Newswire

Big money, big trophies at Dodge City’s Boot Hill Championship

By Whitney Hodgin DODGE CITY, Kan. – IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car and IMCA Modified feature winners can look forward to bonus payouts this weekend due to the joined efforts of the WaKeeney Speedway, Autumn Acres Pumpkin Farms and Dodge City Raceway Park. The DCRP Sprint Car feature winner will receive an additional $500 to the usual $1,000 paycheck thanks to the new promoter of the WaKeeney Speedway, Kyler Fetters. Autumn Acres Pumpkin Farms also sweetened the payout for the Modified feature winner an additional $500 to bring the total payout for the class to $1,500. The Karl Kustoms Northern Sport Mod feature winner will receive $1,000. “The program that Craig Dollansky has for the Sprint Cars at Dodge City should strengthen the car count out here in Western Kansas,” Fetters said. “My goal is to keep the cars local and help be an ambassador for the sport.” Craig Dollansky Racing Promotions has put forth efforts to grow the relationship that DCRP has fostered with area tracks. “Sprint Cars are always a big draw at our track,” Dollansky said. “We here [Read More]

Bigger purse announced for RaceSaver Nationals championship field

EAGLE, Neb. – The biggest event of the season for IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars will have a bigger purse. Winner of the Sunday, Sept. 5 RaceSaver National powered by Sunbelt Rentals at Eagle Raceway takes home $3,000, with a minimum of $1,500 paid to start the ninth annual event. “This is a class that continues to grow and the RaceSaver philosophy is to increase purses throughout the field, not just at the top,” said Eagle promoter Roger Hadan. “We’re already hosting the biggest event for Sprint Cars in the nation. Car count numbers and the quality of competition every year at RaceSaver Nationals warrant the increased purse throughout the Sunday night championship field.” Complete $53,525 purse for Sunday’s Championship event is: 1st, $3,000; 2nd, $2,600; 3rd, $2,450; 4th, $2,425; 5th, $2,400; 6th, $2,350; 7th, $2,300; 8th, $2,250; 9th, $2,200; 10th, $2,150; 11th, $2,100; 12th, $2,050; 13th, $2,000; 14th, $1,950; 15th, $1,900; 16th, $1,850; 17th, $1,800; 18th, $1,750; 19th, $1,700; 20th, $1,650; 21st, $1,600; 22nd, $1,550; and 23rd through 27th, $1,500 each. Twenty-car qualifying features Friday, Sept. [Read More]

Mini Mod Challenge Saturday for Mod Lites of Arkansas

WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. – The Mod Lites of Arkansas make their return to Riverside International Speedway this Saturday, June 5 for the fourth annual Mini Mod Challenge presented by Rays Automotive. One of the crown jewel events for IMCA STARS Mod Lites, the Mini Mod Challenge pays $500 to win. Four heat race winners and the top four in passing points will run a pole dash, then the front row starters will be offered the challenge of starting at the tail and racing for $1,000 to win. The challenge has been accepted and several drivers have come close, but not won from the tail. A great car count is expected for the Saturday show. Pit passes are $30, entry fee is $15 and transponders are $10. Spectator admission is $12 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6-11 and free for five and under. Gates open at 5 p.m., hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. and racing is at 7 p.m.

Cinderella-type weekend sees Norris race to career 100th IMCA Modified win

SEARCY, Ark. – Mark Norris was so discouraged by his lack of success in his first IMCA Modified season that he thought about quitting. After the wins and track championships did start to come, he stepped away from dirt track racing for an unheard of dozen seasons to focus on building his Snap-On Tools franchise. Seven years later, on a Friday night at Legit Speedway Park, Norris became the first driver from Arkansas, and the 62nd in division history to reach the 100 career win mark. “It was like a Cinderella weekend,” said Norris, from Searcy and the winner on May 28, opening night of the Scrappin’ 40 special at West Plains. “We brought campers and stayed. Two of my grandkids were there and it was one of the first times they were at the track. It was pretty emotional.” “It was a special show and good competition. To be able to do this on the Memorial Weekend with my family there was special. This is a goal I set and I’ve been working so hard to get it. [Read More]

Dirt Works Race Cars in ninth season as IMCA Eastern Region title sponsor

ORONOGO, Mo. – A chassis builder with a long and unique connection to IMCA begins its ninth consecutive season as title sponsor of the Eastern Region for Modifieds. Owned by veteran driver and Springfield Raceway promoter Jerry Hoffman, Dirt Works Race Cars of Oronogo, Mo., again provides a portion of the $6,000 point fund to be paid to top 10 drivers in the region that includes tracks in Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York. Points earned in the new NY-Penn Modified Series also figure toward regional standings. The regional champion earns $2,500. The runner-up gets $1,250, with $625 for third, $325 for fourth, $300 for fifth and $200 for sixth through 10th places. Drivers are required to display two Dirt Works Race Cars logos on their race cars to be eligible for point fund shares. Dirt Works is a sister company to Hoffman Race Cars and has built championship-winning Modifieds since the early days of the division. Dirt Works was first a regional title sponsor in 1996. More information about Dirt Works or Hoffman chassis is [Read More]

