Newswire

2023 IMCA.TV Winter Nationals open with a bang!

By Ben Deatherage SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 4, 2023) – Wednesday was opening night of the 2023 IMCA.TV Winter Nationals at Cocopah Speedway and the 3/8-mile oval, known as the Diamond In The Desert, attracted over 230 race teams from across North America to compete in the winter extravaganza. Arizona native Tim Ward won the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature and $1,000 while Minnesotan Jim Horejsi topped the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature and pocketed $750. Defending Winter Nationals king Shane Paris took the $750 Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod checkers, Thomas Daffern scored the $500 IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock victory and Kevin Reuter raced to the $250 Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact win. In Modified action, the 25-lap feature started with Brandon Beckendorf flexing his guns early and dominating before a lap eight caution bunched the field up. When the green flag was redisplayed, Ward put a power move on Brandon for the lead. Despite a couple of cautions, Ward tamed the rest of the pack for his first career IMCA.TV Winter Nationals triumph along with Fast Shafts [Read More]

Shock, carburetor claim amounts increased in 2023

VINTON, Iowa (Jan. 5, 2023) – The dollar amount for shock claims increase in five IMCA divisions and are new for a sixth in 2023. Shock claim amounts in the Modified, Stock Car, Northern SportMod and Southern SportMod divisions have been increased to $100 each. Beginning this season, IMCA will implement a $100 shock claim in the STARS Mod Lite division. The Hobby Stock shock claim will be increased to $50 for each shock while the carburetor claim amount for that class has been increased to $100. After making only minor changes to 2023 rules for those divisions, IMCA has also announced that no other changes would be made to procedures, including claim eligibility requirements, or the point structure for the new season. No change will be made for Modified, Stock Car, Hobby Stock or SportMod engine claim amounts or the Sport Compact car claim, IMCA President Brett Root said, because of exchange and/or crate options available in those divisions. New shock and carburetor claim amounts have been updated on procedures posted on the IMCA [Read More]

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Denton tabbed as DC, promoter at Beatrice Speedway

BEATRICE, Neb. (Dec. 21, 2022) – The Gage County Ag Society has named Tommy Denton as the Director of Competition and Promoter for the Beatrice Speedway 2023 season, starting Jan. 1, 2023. Tommy brings with him a long history and depth of experience and knowledge of the Beatrice Speedway and racing community. After moving from Denver to Nebraska in the early 1980s, Tommy started racing at Beatrice Speedway, and in his words “has been at the track every Friday or Saturday night since.” He was later hired as an announcer for the track and in the early 2000’s took on flagging in turns two and three, and then moved to being the infield pit announcer. In addition to his other roles, Tommy has served as the Director of the Beatrice Speedway Hall of Fame since 2011, where he has worked to preserve the history of the track and its racers. He is well connected not only at the Beatrice Speedway, but also at other local tracks including Jefferson County Speedway, where he has been a [Read More]

Focus on track championship sees Morris earn IMCA Modified crown at Cotton Bowl Speedway

TAYLOR, Texas (Dec. 20, 2022) – Chris Morris put the focus on winning a track championship and having fun in his seventh Friesen Performance IMCA Modified season. He did both, racing to 11 feature wins in all and his career first track title, at Cotton Bowl Speedway. “We were focused on the Cotton Bowl championship and wherever we fell in the region was going to be good enough,” said Morris, from Taylor, Texas, and third in the GRT Race Cars South Central standings behind William Gould and national rookie of the year Matthew Day. “It turned out to be a pretty fun year.” After topping the opening night show at Texana Raceway Park, he’d park in victory lane eight times at Paige and twice at Heart O’ Texas Speedway. Morris had another 14 top five finishes in his 34 home region starts. “We’ve got a lot of laps at Cotton Bowl. It definitely fits my driving style and I went into every night knowing what I needed to do with the car,” he said. “I’ve [Read More]

IMCA drivers take cash awards to the bank

VINTON, Iowa (Dec. 20, 2022) – Cash awards were paid throughout the season and after 2022 point standings became official to drivers in all nine divisions sanctioned by IMCA. Schaeffer’s Specialized Lubricants paid $50 to each of the drivers winning the record 132 state championships awarded this season, including: Mike Albertsen, Shelby Alves, Jacey Archer, Chaz Baca, D.J. Banks, Kamden Barnett, Owen Barnhill, Katie Barthel, Codey Benoit, Kyle Berry, Adam Birck, Tyson Blood and Brandon Bombardo. Jerrett Bransom, J.D. Brown, Taylor Brown, Tathan Burkhart, Barry Cannon, Alec Childs, Justin Clark, Jimmy Cole, Danny Concelman, Cameron Cook, Nate Coopman, Cory Craver and Brian Cross. Paul Culp, Cole Czarneski, Thomas Daffern, Matthew Day, Travis Denning, Gary DeWitt, Kade Dimick, Jimmy Doescher, Jake Donnelly, Tommy Dove, Ken Duke, Cory Dumpert and Tim Eaton. Tyler Fiebelkorn, Drake Findley, Edward Finger, Kyle Frederick, Spencer Galaway, Todd Gereau, Adam Goff, Miley JoAnn Goldwich-Rhames, Robert Gonzales, Jesse Gonzalez, William Gould, Jordan Grabouski (2) and Ryan Greenwood. Michael Hale, Ty Hanten, B.J. Haslam, Payce Herrera, Ray Hoedebeck, Bobby Horton, Mike Houseman, Joel Huggins, Steven Johnson, Dave Kappel, Julie Keeler, Justin Kinderknecht [Read More]

