Newswire

Schott sails to IMCA Modified tour win at Arizona Speedway

By Mike Spieker QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. (Feb. 14) – Lucas Schott found victory lane Tuesday at Arizona Speedway to become the fourth different Modified winner in as many nights of the inaugural Arizona IMCA Modified Tour. Front row starter Troy Gemmill shot out to a comfortable advantage and looked as though he had the car to beat early on. The first caution fell on lap seven and Schott put pressure on Gemmill as the pack charged into turn one on the restart. On the following circuit, Schott completed a big slide job on Gemmill in turn two to momentarily take the lead, but Gemmill countered with a crossover move to regain the point. Lap nine proved to be disastrous for Gemmill as his no. 721 machine slowed to a stop. As a result, Schott inherited the lead for the ensuing restart. Once the race resumed, Schott was untouchable as he drove to the $1,250 win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational berth by a comfortable margin. Thirteenth starting Chase Allen, Jeremy Thornton, Jimmy Gustin and Jeff [Read More]

IMCA Hawkeye Dirt Tour has Memorial Day opener, new title sponsor in Arnold Motor Supply

VINTON, Iowa (Feb. 8) – IMCA’s Hawkeye Dirt Tour will have a new title sponsor when the series opens on Memorial Day at Benton County Speedway. Arnold Motor Supply has signed on as sponsor of the eighth annual Modified tour and will provide a portion of $5,650 point funds to be paid each of the next three seasons. The champion takes home $1,000 along with a Traeger Lil’ Tex Elite Pellet Grill, valued at $700, courtesy of Arnold Motor Supply, the Spencer-based auto parts supplier. Nine dates, all paying a minimum of $1,000 to win and $150 to start, are on the 2017 schedule and are qualifying events for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. The Monday, May 29 event marks the sixth occasion the tour has opened at Vinton, where the first-ever IMCA Modified event was held in 1979. The Miller Lite 30 date June 6 at Marshalltown Speedway and the June 13 show at West Liberty Raceway are part of midweek doubleheaders with the Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models. Hancock County Speedway [Read More]

PASS, Beer Hill Gang announce Beer Hill Cup

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Sprint Series and the Beer Hill Gang are happy to announce the Beer Hill Cup Summer Series. The series will be six races featuring IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car teams, at Williams Grove Speedway April 28, May 26 and Aug. 18; at Port Royal Speedway on Aug. 5; at Susquehanna Speedway June 8; and at Path Valley Speedway on July 15. Points will be accumulated using the IMCA 40-point system and an overall champion will be determined on Aug. 18 at Williams Grove. The first-ever champion will be honored on the fourth turn with Beer Hill Gang TV live streaming the ceremony. The champion will receive an impressive and unique Beer Hill Cup trophy and 25 percent of the overall point fund with second through fourth place each receiving 20 percent and the fifth place driver taking home 15 percent. A commemorative shirt has been designed and organizers are currently seeking sponsors for the shirt. The presenting sponsorship for the shirt is available for $1,000 and associate sponsors are available at [Read More]

Dacotah Speedway hosts March 11-12 safety and officials training session

MANDAN, N.D. – Dacotah Speedway will host a safety and officials training Saturday and Sunday, March 11-12 at the Baymont Inn & Suites in Mandan, N.D. This two-day training session will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday with a full day of fire and safety training presented by Jay Masur of Med Star Dirt Track Rescue. This fire and safety training will be an in-depth presentation on dirt track safety, rescue, extraction, fire suppression, medical management, pre-race event planning, crew performance during races and post-race analysis. Purpose of this presentation is so attendees will leave with baseline knowledge of the components necessary to save a racecar driver’s life. This presentation is extremely knowledgeable to all track officials, fire, EMS teams, promoters, board of directors and even drivers. Refreshments and lunch will be provided. The safety and officials training will continue Sunday beginning at 10 a.m. with track scoring and officiating. Josh Holt, co-founder of My Race Pass, will be on hand to present the new My Race Pass race management system and answer any questions or [Read More]

Arnold Motor Supply backs grassroots racing with IMCA Hawkeye Dirt Tour sponsorship

SPENCER, Iowa – The company many drivers and fans already rely on for their automotive parts needs begins title sponsorship of one of IMCA’s premier series this season. The Hawkeye Dirt Tour for Modifieds will run under the Arnold Motor Supply banner through 2019. “There are a lot of things we like about this sponsorship,” said Brad Edwardson, vice president of business development for the Spencer-based auto parts supplier. “We want to be a part of grassroots racing and feel that IMCA and the Hawkeye Dirt Tour is already an important part of our customer base.” In its new role, Arnold Motor Supply furnishes a portion of the $5,650 annual tour point fund, along with a Traeger Lil’ Tex Elite Pellet Grill to be awarded to the series champion. The eighth annual tour opens on Memorial Day at Benton County Speedway. Hawkeye Dirt Tour dates also include stops at Marshalltown Speedway, West Liberty Raceway, Hancock County Speedway, Southern Iowa Speedway, Knoxville Raceway, Dubuque Speedway, Clay County Fair Speedway and Buena Vista Raceway. Beginning its 90th year in [Read More]

