Newswire

Thornton completes Desert Thunder Nationals sweep

By Lonnie Wheatley CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Nov. 22) – Ricky Thornton, Jr., finished off a sweep of Central Arizona Speedway’s seventh annual Desert Thunder Nationals, thundering to victory lane in Sunday afternoon’s 25-lap IMCA Modified feature event atop the 3/8-mile clay oval. Thornton, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, had topped $1,000 to win features on Friday and Saturday leading up to Sunday’s $3,000 checkers and denying brother Jeremy the win in the process. Ricky Thornton Jr. spent the first half of the race chasing Jeremy Thornton before working his way into the lead on the 14th round. He led the field the rest of the way with Jeremy Thornton fending off Jake O’Neill for runner-up honors and Jeff Larson and Austin Kuehl rounding out the top five. “It’s pretty awesome to run one-two,” Thornton, Jr. said of sibling sweep of the top two positions. While Thornton completed the trifecta, Bo Partain foiled a second consecutive Cody Thompson sweep attempt in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod ranks. Bo Partain gunned into the lead at the [Read More]

Pandemic brings ‘pause’ to 48th RPM Reno Western Workshop

RENO, Nev. – The 48th annual RPM Reno Western Workshops set to take place at the Eldorado Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada, Dec. 3 and 4 have been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. On Sunday afternoon, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak implemented regulations in the state, placing Nevada under “Pause,” further restricting the opportunity to host any events. Gov. Sisolak stated that “No large gatherings will be approved during the pause and if a larger event was approved to have taken place in the next three weeks they must be canceled.” In the upcoming weeks, RPM will present virtual workshop sessions online looking ahead to the 2021 season. The dates for the 2021 version of the RPM Reno Western Workshops have been announced along with the event moving to the Silver Legacy part of the “The Row” in Reno. The dates will be Dec. 1-3, 2021. The 48th annual RPM Workshops will continue in Daytona Beach, Fla. and award the 45th Auto-Racing Promoter of the Year Award. The workshops will take place at the Plaza Resort & Spa beginning on Feb. [Read More]

Thornton, DeVilbiss, Becerra capture first IMCA Duel In The Desert crowns

By Steven Young LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 14) – Three already accomplished IMCA drivers raced to career first championships Saturday night at the 23rd annual Duel In The Desert. Ricky Thornton Jr. topped the $10,000 to win main event for IMCA Modifieds while Zane DeVilbiss and Austen Becerra left the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track with $5,000 each after winning IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod features, respectively. Jason Wolla led the opening lap. Thornton used the cushion to perfection to move around Wolla and into the top spot in the running order at the end of lap two. Cody Laney took over second on lap three. With a dozen laps in the books, Thornton had caught up to the rear of the field but a cushion saved him from having to work lapped traffic. Wolla moved back to second, bringing five-time Duel winner Jeremy Payne with him. Laney regained the second spot following a lap 11 restart, as Collen Winebarger moved into third. Ethan Dotson was the next driver to occupy [Read More]

Winebarger, Wolla take final IMCA Modified qualifiers at Duel

By Steven Young LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 13) – Collen Winebarger and former IMCA Modified national champion Jason Wolla earned the final qualifying victories at the 23rd annual Duel In The Desert at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Friday night. Tom Berry Jr. and Eddie Belec led the field to the green in qualifier number one, with Winebarger and Belec making significant contact entering the first pair of turns. Winebarger took the lead until a caution on the second lap. Belec moved back to second on the ensuing restart, bringing Kyle Brown with him to third. Another caution with six complete failed to disrupt the running order, as Winebarger continued to lead over Belec. The top three pulled away from the rest of the field by three seconds, as Belec remained within a car length with 10 to go. Brown took a peek to Belec’s inside with seven remaining, but the lead duo remained the same into the waning laps, as Winebarger continued on to victory over Belec. In qualifier number two, [Read More]

Dotson, DeMey head to Duel finale with Thursday night wins

By Steven Young LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 12) – Ethan Dotson and Shane DeMey earned their places in Saturday night’s main event for IMCA Modifieds at the 23rd annual Duel In The Desert with qualifying feature wins Thursday night at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. Jason Wolla and Jordan Grabouski led the field to the green at the start of the first of the pair of 20-lap qualifiers and it was Grabouski who took the point early. Dotson chased down Grabouski on the second round, eventually taking the lead on the backstretch, as Wolla reeled Grabouski back in for the second and final transfer spot. Wolla and Grabouski swapped lines in their bid for the position, allowing Dotson to pull away by a second in a half. Dotson built a lead of over two seconds by the halfway point, as he approached the rear of the field. As the leader worked traffic, Grabouski closed to under a second with seven remaining. It was then when Jacob Hobscheidt made a strong run from third [Read More]

