Newswire

Thornton is $1,000 Dirt Dominator winner

By Mike Spieker QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. (Feb. 8) – The second annual Karl Performance Arizona IMCA Modified Tour got underway Thursday evening with practice night at Arizona Speedway. Following the night’s practice session was the inaugural Dirt Dominator, a $1,000-to-win, 16-car bracket race for the IMCA Modifieds. Chandler driver Ricky Thornton Jr. walked through the field to capture the overall victory. Thornton topped Jake O’Neil in the championship round, utilizing the inside line starting position. “I knew it was going to be tough. Jake (O’Neil) has been really good,” Thornton said from victory lane. “I picked the bottom because I only ran one lap on the top. I knew I just had to get out front and not mess up.” Thornton took the lead coming to the flag stand off turn four after taking the green flag down the backstretch. O’Neil put his no. 0 machine on the cushion but Thornton was too strong on the bottom and ran unchallenged en route to the victory. Thornton defeated Delbert Shannon in the opening round before knocking off Russell [Read More]

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New promoter brings great expectations to Central Arizona

CASA Grande, Ariz. – New promoter David Ellis has great expectations for Central Arizona Speedway. Ellis took charge of the 3/8-mile clay oval late last year. He quickly began getting the facility shipshape for the first appearance of the year by IMCA Modifieds and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods at Casa Grande, during the Arizona IMCA Modified Tour. “I have a vision. I want Central Arizona to be one of the tracks in the country that people want to go to,” Ellis said. “When I jumped on this thing, there was a list of things I wanted to do.” A new speaker system for both the pit area and grandstand has been installed and new lighting put up in the pit and spectator parking areas. Ellis raced in a stock car class in his native state of Massachusetts before moving to Arizona in the mid-1970s. The former car owner describes himself as “an open-wheel guy” and builds sprint cars and midgets. He started a local micro sprint class designed for younger drivers and promoted a number [Read More]

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Vlasity starts season with three straight wins at Canyon Winter Challenge Series

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Joe Vlasity’s main goal this season is just to get his new IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock built. After starting 2018 with three straight feature wins and then a runner-up finish in the Winter Challenge Series finale at home track Canyon Speedway Park, he’s started to think more about a couple other objectives. “Last year, we bought an Eliminator Chassis out of Iowa. Our main goal this year is to get that built, hopefully by the end of February,” said Vlasity, who won seven of 12 starts in 2017 in a older home-built car he’d bought and then converted from the local factory stock class. “What I want to do this year is run for state and track championships.” Early season track conditions favored the Illinois native, by profession a mechanic for the City of Glendale and a regular at Canyon for most of 10 years. “I’m pretty used to dryslick and that’s the way the track went all four nights,” Vlasity said following his Jan. 20, 21 and 27 wins and the [Read More]

IMCA Hawkeye Dirt Tour, Dirt Knights join forces in 2018

VINTON, Iowa – The merging of IMCA’s Hawkeye Dirt Tour for Modifieds and the Dirt Knights guarantees twice as much excitement on and off the track for race fans in 2018. Eight races are confirmed with a couple more yet to be scheduled said IMCA President Brett Root. Opening night will be Monday, May 28 at the traditional home track of the IMCA Modified division, Benton County Speedway in Vinton. Feature winners earn a $2,000 share of the $10,000 purse to be paid each night. All features are qualifying events for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot and pay a minimum of $200 to start and $100 tow. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Side Biter Chassis North Central Region and Allstar Performance State points will be awarded. Entry fee will be $75. “The tour has opened at Vinton six times since it was started in 2010 and our intentions are to continue a similar schedule as in previous seasons date and location-wise,” Root said. “We will finalize details and announce the schedule this month.” [Read More]