Sport Compacts have first IMCA national decal program, Big Daddy, Summit both have new Hobby Stock roles

VINTON, Iowa – IMCA’s Sport Compact division has a national decal program of its own beginning this season while Big Daddy Race Cars and Summit Racing Equipment both have new roles in backing the Hobby Stocks starting in 2017. While Sport Compact drivers have been receiving decal packets, this season will be the first where they are required to provide proof of decal placement to become eligible for national point fund shares. In addition to Speedway Motors and division title sponsor Mach-1, Sport Compact drivers must display Karl Performance and DynaBatt and Screamin’ Demon – both Performance Distributors brands – decals. “All these decals were sent to Sport Compact drivers last year but this season will be the first where they have a specific location to put them on their race car,” IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder noted. “Hopefully this will alleviate the number of questions drivers have had about decal placement. They must also send in photos proving decal placement, like all other divisions, by Aug. 1 to be eligible for shares of their [Read More]

Only rain can slow Stone in postponed race to Arizona Modified Tour checkers

YUMA, Ariz. (Feb. 11-12) – Paul Stone considered asking to keep the one spoon as a souvenir after drawing the pole start for the second installment of the Arizona IMCA Modified Tour. After inclement weather postponed the main event from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon, Stone had two better mementos: A trophy and a check for $1,250. Stone led all 20 laps, pulling away from Hunter Marriott and Spencer Wilson after a caution with seven circuits left. “I think this was the first time in 19 years of racing that I’ve ever drawn the pole for a big show like this,” said Stone, new to the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “I’ve given other guys a hard time for starting on the front row because there’s only one direction you can go from there.” Both the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod features were in the books and Modifieds were in staging when rain brought an early end to the Saturday program. “That was a little bit cruel,” Stone said, after some [Read More]

RAM Clutches marks fifth season as IMCA sponsor

COLUMBIA, S.C. – RAM Clutches rewards drivers in four divisions in 2017, its fifth season of IMCA sponsorship. IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod and Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMod competitors all are in line for $50 product certificates from the Columbia, S.C., manufacturer. Certificates go to top five eligible drivers in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern and Southern regions for Stock Cars, Big Daddy Race Cars Northern and Southern regions for Hobby Stocks, and in both national Northern and Southern SportMod standings. “RAM Clutches is proud to be a part of the growing IMCA program. It has allowed us to expand our product offerings to tailor clutch systems to fit each class,” said RAM Marketing Manager Mike Norcia. “We look forward to continuing support of the IMCA over the next five years!” Certificates will be presented during the national awards banquet in November or mailed beginning the following week from the IMCA home office. Drivers in all four divisions are required to display two RAM decals on their race [Read More]

New IMCA sanctions have phone ringing off the hook at Lubbock’s West Texas Raceway

LUBBOCK, Texas – The phone has been ringing off the hook at West Texas Raceway. New owner and promoter Corky Matthews has made a major investment in upgrading the Lubbock track, which sanctions IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMods beginning in 2017. “It’s like a brand new track, probably one of the best facilities around,” Matthews said. “We’ve spent $300,000 so far on a complete remodel. It’s getting real nice and people are getting excited about coming to the races here. I’ve had 400 to 500 people call me about it already.” Nearly 40 semi loads of clay were added as the 3/8-mile oval was widened another 15 feet. “This track was built in the 1960s and I raced late models, sprint cars and street stocks on it myself,” Matthews noted. “It was one of the fastest tracks around.” New grandstand bleachers and lighting purchased from a professional football stadium are in place. New landscaping and work has already started on a 20×6-foot scoreboard. “The lights are [Read More]

Gaylord steals IMCA Modified win from Center on last lap at Cocopah

By Mike Spieker YUMA, Ariz. (Feb. 12) – Last-lap larceny made Ryan Gaylord the winner of the Arizona IMCA Modified Tour finale Sunday at Cocopah Speedway. On the final lap of what was also the last of three Winter Nationals events, Gaylord followed leader Eric Center into turns three and four. When Center missed the groove on the bottom while trying to maneuver past a lap car, it left the door wide open for Gaylord and he capitalized. Gaylord shot to the bottom to take the lead off turn four and sped to the $1,250 win. “That was basically my only shot to get the win,” said Gaylord, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “I was just trying to be patient and save my tires out there.” As a result of the miscue, Center drifted back to fourth. He followed Justin Zeitner and Hunter Marriott to the line. After taking the lead on lap seven, Center had held the point all the way until the final lap. “I almost want to cry right [Read More]