Newswire

Point leader prevails in Eagle Modified main

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (May 31) – Point leader Shane Hiatt won his first Kaplan University IMCA Modified feature of the season Saturday at Eagle Raceway. Chad Anderson, Mike Densberger, Doug Deterding and Rik Gropp were the first four to the flag stand at the end of lap one. Justin Wulf drove around Deterding and Gropp and into third on lap two before giving the spot up to Hiatt the next time around. Densberger passed Anderson the following lap. Hiatt took advantage of a lap seven restart to move up to second. Wulf again moved to third and Hiatt took over the lead on the next circuit. Contact with another car on lap 10 sent Anderson spinning into the implement tire that guards the backstretch pit entrance. That made the top three Hiatt, Densberger and Wulf. Dylan Smith cracked the top four and advanced to third on lap 14. There was another caution on lap 15 for debris. Smith moved up to second on the restart and Wulf again moved to third with two [Read More]

Griffith finds his groove

By Jeremy Fox WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (May 31) – Ryan Griffith found his groove Saturday at Hamilton County Speedway. The result was his first win of the season at his hometown track. The Chalfant Plumbing and Neighbors Heating and Cooling IMCA Late Models 20 lap feature saw Al Johnson and then Jeremy Grady lead early before Todd Cooney took over. Cooney had pulled away until Griffith found a groove to his liking and chased him down just before the caution on lap 16. Griffith took the lead away from Cooney on restart and led to the checkers. Cooney, Jason Hahne, Darrel DeFrance and rookie John Emerson completed the top five. Adam Larson recorded his second local win of the season in the George White Chevrolet IMCA Modifieds. Aaron Benson bested a caution-slowed Conley’s Trucking IMCA Northern SportMod main event. After fixing a flat tire early on, Randy Embrey raced to the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock checkers. Matt Oberhelman won his career first Oberhelman Motorsports IMCA Sport Compact feature.

Theys tames IMCA Modified field at 141

By Greg Aregoni FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (May 31) – Brad Theys tamed the 29-car IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified field Saturday at 141 Speedway. Russ Reinwald started on the pole and looked to contend for a trip to the winner’s circle before lap eight mechanical woes ended his chances. Mark Joski inherited the lead with Theys and Kyle Kudick in tow. A three-wide battle on lap 11 proved the game changer. Theys powered by the duo on the bottom and set sail. A final caution was all that slowed Theys in his dash to the checkered flag. He jetted away from the field over the final five laps to pick up his first IMCA win of the season. Mike Mullen charged through the field and passed Kudick late in the race for the runner-up position. R.M. VanPay and Jared Siefert rounded out the top five. Troy Muench also picked up his first win of the season, in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Brian Bruechert was also a first-time winner in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods.

Spaulding ends absence from victory lane at Oshkosh

By Dave Panske OSHKOSH, Wis. (May 30) – Travis Spaulding moved into the top spot on lap nine and following a final caution on lap 11, settled in for a long run to the end of Friday’s Automotive Supply Company IMCA Modified feature at Oshkosh SpeedZone Raceway. Sean Jerovetz, Chris Engels, Brian Drexler and Eddie Muenster ran behind the leader to the finish. This win by Spaulding was his first here since Aug. 3, 2010. The Karl Chevrolet SportMods started off with Bernie Miller grabbing the lead and Cory Wegner, Brekken Kleinschmidt, Kevin Bethke and Jeff Schmuhl close behind. After a lap two caution, Bethke took the lead for one lap before Ryan Besaw took charge. A final caution on lap seven gave Colten Van Hierden a shot at the lead with Schmuhl, Besay and Steve Schneider behind. For the rest of the contest Van Hierden held off all challenges until lap 19, when Schmuhl was able to work into the top spot and drove to his first-ever feature win at the Speedzone. Besaw was [Read More]

Stanton wins Hobby Stock thriller at Marshalltown

By Jeremy Fox MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (May 30) – Eric Stanton was the winner in a 12-lap IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock thriller Friday evening at Marshalltown. Rookie Andy Hick led lap one. Just after the completion of that lap, Brice Udelhoven, Austin Luellen and Steve Fricke got together in turn two. Hick appeared to be no rookie as he got a great restart but Stanton chased him down and took the lead with one to go. Stanton went on to take the win while John Watson finished second. Hick, Gary Pfantz and last week’s winner Dustin Elliott finish third through fifth respectively. Adam Larson led the last 13 of 20 circuits in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified main. Jay Schmidt caught Donavon Smith late in the contest to earn the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car checkers. Jenae Gustin won her second local Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods feature of the season, regaining the lead from Clint Luellen on the final circuit. David Moorman led start to finish in the Mach-1 Sport Compact main and Charlie Brown was [Read More]

