrison was third, followed by Clay Money and Steven Bowers Jr. Chad Sterling was the Advantage Glass Plus IMCA Stock Car winner. Daniel Gottschalk was the third and final leader in the Golden B [Read More]

Cottage Grove Speedway opens with 60th anniversary event

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – Saturday, April 9, would be the first race of the 2016 race season at Cottage Grove Speedway. It also opened up the 60th anniversary of racing at the historical ¼-mile clay oval. Not only would the pit area swell with a huge car count it would be complimented with jam-packed grandstands full of fans anticipating the first race of the year in the state of Oregon and Collen Winebarger made history as the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified main event winner. The Modifieds attracted 24 teams for the first race of the campaign and Winebarger got out to the front on the initial start. The feature was slowed by numerous cautions so restarts were key. Winebarger got the job done and led every lap. Kinzer Cox finished second, followed by Craig Hanson, B.J. Wild and John Campos.

Early entries top 230 for Ice Breaker special at Eagle

EAGLE, Neb. – The Twice is Nice Challenge is new to the season-opening Ice Breaker Challenge at Eagle Raceway April 15 and 16. Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000 to win on Friday and for $2,000 to win on Saturday while Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods run for $500 to win both nights. More than 230 drivers from Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Minnesota are already pre-entered for the event. The driver who can win both nights in either division pockets a $1,000 Twice is Nice Challenge bonus. Both Modified features are qualifying events for the 2016 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks chase a $400 top check while Mach-1 Sport Compacts run for $150 to win on Friday. The Saturday card also totes a $1,000 to win IMCA EMI RaceSaver Sprint Car feature and $500 to win IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and Allstar Performance state points will be awarded each night. Special series points will also be given for Saturday’s Sprint Series of [Read More]

Raceway Park homecoming pays off for Hansen

By Bob Coney JEFFERSON, S.D. (April 8-9) – Mike Hansen returned to his old stomping grounds to score the $1,000 Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified checkers at Raceway Park South Dakota Spring Nationals. The North Dakota transplant led the last 16 circuits in Saturday’s 20-lap finale, earning a spot on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot along with the big check. “We had a trailer full during and after the races,” said Hansen, who’d been a Raceway Park regular for most of eight seasons and won in front of a large contingent of family and friends in his return to Jefferson. “It was a good time.” Ricky Stephan jumped out front at the drop of the green flag and led the first four circuits before Hansen moved into the top spot, switching to the low line in the first set of turns to make the pass, then going back to the higher line and running in front to the finish. While Stephan stayed in tow, Jeff Larson charged through the field only to come up [Read More]

Atchison County’s Tag Team Challenge is April 17

ATCHISON, Kan. – The Tag Team Challenge special, newly-sanctioned Atchison County Raceway’s first event for Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, will be held this Sunday, April 17. IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000 to win in their Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier while IMCA Stock Cars have a top check of $750. Extra money – $1,000 for the Modifieds and $500 for the Stock Cars – will be paid to the two-car teams with top point totals determined from qualifying and main event finishes. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and Allstar Performance State points, but no local track points, will be awarded. Pit gates and the grandstand open at 4 p.m. Hot laps are 6:30 p.m. and racing is at 7 p.m. There is no entry fee and pit passes are $30. Grandstand admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and military, $6 for kids ages 6-11 and free for ages five and under. More information about the Tag Team Challenge is available by calling 913 370-2520.

Thornton outruns Brown for IMCA Frostbuster checkers at Benton County

VINTON, Iowa (April 10) – His first-ever visit to Benton County Speedway ended with Ricky Thornton Jr.’s second $1,000 Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified Frostbuster feature win in as many nights. Thornton followed the Saturday checkers at Boone Speedway with the Sunday night victory in a star-filled field at Vinton. He led the last 21 of 25 laps, outrunning Kyle Brown – himself a two-time Frostbuster winner – in the race to the checkers. “It feels awesome to be able to win here,” Thornton said before the victory lane photos were snapped. “Tim Ward was here for the Frostbuster last year and gave us an idea what gear to run.” “We loosened the car up and changed gears after the heat race tonight,” the Chandler, Ariz., driver continued. “We set the car up to run up top and it worked for us.” Brown had won the first two Frostbuster features, at Southern Iowa Speedway and Friday at Marshalltown Speedway. He’d made a late challenge on the inside but Thornton was faster on the backstretch and [Read More]