IMCA Sport Compacts make March debut at Canyon

PEORIA, Ariz. – A Facebook page has already been started for the class in Arizona, plenty of time before Mach-1 Sport Compacts make their debut at Canyon Speedway Park on March 3. The four-cylinder class also runs there March 9, 10 and 24, April 13 and 14, May 26 and 27, and Sept. 29. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Allstar Performance State and track points will be awarded each night and Canyon promoter Doug Gabbard is confident the economy of the division will lead to a great race for those first-ever state and track championships. “It’s a division young drivers can start their careers in. We really don’t have an entry level division so these cars will really fill a void,” he explained. “We’re comfortable with IMCA’s philosophy. One of the things we like best is that they keep the rules the same from one year to the next. They’re very focused on cost,” Gabbard continued. “Once people see these cars, they’ll really take off.” Canyon also sanctions the IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Stock [Read More]

$1,500 to win features top nine Karl Performance Arizona IMCA Modified Tour dates

QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. – $1,500 to win features will be complemented by sunshine and 85 degree days over the course of the Feb. 9-18 Karl Performance Arizona IMCA Modified Tour. One hundred and eleven Modified drivers, and another 49 Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod competitors, representing 16 states and two provinces, were pre-registered for the second annual tour. Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying events are Friday and Saturday, Feb. 9 and 10 at Arizona Speedway in Queen Creek; Sunday and Monday, Feb. 11 and 12 at Central Arizona Speedway in Casa Grande; Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 14 and 15 at Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria; and Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 16-18 at Cocopah Speedway in Somerton. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Larry Shaw Race Cars Western Region, Allstar Performance State and special series points will be awarded to the Modifieds. A minimum of $150 will be paid to start each feature. Arizona Speedway opens the pit gates at 3 p.m. and the grandstand at 4 p.m., with racing at 6:30 p.m. both nights. [Read More]

IMCA Big Chill Throwdown starts season this weekend at 281 Speedway

STEPHENVILLE, Texas – IMCA Modifieds now race for $1,000 to win along with a berth on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot on opening night of 281 Speedway’s Friday and Saturday, Feb. 9 and 10 Big Chill Throwdown. The 2018 lidlifter at Stephenville boasts a $600 to win feature for the Modifieds on Saturday while IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Southern SportMods battle for $500 top checks each night and Mach-1 Sport Compacts race for $200 to win. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional, Allstar Performance State and track points will be awarded and both shows are draw/redraw. There is no entry fee. Pits open at 3 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 6 p.m. both nights. Racing starts at 8 p.m. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, military and students, and free for kids five and under. Pit passes are $35. More information is available on Facebook or by calling 512 636-0528.

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings Through Feb. 1

IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 188; 2. Kenny Gill, Peoria, Ariz., 110; 3. Spencer Wilson, Minot, N.D., 101; 4. Roy Poeling, Globe, Ariz., 100; 5. Ross Statham, Redcliff, Alb., 80; 6. Bradley Pounds, Bakersfield, Calif., 79; 7. Steve Streeter, Madera, Calif., 78; 8. Bradley Morris, Romoland, Calif., Cody Laney, Torrance, Calif., and Cory Sample, Winnemucca, Nev., each 76; 11. Shawn Strand, Mandan, N.D., 72; 12. Andy Obertello, Hollister, Calif., 71; 13. Keith Altig, Imperial Beach, Calif., 68; 14. Josh Combs, Sacramento, Calif., 66; 15. Chuck Becker, Calimesa, Calif., 65; 16. Brenda Kirby, Bullhead City, Ariz., 62; 17. Marlyn Seidler, Underwood, N.D., 61; 18. Duane Rogers, Imperial, Calif., 60; 19. Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., and Terry Hershberger, Corona, Calif., both 59. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars – 1. Dennis Losing, Apache Junction, Ariz., 141; 2. Nicholas Langer, Glendale, Ariz., 101; 3. Joe Bellm, Broomfield, Colo., 78; 4. Vance Honea, Phoenix, Ariz., 69; 5. Mike Shea, Phoenix, Ariz., 68; 6. Gene Henrie, Cedar City, Utah, 67. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks – 1. Scott Jeffery, Yuma, [Read More]