Sellers gets first career win on emotional night at Independence

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (May 31) – Emotions were strong Saturday night at Independence Motor Speedway as those in attendance honored the memory of Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod driver Brandon Smith. A weekly competitor in Independence throughout his career, Smith died in an accident in his garage over the weekend. Outside front row starter Lucas Lundry took the lead at the on-set of the 15-lap feature. He distanced himself from the pack while Matt McCahen and Dakoda Sellers pursued. While the race was already under caution on lap nine, a fire erupted from Lundry’s brakes which forced him to an early exit. That left McCahen and Sellers on the front row for the ensuing restart. Sellers shot into the lead when racing resumed and led the final six laps to score the first win of his career. McCahen ran second head of Kevin Hurst. Luke Pestka took the lead in lapped traffic to drive to his first win of the year in the IMCA Late Model feature. Russell Hesse led early and was pressured by Sean Johnson [Read More]

“Speedy” Bill Smith crosses the Finish Line

LINCOLN, Neb. – Victory Lane fell silent this weekend as the performance automotive community lost a pioneering racer, hot rodder and entrepreneur. “Speedy” Bill Smith, founder and owner of Speedway Motors, died May 30 at his home in Lincoln, Neb., just weeks before his 85th birthday. He is survived by four sons, their wives, ten grandchildren and an extended family of Speedway Motors employees and thousands of loyal customers. A Lincoln, Neb., native, Smith got hooked on cars early in life and began buying, fixing, and selling Model T’s for profit as a teen. Soon he was racing, first motorcycles, then cars, while attending classes at Nebraska Wesleyan University. After earning a degree in education, Smith followed his automotive passion and opened Speedway Motors in 1952, aided by a $300 loan from his wife Joyce. A combination of passion, tenacity and innovation allowed Smith to grow a small 20×20 storefront into a flourishing mail-order business and manufacturing empire. During its 62 years in business, Speedway Motors has grown to become one of the largest manufacturers, [Read More]

Seals-it returns as IMCA sponsor with awards in Deery Series, all eight sanctioned divisions

ELLINGTON, Conn. – A company already familiar to many IMCA drivers returns as a sponsor for special events in all sanctioned divisions this season. Seals-it gives $50 product certificates to designated place finishers at IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified, IMCA Late Model, IMCA Eagle Motorsports RaceSaver Sprint Car, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod, Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMod and Mach-1 Sport Compact specials. Deery Brothers Summer Series competitors will be among the award recipients. Certificates will be mailed from the IMCA home office after official race results are received and can be applied toward purchases of seals, seal kits and a wide variety of high performance products from the Ellington, Conn., manufacturer. Seals-it had previously been a national sponsor for the Modified, Stock Car and Hobby Stock divisions from 2000-2002. “We’ve always had an interest in IMCA and have recognized what they’re doing to keep racing affordable,” Seals-it owner and president Skip Matczak said. “We’re concerned about Saturday night racing becoming out of touch to the average working [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings Through May 29

IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds – 1. Keith White, Little River Academy, Texas, 978; 2. Ryan Roath, Phoenix, Ariz., 954; 3. Ronnie Welborn, Princeton, Texas, 870; 4. Glen Hibbard, Euless, Texas, 865; 5. Dean Abbey, Waco, Texas, 862; 6. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 810; 7. Kyle Wilson, Monterey, Calif., 807; 8. Brian Schultz, Casa Grande, Ariz., 806; 9. Alexander Wilson, Salinas, Calif., 795; 10. Ben Ketteman, Pflugerville, Texas, 782; 11. Joe Spillman, Marble Falls, Texas, 735; 12. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz., 730; 13. Jeff Streeter, Madera, Calif., 713; 14. Mike Jergens, Plover, Iowa, 706; 15. Josh Vogt, Santa Maria, Calif., 705; 16. Zane DeVilbiss, Farmington, N.M., and Tim Ward, Gilbert, Ariz., both 693; 18. Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa, 687; 19. Tommy Fain, Abilene, Texas, 681; 20. Larry Hood, Bakersfield, Calif., 669. IMCA Late Models – 1. Todd Cooney, Des Moines, Iowa, 498; 2. Curt Schroeder, Ames, Iowa, 392; 3. Nick Marolf, Moscow, Iowa, 362; 4. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown, Iowa, 360; 5. Colby Springsteen, Wapello, Iowa, 357; 6. Curtis Glover, Des Moines, Iowa, 350; 7. [Read More]

Center, Schultz race to Classic checkers at Arizona Speedway

APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. (May 24-25) – Eric Center outran his nephew while Brian Schultz raced from worst to first. Both earned $1,000 for Memorial Weekend IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature wins at Arizona Speedway’s John Morris Classic and earned berths on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. Center collected the first win of his 31st racing season on opening night at Apache Junction. He’d started fifth in the Saturday show, was up to third before a lap five yellow and spent most of the 20-lapper running alone in the bottom groove with Guy Norton higher up on the oval. His nephew Cody Center made a late charge from 13th starting to second. Norton, Cody Graham and Anthony Madrid rounded out the top five. “This was a good race for the fans,” said Center, 51. “I competed with John and if his son didn’t win it I was honored that I could.” The ying of Schultz’s “ying and yang” weekend came early in Saturday’s feature when he lost his driveshaft while running in the top [Read More]