Newswire

Fast Shafts All-Star ballot adds four more candidates

VINTON, Iowa – Four more IMCA Modified drivers have raced their way onto the ballot for the upcoming Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. The most recent additions are Cody Blixt, winner of the Saturday night Wild West Tour event at Battle Mountain Raceway, and Austin Kiefer, first to the checkers on opening night at Perris Auto Speedway. P.J. Egbert parked it in victory lane following a weekly show at Heart O’ Texas Speedway and Austin Wonch topped Winston Speedway’s Midwest Shoot-Out. Drivers already on the ballot winning recent qualifying events included Chaz Baca, Ethan Braaksma, Cayden Carter, Kellen Chadwick, Jordan Grabouski, Kollin Hibdon, Mitchell Hunt, Cody Laney, Jeff Larson, Dakota Sproul and Justin Whitehead. 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 and Cody Blixt. Steven Bowers Jr., Ethan Braaksma, John Campos, Cayden Carter, Chris Carter, Kellen Chadwick, Ty Clemens, Nick DeCarlo, Casey Delp, Shane DeVolder, Spencer Diercks and Ethan Dotson. Tommy Dove, P.J. Egbert, Chris Elliott, Shawn Fletcher, [Read More]

Home track hero McGee gets first PASS win at Path Valley

By Frank Buhrman SPRING RUN, Pa. (April 17) – Full circle. Mikell McGee, a fourth-generation member of the family that built Path Valley Speedway, collected his first Pennsylvania Sprint Series feature victory in Saturday night’s 25-lap feature at his home track. In only his tenth PASS race, McGee survived a fierce battle – and contact – with Kenny Heffner, who also was seeking his first PASS win. Then there was the green, white, checkered finish with defending PASS and IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car national champion Garrett Bard on his bumper. McGee faced and rose above those challenges and came home the winner. Bard hung on for second, with second-year PASS driver Rowdy Heffner scoring a career-best third. Will Brunson also posted a career-best finish with his fourth and was the evening’s hard charger, advancing nine positions after starting 13th. Austin Reed completed the top five. The night was most disappointing for Heffner, who grabbed the early lead after fellow front-row starter Justin Mills jumped the cushion and had to retire his car. That made McGee Heffner’s [Read More]

Long distance chat with dad follows Blixt’s first IMCA Modified Wild West Tour victory

BATTLE MOUNTAIN, Nev. (April 16-17) – Like he does after every race, Cody Blixt had a chat with crew chief and father Kelly Saturday night at Battle Mountain Raceway. What was different this time is that Cody had just won his first IMCA Modified Pitt Stop Motorsports Wild West Tour feature, while his dad was in Kuwait, recently deployed with the National Guard. “We FaceTimed after I went through tech,” explained Blixt, the first Montana driver to win a Wild West Tour event and new to the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot after taking the $1,000 checkers. “He watched on IMCA.TV and was thrilled that I won. He told me how well I drove.” After a 10th place finish Friday night, Blixt drew the pole on night two and led start to finish. “It was 25 laps but it felt like the longest race ever,” said Blixt, chased by Bert Beech and opening night winner Chaz Baca. ”Last year I raced a lot of specials and ran almost 50 nights. The Wild West Tour win is [Read More]

Carter, Reynolds thrill in opening night wins at the Bullring

VINTON, Iowa – It was deja vu for Brayton Carter Sunday night at the Benton County Speedway Bullring. Two weeks after earning a last lap pass for the win in Frostbuster action, Carter repeated his late race heroics in the season points opener for the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods presented by Christie Door Company. From his front row start, Brian Kauffman led throughout the 15-lapper, but was challenged by Kyle Olson during his time out front. Olson made his bid for the lead on two separate occasions, only to have those moves negated by a pair of cautions. By the time the last yellow waved to set up a two-lap dash to the finish, Carter moved into contention and was sitting outside of row two when racing resumed the final time. On the restart, Carter powered to the outside of Kauffman, who was committed to the low groove the entire race. The lead pair remained in close formation as Carter surged ahead coming off turn four to take the checkers by inches ahead of Kauffman. [Read More]

Defending champion smokes Virginia Sprint Series foes

By Jim Haines NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (April 17) – The first dirt race of the year for the Virginia Sprint Series was an exciting one as defending champion Mike Leraas made his way to the front and fought off race-long challengers and a failure at the last lap but held on for the Saturday win at Natural Bridge Speedway. Matt Mullins and Chris Ware paced the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car field to green. Ware was out first with Leraas, Bill Rice and Jerald Harris giving chase. Leraas got by, leaving Rice and Harris to fight with Ware for second. Ware got high in turn two with Harris getting by Rice to go after Leraas and Rice in a solid third. A quick spinner tightened up the field after they had caught the back of the field. Leraas was off again and Harris was right on him with Rice staying tough in third. The top two went after it lap after lap until coming down for the white flag Leraas started to smoke badly. But even with [Read More]

