Newswire

IMCA national champions headed to US 36, Bethany for IMCA openers

OSBORN, Mo. – Drivers with IMCA national championships already on their resumes begin their pursuit of 2020 honors this weekend at US 36 Raceway and Bethany Speedway. Jordan Grabouski, Mike Nichols and Austin Kaplan are among drivers from 10 states pre-entered for opening night events Friday, May 8 at Osborn and Saturday, May 9 at Bethany. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods are on both race night cards From Nebraska, Grabouski became the first driver to win two IMCA national crowns in the same season last year, topping point standings for both Modifieds and Stock Cars. He amassed 69 feature wins, two regional titles and eight track championships, all IMCA record totals for a single season. Eight-time national champion Nichols, a former Missouri state king, looks to add to his Stock Car division best 529-win total. Fellow Iowan Kaplan owns a Northern SportMod national crown and makes the weekend trip south as well. 2017 Jet Racing Central Region king Steven Bowers Jr., a six-time track and [Read More]

IMCA starts fourth decade at Fairgrounds Speedway Cortez with 3-day show

CORTEZ, Colo. – A fourth decade of IMCA racing at Fairgrounds Speedway Cortez begins with a three-day show Friday through Sunday, May 15-17. “It’s been overwhelming. The response we’ve gotten for the Covid Clash has been amazing,” Race Director Rowdy Briggs said of early-entry numbers for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, IMCA SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts. “We have 139 pre-registered now and know of more that are coming.” Pre-registered IMCA drivers for what will rank as one of the biggest events held at Cortez hail from half a dozen states and additional parking has been added to accommodate those race teams. The grandstands will be closed and social distancing will be enforced in the pit area per CDC recommendations. A facial covering will be required away from pit stalls or when not in the race car. Drivers should pre-register through MyRacePass and must sign in at the track by 5:20 p.m. on Friday. An open practice runs from 4:30-9:30 p.m. on Thursday and pit gates open at 8 a.m. [Read More]

10 states now represented at US 36, Bethany IMCA openers

OSBORN, Mo. – Opening night events this weekend at US 36 Raceway and Bethany Speedway bring IMCA drivers from across the nation to the Show-Me State. IMCA drivers from Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana join competitors from closer to home on season-opening cards Friday, May 8 at Osborn and Saturday, May 9 at Bethany. IMCA Modified, IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod entries are also in hand from Colorado, Oklahoma, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas, as well as Missouri. “We’re expecting to get drivers from a couple more states, too. It seems like the number of entries goes up every time I look at my phone,” said promoter Jon Boller Jr., who noted the strong contingent of RaceSaver Sprint Cars making the trip from out east. “We had more than 100 cars practice last Saturday. Once we got to 100, we stopped counting,” continued Boller, looking forward to watching the stars of IMCA vie for the only IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional, E3 Spark Plugs State and [Read More]

North Central Speedway opener drawing entries from across Upper Midwest

BRAINERD, Minn. – Five IMCA divisions will go three, four and five-wide when they open the season this Saturday, May 9 at North Central Speedway. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts are on the card on the fast 1/3-mile dirt oval at Brainerd. Promoter Holly Orpen has already fielded a barrage of phone calls from drivers in all of those divisions. “We have been getting a lot of calls from all over, North Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota of course. There are a lot of people excited about starting the season,” Orpen said of the first race of 2020 in Minnesota. “We’ve been doing track prep, calling the governor’s office and working with the county to follow recommended guidelines.” The grandstands will be closed and all drivers and pit crew members must be pre-registered by 5 p.m. on Friday. Social distancing rules will be in effect and are posted the track’s racencs.net website and Facebook. Except for drivers when they are in their cars, masks [Read More]

5-year IMCA sponsor Dynamic Drivelines gives new Junior National Champ, Lady Eagle awards

DES MOINES, Iowa – New awards for Junior National Champion and top Lady Eagle drivers will be given this season by Dynamic Drivelines. The five-year sponsor presents a free driveshaft to the IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Late Model, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod or Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod driver winning either coveted crown. “We are grateful to continue to partner with IMCA and appreciate the opportunity to support the Junior National and Lady Eagle programs,” said Dynamic Drivelines owner Mike Bennett. “Over the last five years we have gravitated to programs like the Rookie of the Year and now the Junior National Champion that recognize those that are just starting in racing. Building those relationships early creates a unique opportunity to partner with a driver as they grow within our sport.” The Des Moines, Iowa, manufacturer also gives steel drive shafts to national Modified, Stock Car, Hobby Stock, Northern SportMod and Southern SportMod rookies of the year, and a carbon fiber drive shaft to the national Late [Read More]

