Newswire

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through Sept. 16

IMCA Modifieds – 1. Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn., and Tom Berry, Des Moines, Iowa, both 800; 3. Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., and Steven Bowers Jr., Topeka, Kan., both 798; 5. Dakota Sproul, Hays, Kan., 793; 6. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 787; 7. Anthony Roth, Columbus, Neb., 781; 8. Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb., 779; 9. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 778; 10. Tony Leiker, Gillette, Wy., and Chris Abelson, Sioux City, Iowa, both 777; 12. Jeff A. Aikey, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 774; 13. Ethan Braaksma, Newton, Iowa, 773; 14. Jim Thies, Mapleton, Iowa, 772; 15. Joey Price, Great Falls, Mont., Aaron Johnson, Brainerd, Minn., and Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., each 771; 18. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton, Iowa, and Jesse Rogotzke, Sanborn, Minn., both 770; 20. Jeremy Mills, Britt, Iowa, 769. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Cory Dumpert, York, Neb., 799; 2. Matt Ryan, Davenport, Iowa, 787; 3. Logan Duffy, Independence, Iowa, 767; 4. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo, Iowa, 745; 5. Justin Kay, Wheatland, Iowa, 741; 6. Eric Pollard, Peosta, Iowa, 740; 7. Zachary Zentner, Cedar Rapids, Neb., 738; 8. Dalton [Read More]

IMCA Summer Series standouts DeFrance, Aikey are celebrated at 500th, final event at Marshalltown

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (Sept. 17) – The two drivers synonymous with IMCA’s Summer Series for Late Models were honored before and at the end of Marshalltown Speedway’s Dale DeFrance Memorial. Darrel DeFrance, Dale’s son, was recognized for his perfect attendance through the series’ 500th and final event. Jeff Aikey won that final feature, leading all but the first three of 44 laps to win for the series-best 71st time. One of, if not the most respected drivers in division history, the Ironman DeFrance received a custom door panel, a stone plaque engraved with pictures of his cars from different eras, and a die cast replica of his father’s race car during pre-race ceremonies. A standing ovation from his hometown fans followed congratulations from IMCA officials and promoter Toby Kruse. “I raced every race I could, trying to win every race I could,” DeFrance said of his streak. The Late Model feature brought the third annual special to a close. Dave Wada led the first two times around the track before Aikey took charge, checking out on the rest [Read More]

Racing canceled for Friday at U.S. 36

OSBORN, Mo. – Due to circumstances out of the track’s control, U.S. 36 Raceway officials have been forced to cancel racing for Friday, Sept. 18. U.S. 36 Raceway apologizes for any inconvenience the cancelation may cause. Up next at U.S. 36 Raceway is championship night on Friday, Sept. 25. The final event of the season at US 36 Raceway is the second annual IMCA Missouri Nationals on Oct. 8-10 featuring the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods. The Saturday night finale will pay $2,000 to win to the Modifieds and Sprint Cars, $1,700 to the Stock Cars and $1,500 to the Sport Mods.

Schmidt follows egg toss with season’s first SUS win

CLEVELAND, Texas (Sept. 12) – Trey Schmidt showed he was almost as good at tossing an egg as he is wheeling an IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car. Schmidt topped the Saturday Southern United Sprint feature at 105 Speedway, getting his first win of the season and staying in contention for a second career SUS title. Kids from the grandstand were teamed up with the top qualifying drivers from heats in an egg toss competition to determine the front eight starting positions in the feature. Schmidt, who had put a new motor in just the night before, was on the outside pole for the initial start, then moved to the pole after a multi-car melee. Timely cautions kept him out of heavy lapped traffic. Schmidt took the checkers ahead of Shane Morgan and Rod Craddock. “I searched around in one and two to find speed. I tried all different lines. Three and four were locked down and super fast,” he said. “It feels great to get this win. It came at the right time.” Feature results – 1. [Read More]

Dale DeFrance Memorial, World Nationals at Marshalltown Sept. 17-19

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa – Two of the biggest special events in Central Iowa will be held back-to-back at Marshalltown Speedway with the Dale DeFrance Memorial on Sept. 17 and World Nationals Sept. 18 and 19. Five IMCA divisions are on the card for the rescheduled DeFrance Memorial. IMCA Sunoco Late Models run for $2,619 to win that evening in their 500th and final Summer Series event while top prize for IMCA Modifieds is $1,125 in a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying feature. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars race for $650 to win, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods for $575 and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $400. There is no entry fee for the draw/redraw show. Grandstand admission is $15 for adults and free for kids 10 and under. Pit passes will be $30. The pit gate opens at 5:15 p.m. and the front gate opens at 5:30 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:50 p.m. with racing at 7:30 p.m. Modifieds chase $2,000 top checks and All-Star ballot berths while Stock Cars and Northern SportMods run for $1,000 to win [Read More]

