Newswire

Warmerdam gets career first feature win at Western RaceSaver Sprint Series opener

HANFORD, Calif. (Feb. 22) – A third-generation driver earned his IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car career-first feature win Saturday at Keller Auto Speedway. Brendan Warmerdam topped the opening night Van De Pol Western RaceSaver Sprint Series 25-lapper, starting fourth and catching Kyle Rasmussen for the runner-up spot after a long low line run in third. He reeled in Rob Solomon for the lead and pulled away to win by better than a second and a half in a green, white, checkered finish. “I knew 15 laps in that I had the car to win. I knew if I ran smooth laps I could get it done,” said Warmerdam, whose grandfather and father each won multiple track championships at Hanford during their respective careers. “I grew up watching my dad race here. It’s crazy to get my first win at the track where he dominated.” The long-time micro sprint driver is in his second RaceSaver season. An art major at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, he ran a very limited schedule in 2019, collecting four top-five [Read More]

Green gets another IMCA Lone Star win, Abbey earns bonus, Stock Car tour crown

KENNEDALE, Texas (Feb. 22) – Derek Green got another win while Westin Abbey got a tour championship and a big check Saturday night at Kennedale Speedway Park. Green, from Granada, Minn., prevailed in a $1,000 to win Sniper Speed Lone Star Tour finale that saw him trade the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car lead with Ryan Powers three times in the final laps before beating Jesse Sobbing to the finish line. Home state hero Abbey, meanwhile, put the final, perfect tour attendance qualifying touches on a $10,000 bonus he’d made himself eligible for by winning features at Abilene Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. His seventh place finish at KSP was also more than enough to secure the tour crown and $5,000 share of the accompanying point fund. Powers had taken the lead on the second lap and was chased by Jason Josselyn, Aaron Benedict and then Jeffrey Abbey. The race stayed green through the first 16 of 30 laps; the 11th starting Green was scored just ahead of Abbey on the 21st lap and was running side-by-side with [Read More]

In right place at right time, Rogers takes Monarch IMCA Lone Star Tour checkers

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (Feb. 21) – Jason Rogers won for the first time on the night Jesse Sobbing almost won twice. Rogers raced to the $1,000 Sniper Speed Lone Star Tour checkers Friday at Monarch Motor Speedway, getting the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car lead back after Sobbing broke and then holding off Derek Green in a green, white, checkered finish. Sobbing had scored the convincing IMCA Modified win, also worth $1,000, earlier in the evening at Wichita Falls. He was well on his way to duplicating that effort in the Stock Car feature after passing Rogers for the front spot on the 13th of 30 laps. Rogers and Elijah Zevenbergen remained the closest challengers to Sobbing, who was in another area code before breaking and rolling into the infield with nine laps left. That put Rogers back on point with the 11th starting Derek Green in pursuit. Westin Abbey, already a three-time tour winner, had started 17th, went to the back of the field following an early restart, and rocketed to third on the final restart. Green [Read More]

Speedway Engineering renewing IMCA Modified awards program

SYLMAR, Calif. – Speedway Engineering returns as an IMCA sponsor for a 22nd consecutive year, giving post-season awards to top Modified competitors. The national champion receives a $1,000 product certificate, applicable toward the purchase of a complete Ford 9” floater rear end housing or full-size 10” quick change rear end. The other four regional champions all receive $300 product certificates from the Sylmar, Calif., driveline and suspension components manufacturer. All Speedway Engineering awards will be presented during the IMCA national banquet in November. Information about the complete line of Speedway Engineering products is available at the www.1speedway.com website or by calling 818 362-5865. “The Speedway Engineering program pre-dates the racing career of a good percentage of IMCA racers but the long-standing tradition they have supporting our IMCA Modified division is recognized by everyone,” said IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder. “At 20-plus years they are in rare air and certainly excited about what the new season brings.”

Sunoco continues support of IMCA Late Models, Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks

VINTON, Iowa – Sunoco Race Fuels rewards the on-track success by drivers in three IMCA divisions again in 2020. Manufacturer of the Official Fuel of IMCA, Linwood, Pa., based Sunoco returns as title sponsor for the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks and Late Models, furnishing a portion of post-season points funds paid in each. Point fund checks will be presented during the national awards banquet in November or mailed beginning the following week from the IMCA home office. “We’re planning to take the popular $250 Sunoco bonus previously awarded at Deery events and apply it in some fashion to weekly tracks in 2020,” said Kevin Yoder, director of marketing for IMCA. “This is the second in the latest three-year sponsorship agreement with Sunoco and it really emphasizes their commitment to weekly racing.” Drivers in all three divisions must compete with Sunoco race gas and display two Sunoco decals on their race car to be eligible for point fund shares or cash awards. Part of the new national decal program for Late Models, Sunoco also provides [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through Feb. 20

IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 543; 2. Alex Stanford, Chowchilla, Calif., 431; 3. Ricky Thornton Jr., Adel, Iowa, 392; 4. Jeff Taylor, Cave City, Ark., 387; 5. Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., 348; 6. Jake O’Neil, Tucson, Ariz., 336; 7. Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D., 335; 8. Lance Mari, Imperial, Calif., 324; 9. Zachary Madrid, Phoenix, Ariz., 318; 10. Jason Noll, Peoria, Ariz., 256; 11. Bricen James, Albany, Ore., 249; 12. Ryan Roath, Peoria, Ariz., 248; 13. Joey Price, Great Falls, Mont., 243; 14. Spencer Wilson, Minot, N.D., 232; 15. Braxton Yeager, Green River, Wy., and Marlyn Seidler, Underwood, N.D., both 231; 17. John Parmeley, Phoenix, Ariz., 216; 18. R.C. Whitwell, Longdale, Okla., 210; 19. Justen Yeager, Green River, Wy., and Austin Kuehl, Cave Creek, Ariz., both 207. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars – 1. Chanse Hollatz, Clear Lake, Iowa, 562; 2. Brendon LaBatte, Noonan, N.D., 409; 3. Cody Center, Mesa, Ariz., 349; 4. Andy Altenburg, Truman, Minn., 342; 5. Aaron Spangler, Dove Creek, Colo., 337; 6. Irvin Kevin Roberts, Gresham, Ore., 307; 7. Leslie Gill, Odessa, [Read More]

Westin Abbey completes charge from 17th for dramatic Dirty 30 payday

FORT WORTH, Texas (Feb. 20) – Being faster by a fraction of a second coming out of the final turn made Westin Abbey rich Thursday night. Abbey raced all the way from 17th starting to the front of the Dirty 30 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature field at Texas Motor Speedway, beating Ryan Powers to the checkers by half a car length as the pair ran side-by-side to the finish. The Comanche speedster took home $3,000 for the victory. Also winner of the Sniper Speed Lone Star Tour opener at Abilene Speedway on Saturday, he’ll meet the final requirements for a $10,000 bonus by competing in the final two tour events Friday at Monarch Motor Speedway and Saturday at Kennedale Speedway Park. “Whew! After starting back there in 17th, I didn’t know how that was going to end,” Abbey said from victory lane. “I saw him (Powers) coming and stood on it.” Fourteenth starting Jeffrey Abbey, Derek Green and 27th starting Abe Huls completed the top five. Sixty-eight drivers vied in the fourth installment of the Lone Star [Read More]

Dirty 30 Lone Star Tour show postponed to Thursday

FORT WORTH, Texas (Feb. 19) – Inclement weather is the winner this evening (Wednesday) at Texas Motor Speedway. Night two of the Dirty 30 and the fourth installment of the Sniper Speedway Lone Star IMCA Sunoco Stock Car Tour has been postponed to Thursday, Feb. 20. Stock Cars run for $3,000 to win their main event, IMCA Modifieds for $2,000 to win their Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods for $1,000 to win. The pit area will be vacated beginning at 12:45 p.m. and re-opened at 1 p.m. The draw starts at 1 p.m. and ends with the start of the 4:30 p.m. drivers’ meeting. Wheel packing is at 5 p.m., hot laps are at 5:30 p.m. and racing gets underway at 6 p.m. New cars are eligible to join the show but will start at the tail of the last-chance qualifiers. As the name of the event is implies, all three Dirty 30 IMCA main events will be 30 laps. Grandstand admission is $20 for adults, $10 for active or former military, [Read More]

IMCA Late Models return to Shelby County Speedway

HARLAN, Iowa – IMCA Sunoco Late Models return to Shelby County Speedway in 2020, headlining the season-opening Cabin Fever Breakout special April 17 and 18. Track points will be awarded on 13 race dates scheduled for the division during the IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season, beginning May 2 and including the May 30 James Buwalda Memorial show. “We wanted some direction with our Late Model class. This division will be a good fit for us,” said promoter Doug Batz, optimistic that drivers from Nebraska tracks that began sanctioning last season will join Saturday fields at Shelby County. IMCA Late Models last ran at Harlan in 2016. The division joins sanctioned Modifieds, Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts on regular race programs on the 4/10-mile dirt oval. Season championship night is set for Aug. 22. The 28th annual Tiny Lund Memorial is Sept. 25-26. Both IMCA Modified and Stock Car divisions run at Harlan for the 25th consecutive season in 2020. “Shelby County Speedway has a rich racing tradition that we are [Read More]

Promoter’s post is latest Benton County Speedway first for Dripps

VINTON, Iowa – The track where Corey Dripps started his racing career nearly 30 years ago is the same track he’ll promote in 2020. Dripps and his father Rick, partners in Specialty Racing Promotions Inc., will be in charge for their first full season at Benton County Speedway. They’d promoted a single event, the season-ending Arnold Motor Supply Dirt Knights Tour show, at Vinton, the traditional home track of the IMCA Modified division, last September. “We went home that night excited about a lot of things. That race gave us a great head start going into this year and things couldn’t have worked out better for us,” said Dripps, a long-time IMCA Modified driver. “Benton County Speedway is the first track I ever watched a race at. It’s the first track I ever raced at (in a pro stock, in 1992) and it’s the first track where I won a race. It’s always been special to me.” Nicknamed The Bullring, the quarter-mile dirt oval hosts the April 2 Frostbuster special before the first regular Sunday night [Read More]