Traugott stampedes to Dodge City checkers

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (April 9) – Cole Traugott emerged atop a hard-fought 30-lap Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified feature event to take the $1,200 winner’s share in Saturday’s fourth annual Modified Stampede at Dodge City Raceway Park. The Modified Stampede lived up to all the hype and then some, with the new Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier escaping contact with past IMCA national champion David Murray Jr. and then recapturing the lead from Nick Link in the closing circuits to capture his first Dodge City win since June of last year. “It got a little rougher than I had hoped for, but a win is a win,” Traugott commented. After winning his heat race, Traugott started the feature from the front outside when original front row starter Cody Gearhart couldn’t make the call for the main event. Traugott gunned into the early lead and paced the early rounds as Murray moved into second by the third lap. Traugott paced the field comfortably ahead of Murray and Clay Sellard until a caution flew after [Read More]

Denny Eckrich dominates in Deery opener at West Liberty

WEST LIBERTY, Iowa (April 9) – Once he got back into the lead, there was no catching Denny Eckrich in Saturday’s opening night Deery Brothers Summer Series feature at West Liberty Raceway. Eckrich started the IMCA Late Model tour 40-lapper from the pole but fell back as far as third early on. He passed Jeff Aikey for the lead following a lap 14 restart and checked out on the rest of the field from that point. The win paid $2,000 and was the Deery career fourth for Eckrich. Aikey, two-time defending series champion Justin Kay, Richie Gustin and Matt Ryan completed the top five in the lidlifter for the 30th annual series. Eckrich set the fast pace before the caution flew for a multi-car tangle on lap six, then gave way to Aikey and Kay. Kay tried the low line in his unsuccessful bid to pass Aikey; Eckrich made a higher line work when he drove by for the lead coming to the stand at the end of the 17th circuit. He pulled away from that point [Read More]

Thornton races to Boone Frostbuster checkers

BOONE, Iowa (April 9) – Ricky Thornton Jr. showed the Midwest what he’d done all winter out West. The Chandler, Ariz., hotshoe scored the $1,000 payday in Boone Speedway’s season-opening Frostbuster event for Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds. Nick Roberts and Jimmy Gustin split time at the front in the early stages of the 25-lap Fast Shafts All-star Invitational ballot qualifier while Thornton worked through traffic from a sixth row start. Thornton settled into fourth by the time caution slowed action on lap six. He raced the top side past Gustin for the lead on the 10th circuit while Mike Van Genderen mounted a charge running the high groove. As Thornton built a sizable advantage, Van Genderen shot past Gustin in the waning laps and chased down the leader. Thornton denied Van Genderen’s challenges to seal the win, his sanctioned 10th already this season. Gustin ran third. Kyle Strickler came from 16th starting to finish fourth. Jay Schmidt raced the low groove to victory in the 20-lapper for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Norman Chesmore held the early lead [Read More]

Brown continues IMCA Frostbuster success at Marshalltown

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (April 8) – Close finishes in all four feature events highlighted season-opening Frostbuster action Friday at Marshalltown Speedway. Kyle Brown took the early lead and then held off late pressure from his father David and Josh Gilman on his way to the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified victory. Kyle Brown, who was inches behind Nick Roberts at the completion of the first lap, inherited the lead when Roberts spun a short time later to bring out the caution. Brown took advantage on the restart and built a half-straightaway lead by the time David Brown made his way into second on the sixth of 25 laps. He maintained that advantage until he encountered lapped traffic with 11 laps to go. Traffic was no longer a factor after caution slowed action a final time with four laps remaining. The straightaway Gilman trailed the leader also disappeared. When racing resumed, Kyle Brown held off Gilman by less than a car-length to take the victory with David Brown close behind. Tim Ward raced from 18th starting to fourth. [Read More]