IMCA Coronavirus Response Broadcast Program

VINTON, Iowa – In response to the continued uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus Pandemic, IMCA has developed guidance and planning for IMCA member tracks to execute the live-streamed broadcasting of events. The primary goal of IMCA has always been to ensure health and provide certainty to member tracks, and given the current environment, we feel our responsibility to explore all options for operation to our promoters. With this program, IMCA will make every effort to provide member tracks with simple, turn-key options for video broadcasting equipment, execution guidance, and the platform for distribution and payment. Through our newly formed relationship with the SPEED SPORT Network, IMCA.TV will be launched to provide a single video platform destination for all IMCA member tracks. “We will go to whatever lengths necessary to ensure our tracks can continue operation,” said Brett Root, President of IMCA. Each track will determine pricing and purchasing options based on their unique considerations. Options for standalone pay-per-view or subscription-based live-streamed video will be available. We will connect you with our regional broadcast affiliates for production [Read More]

Independence Motor Speedway to host two nights of practice

By Jerry Mackey INDEPENDENCE, Iowa – The Independence Motor Speedway will once again roar to life with the sweet sounds of racing engines this weekend. On Friday, May 8, the IMCA Modifieds. IMCA Sunoco Late Models and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars will be allowed to practice. On Saturday, May 9, the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks will be welcomed to the speedway. By splitting the divisions and running practice both nights, the governor’s guidelines for the Covid-19 virus will be much easier to follow. Unfortunately the grandstands will be closed and all crew members must remain with their cars in the infield. Ten persons will be allowed entrance to the pit area with each race car. The race track will be open both nights for practice from 5:30-9 p.m. The season opener is set to take the first green flag on Saturday, May 16. More information regarding the first night of racing will be released in the

Park Jefferson Speedway sets IMCA Spring Nationals show for this weekend

JEFFERSON, S.D. – Kruse Motorsports, Inc. and Park Jefferson Speedway team up to bring IMCA racing action back with a two-day Spring Nationals show Friday and Saturday, May 8 and 9. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks run both nights, the Mach-1 Sport Compacts on Friday and the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars on Saturday. Each day will be a separate show with the draw/redraw format. Entries are limited and no IMCA points will be awarded. Modifieds will vie for a $1,000 top prize each day in their Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifiers, Sprint Cars race for $600 to win, Stock Cars and SportMods each chase $500, Hobby Stocks going after $400 and Sport Compacts race for $200 to win. Thirty-two entries from each of the Modified, Stock Car, SportMod and Hobby Stock divisions, and 20 each of the Sprint Cars will be entered into the event. Links to registration are: Friday, https://www.myracepass.com/tracks/2303/registrations/2655. Saturday, https://www.myracepass.com/tracks/2303/registrations/2656. Entry fees will be $40 for Modifieds and $30 for all other divisions [Read More]

KRC adding Junior National Champion, Lady Eagle awards to IMCA program

LOCKWOOD, Mo. – Kluhsman Racing Components expands an already extensive IMCA program in 2020, with new awards for both Junior National Championship and Lady Eagle contenders. Top three finishers in point standings for both titles, contended by young drivers and by female drivers, respectively, receive $75 product certificates from the Lockwood, Mo., manufacturer and 23-year sponsor. “We are really excited to partner with these new programs, especially recognizing the top Lady Eagle competitors. I raised three daughters Hailey, Hannah and Alex, and each of them raced go-karts and operated machines at KRC growing up,” said Mel Kluhsman. “They have always been very involved in racing so to be able to reward some of the most accomplished ladies in IMCA racing is pretty special, and brings everything full circle for us at KRC.” Part of decal programs for Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods, Kluhsman gives $75 product certificates to drivers finishing in the top 10 nationally in both divisions. All SportMod drivers must display two KRC decals on their race car [Read More]

Dodge City Raceway Park shifts practice to May 23

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – In the ever-changing environment of the current COVID-19 coronavirus culture, Dodge City Raceway Park has shifted its open practice to a tentative date of Saturday, May 23, rather than the previously scheduled date of May 16. Following the tentative practice session set for May 23, pending further developments, Dodge City Raceway Park will now kick off the season with a URSS vs. DCRP Sprint Car showdown along with a full slate of championship chase action including IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks on Saturday, June 6. In an additional schedule adjustment, the seventh annual SportMod Mayhem North vs. South Duel will now take place in conjunction with the Lubbock Wrecker Service DCRP Sprint Car Nationals on Aug. 20-22. The Thursday portion of the event will serve as a practice night for the IMCA Modifieds with heats and qualifiers on Friday and then the $1,500-to-win main event on Saturday. Originally slated to run in conjunction with the DCRP Sprint Car Nationals, the eighth [Read More]