Newswire

Wilkins, Leasure both pick right night for IMCA feature wins at Kennedale

KENNEDALE, Texas (May 15) – Kyle Wilkins picked the right night to get his first feature win of the season while Sean Leasure picked a good night to get his fifth. Wilkins earned $1,000 for his Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod feature win while Leasure, a high school sophomore, pocketed $800 for his latest Mach-1 Sport Compact checkers Saturday at Kennedale Speedway Park. While both drivers led start to finish, Wilkins saw his 20-lapper end green, white checkered. The Sport Compact main stayed green after a caution on the initial start and Leasure checked out. “As soon as I took off, I knew I had to get to the bottom (of the track) and there was no turning back,” said Wilkins, the winner ahead of Jake Upchurch, Casey Brunson, David Montgomery and Billy Gould Jr. “I’ve been close this year. We’ve had a lot of seconds,” he added. “This is the first one we’ve pulled off.” The 16-year-old Leasure lined up fourth for the initial green flag. After the yellow flew and the field was [Read More]

Stock Cars vie for $1,250 winner’s share May 23 at Benton County

VINTON, Iowa – A payday of all-star proportions will be on the line Sunday night at Benton County Speedway. The quarter-mile Bullring will offer up $1,250 to the feature winner of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars presented by Albert Auto in an event that will also serve as a qualifier for the inaugural IMCA Stock Car All-Star Invitational at this year’s IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. There is no entry fee for the draw/redraw event, which also offers free pit entry to Stock Car drivers making their first visit to the Bullring this season. The main event pays $100 to start. Tow money is $75. State, Regional, National and local track points will be awarded. All other weekly divisions will also continue their weekly racing seasons Sunday night, including KISS Country 96.5 IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks presented by Kwik Star, Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods presented by Christie Door Company and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts presented by Auto Crafters. In addition to weekly racing, the A.I.R.S. cars will be making a [Read More]

13 more IMCA Modified drivers race to Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot

VINTON, Iowa – A baker’s dozen of IMCA Modified drivers are new to the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. Sawyer Crigler topped Legit Speedway Park’s Show-Me Showdown and Kyle Kudick was the Red, White and Blue winner at 141 Speedway. Troy Morris III and Clint Reichenbach put their names on the ballot with California IMCA Speedweek victories. Nick Roberts was the winner at Stuart Speedway’s Bill Davis Sr. Memorial. A.J. Ward won on opening night for the Eastern IMCA Allstars and Todd Shute paced both the Hawkeye 100 Weekend feature at Boone Speedway and Stuart’s Jake Durbin Memorial. Winners of weekly events paying $1,000 or more were Jeremy Mills, Jake Pike, Joel Rust, Clay Sellard, Chris Simpson and Gary VanderMark. Drivers already vote eligible who won recent qualifiers were Brandon Beckendorf, Cayden Carter, Ty Clemens, Spencer Diercks, Ethan Dotson and Bobby Hogge. All-Star candidates now include: Jeff Aikey, Austin Arneson, Casey Arneson, Chaz Baca, Eric Barnes, Brandon Beckendorf, Eddie Belec, Chad Bennett, Tom Berry Jr., Tanner Black, Cody Blixt, Steven Bowers Jr., Ethan Braaksma, John [Read More]

Thunderbird hosts May 22, 29 All-Star ballot qualifiers

MUSKEGON, Mich. – After last weekend’s rainout, IMCA Modifieds will race for $1,000 to win in Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying features each of the next two Saturdays at Thunderbird Raceway. Deb’s Café sponsors the May 22 show at Muskegon. The May 29 Salute to Veterans program is presented b y Quarter Master Racing Clutches and Driveline Components. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. both days, the grandstand opens at 4:30 p.m., hot laps are at 5 p.m. and racing is at 6:30 p.m. Pit passes are $30. Spectator admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors ages 60 and over, $5 for kids ages 5-11 and free for ages four and under. JJ Motorsports presents the $1,000 to win IMCA Modified Summer Series event at Thunderbird. More information is available by calling 231 766-3300, on Facebook and at www.thunderbirdracewaymi.com.

Sandusky tops IMCA Modified field for East Moline win

By Rob Hinckley EAST MOLINE, Ill. (May 16) – As he peeled the 13th tearoff from his very moist and splattered helmet face shield, Jim Sandusky saw the checkered flag. The longtime veteran’s biggest competition was the persistent drizzle of rain. He dominated the rest of the IMCA Modified feature Sunday evening at East Moline Speedway, leading all 15 laps. “Gratifying,” Sandusky described the victory in the winner’s circle. “I’m just fortunate to have the friends and family to help me get here.” The Coal Valley pilot jumped from the front row and was really never challenged. He held off Brandt Cole through some lapped traffic on lap 12 and then reopened a big advantage for his first 2021 win. Cole slipped up the race track but gathered it back for second place. Jeff Larson, Casey Franks and Brandon Durbin rounded out the top five. Sandusky kept the string of different 2021 Modified winners at EMS intact. The new lineup format for the IMCA STARS Mod Lites did not deter point Mike Zemo Jr. He [Read More]

