Newswire

IMCA.TV broadcast, replay bonuses paid to drivers at 39 weekly tracks

VINTON, Iowa – A one-of-its-kind bonus program introduced by IMCA.TV paid off for nearly 400 IMCA drivers in its first season. Checks totaling nearly $28,000 were mailed to the drivers finishing in top three point standings in 2021, in divisions with point funds at 39 tracks where weekly race programs were broadcast and replayed on IMCA.TV or its affiliates. Payments were based on broadcast revenue for each event, with royalties paid to each driver determined by the time of viewership, measured down to the number of seconds watched, each night at each track. “This is a unique program,” noted IMCA President Brett Root, “No other sanctioning body or pay per view broadcaster have a bonus program like this that pays royalties to drivers based on viewership.” “This is the most accurate way dirt track racers, who already receive purse money and point fund shares, are being paid for streaming,” he continued. “It’s a really good system. The more people watch, the more we pay the racers and they deserve it. They’re the show.” Tracks where [Read More]

Sweet IMCA STARS Mod Lite win for Choate at Sugar Bowl Winter Nationals

CLEWISTON, Fla. (Feb. 12) – Ronnie Choate started and ended the IMCA STARS Mod Lite Sugar Bowl Winter Nationals presented by Sunoco Race Fuels in victory lane. The IMCA STARS Mod Lite driver from Cookeville, Tenn., topped Thursday’s opening night feature at Hendry County Motorsports Park and earned $500, then scored a $5,000 payday in Saturday’s main event. “This made all the hard work and sweat we have put into this worth it,” said Choate, sharing credit for the Sugar Bowl success with brother-in-law and crew chief Logan Rittenberry. “We have struggled but we never gave up. “The money makes it all pretty good but the best part is that we didn’t give up and now we’re getting somewhere.” A record 66 STARS Mod Lites from 13 states and Canada vied in the third annual special. Choate started from the pole in the 30-lap headliner on Saturday and chased outside front row starting Tim White the first eight times around the track. Three cautions came out just after midway but the race stayed green the [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds return to Winter Nationals at Southern Raceway

MILTON, Fla. – Winter Nationals returns to Southern Raceway with a pair of $1,000 to win IMCA Modified features Friday, Feb. 25 and Saturday, Feb. 26. Winners both nights become eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Sanctioned Modifieds last ran at the special more than a decade and a half ago. The division is presented this year by Heath Racing Engines of Milton. “The IMCA Modified division here is really starting to get some good car counts. We’re really glad to have this event back on the schedule,” Southern Raceway promoter Tom Lowery said, “and want to build it back and make it something big.” DIRT2MediaTV, an affiliate of IMCA.TV, broadcasts both nights. Entry fee is $25 and pit passes are $35 for adults and $15 for kids ages 12 and under each night. Adult grandstand admission is $20 on Friday and $25 on Saturday, and $5 for kids both nights. Pit gates open at 4:30 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. on Friday. Gates open at 3:30 p.m. and the [Read More]

Abilene Speedway starts new season with traditional IMCA.TV Ice Breaker

ABILENE, Texas – What’s become a traditional first event of the season for many IMCA Sunoco Stock Car drivers in Texas and from locales around the country plays out Feb. 18 and 19 when Abilene Speedway hosts its traditional IMCA.TV Ice Breaker. The Friday feature pays $750 to win while the winner of Saturday’s Prelude to the Sniper Speed Lone Star Tour main event takes home $3,000. “The Ice Breaker has traditionally been the first race of the season for a lot of drivers from Texas as well as surrounding states and the Midwest for its 20-plus years,” noted IMCA President Brett Root. “This year’s IMCA.TV Prelude to the Sniper Speed Lone Star Stock Car Tour will be an excellent opportunity for Stock Car drivers to run for the $3,000 to win and a minimum of $300 to start.” In one of the richest events of the season for The Class Too Tough To Tame, the Saturday runner-up takes home $2,000, with $1,000 paid for third, $900 for fourth and $800 for fifth. Both Stock Car winners at [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through Feb. 9, 2022

IMCA Modifieds – 1. Zachary Madrid, Phoenix, Ariz., 428; 2. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 393; 3. Cody Thompson, Sioux City, Iowa, 338; 4. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif., 332; 5. Devin Fouquette, St. Cloud, Minn., 316; 6. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 286; 7. Grey Ferrando, Stayton, Ore., 273; 8. Don Shaw, Ham Lake, Minn., 266; 9. Matt Aukland, Glyndon, Minn., 262; 10. Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., 247; 11. Tanner Black, Otis, Kan., 244; 12. Braxton Yeager, Green River, Wy., 235; 13. Joshua Cain, Rio Rancho, N.M., 234; 14. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev., 228; 15. Kelsie Foley, Tucson, Ariz., 227; 16. William Miller, Yuma, Ariz., 223; 17. Tripp Gaylord, Lakewood, Colo., 219; 18. Jerry Flippo, Bakersfield, Calif., and Jonathan Mawhinney, Las Vegas, Nev., both 200; 20. Mike McKinney, Plainfield, Ill., 199. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars – 1. Chanse Hollatz, Clear Lake, Iowa, 433; 2. Zachary Madrid, Phoenix, Ariz., 425; 3. Paul Stone, Winton, Calif., 355; 4. Joe Schmit, Ventura, Iowa, 324; 5. Scott Sluka, Casa Grande, Ariz., 313; 6. Christopher McCurdy Jr., Phoenix, Ariz., 272; 7. Taylor Kuehl, [Read More]

