Newswire

Thornton scores second IMCA Modified Winter Challenge Series win

By Tony Steele PEORIA, Ariz. (Jan. 27) – Ricky Thornton Jr. rolled through the middle of the track and around Hunter Marriott on his way to capturing his second IMCA Modified win of the Winter Challenge Series at Canyon Speedway Park. After a three-wide start to the race that lasted more than a full lap, Marriott battled his way into the lead position early in the Saturday feature ahead of Thornton and Chaz Baca. As the race approached halfway, Thornton began to show his nose to the inside of Marriott, finally pulling up alongside. With Thornton pressuring to the inside, Marriott changed his line just enough for Thornton to go to the middle of the track and drive around the leader on the outside. Thornton, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, secured the $1,000 win while Marriott began to fade, making way for Tim Ward to grab the runner-up spot in his first race back in his home state of Arizona. Marriott held onto third ahead of Cody Laney and Jeremy Payne. George Fronsman [Read More]

2018 Deery Brothers Summer Series schedule marked by milestones

VINTON, Iowa – A schedule packed with milestone events sees the Deery Brothers Summer Series make its 50th visit to one race track and its first-ever to another speedplant this season. Thirteen race dates are on the calendar for the 32nd annual IMCA Late Model tour, which opens April 13 with the $5,000 to win Rebel 5K on the quarter mile oval at Davenport Speedway. Davenport also hosts the series finale, on the-half mile track on Sept. 21. “There are a lot of milestones this year,” acknowledged Tour Director Kevin Yoder. “Bookending events on different sized tracks at Davenport is unique and it’s been several years since we’ve had two shows in Illinois.” “It’s a really different looking schedule, which is great,” he added. “There are a lot of places where series drivers don’t have a lot of laps.” Deery drivers are at Cedar County Raceway in Tipton on April 21, at Maquoketa Speedway on May 5 and at Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Ill., on May 6 before the May 28 Memorial Day [Read More]

Boone County bringing back IMCA Modifieds

ALBION, Neb. – The number of calls they got convinced Boone County Raceway track officials to bring IMCA’s premier division back to their weekly race program. IMCA Modifieds return to Albion following a two-year hiatus. They’ll be on regular Friday cards that also feature IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts. “We have quite a few locals who drive IMCA Modifieds and wanted to bring them back here,” explained promoter Mike Trollope. “We called ‘em on the phone and put it out on Facebook, and they started calling us back.” “We had 15 Modified drivers who confirmed that they would race with us so we made the decision to pull the trigger and bring them back,” he continued. “I raced a Modified myself. I like the division and I’m glad to have them back at Boone County.” Opening night for the IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season is April 20. Thirteen more Friday night shows are scheduled through Aug. 17. All five weekly divisions are in [Read More]

IMCA rookies in five divisions score Swift Springs awards

CHINO HILLS, Calif. – Second-year sponsor Swift Springs continues awards for IMCA drivers in five divisions finding success in their rookie seasons. IMCA Modified, IMCA Late Model, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod and IMCA Southern SportMod national rookies of the year all receive sets of four springs from the Chino Hills, Calif., manufacturer. The other four regional Modified rookies of the year each receive one spring. “Swift Springs is excited to be back for a second year with IMCA. We are proud to be a sponsor and excited to reward the rookie of the year with our product in hopes of them continuing on for many more years of racing with IMCA,” said Motorsports Director Frank Simonetti. “Without rookies we will not have growth. This is an exciting time in racing and we look forward to an outstanding 2018 season.” Swift had a long history of manufacturing springs for street use and for asphalt competitors before expanding to the dirt market. The company has dealers in 11 states as well as Canada, [Read More]

IMCA Stock Car, Hobby Stock, Deery Series drivers share wealth of Sunoco sponsorship

VINTON, Iowa – One of the best-known companies in all of automotive racing returns in 2018 as a key supporter of two IMCA divisions and one special series. Sunoco Race Fuels, based in Linwood, Pa., and manufacturer of the Official Fuel of IMCA, continues title sponsorship of both the IMCA Stock Car and IMCA Hobby Stock divisions and gives cash awards to drivers maintaining perfect attendance in the Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models. “Sunoco Race Fuels is thrilled to continue our 26-year partnership with IMCA. The level of competition for grassroots racers throughout the country is unmatched,” said National Sales Manager Terry Thompson. “They do an outstanding job for all involved, the racers, fans and sponsors.” Sunoco has been title sponsor of the IMCA Stock Car division since 1999 and the Hobby Stock division since 2006 and provides point fund shares to be paid to top 15 drivers in national point standings for each division again this season. Those checks will be presented during the national awards banquet in November or mailed [Read More]

Speedway Motors signs new five-year pact backing IMCA Weekly Racing, Super Nationals

