Newswire

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings Through Feb. 28

IMCA Modifieds – 1. Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo., 579; 2. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 531; 3. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz., 404; 4. Spencer Wilson, Minot, N.D., 343; 5. Cody Laney, Torrance, Calif., 293; 6. Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., 287; 7. Kelsie Foley, Tucson, Ariz., 283; 8. Marlyn Seidler, Underwood, N.D., 273; 9. Jason Wolla, Ray, N.D., 269; 10. Brent Schlafmann, Bismarck, N.D., 253; 11. Lance Mari, Imperial, Calif., 243; 12. Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D., 241; 13. Shawn Strand, Mandan, N.D., 240; 14. Ryan Gaylord, Lakewood, Colo., 239; 15. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif., and Russell Allen, Brawley, Calif., both 232; 17. Josh McGaha, Abilene, Texas, and Garth Dushanek, Avondale, Ariz., both 225; 19. Zachary Madrid, Phoenix, Ariz., 223; 20. Cory Sample, Winnemucca, Nev., 221. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars – 1. Cody Center, Mesa, Ariz., 227; 2. Westin Abbey, Comanche, Texas, 213; 3. Dennis Losing, Apache Junction, Ariz., 212; 4. Elijah Zevenbergen, Ocheyedan, Iowa, 189; 5. Dean Abbey, Roanoke, Texas, 188; 6. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 167; 7. Kirk Martin, Weatherford, Texas, 161; 8. Cayden Carter, [Read More]

Thursday Dirt Track checkers fly for Sanders

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (March 1) – After solid showings at the Duel In The Desert each of the last two years, Rob Sanders got the best of his Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track foes for a $750 IMCA Modified feature win Thursday night. Sanders started outside Randy Brown on the front row and took charge from the opening green. Alex Stanford was scored second on all 20 circuits and kept the race close after a caution waved with two laps left, but couldn’t catch the leader. “It was amazing,” Sanders said after career win number two in the division and his first victory racing for the Bill Henderson team out of Bakersfield, Calif. “I’ve had a lot of seconds and a lot of top fives. It felt good to finally get the monkey off my back.” After “stumbling on” the right setup, Sanders finished sixth in the 2016 Duel and was ninth last year. He’d also finished ninth in the Wednesday event at LVMS. “I literally had the same car I had last year [Read More]

IMCA Modified, SportMod drivers chase Bob Harris Enterprises special event awards

AMES, Iowa – Bob Harris Enterprises has renewed a special events awards package for three IMCA divisions. The Ames, Iowa, company gives two free shock rebuilds to top 10 finishers at each of 30 IMCA Modified specials, and at 15 Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod specials. A random drawing will be held following the regular point season to award Race Tech Info Dirt Chassis School packages to a driver in each division. Drawing winners last year were Austin Wonch and Lucas Lamberies. Certificates for the shock rebuilds are mailed after special events results are received at the IMCA home office. Race Tech Info seminar certificates will be mailed in December. The 2018 season is BHE’s sixth as an IMCA sponsor. Owner Bob Harris has been associated with the sanctioning body since the early days of the Modified division and also promotes the Harris Clash. Information about the Race Tech Info chassis schools, set-up DVDs and shock rebuilds is available by calling 515 292-9200 and at the www.bobharrisent.com website. “The BHE [Read More]

Marriott is Wednesday IMCA Modified winner at LVMS Dirt Track

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Feb. 28) – Continuing his torrid early season streak, Hunter Marriott was the $750 IMCA Modified winner in the Wednesday special at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. Marriott caught pole starter D.J. Shannon for the lead six circuits in and outran R.C. Whitwell for the checkers. “The track was fast and the car was pretty good. There was a lot of lapped traffic but we were able to get through without any problems,” Whitwell said. “I’ve raced there a handful of times and always like to get as many laps in there as possible to get ready for the Duel” (in the Desert, in November). Thirty cars started the 20-lap main event, with Cody Laney, Chaz Baca and Shannon completing the top five. Coming from the fourth starting spot and piloting a Paul Stone-owned ride, Marriott reeled in Shannon and brought Laney along. The first half of the race was dotted by yellows but ran caution-free the last nine laps. The 18th starting Whitwell took over second and 24th starting [Read More]

Celebration of life for Tim Mecl is March 9

APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. – The celebration of life for Tim Mecl will be held at 4 p.m. Friday, March 9 at First Assembly of God Church, located at 651 North Ocotillo Drive in Apache Junction. Mecl, 52, died earlier this week. He was race director and tech inspector at Arizona Speedway and Central Arizona Speedway.

