Newswire

Two titles for Thornton, Kuehl reigns over IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour SportMods

TUCSON, Ariz. (Feb. 15) – Ricky Thornton Jr. wrapped up two titles with feature victories while Brady Bjella became a first-time winner and ever-consistent Taylor Kuehl earned an IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour championship of her own Saturday at USA Raceway. Thornton led all but the first of 25 IMCA Modified main event circuits and all 20 times around the track in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Alex Stanford was scored first on the opening lap of the Modified finale, but Thornton drove by in the first set of turns on lap two. He caught up with the back of the field on lap nine and led Stanford through traffic from that point. The race ran caution-free and Thornton avoided potential late drama with a nifty high side pass of two lapped cars. The $2,000 victory was Thornton’s second straight at Tucson, third of the tour and already Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying fifth of the season. Stanford was second and Drew Armstrong held off Jake O’Neil for third. Chaz Baca started 13th and [Read More]

Thornton is double winner, Becerra takes first IMCA Arizona Tour checkers at Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. (Feb. 14) – Ricky Thornton Jr. was a double winner while Austen Becerra collected his first IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour checkers Friday at USA Raceway. Thornton won for the fourth time in five IMCA Sunoco Stock Car Tour starts, before outrunning Jeff Taylor and Alex Stanford for another IMCA Modified victory. In between those two features, Becerra rocketed from eighth starting to top the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod main. He passed Clay Erickson and Brady Bjella following a lap 14 restart, then led to the finish. “I thought I had a third place car ‘til I got to lapped traffic,” the Carthage, Ill., charger said post-race. “But it worked out pretty good for us. It was good to click one off here.” Becerra had sandwiched fourth- and third-place finishes around a pair of 21st place showings in his four prior tour outings. His win was good for $750. Bjella and Bo Partain were one-two in the early going. Erickson owned the second spot after a lap four restart while Becerra motored along in [Read More]

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Drive For 5 leads to big IMCA Late Model payday at Lee County Speedway

DONNELLSON, Iowa – Five $1,000 to win features set the stage for a potential $5,000 IMCA Sunoco Late Model Drive For 5 payday this season at Lee County Speedway. Qualifier Night-branded Friday night features at Donnellson on April 17, May 8, June 12, July 17 and Aug. 7 each pay $1,000 to win. Drivers who compete in at least four of those events run for a top prize of $5,000 in the Saturday, Sept. 12 finale. Shottenkirk Parts Express, local sponsor of the division, is title sponsor of the Drive For 5 as well. Other sponsors include Ideal Ready Mix, J.J. Nichting Company Case IH and Floyd’s Waste Systems. “Lee County Speedway ran something like this forever ago over 10 nights and we decided to bring it back,” promoter Brian Gaylord said. “It’s going to be a great way to get even more Late Models to the track. I think we’re going to have to run a ‘B’ main every night.” IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, E3 Spark Plugs Iowa State and track points [Read More]

RAM renews IMCA Stock, Hobby, SportMod awards

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Contingency awards from RAM Clutches go to drivers in four IMCA divisions again in 2020. The Columbia, S.C., manufacturer gives $50 product certificates to IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod competitors. Top five eligible drivers in both regions for Stock Cars and for Hobby Stocks, and national Northern SportMod and Southern SportMod standings will receive those certificates at the IMCA awards banquet in November or by mail in December. “RAM is very proud to be back as a sponsor for these IMCA divisions. We are happy to support this great group of racers and watch as young and old alike achieve their dreams of racing on both the local and national levels,” said RAM’s Mike Norcia. Drivers in all four divisions are required to display two RAM decals on their race car, compete with a RAM manual transmission and return a completed sign-up form to the IMCA home office by Aug. 1 to be eligible. Information about RAM products is available [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through Feb. 13

IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 470; 2. Jeff Taylor, Cave City, Ark., 313; 3. Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D., 307; 4. Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., 283; 5. Lance Mari, Imperial, Calif., 276; 6. Zachary Madrid, Phoenix, Ariz., 259; 7. Braxton Yeager, Green River, Wy., and Marlyn Seidler, Underwood, N.D., both 231; 9. Justen Yeager, Green River, Wy., and Austin Kuehl, Cave Creek, Ariz., both 207; 11. Spencer Wilson, Minot, N.D., 205; 12. Ryan Roath, Peoria, Ariz., 192; 13. Bricen James, Albany, Ore., 187; 14. Austin Kiefer, Pahrump, Nev., 185; 15. Tom Berry, Newburg, N.D., 180; 16. Garth Dushanek, Red Deer, Alb., 170; 17. Michael Thing, Campo, Calif., 134; 18. Bobby Horton, Yuma, Ariz., 127; 19. Jerry Flippo, Bakersfield, Calif., 126; 20. Casey Skyberg, Rapid City, S.D., 121. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars – 1. Andy Altenburg, Truman, Minn., 342; 2. Chanse Hollatz, Clear Lake, Iowa, 341; 3. Aaron Spangler, Dove Creek, Colo., 337; 4. Cody Center, Mesa, Ariz., 282; 5. Leslie Gill, Odessa, Texas, 250; 6. J.C. Parmeley, Peoria, Ariz., 247; 7. Steffan Carey, Bloomfield, N.M., [Read More]

