Newswire

Abelson is first in photo finish at Raceway Park

By Bob Coney JEFFERSON, S.D. (Aug. 25) – With the money on the line, the IMCA Modified feature Sunday at Raceway Park came down to a photo finish. Mills Fabrication kicked off a progressive jackpot winner’s purse for the Professional Concrete IMCA Modifieds that had grown to $1,558 by race time. At the drop of the green flag, Chris Mills and Jim Thies jumped to the front early, riding the inside rim of the track. By the mid-point of the 25 lap feature, Chris Abelson started to get the rubber laid down on the outside groove and began picking his way to the front. With 10 laps remaining, Abelson took over the lead with Ricky Stephan also riding the outside into second place.The pair came out of the final turn side by side, making contact sending both cars sliding across the finish line with Abelson determined to be in front by mere inches at the line. Abelson earned an additional $100 as the hard charger. Jim Thies got by Mills to take third. In the [Read More]

Huls, Dunker, Bercerra score Quincy IMCA wins

By Jack Walbring QUINCY, Ill. (Aug. 25) – Abe Huls, Tony Dunker and Austin Bercerra all took IMCA feature event wins Sunday, Aug. 25 at Quincy Raceway during Gem City Ford Lincoln Night at the Races. Huls grabbed another IMCA Sunoco Stock Car victory, his sixth of the year, in a hotly contested event. Jake Powers took home second followed by Dave Wietholder in third, Brandon Savage in fourth and Jerry Jansen in fifth. Dunker held off Jeff DeLonjay to get his ninth points win of the year in the Summy Tire and Auto Center Northern SportMods. DeLonjay held back Tanner Klingele for second with Klingele third, Brad Holtmeyer fourth and Trevor Haggenbaumer in fifth. Bercerra dominated the Mach-1 Sport Compact division taking both the heat race win and the feature event win. Pat Dunker grabbed the second spot with Kevin Morgan in third, Kim Abbott in fourth and Laine VanZandt fifth.

IMCA champions crowned at Seymour

By Edward Anschutz SEYMOUR, Wis. (Aug. 25) – IMCA track champions were crowed Sunday at Seymour Super Speedway. While Brandon Czarapata capped off another stellar season by scoring his eighth feature win of the season in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, all eyes were focused on track point leader John Heinz who came into the night with a one point advantage over Rod Snellenberger. The duo stayed locked together the entire race, most of which saw Snellenberger on the rear bumper of Heinz as they ran the low groove. With five laps remaining, Snellenberger moved up to the middle groove in desperation to get by Heinz. Snellenberger inched closer as the white flag came down. Any chance at a last-lap pass was wiped away when Travis Springstroh went barrel rolling out of turn four resulting in a red flag. He emerged shaken but OK. Since Czarapata had taken the white the flag, the race was over, giving the championship to Heinz. It was his second title of the season after winning at 141 Speedway the [Read More]

Chipp, Johnson sweep championship night at Independence

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (Aug. 24) – Six season champions and six track champions were crowned during Budweiser Season Championships Saturday at Independence Motor Speedway. Three of those drivers celebrated track titles by making their way to victory lane during the final night of weekly points racing for the 2013 season. Less than three months ago, Brennen Chipp earned his first Independence win in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod division. Just 12 weeks following that win, he was celebrating his fifth win of the year and the first track championship of his career. From his front row starting spot, Chipp took command with Alex Zwanzinger in pursuit. Chipp paced the field through a handful of cautions while Kip Siems and Joel Rust worked through traffic. Siems reeled in the leader on the 17th of 20 laps, then pulled to the inside of Chipp when the front-runners encountered lapped traffic in turns one and two. Contact while the leaders battled through traffic sent Siems into a spin, ending his run. When racing resumed, Rust, who started 22nd, restarted [Read More]

Papenhausen doubles up at Antioch

ANTIOCH, Calif. (Aug. 24) – For the second time this season, Richard Papenhausen pillaged Antioch Speedway, taking both the Late Model and IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature events after fighting off challenges from Antioch’s top drivers. “It was a good night – all the way through,” Papenhausen said with a smile. It was Shawn DeForest who led the non-stop Late Model event most of the way. With eight laps to go, Papenhausen caught up to him in traffic. Papenhausen was the story of the night, but track champ Troy Foulger was the story of the Modified feature as he came from the back twice to chase down Papenhausen. Foulger started 15th in the feature, and worked his way up to sixth only to be collected in a wreck. He returned to the rear of the field, working his way to Papenhausen’s back bumper by the end of the main event. “I had to use everything I had to get back up there,” Foulger said. “I overheated my tires and had nothing left for Richard [Read More]