Days don’t get better than this: Logue sweeps RoC, Super Nationals SportMod main event

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 13) – When Johnathon Logue woke up Sunday morning, his first thought was that it was going to be a good day. He just had no idea how good. Logue won the BSB Manufacturing Race of Champions for the first time, then won his career third IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Northern SportMod championship. “When I woke up, I was thinking it was going to be a good day. There was no rain in the forecast so maybe we would be able to get some racing in,” he said. Logue led 35 of the 42 laps he’d run Sunday at Boone Speedway, the last eight in the RoC and the last 27 of the 30-lap main event. He was inches ahead of Brett Berry when the fourth lap was scored in the main. He pulled away from the field following each of five restarts, getting a lapped car ahead of Cody Thompson before winning by half a straightaway. “The track transitioned very quickly. Brett beat me on the start [Read More]

A win for the Super Nationals record book as Thornton ends week with Modified crown

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 13) – Ricky Thornton Jr.’s race to the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s record book began on Monday and ended Sunday, with another visit to victory lane in between. Thornton became the first driver in the 38-year history of dirt track racing’s biggest event to win two championships at the same Super Nationals, the Late Model feature on Labor Day and the Modified feature on Sunday at Boone Speedway. He passed Cody Laney in lapped traffic on the 24th of 40 laps, then checked out on the way to the $7,000 win in the final event of the week. “This track really suits my driving style and we’ve been very successful here. We work hard and our equipment is always well prepared,” said Thornton, also winner of Saturday’s Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “I flipped in my (Wednesday) Stock Car heat and that was really the only bad luck we had all week.” Defending champion Ethan Dotson led the first two laps before giving way to fellow Californian Laney. The only [Read More]

First-time champion Ballard impressive in Super Nationals Hobby Stock title run

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 13) – Nathan Ballard was impressed by the competition when he won his qualifying feature to make the Hobby Stock main event at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Then he impressed everyone at Boone Speedway by leading all 30 laps of Sunday’s $2,000 to win main event. The Super Nationals crown was Ballard’s career first and came after a season that had seen him make just 18 weekly starts. “It’s kind of hard to believe. To win an ‘A’ main and get into the dance, you have to race against so many good drivers,” he said, pointing out that the competition got even better in the main event. Ballard was chased early by defending champion Dylan Nelson. The green flag stayed out the last 24 of 30 laps and Ballard eased away from all challengers, leaving Nelson, two-time champ Jason Wilkinson and Jeff Ware to fight for second behind him The three ran in that order before Ware eked ahead for third on the last lap. “I wanted [Read More]

Improbable, unlikely, incredible! Donavon Smith is Stock Car king

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 13) – Donavon Smith had the best seat in the house to watch as the improbable became the incredible Sunday afternoon at Boone Speedway. A last-chance qualifier earlier in the day, Smith raced from 25th starting to take the lead with two laps left in the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Stock Car main event. When those two laps were complete, Smith had a career-best $5,000 payday and career third Super Nationals championship to show for his day’s work behind the wheel. “We had showed up Sunday morning just hoping to make the main event. I had a streak going (a division record 13 consecutive Super Nationals starts) and that was really our only goal. It really weighed heavy on us,” Smith said. “After the last chance race, I was probably as laid back as I ever was.” After a Super Nationals record 207 cars vied for the 30 starting spots, Jared Siefert led much of the way, chased by Jesse Sobbing while Jeff Mueller and Ricky Thornton Jr. duked [Read More]

2020 Super Nationals in history book after extended run; record 207 Stock Cars at 38th annual event

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 13) – Ricky Thornton Jr. raced to wins at the beginning and the end of a history-making week, Donavon Smith and Johnathon Logue became three-time champions while Nathan Ballard motored to his first title at the 2020 IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. In all, 834 cars – including 245 Modifieds and an event record 207 Stock Cars – saw action during a socially distanced week at Boone Speedway that also saw more than its share of rain and rescheduled race programs. The Sunday conclusion for what is always the biggest event on the IMCA schedule was the first for the Modifieds since 1996 and first-ever for the Stock Cars, Northern SportMods and Hobby Stocks. Thornton earned $3,000 when he repeated as Late Model champion on Labor Day, qualified for the Stock Car feature, won the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational on Friday and then became the first driver to win two championships at the same Super Nationals by running away from the rest of the field after midway of the [Read More]