IMCA Modifieds, Northern SportMods return to Fernley

FERNLEY, Nev. – Seven race nights are on the schedule this season at Fernley 95A Speedway for IMCA Modifieds and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods. Opening night at the 3/8-mile clay oval is April 7. Both divisions are on May 27, July 21, Aug. 11, Aug. 24 and Sept. 15 programs before IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season championship events on Sept. 29. Sanctioned Modifieds last ran at Fernley in 2016. Northern SportMods ran there a single season, in 2013. “We took last season off to do maintenance and upkeep to the facility,” explained first-year promoter Matt Sherman. “The one race we had was for a touring sprint car group.” Another four inches of a clay/gypsum mixture was added all the way around the track and new restroom facilities were built during the hiatus. “Taking the season off gave some drivers the chance to build new cars,” said Sherman, who has worked at Fernley 95A since 2003. “We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from the community and from racers.” “Drivers are excited about being able [Read More]

Chevrolet Performance announces rebate application extension

VINTON, Iowa – Chevrolet Performance offered a $250 rebate on Circle Track Sealed crate engines sold during the Deal Of The Month in February. The program has been so successful, that Chevrolet Performance has gone into backorder for the 604 crate engine. However, Chevrolet Performance will honor the rebate application for engines purchased on or before Feb. 28, but not delivered until March 1 or later. The engine must be purchased in February, although the GM dealer may not be able to deliver the engine until a later date. The dealer must submit this purchase record, as outlined in communications with Chevrolet Performance, on March 1. The customer will not be able to file for their rebate until the engine is received but the rebate center will have a record of the purchase if the dealer files for the extension. Once the rebate form is received and cross-checked by the rebate center, the retail customer will receive their $250 rebate.

Big Daddy Race Cars continues dual IMCA Hobby Stock regional title role

NORFOLK, Neb. – Big Daddy Race Cars does double duty in support of the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock division again this season, returning as title sponsor for both Northern and Southern regions. 2018 will be the fifth year of title sponsorship by Big Daddy in the North and its second in the South. The Norfolk, Neb., chassis builder provides a portion of the point fund to be paid to the top five drivers in each region. Point fund checks will be presented during the national awards banquet in November. All Hobby Stock drivers must display two Big Daddy Race Cars decals to be eligible for point fund shares; those decals will be included in packets mailed beginning in March. Information about Big Daddy-built chassis is available by calling 402 371-1927 or 402 841-4119. The first car Big Daddy built in 2005 was actually a Stock Car. Big Daddy-manufactured Hobby Stocks have since raced to national, regional, state and special series titles in addition to numerous track championships and hundreds of feature wins. Northern Region tracks [Read More]

New promoter finds ‘hidden gem’ in 34 Raceway

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa –Bradley Stevens will be in charge of weekly programs at a track he likens to “a hidden gem.” Stevens has purchased 34 Raceway from Jeff and Amy Laue. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and newly-sanctioned Mach-1 Sport Compacts run Saturday nights at the Southeast Iowa speedplant. The IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season begins April 7 and continues through Sept. 29 at the 3/8-mile dirt oval. “This track ranks right up there with the best tracks in the Midwest. It’s a hidden gem – there are still people who don’t realize what we’ve got here,” said Stevens, whose purchase of the track began with a casual conversation with the Laues and was encouraged by significant other Jessi Mynatt. “We’re just going to tweak some things.” “We’re going to do everything we can to get families to the track,” he emphasized. “We’re going to be real keen on prices with a family pack deal and we’ll run four classes every week and two others every other week. [Read More]

Larry Shaw Race Cars returning as IMCA Western Region title sponsor

BATESVILLE, Ark. – Defending Manufacturers’ Cup champion Larry Shaw Race Cars returns this season as title sponsor of IMCA’s Western Region for Modifieds. The Batesville, Ark., chassis builder again provides a portion of the $6,000 point fund to be paid to top 10 drivers in official standings for that region, which includes tracks in Arizona, California, western Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, northern New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. The champion earns $2,500, with $1,250 for second, $625 for third, $325 for fourth and $300 for fifth. Sixth through 10th place finishers each receive $200. Drivers in the Western Region are required to display two Larry Shaw Racing decals on their race car to be eligible for point fund shares. Shaw has been an IMCA sponsor for 11 seasons and title sponsor of the Western Region since 2012. “We have to thank all our customers,” said owner Larry Shaw. “They’ve been great to us for a lot of years.” In addition to the national IMCA Manufacturers’ Cup crown, Shaw also had the high point total among [Read More]