Bowser scores third checkers of season at Crystal

CRYSTAL, Mich. (Aug. 24) – Saturday’s PRW IMCA Modified feature at Crystal Motor Speedway fell to Brody Bowser for his third win of the season. A.J. Ward, Josh Borton, Taylor Wiles and Tim Sooy completed the top five. The point race for Modifieds continues until Sept. 14 with Chad Wernette holding a fairly comfortable lead over second place Ward. Saturday was championship night at Crystal as the other five weekly divisions crowned their season champs. Kevin Rohn, Jr. jumped out front early and brought home the win in the Races On The Web Flinn Stock division. Ryan VanderVeen won his fifth Kentucky Friend Chicken Late Model feature of the season. Josh Loomis took the win in the Port City Racing Pro Stock feature. The Engine Pro Truck division saw Dave Peters hold off late-race charges from Nate Jones to take home the feature win. Dennis Parker took the front spot about five laps in and was never headed as he went on to take the Street Stock win.

Holloway tops Stock feature at RPM

By Mike Hughes HAYS, Kan. (Aug. 24) – With just two regular season races left on the schedule at RPM Speedway in Hays, KS, the points race is still up for grabs and drivers battled for position on Saturday evening August 24. It was also the Greg Close Memorial Race with the Close family awarding $50 to a Hard Charger and a $50 mystery position in all five divisions. The Advantage Glass Plus IMCA Stock Car feature went 20 caution-free laps with Shaylon Holloway leading from green to checkers to make his first trip to victory lane at Hays this year. Jeff Tubbs finished second, with Jason Davis, B.J. Wagoner and Jason Rogers completing the top five. Nolan Remus claimed the mystery position award. In the Federated Auto Parts IMCA Modified feature, Dylan Sherfick took the lead on lap 12 of the 20 lap feature to score his second win of the year at Hays. Matt Henke led the opening lap before Rodger Peck assumed command. Sherfick then took the lead after the halfway mark [Read More]

Dart wins Modified main, Tebon repeats early as titlist

By Edward Anschutz STURGEON BAY, Wis. (Aug. 24) – Todd Dart inherited the lead of the IMCA Modified feature on lap eight and went on to score his second feature win of the season at Thunderhill Raceway Saturday evening. Greg Gretz jumped to the lead, outpacing James Tebon on the opening lap. Gretz held the top spot, running the cushion as Dart worked low. Just before the midway contest, Gretz suffered mechanical issues, handing the lead over to Dart. A pit crew challenge was issued and right after midway, all the drivers headed to pit lane where they had to change one tire. Each driver pitched in $20 for whoever had the fastest stop and that honor went to Billy LeMieux’s crew. As the race restarted, Dart checked out, going unchallenged the remainder of the contest. By placing second, Tebon earned enough points to clinch his second Modified championship a week early. LeMieux, Scott Ratajczak and Gretz completed the top five. Other feature winners were Shawn Havel, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars; Andy Ratajczak, Karl Chevrolet [Read More]

Cassell triumphant In Modified Tribute To Clair

By Ben Deatherage LEBANON, Ore. (Aug. 24) – It was a great night of racing at Willamette Speedway Saturday evening as the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds were back in action for the prestigious Modified Tribute To Clair, an event dedicated to the late longtime owner and operator of the historic 1/3-mile oval, Clair Arnold. 2013 has been Craig Cassell’s year. The longtime crew chief for several top flight Late Model and Modified teams captured his third victory by leading the entire distance of the Modified Tribute To Clair. When Cassell put his mount in the winner’s circle he became the fourth different winner in as many years of the “Tribute To Clair” event. Trevor Glaser survived the DIRTcar Super Late Model main event to win pick up win number 11 of his 2013 season at Willamette. Gil Pickett won the caution-filled Super Sport feature.

Champions crowned at Eagle

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (Aug. 24) – Dylan Smith got the Kaplan University IMCA Modified feature win along with his second straight track title Saturday at Eagle Raceway. Smith took over the front position with nine laps down. Mike Densberger passed Nathan Landauer on the low side for second with two laps left and Chris Ableson got past Landauer on the final circuit for third. Jason Martin won the IMCA Eagle Motorsports RaceSaver Sprint Car feature for the second straight week while runner-up Mike Boston secured his career seventh track title. Martin moved to the lead on lap nine. Boston settled into second for good on lap 14. Shawn Harker held on for the NAPA IMCA Northern SportMod victory with Joe Feyen, Dan Kovar and Benji Legg second through fourth. Gary Saaathoff ended in 11th and won his second championship. The Valentino’s IMCA Hobby Stock Main ended with R.J. Macku in first, chased by Garrett Bolander, John Cain and Robbie Brown. The season championship went again to Roy Armstrong, who was fifth. Chad Bassinger [Read More]