LINCOLN, Neb. – Speedway Motors, America’s Oldest Speed Shop, will continue its association with IMCA, America’s oldest sanctioning body, for another five years. The Lincoln, Neb., high performance parts manufacturer, retailer and distributor has played an invaluable and incomparable sponsorship role with IMCA since the 1950’s. The latest marketing agreement runs through the 2022 race season. “We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with IMCA,” Speedway Motors President Clay Smith said. “Speedway Motors and IMCA have a long history together supporting racers, teams and tracks. This partnership highlights our commitment to making racing safe, fun and affordable for all racers.” Notably, Speedway Motors will continue its title sponsorship role of IMCA Weekly Racing for an 11th consecutive season and returns as title sponsor of Super Nationals for the 23rd straight year. Speedway Motors renews a program benefitting more than 200 tracks in the United States and Canada by providing jackets, promoter and tech official shirts and discounts on tech inspection equipment, flags and signage to help those facilities defray costs of their weekly programs, plus decals, driver’s [Read More]

Waller takes promotional reins at 105 Speedway

CLEVELAND, Texas – The new promoter at 105 Speedway has already been around the track a time or two. Randy Waller takes charge this season of the ¼-mile red clay oval, where IMCA Modifieds will be a Saturday night fixture. Waller’s Southern United Sprints also makes Cleveland a regular stopping spot over the course of 2018. The track is now owned by Jerry Brown. “We want to bring stability to the numbers in the pits and the grandstand,” said Waller, the long-time promoter at Gator Motorplex in Willis, which closed last year because of urban sprawl. “Our main goal is to make sure drivers in all divisions are treated fairly.” Modified drivers vocalized their support for Waller and the IMCA sanction during a meeting earlier this month. “I’ve been involved with the IMCA Modified division and the Southern United Sprints for a long time and that’s something I wanted to continue doing,” he said. “I talked to Mr. Brown and a lot of the IMCA drivers. Once you become part of this industry, you don’t [Read More]

Crate-powered IMCA track champions earn cash bonuses from Chevrolet Performance

VINTON, Iowa – Chevrolet Performance continues a generous cash bonus program this season, rewards eligible IMCA drivers in four divisions as well as the sanctioned tracks they compete at. IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod and IMCA Southern SportMod drivers winning track championships while competing exclusively with 602 or 604 crate engines will receive a $250 bonus. Tracks that sanction any combination of those divisions while displaying Chevrolet Performance banners become eligible for cash bonuses of their own. “IMCA has been an important partner with Chevrolet Performance for over a dozen years now and we hope to continue the relationship for many years to come,” said Chevrolet Performance Special Programs Manger Bill Martens. “Our philosophy has been to provide durable, economical racing engines for grassroots racing, with the ultimate goal of keeping current racers in the sport as well as to encourage new racers to join in the competition,” he continued. “Our bonus program rewards drivers directly for their success at their local track when using the iconic small-block Chevrolet V-8, [Read More]

Marriott banks $1,000 for Sunday Winter Challenge IMCA Modified win

By Tony Steele PEORIA, Ariz. (Jan 21) – As if we are reliving the 2016 Winter Challenge, Hunter Marriott evened the score on Sunday with opening night IMCA Modified winner Ricky Thornton Jr. Marriott snagged the lead early in the $1,000 to win IMCA Modified main event at Canyon Speedway Park and never relinquished it as Jason Noll and Thornton battled for the runner-up position. Marriott utilized a front row starting spot to establish an early lead in the 25-lap feature event. Once he gained control, Marriott – already on the ballot for the Fast Shafts Allstar Invitational –never looked back while Thornton and Noll tussled for second. Utilizing the middle to the high side of the track, Thornton and Noll swapped the spot numerous times before Thornton eventually took it over with Noll holding onto third. Brian Schultz charged from the 12th starting spot to fourth with defending national champion Jason Wolla rounding out the top five from his 11th starting spot. Speedy Madrid brought home his first win of the year in the Karl [Read More]

Opening night Winter Challenge checkers fly for Thornton

By Tony Steele PEORIA, Ariz. (Jan 20) – The last time we wrote about Chandler, Ariz., driver Ricky Thornton Jr., it was February of 2016. Thornton had just come off of three victories in five Winter Challenge events before sweeping two nights of the Desert Classic. After an almost two-year hiatus from Peoria, Thornton once again sat in victory lane at Canyon Speedway Park after taking the opening night $1,000 IMCA Modified Winter Challenge Series win. Jason Noll jumped to the lead at the start of the 25-lap feature before Thornton capitalized about a third of the way into the race. Once in front, Thornton never saw a true test for the lead even after a handful of restarts. “I knew when I got the lead on the bottom I had to stay there and just keep it as smooth as I could,” Thornton said from victory lane. Smooth was the story up front as Thornton, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, picked up the win in his new Jet Chassis. Missouri wheelman Hunter [Read More]