Stock Car News

VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 28, 2023) – IMCA drivers won’t have to wait ‘til Christmas morning to open envelopes containing IMCA.TV bonus checks. A total of 705 drivers in the nine divisions sanctioned by IMCA earned shares $97,645 generated by replays of weekly and special events at 57 tracks broadcast by IMCA.TV or its affiliates. Modified, Late Model, RaceSaver Sprint Car and Stock Car drivers finishing in the top three in point standings at those tracks receive checks for $240, $160 and $135; Northern SportMod and Southern SportMod checks are distributed in the amounts of $140, $115 and $100, and Hobby Stock, STARS Mod Lite and Sport Compact checks are in the amounts of $115, $85 and $70. Those checks are being mailed this week from the IMCA home office. “This bonus program is the first of its kind and was developed by our streaming platform provider Riivet in 2021,” explained IMCA President Brett Root. “A percentage of subscription fees paid by replay viewers is paid to tracks and to top three drivers in sanctioned divisions.” “Almost $28,000 was paid to nearly [Read More]

TEMPE, Ariz. (Nov. 21, 2023) – After a nine year break, Chris McCurdy Sr. decided the time was right to get back on the race track. After his first IMCA Sunoco Stock Car season, he was wishing he’d made that decision sooner. McCurdy followed an ambitious schedule, making 47 starts at seven different tracks. While it took 44 of those starts to get his one and only win, the Tempe, Ariz., driver became a consistent runner on the way to earning EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region rookie of the year honors and the Arizona State championship. “We hadn’t raced since 2014 but when we started again this year we did it running with the big dogs at the IMCA.TV Winter Nationals,” said McCurdy, who piloted the same 2022 IROC Southwest by Rip Performance car son Chris Jr. won the state title in last year. “I’d never raced a car with this much suspension or with Hoosier tires before.” The top 10 finishes, 17 in all, would start coming in bunches by April. McCurdy would be [Read More]

MANNING, Iowa (Nov. 20, 2023) – Jake Sachau needed a single season to race to a collection of IMCA accomplishments it would take most drivers an entire career to accumulate. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car national and EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region rookie of the year, Sachau was track champion at Crawford County Speedway and a 10-time feature winner in 2023, wrapping up the season with the checkers at Shelby County Speedway’s Tiny Lund Memorial. But wait, as the old late-night TV infomercials urged. There’s more! A two-car star, Sachau won both the BSB Race of Champions and Northern SportMod main event, and qualified for both the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational and Stock Car Big Dance at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “Super Nationals is a race I’ve wanted to win my whole life. When I started racing, I told myself I wouldn’t stop until I did,” he said. “I had high expectations last year and went home disappointed. I knew I had the best car this year [Read More]

JOSHUA, Texas (Nov. 14, 2023) – Blake Clark got the job done in the dirt and on it again this year. A heavy equipment operator by trade, the Joshua, Texas, driver raced to a second consecutive EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region championship, his total of 11 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car wins giving him the edge over Matt Guillaume after the two finished in a tie at the top of the point standings. “I had to win the last few races or I wouldn’t have won the region so there was a lot of pressure,” said Clark, who scored three wins in his last four home region starts to repeat as king in the South. “We really made the car work those last few nights. It was pretty hard and pretty cool at the same time.” Clark’s travels took him to eight different eight different tracks in Texas and Oklahoma. His first wins of the season came in back-to-back starts March 31 at Boyd Raceway and April 1 at Southern Oklahoma Speedway, shortly before he swapped [Read More]

VAN BUREN, Ark. (Nov. 8, 2023) – Schoenfeld Headers puts the wraps on its 25th sponsorship season with new awards for even more IMCA drivers. The Van Buren, Ark., manufacturer, a long-time sponsor of IMCA special events, gives more than $5,000 in product certificates, redeemable for a new set of headers, to top 10 finishers in national standings for the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and to national champions in seven other IMCA divisions. Top 10 Hobby Stock recipients of $260 certificates are national champion Zach Olmstead, Mike Smith, Tristan Grape, Nicholas Ronnebaum, Cory Probst, Cody Williams, Kyler Satran, Randy Lamar, Thomas Daffern and Brandon Nielsen Also receiving certificates will be national champions Chaz Baca, Modified, and Dillon Raffurty, STARS Mod Lite, both $410; Cory Dumpert, Late Model, $390; Tyler Drueke, RaceSaver Sprint Car, $350; Mike Nichols, Stock Car, $330; and Matthew Looft, Northern SportMod, and David Phillips, Southern SportMod, both $290. Schoenfeld certificates will be presented Nov. 25 during the IMCA national banquet. “Special series and Super Nationals competitors have benefitted from Schoenfeld Header support for many [Read More]

VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 8, 2023) – Hobby Stock drivers have an exhaust header option and minimum and maximum ride height is specified in four divisions, in the 2024 rules announced today by IMCA. Changes from 2023 and other previous seasons were few, noted IMCA President Brett Root, so drivers who were legal this year won’t be spending extra money to be legal next year. Beginning next season, Hobby Stock drivers competing with a crate engine can use Schoenfeld header part no. 1485-CM2-22 or an OEM exhaust manifold with a 2-1/4 inch diameter exhaust pipe while those competing with a claim engine can use a Schoenfeld header part no. 1485-20 or OEM exhaust manifold with a two inch diameter exhaust pipe. “This is a step we believe will keep the field level for more drivers in the division,” explained Root. “Schoenfeld has already added header awards to their 2023 contingency program which drivers will be receiving at our upcoming national banquet.” Minimum and maximum ride heights for Modifieds and Northern SportMods are four inches and 7-1/2 inches, and [Read More]

By Jerry Mackey CJ Speedway set to host 2023 awards banquet  By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Nov. 14, 2023) – The annual CJ Speedway awards banquet will be held Saturday, Nov. 18 on the Louisa County Fairgrounds in the Youth Center Building located in the center of the fairgrounds in Columbus Junction. Drivers earning top ten in points who are eligible for awards will be honored and recognized for their outstanding achievements. The evening will kick off with a social hour getting underway at 5 p.m. followed by the meal being served at 6 p.m. The awards presentation will get underway at 7 p.m. Following the awards portion of the evening, banquet attendees will be treated to a show presented by hypnotist/comedian Cheryl Shagen.  Tickets for the CJ Speedway Banquet can be obtained by contacting the CJ Speedway through the Facebook page.  

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Nov. 3, 2023) ­­– CJ Speedway provided great racing throughout the 2023 season and the primary reason that the racing was so good was because of the caliber of the competition each and every Friday night.  Columbus Junction regular Tucker Richardson won national and Northern Region Rookie of the Year in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby division. Richardson recently turned 17 and is a junior at Winfield Mount Union High School. He raced a Hobby Stock after running two seasons in the mini hauler division (small trucks). Richardson comes from a racing family as he competes weekly with his uncle Shane Richardson and great uncles John and Chuck, who have both raced many laps at CJ Speedway.  The Hobby Stock that Richardson raced was a proven car as the Dominator Chassis was raced to a national championship by Kaden Reynolds in 2021 and later raced by Ryan Havel to multiple wins before the Richardsons purchased the car and the young Richardson drove the car to a third place in points [Read More]

VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 1, 2023) – The 2023 point season may be over and the champions announced, but Allstar Performance will still make winners of drivers in all nine IMCA divisions. Drivers who won 10 or more heat races during the season receive $100 gift cards from the Watervliet, Mich., high performance parts manufacturer and heat race winner decal program sponsor. The driver with the most heat race wins gets a $250 gift card. What drivers MUST do to make themselves eligible for gift card awards is email a photo of their car showing proof of heat win decal placement, as distributed by tracks, to IMCA Marketing Integration and Sponsorship Director Carson Becker-Gramm at cbgramm@imca.com by Nov. 7. No pictures will be accepted after that date. “This is easy money,” said Becker-Gramm, “and I encourage all eligible drivers who have not done so already to get a picture of their car showing proof of heat winner decal placement taken and emailed to me by next Tuesday.” Allstar Performance gift cards will be presented during the IMCA national [Read More]

HARLAN, Iowa (Oct. 31, 2023) – Mike Nichols had three lessons to share, following his career 12th IMCA Sunoco Stock Car national championship. First, do the work. Second, surround yourself with good people. And third, when you find a penny, pick it up. Nichols won 22 features, along with the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region and track championships at Dawson County Raceway and Shelby County Speedway, in matching the legendary Ernie Derr’s IMCA career total of 12 national championships in 2023. “Since I started racing, we have always remembered to do the work away from the track. You can never get away from that,” said Nichols, already laying the groundwork for 2024. “And when you continue to surround yourself with good people, good things will continue to happen.” “My racing has become 10-fold better since becoming part of a team,” continued the Harlan, Iowa, hotshoe. “Since getting together with my wife Anita late in 2011 we have eight national championships together.” Nichols started his latest championship campaign with nine checkers before the Memorial Weekend, then endured [Read More]

