Newswire

Martin rewrites record book at Independence

By Jerry Mackey INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (Aug. 1) – Saturday was a very special night at the Independence Motor Speedway as the Iowa Donor Network night brought 138 race teams to the track racing for a huge purse thanks to all the hard work by the Donor Network volunteers. The huge crowd on hand was treated to an outstanding night of racing with near perfect weather conditions providing a great racing experience. Curt Martin has been racing at his hometown track for five decades, taking his first green flag in 1978, when he started racing midway through the season. Saturday night saw Martin win his unprecedented 13th track championship with championships being recorded in five consecutive decades. Martin came into Saturday night holding a slim four-point lead in the season-long IMCA Sunoco Late Model point standings ahead of Jeff Aikey. With Aikey finishing sixth in the main event and Martin trailing Aikey in eighth, the title went to Martin by two points over Aikey. Winner Sean Johnson finished three points behind Martin. Following the Late Model feature, [Read More]

Marshalltown first on Friday for Ballard

By Joyce Eisele MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (July 31) – Nathan Ballard raced to his first-ever Marshalltown Speedway feature win, taking the Friday night IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock checkers. Ballard started on the outside front row and led all 15 laps on his way to victory. Jacob Floyd chased Ballard the entire distance but trailed a distant second. Braden Richards finished third, fourth went to 11th place starter Solomon Bennett and Tyler Ollendieck was fifth. Tom Berry Jr. posted another dominant win in the IMCA Modified feature as he won the 20-lap main event from the eighth starting spot. Berry had the lead at lap three and then drove away from the field. The IMCA Sunoco Late Models went 20-laps for their feature. Bobby Hansen held the top spot through the first portion of the race until Curtis Glover snatched it away for good on lap seven. Luke Pestka finished in second over Darrel DeFrance. Kenzie Ritter, fresh off of her recent first career win on a trip to South Dakota was looking strong in the IMCA [Read More]

Burgtorf scores first CJ Speedway win

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (July 31) – The month of July came to a close with another outstanding night of racing at CJ Speedway. Mark Burgtorf of Quincy, Ill., has amassed a career that includes hundreds of wins but Friday saw Burgtorf score his first-ever win at Columbus Junction. Burgtorf took advantage of a front row start to lead the IMCA Modified feature flag to flag. Derrick Stewart challenged Burgtorf late in the main before settling for second. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars never disappoint at CJ and Friday night’s main was another outstanding feature event. Jim Redman led early while 16th starting Jason See was steadily making his way to the front. Two-, three- and sometimes four-wide racing thrilled the fans throughout the feature. See caught Redman late in the race and made the winning pass to continue his winning streak. Redman held on for second ahead of Adam Bell. The Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature took the green with Dan Brockert taking the point position. Fifth row starter Logan Anderson chased down [Read More]

Common foe was childhood cancer as Shawano raced for a reason Saturday

SHAWANO, Wis. (Aug. 1) – On a Saturday night when drivers and fans united at the track to battle a common enemy, childhood cancer, Racing for a Reason again delivered a victory at Shawano Speedway. With donation baskets and silent auction items galore, more than $16,000 was raised while on the track, the action in one word … incredible! A caution on the initial start of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car Feature was the only time the yellow flew as the action-packed class lived up to its Too Tough To Tame reputation. While Gary Kasparek took the early lead the racing behind him was what everyone comes to see. Chucky Forstner took the top spot with Jeremy Christians moving to second on lap seven. The two fought side-by-side for the next five laps until Christians grabbed the lead for good on lap 11. Christians drove away and picked up his 99th IMCA career win in the division. Forstner settled in second with Travis Van Straten third. The Karl Kustoms Northern Sport Mods hit the track with [Read More]

Burgtorf becomes first Drive For 5 repeat winner

By Brian Neal DONNELLSON, Iowa (Aug. 1) – Mark Burgtorf became the first two-time Shottenkirk Parts Express Drive For 5 IMCA Sunoco Late Model winner on a rare Saturday night of racing at Pepsi Lee County Speedway. Nick Marolf and Andy Eckrich drew front row starts for the $1,000 to win main event and Marolf grabbing the early lead over Burgtorf and the youngster C.J Horn. Burgtorf tried to work under Marolf over the next three laps, but Marolf was able to hold him off at the line each lap. Coming off turn four to complete lap five, Burgtorf was able to get under Marolf and edge him at the line by inches to take over the top spot. Just after the lap was scored complete, the first and only caution of the race slowed action. On the restart, Burgtorf jumped back out front with Marolf and Horn close behind. Burgtorf started to put some distance between himself and the battles going on behind him when he entered the back of the field on lap 20. [Read More]