Sportsmanship, perfect attendance awards new for Sniper Speed IMCA Lone Star Tour drivers

WACO, Texas – Sportsmanship and perfect attendance will pay off for two drivers following the 2022 Sniper Speed IMCA Lone Star Stock Car Tour will be a winner. The driver selected to receive the Kirk Martin Memorial Sportsmanship Award, given for sportsmanship demonstrated throughout the Feb. 20-26 tour, receives half the proceeds from nightly final starting spot auctions. Martin was a long-time IMCA Sunoco Stock Car driver and champion of the EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region in 2017; the sportsmanship check will be presented by his wife Wendy following the tour finale at Kennedale Speedway Park. The $4,000 Midstate Machine perfect attendance award will also be presented that evening. The only driver with perfect attendance who will be ineligible to receive that award will be the tour champion. Features pay $1,000 to win and a minimum of $100 to start with opening night Sunday, Feb. 20 at Heart O’ Texas Speedway in Waco. The tour is at Devil’s Bowl in Mesquite on Monday, Feb.; 21; Boyd Raceway on Wednesday, Feb. 23; Grayson County Speedway in [Read More]

Becker-Gramm named new IMCA marketing integration director

VINTON, Iowa (Feb. 8, 2022) – Carson Becker-Gramm brings a wealth of on- and off-track expertise to his new position as marketing integration and sponsorship director for IMCA. In addition to working with current and prospective sponsors in maintaining and creating new awards programs, he’ll attend select weekly as well as special events including the Corral Sales Dakota Classic Tour and the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “I like the reach of IMCA and the opportunity of its sponsorship programs. I want to utilize IMCA.TV and bring in new sponsorships to benefit drivers and tracks,” said Becker-Gramm. “I like the platform that’s been built with IMCA’s social media and the stories they’ve written to publicize their drivers and races.” “I enjoy new ideas,” he added, “and definitely want to hear them.” A native of South Dakota, Becker-Gramm earned sports management and economics degrees at Minnesota State University in Mankato. He interned at Elko Speedway and worked at Granite City Motor Park before taking the executive director’s post with WISSOTA in 2018. “My [Read More]

Cain collects IMCA Modified checkers at Challenge finale

PEORIA, Ariz. (Feb. 6) – A car that was good enough took Josh Cain to victory lane on the final night of Canyon Speedway AZ’s Winter Series Challenge. Cain led all 20 laps of Sunday’s IMCA Modified main event, earning $1,000 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility along with his first win of 2022. “There was only one caution and it was a good thing it came when it did,” Cain said. “Don Shaw showed me the bottom about five laps in. After the caution I was able to take the bottom away.” Shaw had his hands full with Chaz Baca before ending in second. Baca took third after having won the previous two events at Peoria. A four-time winner last season, Shaw was to rebuild his 2021 DeVilbiss after a January wreck at Cocopah Speedway. “It wasn’t as good as I wanted but we got the car good enough,” said Cain. “We’ve made a lot of changes in the car from the first weekend to this one.” Chanse Hollatz, already eligible to qualify [Read More]

Baca keeps learning, wins again at Canyon Speedway AZ

PEORIA, Ariz. (Feb. 5) – As the learning continued, so did the winning. Chaz Baca won a second straight Winter Series Challenge IMCA Modified feature Saturday at Canyon Speedway AZ Saturday night. The victory was also his second in 13 starts aboard a 2022 DeVilbiss Chassis. “I had kind of an easy night,” said Baca, contending for a third consecutive Shaw Race Cars Western Region crown in 2022 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible six times over. “I won my heat race, started on the pole in the main event and just had to keep her straight and smooth and not make any mistakes.” Zachary Madrid, the first-night Winter Series Challenge winner, challenged for a couple laps later in the contest but couldn’t find his way by. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot about this new car. We’ve kept learning every night out,” Baca said. “It’s been a happy race car at Canyon. Hopefully we can take it to some other tracks and keep that going.” Baca’s winning efforts were good for $1,000. [Read More]

IMCA Modified sweep for Dotson at Mohave Valley’s Showdown special

BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (Feb. 4-5) – Ethan Dotson won the IMCA Modified feature at $1,250 on opening night of Mohave Valley Raceway’s Bill & Shirley Meyer Showdown. He doubled that payout and swept the weekend with the Saturday night checkers at Bullhead City. Dotson saw his early season success continue in his first-ever visit to Mohave Valley, winning from the ninth starting spot on Friday and taking the $2,500 win from the fifth spot on night two. “This track is pretty different than anywhere I’ve run before,” Dotson said following wins number six and seven on the young season. “We had a pretty good cart both nights. The weekend was not bad at all.” Already eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, Dotson used a late restart to his advantage in winning the Friday feature. He started fourth after the caution waved with six laps left, then motored to the front with four laps to go and crossed the stripe ahead of Dalton Houghton and Kelsie Foley. Dotson needed 10 laps to get [Read More]