Off Road Speedway wins come in a variety of ways

By Randy Pospishil sports@norfolkdailynews.com NORFOLK, Neb. (May 15) – Saturday night’s winners at Off Road Speedway got to the finish line first in a variety of ways. For example, fans watching the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature saw what appeared to be race winner Jason Wilkinson moving both higher and lower on the track, evidently blocking the path of the car trailing him, which was driven by Lance Mielke, during the final few laps. But that was not the case. “I was just trying to hang on, trying to keep control of it. I didn’t have any brakes. I lost all brakes with five laps to go,” Wilkinson said. “When I’d come in there (to the turns), I’d try to be nice and smooth, but then it seemed like I’d hit a hole and it would bounce around. I didn’t have any brakes to calm the car down, there was nothing I could do.” Oddly, Wilkinson said it was the second time the situation had happened this year, although the cause of the problem was different. [Read More]

Late race heroics net LaCrosse Outagamie feature win

By Edward Anschutz SEYMOUR, Wis. (May 14) – His late-race heroics put Benji LaCrosse in victory lane at Outagamie Speedway Friday night. There were 27 IMCA Modifieds, 33 IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, 37 Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and 29 Mach-1 Sport Compacts checked in and Wyatt Block Jr. and Marcus Yarie traded the lead early. Yarie was able to work the high side, gaining enough momentum to pull away from Block. Cautions kept the field bunched, allowing Block and LaCrosse each to mount a challenge. LaCrosse set his sights on Yarie with five to go. With Yarie running the top side, LaCrosse began to peek his nose down low under the leader. With one lap remaining, Yarie changed to the low groove as LaCrosse went sailing by up top for the win and a clean sweep of the night. Yarie has to settle for second, Block was third, Justin Ritchie ran fourth and Cody Schroeder completed the top five. In Stock Car action, Justin Jacobson paced the opening eight laps until Brandon Czarapata took over the top spot. Jacobson came roaring back, closing in on the leader before his car suffered a mechanical problem, [Read More]

Brunssen blisters field, Taylor repeats Friday at Wagner

WAGNER, S.D. (May 14) – The Fort Randall Casino Weekly Racing Series made its second appearance at Wagner Speedway this past Friday night and the fans were treated to great dirt track racing on a beautiful evening. With 18 cars taking the green flag in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, it did not take long for Kalyb Brunssen to make his statement. In just his second full year in a Hobby Stock, Brunssen started inside row four and sliced through the field from there, picking up the impressive victory. Following Brunssen were Joel McGee, Tony Fetterman, who started eighth, Stephanie Reynolds and Lowell Janssen. The Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods followed. After a seemingly sure victory last week was snatched from him because of mechanical problems, Dudley Schroeder Jr. had luck on his side this week. The defending champion of this class showcased his talent and horsepower to hold off hard charges from the rest of the field. Following Schroeder were Rusty Montagne from seventh, last week’s winner Josh Pfeifer from eighth, Luke Jackson from ninth [Read More]

Kay just in time to take Drive For Five checkers

By Brian Neal DONNELLSON, Iowa (May 14) – Justin Kay was just in time to the checkers to win Friday’s second installment of Drive For Five for IMCA Sunoco Late Models at Lee County Speedway. Dennis Woodworth and Justin Kay drew the front row for the 25-lap feature, with Woodworth grabbing the early lead over Kay and Matt Ryan. The action was slowed for the first time of the race on lap three, as Sam Halstead spun to bring out the yellow. On the restart, Kay slipped past Woodworth to take over the top spot. While Kay set the pace out front, Woodworth, Ryan and Mark Burgtorf battled for the runner-up spot. Anthony Haines spun in on lap 15 to bring the action to a slow pace. Kay jumped back out front on the restart, with Tommy Elston, who started 11th, overtaking Ryan for second. Three laps later, a brief rain shower slowed the action, and after a few laps to pack the racing surface back in the green was waved for the final six laps. Kay [Read More]

Luinenburg is awesome at Arlington

ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 15) – Blake Luinenburg had an awesome first night racing at Arlington Raceway, starting eighth in his heat and finishing second, then starting 11th in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature and contending for the lead by the fourth lap of the race. Chad Volk took the lead from his front row start but soon Cory Probst was on his tail and by the third lap, the three drivers were racing side-by-side. Two laps later, Luinenburg was commanding the race and despite several yellow flags was able to hold onto the lead to win the race. Matt Olson moved up from his 10th place starting spot to take second ahead of Ben Reierson. Brandon Beckendorf added another “W” to his impressive early season total in the IMCA Modifieds and the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature saw Michael Stien of lead the entire 15 lap distance. Jr. Esqueda of Granada won his first feature of the year in the Mach-1 Sport Compacts, topping a field of 24 cars and Matt Looft was the [Read More]