Buzz about IMCA.TV Winter Nationals has 452 pre-entered at Cocopah

SOMERTON, Ariz. (Dec. 19, 2022) – Cocopah Speedway will be the place to be for IMCA drivers looking to get a fast start to their 2023 season. The proof is in the numbers. Four hundred and fifty-two drivers in five divisions are now pre-entered for January’s IMCA.TV Winter Nationals. The early entries make their way to Cocopah from more than 20 states and three provinces. “In my wildest dreams, I could imagine having this many pre-entries. In reality, no,” admitted promoter Brad Whitfield. “Racing has changed since the pandemic and more drivers just seem to want to be a part of special events.” “There’s a real buzz about Winter Nationals this year. For one thing, we’re looking at 70-74 degree temperatures in January while a lot of the country is looking at getting 14 inches of snow this weekend,” he added. “The nightly purses are very good and we have $40,-$45,000 in contingencies from a lot of different sponsors that we’ll add on top of that.” Friesen Performance IMCA Modified entries numbered 155, with 115 [Read More]

IMCA STARS Mod Lites chase sweet $7,500 top check at 4th Sugar Bowl Winter Nationals

CLEWISTON, Fla. (Dec. 19, 2022) – A sweet $7,500 awaits the winner of the IMCA STARS Mod Lite Sugar Bowl Winters Nationals. Hendry County Motorsports Park hosts the fourth annual special, presented by Sunoco Race Fuels, on Feb. 8-11, 2023. Saturday night’s main event pays a minimum of $500 to start with Yoshimura bonuses of $250, $150 and $100 to be awarded to the top three finishers. Full race programs are scheduled Thursday, Friday and Saturday Feb. 9-11 with IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National and Florida State points awarded each of those nights. Drivers can register now on MyRacePass for $100 or $250 after Jan. 1. Twin 25 features Thursday and Friday pay $500 to win $150 to start and $50 tow. Two provisionals will be awarded to fill the main event field and tow is $100 on Saturday. Wednesday’s pre-tech and practice will be followed by a $500 to win race of champions and $1,000 to win manufacturers’ race; both pay $100 to start. Gates open at 4 p.m. each day at Clewiston [Read More]

Estevan is back on schedule for 2023 IMCA Dakota Tour

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (Dec. 19, 2022) – History teacher turned tour director John Gartner channeled his inner Douglas MacArthur when he promised a return to Estevan Motor Speedway. And like the general who made good on his promise to return to the Philippines, Gartner and the IMCA Dakota Classic Modified Tour will return to the Saskatchewan track in 2023. “I’m a history major and always talked to kids about MacArthur’s promise,” he explained. “The tour hasn’t been to Canada since 2019, the year before COVID, and I told people we would go back as soon as we could.” “We made that promise and we’re going to keep it,” he continued. “We will be back in Estevan on July 10.” Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds run for $2,000 to win, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $1,000 to win each night of the July 8-13 tour. Opening night is Saturday, July 8 at Jamestown Speedway. The tour is at Nodak Speedway in Minot on July 9 and Estevan the next night. Williston Basin Speedway hosts the July 11 show. [Read More]

More IMCA drivers earn more IMCA.TV replay bonus money

VINTON, Iowa (Dec. 19, 2022) – More drivers in more divisions earned more – a lot more – IMCA.TV bonus money in 2022. A total of 501 drivers in the nine divisions sanctioned by IMCA earned shares of more than $65,000 generated by replays of weekly and special events at 38 tracks broadcast by IMCA.TV or its affiliates. Modified, Late Model, Sprint Car and Stock Car drivers finishing in the top three in point standings at those tracks received checks for $225, $150 and $125; Northern SportMod and Southern SportMod checks were distributed in the amounts of $125, $115 and $100, Hobby Stock, STARS Mod Lite and Sport Compact checks in the amounts of $100, $80 and $70. Checks have been mailed from the IMCA home office. “This bonus program, the first of its kind, was developed by our streaming platform provider Riivet in 2021 and paid almost $28,000 to nearly 400 drivers in its first year,” explained IMCA President Brett Root. “While still based on monthly replay subscription revenue, its structure was fine-tuned this [Read More]