Schmidt sweeps IMCA Modified action at Outagamie

By Edward Anschutz SEYMOUR, Wis. (July 31) – Night six of the season saw 120-plus cars on action and Jamie Schmidt proved to be the fastest of the 41 IMCA Modifieds entered. Mark Schuenemann shot to the lead of the Modified feature from the front row as Schmidt, Jason Czarapata and Benji LaCrosse gave chase. Schuenemann worked the outside groove with the competition hot on his heals running the same groove. A caution with three laps remaining changed everything. As the race resumed, Schuenemann went to the bottom groove, which allowed Schmidt to slip by up top. Schmidt pulled away to score the win and a clean sweep to boot. Lucas Lamberies made a late race charge to place second, Schuenemann was third, LaCrosse took fourth and Jason Czarapata completed the top five. After a rough start, the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature resumed with Tim Paitrick pacing the field before Eric Arneson stormed by for the top spot on lap five. Brandon Czarapata and Rod Snellenberger were in hot pursuit until a flat tire sent Snellenberger pitside. Meanwhile, Czarapata began applying heavy pressure to Arneson in the closing laps. In the [Read More]

Gullion gets RaceSaver Sprint win at Eagle

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (Aug. 1) – Adam Gullion became the ninth different IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car winner in as many events this season Saturday at Eagle Raceway. The fifth different leader Gullion saw his first pass for the front spot negated by a caution. He was not to be denied, however, and took the lead on the ensuing restart. Gene Ackland got past Jordan Grabouski two laps later and Jason Danley also passed him with three to go making the final top four in the evening’s finale Gullion, Ackland, Danley and Grabouski. After taking the lead with nine laps to go, Johnny Saathoff took the IMCA Modified feature win. Following a first-lap restart, Saathoff worked his way into the top four and set his sights on the front spot. Mike Densberger was the runner-up and Grabouski rallied from an early entanglement to end in third. Albert Kiihne collected the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock checkers, Adam Vrbka paced the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Josh Young was the Mach-1 Sport Compact winner.

IMCA Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights start busy week at Clay County

SPENCER, Iowa – Three races over the course of four nights are next for IMCA Modifieds following the Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour, starting Monday at Clay County Fair Speedway. The Aug. 3 show at Spencer boasts a $1,000 to win, 2020 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying feature. Pit gates and the grandstand open at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 7 p.m. with racing to follow for the 97th event in the tour’s 10-plus seasons. Fairmont Raceway’s Aug. 5 Bob Shryock Memorial and Kossuth County Speedway’s Aug. 6 Denny Hovenga Memorial are headlined by $1,000 to win, All-Star ballot qualifiers as well. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts complete Monday, Wednesday and Thursday night cards. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and racing follows 7 p.m. hot laps at Fairmont. Algona opens the gates at 5:30 p.m. and also hot laps at 7 p.m. All Dirt Knights events are broadcast by Speed Shift TV. Point leader Ethan Braaksma of Newton won the first [Read More]

Final week for 2020 IMCA Fast Shafts All-Star qualifying

VINTON, Iowa – The race for IMCA Modified drivers to get their names on the 2020 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot heads into the final week. Winners of sanctioned events held through Aug. 6 that pay $1,000 or more to win become vote eligible. Super Tuesday voting will be Aug. 11 to elect 28 of the 30 drivers who will start the All-Star Invitational on Friday, Sept. 11 during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway. Super Tuesday voting will be conducted through the IMCA Facebook page, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. CST. The top three vote recipients from each of the five IMCA Modified regions become All-Stars, with their region of candidacy determined by where they made the majority of their sanctioned starts. The next 13 drivers with the highest vote totals, regardless of region, join the All-Star field. The final two All-Stars will be drivers with the top national point total and the most 40-point wins as of Aug. 28 competing at Super Nationals. Most recent additions to the [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through July 30

IMCA Modifieds – 1. Tom Berry, Des Moines, Iowa, 789; 2. Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn., 788; 3. Jeff Larson (B1), Freeport, Ill., and Steven Bowers Jr., Topeka, Kan., both 785; 5. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 781; 6. Dakota Sproul, Hays, Kan., 766; 7. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 762; 8. Jeremy Mills, Britt, Iowa, 761; 9. Jesse Rogotzke, Sanborn, Minn., 760; 10. Jim Thies, Mapleton, Iowa, and Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., both 756; 12. Tony Leiker, Gillette, Wy., 755; 13. Ethan Braaksma, Newton, Iowa, 754; 14. Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, 746; 15. Aaron Johnson, Brainerd, Minn., 744; 16. Matt Guillaume, Haslet, Texas, 740; 17. Jon White Jr., Red Oak, Texas, 737; 18. Bart Taylor, Sheridan, Wy., 732; 19. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton, Iowa, 729; 20. Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb., 724. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Matt Ryan, Davenport, Iowa, 773; 2. Logan Duffy, Independence, Iowa, 746; 3. Dalton Simonsen, Fairfax, Iowa, 669; 4. Cory Dumpert, York, Neb., 623; 5. Mitch Manternach, Dyersville, Iowa, 596; 6. Colton Leal, Dubuque, Iowa, 591; 7. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo, Iowa, 590; 8. Eric [Read More]