Ties broken by 40-point feature win totals, then 39 point finishes, then 38, etc. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 1,029; 2. Matthew Day, Farmersville, Texas, 1,016; 3. Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., 1,006; 4. Travis Hagen, McGregor, N.D., 1,005; 5. Todd Shute, Norwalk, Iowa, 1,002; 6. Clint Hatlestad, Glencoe, Minn., 999; 7. Myron DeYoung, Stanton, Mich., 999; 8. Joel Rust, Grundy Center, Iowa, 991; 9. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque, Iowa, 988; 10. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 987; 11. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, 985; 12. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 983; 13. Jarrett Brown, Ainsworth, Iowa, 982; 14. Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill., 977; 15. Collin Thirlby, Grawn, Mich., 966; 16. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., 962; 17. Chris Zogg, New Liberty, Iowa, 960; 18. Jake Nightingale, Maize, Kan., 959; 19. Anthony Roth, Platte Center, Neb., 959; 20. Ty Clemens, Belgrade, Mont., 954. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Cory Dumpert, Newman Grove, Neb., 810; 2. Andy Nezworski, Blue Grass, Iowa, 799; 3. Alex Banks, Newman Grove, Neb., 776; 4. Cade Richards, Lincoln, Neb., 775; 5. [Read More]

VINTON, Iowa (Oct. 3, 2023) – After winning his career 100th feature in the division over the Memorial Weekend, Chaz Baca announced that his next goal for the 2023 season would be winning the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified national championship. Goal accomplished. The Mesa driver became the first Arizona driver to earn an IMCA national crown in any division, ending his drive to the title with six straight checkers and a career single-season best 25 feature wins in all. “I’m excited, relieved, everything you can be at once. This is a ‘Wow !’ thing,” said Baca. “We switched to a (2021) Harris car and thought we had a shot at it at the beginning of the season. My whole team, family, friends and sponsors, was really the key. The whole thing wouldn’t have happened without them.” Along with the national title, Baca raced to a career third Shaw Race Cars Western Region crown, track championships at Central Arizona Raceway, Cocopah Speedway and Deuce of Clubs Thunder Raceway and Arizona State title. While 23 of his weekly [Read More]

BATESVILLE, Ark. (Sept. 30, 2023) – A win that’s been a long time coming came Saturday night for T.J. Herndon. Herndon led the last 29 of 50 laps and banked $10,000 after the long green flag run that ended the 28th annual Schoenfeld Headers Mid-America IMCA Sunoco Stock Car Championship at Batesville Motor Speedway. “I’ve been after this one for 10 or 15 years. It took me a long time,” said Herndon, from Atwood, Tenn., and newly guaranteed a starting spot in the 2024 B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational. “I feel like I had two or three taken away from me but we finally got one.” There was no taking anything from Herndon once he worked his way from fourth starting to the front on lap 22, passing Zane DeVilbiss and outrunning early leader Troy Burkhart the rest of the caution-free distance. “I was just praying ‘Please don’t let the caution come out,’” said Herndon, fully aware of an ailing car ahead of him trying to stay out of the way and get off [Read More]

By Jerry Mackey and Anthony Ainslee  COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Sept. 22-23, 2023) – CJ Speedway hosted two special nights of racing on the Louisa County Fairgrounds with racers coming from great distances to delight the race fans. Friday night the 22nd of September was the Battle on the Levee. Originally scheduled to be held during the Louisa County Fair, the race was postponed due to the excessive heat during the summer and was run as the opener of the weekend which also hosted the “Governors Cup,“ special on Saturday. The Battle on the Levee featured a talented field of 86 drivers.  Twenty-six Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds took the green and a stellar field battled it out for 20 laps for their main event. When the checkers flew it was Spencer Diercks scoring a hard-fought win ahead of Jarrett Brown. Drew Janssen took third ahead of Todd Shute. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature win went to Damon Murty, who led flag to flag and earned the win ahead of Jason See and John Oliver Jr.  The Friesen Performance IMCA [Read More]

Final points races of the 2023 season will be Sunday, Sept. 24 Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 999; 2. Matthew Day, Farmersville, Texas, 988; 3. Clint Hatlestad, Glencoe, Minn., 987; 4. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, and Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., both 985; 6. Myron DeYoung, Stanton, Mich., 984; 7. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 983; 8. Joel Rust, Grundy Center, Iowa, 980; 9. Travis Hagen, McGregor, N.D., 977; 10. Todd Shute, Norwalk, Iowa, 973; 11. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque, Iowa, and Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill., both 962; 13. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 960; 14. Anthony Roth, Platte Center, Neb., 958; 15. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., 957; 16. Chris Zogg, New Liberty, Iowa, 955; 17. Ty Clemens, Belgrade, Mont., 954; 18. Kaleb Emerson, Weatherford, Texas, 952; 19. Collin Thirlby, Grawn, Mich., 951; 20. Jarrett Brown, Ainsworth, Iowa, 943. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Cory Dumpert, Newman Grove, Neb., 795; 2. Andy Nezworski, Blue Grass, Iowa, 784; 3. Cade Richards, Lincoln, Neb., 775; 4. Alex Banks, Newman Grove, Neb., 774; 5. Kale Kosiski, [Read More]