Coleman Racing Products gives awards to IMCA Modified drivers for 15th season

MENOMINEE, Mich. – For a 15th consecutive season, IMCA Modified drivers from across the country will receive awards from Coleman Racing Products. Located in Menominee, Mich., the high performance parts manufacturer and distributor gives $50 product certificates to the sixth place driver in point standings and to the rookie of the year in each of the five Modified regions. Those certificates will be presented during the national awards banquet in November or mailed beginning the following week from the IMCA home office. “Coleman Racing Products is proud to sponsor the IMCA Modifieds for the 2020 season,” said Glenn Myers, “and hopes all racers have a successful and safe racing season.” Information about Coleman products is available by calling 800 221-1851, at the www.colemanracing.com website and on Facebook. “We have strung together three consecutive five-year milestones now with Coleman Racing Products and have appreciated every year of that support,” noted IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder. “They have shown great dedication to our Modified division and racers have benefitted in the process.”

Arneson chased, challenged, but not caught in Casa Grande IMCA Modified tour main event

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 11) – He was chased and he was challenged, but Casey Arneson was never caught in Tuesday night’s Arizona Dirt Track Tour main event for IMCA Modifieds at Central Arizona Speedway. Two thousand dollars richer for his efforts, the North Dakota pilot led all 25 laps, challenged by Drew Armstrong and Jake O’Neil through midway, then chased across the stripe by 14th starting Alex Stanford and 17th starting Jeff Taylor. Multiple cautions made for slow going over the first five circuits before a lengthy green flag run. Arneson, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, and O’Neil had been working traffic when the yellow returned on lap 16. Ricky Thornton Jr., then Stanford ran in second from that point but neither could reel in Arneson. ‘B’ feature winner Taylor made his way to third with five laps left. Thornton held off Zachard Madrid in winning his third of four tour starts and second straight at Casa Grande. The sixth starting Madrid reeled in Thornton but couldn’t make his next-to-the-last-lap bid for the [Read More]

Baca, Thornton, Thompson get tour wins in Sunday afternoon show at Central Arizona

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 9) – Chaz Baca, Ricky Thornton Jr. and Cody Thompson all raced to second wins in their respective divisions, in the third IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour event of the weekend. Baca led the way to the $2,000 IMCA Modified checkers while Thornton collected the $750 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car checkers Sunday afternoon at Central Arizona Speedway while Thompson returned to Casa Grande for another impressive Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod victory, also good for $750. After a rough start to the 25-lapper, Baca led the distance in the Modified main. Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, he was chased every time around the track by Tim Ward while Thornton made his way from 17th starting to third before a lap 14 caution. The race stayed green to the finish from that point. Thornton, Jeff Taylor and Casey Arneson rounded out the top five. Back-to-back yellows just after midway were all that slowed Thornton in his drive to the Stock Car win. Brendon LaBatte, Zachary Madrid, 10th starting Arron Hetrick and Chanse [Read More]

Battle Mountain is Nevada first for IMCA Stock Cars

BATTLE MOUNTAIN, Nev. – After rolling out the red carpet for the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars last summer, Battle Mountain Raceway becomes the first track in Nevada to sanction The Class Too Tough To Tame in 2020. Five Friday-Saturday doubleheaders – April 3 and 4, May 8 and 9, June 26 and 27, July 10 and 11, and Aug. 28 and 29 – are scheduled. Gene Henrie was the Stock Car feature winner when the Wild West Tour came to Battle Mountain last July. Both the look of the cars and the quality of the racing that evening had fans asking track officials to bring the division back more often. “The fans really liked them. We’ve already got six area drivers who already have or are building or buying cars,” promoter Santiago Villanueva said. “We’re looking forward to making this happen.” IMCA Modifieds have run at Battle Mountain since 2002. “What I like about sanctioning with IMCA is the rules. They’re cut and dried, pretty straight forward and right there on the website,” said Villanueva. “We want [Read More]