Thornton, Egbert win opening night Duel qualifiers

By Steven Young LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 11) – Ricky Thornton Jr. and P.J. Egbert punched their tickets Wednesday night for the 23rd annual Duel In The Desert IMCA Modified main event, winning their respective 22-lap qualifying features. In the first qualifier at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, Thornton and William Gould led the field to the green. Thornton set a blistering pace early, leading by over a full second at the completion of the opening round. Tanner Black moved up to the second spot on the second circuit, then began to close in on Thornton for the top spot. The lead duo maintained the same distance through 10 completed laps, as they approached the rear of the field. Thornton closed in on a pair of lapped cars running high and low with six remaining, allowing Black to close to within a half of a second with five laps left. Three lapped cars further quelled Thornton’s momentum, causing him to abandon the bottom to work the traffic with three laps left. Thornton put [Read More]

Charities will be big winners at IMCA Duel In The Desert

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – They won’t appear in victory lane but a host of charities will be winners at the upcoming Duel In The Desert. IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod drivers competing at the Nov. 9-14 Duel, at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, with best appearing charity wraps or paint schemes, square off in minimum $1,000 to win features on Saturday night. The Duel promotional is focusing its energy on helping promote the more than 30 local, state and national charities to be represented on the track in Las Vegas, raising awareness before sharing personal driver stories before drivers dictate the results on the track to end the 23rd annual event. Online donations will be collected via the official page on the duelvegas.com website and added to the overall purse of each division as directed by those donating. Top three finishers in each best appearing feature take home $1,000, $250 and $125 plus online donations. All donations must be submitted through the official form or they will not be counted. There are [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds chase $2K at Cocopah’s Deacon Dick show

SOMERTON, Ariz. – Four IMCA divisions are on the weekend program with a $2,000 to win feature for IMCA Modifieds headlining Cocopah Speedway’s Deacon Dick Memorial. Racing starts at 7 p.m. for Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7 programs at Somerton. The Modified main event is a qualifier for the 2021 Fast Shafts All Star Invitational ballot and both Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace will compete at The Diamond In The Desert. Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods chase a $750 top check while IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for $500 to win. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks complete the card in a $350 to win feature. There is a $25 pill draw for all divisions. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. both days. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and military, and free for kids ages 11 and under. Adult pit passes are $35. An open practice runs from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5. The event will be broadcast by IMCA.TV.

Richards puts car on display to benefit Lincoln Food Bank before going Dueling

LINCOLN, Neb. – Race fans in eastern Nebraska can get a pre-Duel In The Desert look at Cade Richards’ ride and do their neighbors a good turn at the same time. The young Lincoln speedster will have his Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod, with a new Lincoln Food Bank wrap, on display at four locations before the car goes west for the Nov. 9-14 Duel at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Theme for the best appearing car contest at the 23rd annual Duel is charity. Donations to the Lincoln Food Bank will be accepted at each location where Richards’ car is on display. “This is a great way for us to give back to our community,” the Lincoln East sophomore said. “We’re looking forward to racing in Las Vegas and this is one way to benefit the food bank before we do it.” The car will be unveiled today (Thursday) at Ramo’s Pizza. It’s on display at Speedway Motors Friday morning, at CollegeView Auto Sales Friday afternoon and at Leach Camper Saturday afternoon. National rookie of the year [Read More]

Leonard conquers Fall Classic IMCA Modifieds for career-best payday

WACO, Texas (Oct. 25) – The higher line took Cody Leonard to the IMCA Modified checkers and a career-best payday Sunday at Heart O’ Texas Speedway. Leonard raced from seventh in topping the Fall Classic field, earning $3,500 and a spot on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “It feels great. I kind of grew up watching the guys I’m racing with,” he said. “Racing with them is pretty cool. I was that little kid hoping to get to their level one day and here I am.” Josh McGaha, Craig Oakes, defending race winner P.J. Egbert and Caleb Stone completed the top five. Leonard had battled Jeff Emerson for the fifth spot before a late caution. He restarted on the outside, quickly found a faster line and drove to the front. “We came here as often as we could toward the end of the season and didn’t make a lot of changes,” Leonard said. “We knew we had a pretty good car coming into the weekend.” Oakes had started 12th, Egbert 15th and Stone 10th. John [Read More]