It’s Roberts in a thriller at Boone, David Smith prevails in brotherly battle

By Joyce Eisele BOONE, Iowa (May 29) – The racers came out in full force for Saturday night racing at the Boone Speedway with 169 cars packing the pits and all IMCA regular classes would find first time winners on the season. The IMCA STARS Mod Lites were in town for a national event series race, as part of the Corn Belt Clash. It was a thrilling finish to the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature that saw amazing crisscross moves during the race. Nick Roberts started sixth and had the top spot by lap four, content to let the pack behind sort itself out. Tim Ward came from 12th starting into second and began applying pressure quickly, and Kyle Brown was also in the picture. Then the show really began when Roberts and Ward made some spectacular crisscross moves out of turn two with Brown sticking his nose into the mix as well. Several more crossover moves had the crowd excited as the laps wore down, with Roberts always managing to come out on top. He [Read More]

Travel decision pays off for Brauns

By Rob Hinckley EAST MOLINE, Ill. (May 30) – Jonathan Brauns made the decision to make the trek to East Moline and it paid off as the Muscatine, Iowa pilot led flag to flag to take Sunday’s 25-lap IMCA Sunoco Late Model finale at East Moline Speedway. Andy Nezworski charged from mid-pack to the runner up spot by the checkers. Gary Webb, Joe Ross and Mike Guldenpfennig followed. A season high 105 entries from four states jammed the pits and racing was concluded by 10 p.m. Jeff Larson stayed hot with his second straight IMCA Modified 20-lap feature win. Also for the second week in a row, he picked up the $100 Maquoketa/East Moline bonus. Brandt Cole led early, charged late and settled for second followed by Travis Denning, Tim Hamburg and Brandon Durbin. Jarrett Franzen topped a season best 27-car Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod field with only one of those not starting the main. On his mind this Memorial Day Weekend were the losses of two people close to his race team. “Yeah, that [Read More]

James, Comer capture opening night wins at Cottage Grove

By Stephanie Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (May 29) – Bricen James and Dustin Comer were IMCA winners on night one of Cottage Grove Speedway’s Memorial Weekend doubleheader. The 25-lap IMCA Modified main event began with a couple of cautions before the competition could complete the first lap. However, once green flag action unfolded, Jesse Williamson paced the pack. Williamson held on to the position until lap seven. Bricen James was the man to overtake Williamson and started to pull away from the field. A late-race caution on lap 22 kept the cars all tightly knit together and set up a late-race restart. James then held on to win his second race of the season at CGS and his first since April 23. John Campos and Curtis Towns were second and third. Jake Mayden ended his night fourth while Grey Ferrando came out of the “B” main as well as an earlier setback from a flat tire to finish fifth. And in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods, Theran Trissell was the initial race leader. Trissell stayed in front until Ray Bloom [Read More]

Stien knows way to winner’s circle in Minnesota Sprint Series opener

ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 29) – Michael Stien’s latest Arlington Raceway feature win came on Saturday, opening night of the Minnesota IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Series. Nineteen cars were entered and Stien survived multiple cautions in the victory. Trevor Serbus, who had started 12th, moved up to challenge Stien but had to settle for second ahead of Neil Stevens. Justin Allen and Troy Manteufel completed the top five. Trent Loverude drove to his first local IMCA Modified win of the year ahead of Clint Hatlestad and Brandon Beckendorf. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature had 24 cars on the grid and three different leaders in the race. Matt Schauer led the first nine laps of the race from his front row start before the first caution was thrown. On the restart, A.J. Zimmerman got around Schauer and led the following three laps. Cars were three-wide at times and extremely close. By lap 13, Chad Schroeder took over the lead with Ryan Bjerkeset racing him side-by-side. Zimmerman wasn’t giving up as he took the second place spot once [Read More]

Block, Van Straten capture first Shawano features of season

By Dave Buss SHAWANO, Wis. (May 29) – The Memorial Weekend brought cool temperatures and hot action to the Shawano Speedway along with the unofficial start of summer. Wyatt Block, Travis Van Straten and Tyler Sobiescyk got their summers off to the best start of everyone with feature wins. Early action saw Jerry Wilinski jump to the lead in the IMCA Modified main and begin to build a big advantage. The caution would fly on lap four and bring the field to his bumper. On the restart, Wilinski scooted away only to have a debris bring out another yellow. Block and Andy Karl filled the second row on the lap six restart. Wilinski again extended his lead with Karl and Block fighting it out for the runner-up spot. Block took the second spot and begin to reel in the Wilinski machine at halfway. On lap 15, Block moved past Wilinski and into the lead. Block cruised to victory with Wilinski second. Jordan Bartz charged to third with Karl fourth. Josh Mroczkowski powered to the early lead in the [Read More]