Newswire

Thunderhill Raceway cancels May 3 opener

By Edward Anschutz STURGEON BAY, Wis. – Due to extremely wet conditions Prestige Yacht Coatings Thunderhill Raceway has cancelled its opener that was scheduled for this Saturday, May 3. With rain all week and cool temperatures, the racing surface is simply too soft. “As I’ve stated from the beginning, we will look out for the drivers and their race cars. The best way to do so early on is with a smooth racing surface,” said track promoter Woody Wodack. “We are crossing our fingers in hopes that Mother Nature plays nice and we can get the season rolling next weekend.” Mother’s Day weekend will play host to the rescheduled season opener on Saturday, May 10 and will be sponsored by Maas Floral, Woody’s Signs and WDOR. A practice for next week is still on the slate, weather permitting. Drivers and track patrons are asked to stay tuned to social media outlets for information on when that will take place. The banquet date for the $30,000 driver contingency program has been set for Nov. 8 at [Read More]

Nielsen takes home Hobby Stock hardware at Hancock County

By Greg Grabianowski BRITT, Iowa (April 25) – Brandon Nielsen raced from 10th starting to win Friday’s IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature at Hancock County Speedway. Runner-up Weston Koop raced from 12th starting and Wes Jahnz ended in third. John Logue topped the 22-car IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified field. Jerry Wren and Jeremy Mills completed the top three. Heath Tulp held Kevin Opheim in check to take the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car victory. Derek Green was third. Aaron Benson prevailed in a field of 28 Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods. Jared Boumeester, Nick Meyer and 16th starting Greg Sidles completed the top four. For the third straight week, Ryan Bryant was the winner of the Mach-1 Sport Compact feature after starting from the inside on row four. Jacob Kofoot was the runner-up with Ken Winkowitsch third. One hundred and three cars were in the pits at Britt.

Swanson charges to Algona SportMod checkers

By Greg Grabianowski ALGONA, Iowa (April 26) – Last week’s runner-up was this week’s winner as Shane Swanson topped Saturday’s Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod main event at Algona Raceway. Swanson was the hard charger after going to the front from the outside of the fourth row. Greg Sidles was second and Nick Meyer ran third. A familiar face found the winner circle in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature as David Smith earned his first feature victory of the season by holding off a determined Derek Green. Placing third was Devin Smith. Mike Jergens was another first-time 2014 winner, in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature. He started on the outside of the fourth row and piloted his no. 37 flying banana rig to the front of the pack and took the checkers ahead of Jesse Hoeft and Tim Ward. Brandon Nielsen earned his first local IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock victory of the season. Pole starter Daniel Smith finished second and last week’s winner Cody Nielsen took third Cory Peters came from the inside [Read More]

Thunderhill Raceway’s 602 crate motor giveaway courtesy of Jim Olson Motors

By Edward Anschutz STURGEON BAY, Wis. – In another addition to its ever-expanding contingency program, Thunderhill Raceway will give away a brand new GM 602 crate engine to one lucky racer in the IMCA Northern SportMod or IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock division courtesy of Jim Olson Motors. Jim Olson Motors of Sturgeon Bay is the latest business to get in on the 2014 banquet contingency that has now reached in excess $25,000. To be eligible drivers must complete in at least 80 percent of the weekly events. This equates to being able to miss three nights of racing for the season and still remain in the drawing for engine that is valued at $3,500. “Jim and his associates stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park for our racers,” said Thunderhill promoter Woody Wodack. “This is the cherry on top of the sundae.” Jim Olson Motors serves Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac customers with a wide selection of new and used cars, trucks and SUVs. Jim’s GM Certified service department is also [Read More]

Muenster fends off Whitman In 141 opener

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (April 26) – Eddie Muenster got the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature win and a $210 bonus for leading every lap on opening night at 141 Speedway. Muenster had a comfortable lead before Johnny Whitman made it a two-way race. Whitman had to settle for second, however, as Muenster stayed strong up front. Eric Mahlik used a strong finish to end in third. The front row of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car grid looked like a 1990s throwback Thursday with Rod Snellenberger and the baby blue 72 of Rob Waechter. Snellenberger was seeking his second win of the weekend as he jumped ahead of the pack. Justin Jacobson made his way around Waechter. Snellenberger went into cruise mode with Waechter finally regaining second. Jacobson and Larry Karcz made contact to bring out a caution with two laps remaining and bring out a two-lap, dash for cash. Waechter took one final shot at Snellenberger on the restart. Snellenberger bobbled but maintained the lead and picked up the win. He led every lap [Read More]