Opening night checkers at Shawano fly for Christians, Schmidt, Mullen

SHAWANO, Wis. (April 17) – Welcome sights on opening night at Shawano Speedway included a nearly packed grandstand and 111 cars checking in to the pit area. Eric ‘Chummy’ Arneson would return to racing action at the speedway in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car division and would battle through caution the opening laps to take the lead on lap four, powering past the Chucky Forstner machine and bringing Jeremy Christians along with him. Arneson and Christians were joined by Kevin Hebbe in the top three before numerous cautions set up a final lap shoot out that found Christians jumping past Arneson to pick up another feature win. The constant throughout the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod event was defending track champion Jayden Schmidt leading the pack. Schmidt gained the top spot from Jason Jach on lap two and survived multiple restarts to pick up the feature win. Jeff Schmuhl powered through the field from his ninth place starting spot to grab second while Jeffrey Teske took third. The IMCA Modifieds rolled on the track with Mike Mullen to the [Read More]

On a rail, Bannister outruns ‘fast guys’ for Miller Memorial win at Merced

MERCED, Calif. (April 17) – Leader Jason Bannister knew “those fast guys” would be coming as the laps clicked away at Merced Speedway’s Al Miller Memorial main event. Bannister was faster, though, and took home Saturday’s $5,000 Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature win ahead of Fred Ryland and Tom Fraser. “It was awesome. To be competitive and win a race like this is really exciting,” the Bakersfield hotshoe said. “We hit the setup and we were on a rail. This was my biggest win and the biggest payday of my career.” He’d passed Fraser for the front spot on lap three and Ryland took over the second spot just before a multi-car pileup on the backstretch brought everything to a halt on lap 10. The race stayed green from that point, with Ryland chasing Bannister in traffic as the 35-lapper wound down. He cleared two lapped cars and was cutting into Bannister’s lead but ran out of laps to catch the leader. “I knew Fred was back there,” said Bannister, the Friday night runner-up. “I’d [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds, Late Models chase $1,000 checks at Davenport opener

DAVENPORT, Iowa – IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Late Models both run for $1,000 to win on opening night Friday, April 23 at Davenport Speedway. The Modified feature is a qualifier for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot; Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods also see their first action of the season at Davenport that evening. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. with racing to follow. Pit passes are $30. Spectator admission is $12 for adults and $5 for kids ages 5-12, with four and under free.

Phillips County opens with weekend doubleheader

HOLYOKE, Colo. – A season-opening doubleheader sees five IMCA divisions in action this weekend at Phillips County Raceway. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts are on Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18 race programs at Holyoke. Both shows are draw/redraw. Racing starts at 3 p.m. both days. The weekend twinbill also kicks off the Colorado Alliance Tour and is the second leg of the Tri-State Tour. Grandstand admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors ages 65 and over, $ for youth ages 6-12 and free for kids five and under.

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through April 14

IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 900; 2. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif., 604; 3. Bricen James, Albany, Ore., 563; 4. Tanner Black, Otis, Kan., 557; 5. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev., 529; 6. Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., 520; 7. William Miller, Yuma, Ariz., 482; 8. Cody Laney, Torrance, Calif., 452; 9. Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D., 435; 10. Chris Morris, Taylor, Texas, 407; 11. Kellen Chadwick, Oakley, Calif., 402; 12. Jerry Flippo, Bakersfield, Calif., 378; 13. Kelsie Foley, Tucson, Ariz., and Grey Ferrando, Stayton, Ore., both 371; 15. Russell Allen, Brawley, Calif., 370; 16. Kelly Johnson, Peoria, Ariz., 359; 17. Michael Thing Jr., Campo, Calif., 347; 18. Jon White, Red Oak, Texas, 331; 19. Chad Stevens, Gilbert, Ariz., 327; 20. Ryan Roath, Peoria, Ariz., 325. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Kyle Prauner, Norfolk, Neb., 75; 2. Ben Sukup, Norfolk, Neb., 67; 3. Alex Banks, Newman Grove, Neb., 63; 4. Devin Johnson, Bloomfield, Neb., and Lester Siebert, York, Neb., both 40; 6. Jason Humphrey, Giltner, Neb., 39; 7. Robert Osborne, Norfolk, Neb., and Travis Dickes, Madison, Neb., [Read More]