Newswire

Conn wires field at 81 for first RaceSaver Sprint series win

By David Smith Jr., OKTidbits PARK CITY, Kan. (June 21) – Tanner Conn took the lead at the start and never looked back to claim the Lucas Oil POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series presented by Mel Hambelton Ford Racing and Sprint Series of Oklahoma presented by Smiley’s Racing Products feature Friday night at 81 Speedway. Conn and Steven Shebester started on the front row for the 20-lap feature finale with Conn taking the lead as the green flag fell. Fourth starting Zach Blurton moved into the second position and pressured the young driver but could never get close enough to mount a challenge for the lead. Conn, already a two-time winner this season in IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car weekly action at Lawton Speedway, went on to claim his first-career URSS and SSO victory. Blurton settled for second while third-starting Jack Potter held on for third. Brandon Anderson took home the Keizer Wheels hard-charger award, coming from 12th starting to finish sixth. Next up for the Rebels of the Lucas Oil POWRi URSS presented by Mel Hambelton Ford Racing will be a [Read More]

Off Road checkers fly for Meyer

By Randy Pospishil sports@norfolkdailynews.com NORFOLK, Neb. (June 22) – Cameron Meyer earned his first win of the season at Off Road Speedway and second victory overall in Saturday’s Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature, after a battle with Wes Hochstein in the race’s final five laps. The two started the race side-by-side in the third row and chased last week’s feature winner Jonathan Jensen for nine laps before Hochstein took over the lead. Meyer then passed Hochstein coming out of a caution and restart with five laps left, but Hochstein returned to the front with three laps remaining, holding on until Meyer picked up momentum on the inside coming out of turn two and again as he moved through turns three and four on the final lap to grab the win. Meyer said he benefited in multiple ways from his third-place finish a week ago in a car borrowed from Colby Langenberg. “To replace the motor in the car, it came down to time and people first of all,” Meyer said. “We picked up the new [Read More]

Christians best in Shawano barnburner

By Dave Buss SHAWANO, Wis. (June 22) – Some on social media were calling Saturday’s IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature at Shawano Speedway one of the best they have seen. Winner Jeremy Christians wouldn’t disagree. Rod Snellenberger took command of the race in the first few laps but was soon joined by Dan Michonski and Eric Arneson as Christians fought through traffic. With multiple four-wide battles behind him Snellenberger, seemed to be on his way to the win. Michonski, Arneson, Christians and Mike Schmidt, however, had other plans. The four quickly closed to the back bumper of Snellenberger. Michonski ran the high side with the others working the low side. Lap after lap, positions were swapped between the challengers with Snellenberger maintaining a slight lead. On lap 19, slight contact between Christians and Snellenberger caused a tire to begin going down on Snellenberger’s ride. Christians pounced on the opportunity and in a drag race down the front stretch edged out Michonski. Snellenberger held onto third with Schmidt fourth. Marcus Yarie was the IMCA Modified winner [Read More]

Defending champion wins again at Ventura

VENTURA, Calif. (June 22) – His late-race pass netted defending track champion Trevor Fitz-Gibbon another IMCA Modified victory Saturday night at Ventura Raceway. Andrew Greiman led the first 18 of 20 laps, only to be passed by Fitz-Gibbon on the 19th circuit. Following Fitzgibbon, Greiman and Donald Houghton at the finish were Jack Parker and Terry Hershberger.

Yarie, Arneson cash in at Outagamie Speedway

By Edward Anschutz SEYMOUR, Wis. (June 21) – Mark Schuenemann paced the opening laps of the $1,000 to win IMCA Modified feature Friday at Outagamie Speedway before defending track champion Marcus Yarie came to call. Yarie took the lead from Schuenemann and set sail, going unchallenged for his first local feature win of the season and pocketing the $1,000 payday. Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, Yarie won the green to checkered contest ahead of Schuenemann, Mike Mullen, Brian Mullen and Jerry Wilinski. Former national champion Travis Van Straten raced to the lead on lap one of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car headliner. After starting in row five, Eric Arneson worked to the runner-up position by lap five using the top groove. Arneson set his sights on Van Straten, pulling even with him on lap eight. A lap later, Arneson took the lead and never looked back, earning his first feature win of the season. Van Straten stayed close but had to settle for second, Chas Van Ooyen was third, Jeremy Christians took fourth and point leader Josh Mroczkoski rounded out the top five. The contest ran caution-free. Jayden Schmidt [Read More]