Five Fast Fridays in May at the Davenport Speedway

DAVENPORT, Iowa – Davenport Speedway will be celebrating its own version of Cinco de Mayo this year, with five Fridays of exciting stock car racing action during the month of May. In addition to the weekly racing program on May 2, we will have Powder Puff races as an added attraction. It’s always an entertaining evening when we give the mothers, daughters, wives, girlfriends, sisters, aunts, nieces and cousins a chance to get behind the wheel of the race cars. Along with weekly point racing for IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods, Street Stocks and 4-Stocks on Friday, May 9, the cars and stars of the Lucas Oil MLRA Racing Series will do battle on the high-banked 1/4-mile oval. This is the final super late model show of the season at Davenport Speedway. On Friday, May 16, the points chase continues with racing action in all five weekly classes. The IMCA Modified Madness 50 comes to Davenport on Friday, May 23 and $2,000 will go to the winner of the 50-lap main [Read More]

Plenty of variety to May events at Dodge City

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – With the opening two nights of action in the books at Dodge City Raceway Park, attention shifts to the variety of events slated for the approaching month of May. The state-of-the-art facility in southwest Kansas offers up a little something for everybody in May with Late Models and Sprint Cars taking to the 3/8-mile clay oval along with the track’s always exciting championship chase divisions. Championship point action for the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, IMCA SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars on May 3 will be complemented by the first Late Model event at DCRP since the 2011 season as the MARS DIRTcar Series squares off with the forces of the NCRA Late Model series. Sanctioned Modifieds, SportMods and Stock Cars are on the card again on May 10, along with Hornets and the season-opening event for the United Rebel Sprint Series. Finally, rounding out the month of May at DCRP is the May 24 championship chase event featuring a full card of IMCA Modifieds, SportMods and [Read More]

Red, White & Blue Series starts Saturday at 141 Speedway

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. – The first of three $1,000 to win Gandrud Chevrolet Red, White and Blue Series events for IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds is this Saturday, May 3 at 141 Speedway. A minimum of $120 will be paid to start the feature, which is a 2014 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier. The series continues July 5 and Aug. 9. The top driver in overall points from the three RW&B shows receives a 604 crate engine from Gandrud Chevrolet of Green Bay. Other sponsors adding to the $10,000-plus in contingency awards to be given to top 10 drivers in series point standings are Arneson Shock Service, BSB Manufacturing, Fast Shafts and Manitowoc Motor and Machine. Pit gates at Francis Creek open at 2 p.m., the grandstand at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. Pit passes are $25 and there is no entry fee. Grandstand admission is $10 for adults, $7 for students ages 13-15 and seniors 55 and over, and free for kids 12 and under. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing [Read More]

Larry Shaw Race Cars returning as title sponsor of IMCA’s Western Region

BATESVILLE, Ark. (April 29) – Larry Shaw Race Cars returns for a third consecutive season as title sponsor of IMCA’s Western Region for Modifieds. Top 10 drivers in 2014 point standings for the region receive shares of a $6,000 point fund furnished in part by the Batesville, Ark., chassis builder. Drivers are required to display two Larry Shaw Racing decals on their race car to be eligible for point fund shares. The champion earns $2,500, with $1,250 for second, $625 for third, $325 for fourth and $300 for fifth. Sixth through 10th place finishers each get $200. Larry Shaw Race Cars is now in its seventh year as an IMCA marketing partner. More information is available by calling 870 251-2966 and at the www.larryshaw.com website. Shaw also retails high performance parts and repairs all makes of chassis. The Western Region includes tracks in Arizona, California, western Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, northern New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. Three newly-sanctioned facilities in Montana are border tracks, meaning Western Region points can also be earned at those speedplants. [Read More]

80-plus IMCA state champions earn Allstar Performance awards

WATERVLIET, Mich. – Allstar Performance rewards more than 80 drivers who win state championships in 2014, the Watervliet, Mich., high performance parts manufacturer’s fifth season as an IMCA sponsor. IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified, IMCA Late Model and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car state champions each earn $100 gift cards. All IMCA Eagle Motorsports RaceSaver Sprint Car, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod, Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMod and Mach-1 Sport Compact state champions receive $50 gift cards. Gift cards can be applied toward purchases from any Allstar distributor. Information about Allstar products as well as dealer locations is available at the www.allstarperformance.com website. State championship gift cards will be presented during the national awards banquet in November or mailed beginning the following week from the IMCA home office. Eighty-seven IMCA state champions reigned last year, three more than the previous record set in 2012; 575 different drivers have won state crowns since the program was introduced in 2000. “This is a program that continues to grow every year and something that racers take [Read More]