Newswire

Ward completes IMCA Modified Southern Stampede sweep

ARDMORE, Okla. (March 19, 2022) – Tim Ward went 372 days between his first and second IMCA Modified Southern Stampede feature wins. He went just 24 hours between his second and third. Ward completed his weekend sweep at Southern Oklahoma Speedway Saturday night, racing from eighth starting to the $3,000 checkers. He’d won $2,000 from the pole on Friday at Ardmore. “Weekends like this are everything we go for. We try to win every night,” Ward said. “We had a good car and really good draws both nights. Everything worked out for us.” Ethan Braaksma, 13th starting Jeff Taylor, Matt Bonine and Drake Findley completed the top five. The more than 100 IMCA entries on Night 2 of the Stampede included 49 Modifieds. Making a rare three-wide start, Ward took the initial green flag for the 30-lapper from the middle of the third row. “It took a few lap fort the top side to come in and I was about the only one up there,” he said. “I got up to second before there was a [Read More]

Ward stampedes back to winner’s circle at Southern Oklahoma

ARDMORE, Okla. (March 18, 2022) –Tim Ward raced his way back to victory lane while Blake Clark won for the first time at Ardmore and Tim Hamilton won for the first time in his IMCA career on opening night of Southern Oklahoma Speedway’s Stampede special. Ward topped Friday’s $2,000 to win IMCA Modified feature, leading all 25 laps from the pole. The 10th starting Clark collected the $1,000 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car checkers a fraction of a second ahead of Shelby Williams and Hamilton was the $1,000 Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod winner at his home track from sixth starting. Early cautions kept lapped traffic from becoming a factor in the Modified main event and Ward caught up with the back of the field again late in the contest. “Southern Oklahoma really fits my driving style,” said Ward, who’d become a first-time winner in the state at last year’s Stampede. “It gets slick and slippery when it dries out. You’ve got to slow down (for the corners) and be patient in the car.” “It’s a lot [Read More]

Antioch opener all about family as DeCarlo tops IMCA Modified feature

ANTIOCH, Calif. (March 18, 2022)– Winning the opening night feature at Antioch Speedway was great. But even better, said Nick DeCarlo, was that he got his first IMCA Modified victory since late in 2020 while racing with his father and brother. “It was emotional. I was really relieved,” DeCarlo said following the rare start with father Terry Sr. and brother Terry Jr. “It had been so long since I’d won I’d considered giving up. There was a feeling of relief, to be honest, but with just that one win, man, I’m excited about racing again.” The Martinez driver brought 32 career wins in the division into the March 12 show. The last of those checkers came more than a year and a half ago, in mid-August California Speedweek and early September weekly races at home track Antioch. His best finish in what proved to be a star-crossed 2021 was second, also on opening night and at Antioch. “I had no luck last year,” said DeCarlo, ticking off a list of DNQ’s and DNF’s that concluded [Read More]

AERO Race Wheels continues awards for IMCA special events drivers, state champs

ESTHERVILLE, Iowa (March 18, 2022) – Drivers competing in special events and winning state championships receive awards from 26-year IMCA sponsor AERO Race Wheels. The Estherville, Iowa, manufacturer again gives $40 product certificates, good toward the purchase of two wheels, to a designated place finisher at 80 special events for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA STARS Mod Lites, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, IMCA Northern SportMods and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods. KMJ Performance state champions in those divisions and the Mach-1 Sport Compacts all receive $25 certificates. STARS Mod Lites were added to the AERO program last season; 2021 also saw a record 106 state champions receiving AERO certificates. “We like the consistency of IMCA as a sanctioning body with their rules across all divisions and the wide exposure they give all across the country,” AERO Director of Sales and Marketing Kelli Peton commented. “IMCA has been very easy to work with.” Special event certificates are mailed within a week after official race results are received, while state champion certificates will be presented [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through March 17

IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 619; 2. Zachary Madrid, Phoenix, Ariz., 528; 3. William Miller, Yuma, Ariz., 412; 4. Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., 405; 5. Don Shaw, Ham Lake, Minn., 371; 6. Cody Thompson, Sioux City, Iowa, 338; 7. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif., 332; 8. Jonathan Mawhinney, Las Vegas, Nev., 328; 9. Austin Kuehl, Cave Creek, Ariz., 320; 10. Devin Fouquette, Saint Cloud, Minn., 316; 11. Russell Allen, Brawley, Calif., 313; 12. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 286; 13. Dalton Houghton, Rosamond, Calif., 276; 14. Grey Ferrando, Stayton, Ore., 273; 15. Matt Aukland, Glyndon, Minn., 262; 16. Brenda Kirby, New River, Ariz., 252; 17. Denver Dodd, Scottsdale, Ariz., 248; 18. Tanner Black, Otis, Kan., 244; 19. Jerry Flippo, Bakersfield, Calif., 238; 20. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 235. IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars – 1. Tanner Conn, Oklahoma City, Okla., 70; 2. Joe Bob Lee, Cache, Okla., 66; 3. Terry Easum, Broken Arrow, Okla., 61; 4. Shane Sundquist, Bertrand, Neb., 50; 5. Jordan Knight, Wright, Kan., 48; 6. Chad Wilson, North Richland Hills, Texas, 40; 7. [Read More]

Three IMCA divisions Stampede tonight, Saturday at Southern Oklahoma

ARDMORE, Okla. – While rain was the winner Thursday night in Ardmore, Southern Stampede race programs are on as scheduled tonight and Saturday at Southern Oklahoma Speedway. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods are on both March 18 and 19 cards. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. both days. Racing starts at 6:30 p.m. tonight and at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Each race night program will be available on IMCA.TV, which also returns as broadcast partner for weekly race programs at Southern Oklahoma Speedway this season.

Spring Nationals postponed to Saturday, Sunday

BEATRICE, Neb. – Mother Nature had other ideas again and the 29th annual Spring Nationals at Beatrice Speedway will now be held Saturday and Sunday, March 19 and 20. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 :30 p.m. Saturday. Gates open at 11 a.m. with racing at 1 p.m. on Sunday. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, IMCA Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts fill both Spring Nationals cards.

Building on breakout season, Clark makes plans to see more of EQ Southern Region

JOSHUA, Texas (March 17, 2022) – After a breakout season in 2021, Blake Clark plans to see a lot more of the EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region this year. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car driver from Joshua, Texas, now the two-time defending track champion at Boyd Raceway, opened the new campaign at Abilene Speedway’s IMCA.TV Ice Breaker and in the Sniper Speed Lone Star Tour. His first feature win of 2022 came on March 12 at Kennedale Speedway Park. “We’re in a new Terminator this year and we’re still learning the car,” said Clark, who impressed while leading the first 11 laps despite missing on his setup in the Lone Star feature at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. “It felt really good to get the win at Kennedale. We’re starting to get a feel for the car. We’re definitely going in the right direction with it.” Now a senior at Godley High School, Clark was a 14-time winner last year, with half of those victories coming in his final 13 starts. Those checkers, and another seven top-five [Read More]

Big numbers, big economic impact: Super Nationals brings $61 million to Iowa

BOONE, Iowa (March 17, 2022) – The proof is in the numbers: The biggest event in dirt track racing has a big economic impact not only for the Boone area but for the State of Iowa. The IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s brought a record 909 race cars and tens of thousands of fans to Boone Speedway for its Sept. 6-11, 2021 run. A study compiled by the United States Motorsports Association and Washington & Jefferson College and released today determined the 39th annual event resulted in an economic impact of nearly $61 million, along with 609 local jobs and a corresponding $16.8 million in local earnings. “We had this study conducted because we knew Super Nationals has had a major economic impact on the City of Boone, Boone County and the State of Iowa but did not realize the impact was of this magnitude,” said IMCA President Brett Root. “The goal had been for the economic impact study to provide for infrastructure spending, to continue to improve the venue and continue making [Read More]

Casey’s returning for 10th season as presenting sponsor of Super Nationals

ANKENY, Iowa (March 17, 2022) – Casey’s marks a milestone of its own this September at Boone Speedway. The Official Convenience Store of IMCA returns as presenting sponsor of the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals for a 10th consecutive season. The 40th annual Super Nationals will be held Sept. 5-10 in Boone, where the first Casey’s opened in 1968. The Ankeny, Iowa-based retail company now has more than 2,400 stores in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin. In addition to selling grocery items, bakery goods and gasoline, Casey’s is the fifth largest pizza chain in the United States. Casey’s and IMCA both donate $10 to Hope for the Warriors, a nation-wide, non-profit organization, on behalf of each heat winner during the week of Super Nationals. Those donations have generated $45,000 since 2013 and benefit post-9/11 service members and their families. All STARS Mod Lite, Sport Compact, Hobby Stock, Northern SportMod, Late Model, Stock Car and Modified heat winners at Super Nationals receive a hat along with a $20 [Read More]