Schultze scores Kossuth County IMCA Modified honors

By Greg Grabianowski ALGONA, Iowa (June 20) – Ben Schultze passed Rob Hughes with two laps to go to capture the IMCA Modified feature win Thursday at Kossuth County Speedway. Schultze held the lead at the end of the first lap of the feature that went green, white, checkered before Hughes took over the top spot on lap three. Hughes drifted a little high with two laps to go coming out of the second turn as Schultze took advantage of the little bobble to slide past the leader and went onto his first victory of the season at the track. The Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods also went caution-free as Matt Looft was the early leader of the race. Looft led until halfway, when Colby Fett took the top spot and went onto his second victory of the season at the track. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature saw Austin Jahnz grab the lead before two early yellows. Off the second restart, Derek Green wrestled away the lead. Chad Palmer and Green broke free for a [Read More]

Deery Brothers Summer Series gets top billing at Benton County Fair show

VINTON, Iowa – The Deery Brothers Summer Series headlines blue ribbon fair week entertainment next Thursday, June 27 at Benton County Speedway. The 50-lap $2,000 to win, minimum $300 to start main event marks just the fourth visit by the IMCA Late Model tour to Vinton. Pit gates open at 5 p.m. and the drivers’ meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:45 p.m. with racing to follow. Grandstand admission is $15 for adults, $5 for kids and free for youngsters ages five and under when accompanying a paid adult. Pit passes are $30. Also on the Benton County Fair program are IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods. Darrel DeFrance of Marshalltown has competed at all 492 events in the series’ 33-year history and won the first Deery event held at Vinton in 1988. Rob Toland of Colona, Ill., was the Deery winner at Benton County in 2005 and Jeremiah Hurst of Dubuque led the way to the checkers when the tour made its much anticipated [Read More]

Daniels takes IMCA Stock Car thriller at Stuart

By Josh Reynolds STUART, Iowa (June 19) – Josh Daniels was the winner of an IMCA Sunoco Stock Car thriller Wednesday at Stuart Speedway. Jeremy Gettler led lap one with Chris Pruitt swinging past to take the top spot on lap two, just before the caution came out. When the cars roared back to life it was Pruitt leading Gettler and Todd VanEaton through lap five. VanEaton moved to second on lap six, but at the halfway point Daniels snuck into the runner-up position. Lap 16 saw another yellow and this made for an exciting finish. Pruitt led lap 17 but as he pushed up a bit coming out of turn four, Daniels pounced and moved to the inside. After some contact in turn one, Daniels got position out front with the top four under a blanket as they came down the backstretch on the last lap. Daniels took the hard-fought win with Pruitt second, Gettler by a bumper in third, Brandon Pruitt fourth and VanEaton fifth in an absolute barn burner. Josh Gilman dominated [Read More]

Thornton repeats at 141 Clash with big IMCA Modified payday

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (June 20) – The much-traveled Ricky Thornton Jr. made another stop in victory lane Thursday night, this time at the end of a $10,000 payday. Thornton led the last 45 of the 50 laps in repeating as winner of the Clash at the Creek main event for IMCA Modifieds at 141 Speedway. “This event is definitely near the top of my list of wins. It’s huge,” he said. “The track fits my driving style and there were a lot of good cars here. Realistically, everyone in the feature had a shot to win it.” Pole starter Terry Phillips was second and 13th starting Hunter Marriott ended in third. Rounding out the top five were Jordan Grabouski and Tim Ward. Hard charger Joey Taycher took the initial green flag last in the field of 24 and finished 10th. Thornton had started third and made his run at Phillips and the lead following an early restart. There was only one caution when Thornton was in front and the race ended with 35 green flag circuits. [Read More]

Morning thunderstorms force second postponement of Modified Madness

By Jacob Blair OSBORN, Mo. – Due to heavy morning thunderstorms, US 36 Raceway officials have canceled racing for Friday, June 21. US 36 Raceway is determined to get Modified Madness presented by St. Joseph Beverage in, and it will be rescheduled for another date to be determined. Next Friday, June 28 at US 36 Raceway is the Wayne Hicks Memorial SportMod Shootout. Karl Kustoms NorthernSport Mods will have the spotlight as they will also participate in the Shocker Chassis Six Pack Shootout. The pits will open at 5 p.m. and the grandstands will open at 6 p.m. Hot laps are at 7:30 and racing begins at 8 p.m.