Newswire

Baca reaches 100 career win milestone before taking national championship home to Arizona

MESA, Ariz. (2023) – Two six-race streaks bookended Chaz Baca’s history-making 2023 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season. After starting the year with half a dozen underwhelming outings, the 26-year-old from Mesa got dialed in a new-to-him chassis and won his Friesen Performance IMCA Modified career 100th feature in late May. The checkers kept coming and Baca would race all the way to the national championship. “There have been so many great IMCA drivers from Arizona. To think I would be the first from Arizona to win a national championship is crazy,” he said. “Having three tracks (in the state) to race at regularly lined us up to go for the national championship this year without having to travel so much.” “There were a handful of nights I may have given away a win,” Baca added, “but we kept driver errors to a minimum and had more good luck than bad.” Along with a career third Shaw Race Cars Western Region crown since 2020, Baca motored to track titles at Central Arizona Raceway, Cocopah Speedway and [Read More]

Warm weather, sunshine, $10,000 await IMCA Modifieds this weekend at Batesville

BATESVILLE, Ark. (Oct. 10, 2023) – The Race for Hope three-day event will bring in the best of the best in IMCA Modified drivers and teams to Batesville Motor Speedway this Thursday-Saturday, October 12-14. On Thursday and Friday, drivers will pill draw for heat positions and will qualify through heat races, B features and a nightly A feature. Drivers will accumulate points in order to qualify for the 71-Lap Main Event on Saturday night. Drivers will receive points every time they are on the track. The Top 18 in points will transfer to the main on Saturday. The top two in each of the last chance B features will transfer to the feature to complete the field for the 71-lap feature that will pay $10,000 to win and $1000 to start. Ken Schrader will also be in attendance and competing in the seventh annual event. All three nights of action will be broadcast live on IMCA.tv.

Unofficial 2023 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings

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]

A first for Arizona as Baca wins Modified crown, IMCA names top champions, rookies of 2023

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]

Mullis roars to IMCA Sprint win at the Mountain

By Jim Haines SHENANDOAH, Va. (Sept. 30, 2023) – Shenandoah Speedway’s slogan is “Where The Mountain Roars” and Bill Mullis roared all the way to the Virginia Sprint Series win, leading every lap of the Saturday night IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car main event. The special feature-only event had Mullis and Matthew Leach on the front row with Mullis out first and bringing Matt Mullins with him. Billy Hubbard started to challenge Mullins for second and finally got by, leaving Leach to go after Mullins as Mullis continued out front. Hubbard tried to run down Mullis but he was smooth and steady out front all the way to his first checkered flag. At the line it was Hubbard, Mullins, Leach, Chris Ware and French Grimes next across the stripe. The final race of the year will be a special event at Langley Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 28.

Foulger wins 103 lap IMCA Modified feature, sweeps Pettit Shootout

By Steven BlakesleyBlakesley Sports Media WATSONVILLE, Calif. (Sept. 30, 2023) – Troy Foulger completed the sweep of the Pat and Jim Pettit Memorial Shootout at Ocean Speedway in Saturday’s 103-lap finale, grabbing the 13th annual Friesen Performance IMCA Modified event in Watsonville. The victory paid $3,006 to win in the extra distance affair at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds after Foulger snared $1,003 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility on Friday night. “Thank you to the Pettit family for everything they do. They are a wonderful family and give us a great race,” Foulger said. “Hats off to the track crew and hopefully that was a good show for the fans. I saw (Nick DeCarlo’s) nose down there and I didn’t know what pace to set. Lapped traffic was thick so I just started sliding people. So I kind of moved my line down there in three and four and was able to get away.” Hall of Famer Jim Pettit II led the 22 starters from the pole position before Foulger took over the lead [Read More]

Herndon takes $10,000 checkers at Batesville’s 28th Mid-America IMCA Stock Car Championship

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]

Diamond Park hosts second annual 94M Memorial: Caleb’s Legacy on Oct. 7

By Justin Newman MURFREESBORO, Ark. (Sept. 29, 2023) – Diamond Park Speedway, along with local sponsors will host the second annual tribute to the late Caleb and Andrea McCollett on Saturday, Oct. 7 – the day before marking two years since their passing and what would be his 30th birthday weekend. The family of Caleb McCollett and their closest friends have raised an enormous amount of money to be paid out in the couple’s honor, and to continue to show love and support for their 4-year-old daughter, Penelope Kate McCollett. The IMCA STARS Mod Lite feature will pay the winner $1,094 and $94 to start the 20-lap main event. All position payouts will end in $94 as a nod to Caleb’s no. 94M which also holds special meaning as Penelope’s birthday, which you guessed it, is Sept. 4, or 9/4. Intermission will feature a balloon release and tribute to Caleb and Andrea by their daughter PK, family, and closest friends. The race format will be a pill draw for heat race positions and the top [Read More]

Doyon delivers with I-37 First Responders Night IMCA win

By J.M. Hallas PLEASANTON, Texas (Sept. 23, 2023) – Ahhhh, fall begins, so it’s only in the 90’s instead of over 100. Saturday’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified field took the green for Saturday’s Frist Responders Night show at I-37 Speedway with Jared Maupin getting the point pursued by Ryan Doyon, Robert Liese, Greg Dinsmore and Logan Dinsmore. Doyon pressured Maupin for the lead in turns three and four getting the spot on lap four while Greg Dinsmore got third from Liese. Logan Dinsmore followed a lap later to fourth. Coming to the midway point, Greg Dinsmore got by Maupin for second and inched closer and got a good run in after Doyon got caught by traffic. Darrell Boyd and Liese ran side-by-side for fifth until a caution that set up a four-lap shootout. Doyon got off good back under green while Maupin and Logan Dinsmore were side by side for third. Doyon had three car lengths on Greg Dinsmore when taking the checkers. “I was wondering where Greg (Dinsmore) was. I’m not going to say [Read More]

CJ Speedway hosts two outstanding nights of special races

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]