Newswire

Smith proves up to Saturday Challenge as Eagle opens with Ice Breaker special

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (April 15-16) – Dylan Smith proved up to the challenge and earned $2,000 for his Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified exploits at Eagle Raceway’s season-opening Ice Breaker Challenge. Smith took the lead on lap four of the Saturday finale and stayed in charge despite the caution coming out with two laps left. Ricky Stephan got a jump on Kelly Shryock following the restart and moved up to second with Friday winner Jordan Grabouski taking over fourth on the final lap. Grabouski had swapped the opening night lead with Stephan early on before settling into the front spot for good and taking the $1,000 checkers. Second was Scott Smith and Ryan Gaylord raced his way into the top three late in the contest, Both Dylan Smith and Grabouski were already on the ballot for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Lance Borgman topped both $500 to win Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod features and earned a $1,000 Twice is Nice Challenge bonus for his efforts. Other Friday winners were Roy Armstrong in the [Read More]

Awards for IMCA Hobby Stock drivers added to Landrum Springs program

MENTONE, Ind. – Landrum Springs expands its contingency program with IMCA in 2016, adding awards for Hobby Stock drivers. A product certificate to purchase one spring and get a second free will be given to top three eligible drivers in both Northern and Southern regions of the Sunoco-sponsored division. The Mentone, Ind., company gives the same awards to the top three eligible finishers in each of the five IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified regions and both IMCA Sunoco Stock Car regions, and to the top three eligible drivers in national Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod and Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMod point standings. “Landrum is proud to say that we have been a partner with IMCA over the past 12 years which is why we are excited to expand into the Hobby Stock division in 2016,” said General Sales Manager Jeff Fuller. “We look forward to providing high quality springs for each division and continuing to strengthen our relationship with IMCA and its drivers. ” In addition to competing with four Landrum-manufactured springs, drivers in all [Read More]

Shawano packs the house for season-opening McBride Memorial

By Scott Owen SHAWANO, Wis. (April 16) – An amazing 152 cars and an absolutely packed grandstand were on hand for opening night of the 2016 season as well as to pay their respects to Shawano Speedway legend M.J. McBride Saturday evening. McBride, a seven-time track champion at Shawano who passed way this winter, was honored by the track and its competitors as part of an emotional opening ceremony. His son Dean carried the checkered flag around the track one final time in honor of his father. Brad Lautenbach led the first two laps of the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified feature before succumbing to the pressures of Marcus Yarie. Lautenbach continued to follow Yarie until Eddie Muenster put his familiar number five car into second. At this point in the race the best battle was for position in the top five as Muenster, Lautenbach, Andy Kleczka, Benji LaCrosse, and Johnny Whitman all vied for runner-up honors. At the end it was Yarie in victory lane, with LaCrosse emerging in the battle for second. Kleczka, Muenster, and [Read More]

Hanson follows high side to Cottage Grove checkers

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (April 16) – His high side momentum put Craig Hanson in victory lane Saturday at Cottage Grove Speedway. Steven Sturdevant had secured the lead on the 11th lap of the caution-slowed contest, then held off Hanson in the battle for the front spot until lap 21. Hanson built some momentum via the high side of the track to make the pass coming out of turn four. Hanson showed the way to the rest of the field en route to his first win of the year. Sturdevant, Nick Trenchard, Mark Carrell and Kyle Casson completed the top five. A good crop of Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods was in attendance and five different drivers took turns leading at the start-finish line. Shawn Hand, Mike Medel, Andrew Mathers and Chris Frisbie all did time up front before Jorddon Braaten took over for good. Frisbie, was second and veteran Gene Ashley was third. The rest of the top five consisted of Hand and Medel.

Linkenhoker is a natural at Natural Bridge

By Jim Haines NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (April 16) – Anthony Linkenhoker was always at Natural Bridge Speedway, having grown up just 10 miles from the track, and Saturday night he was standing on the front stretch as winner of the Virginia Sprint Series main event. The IMCA EMI RaceSaver tour feature was paced by Linkenhoker and Tony Harris with Linkenhoker out first and Tony and Jerald Harris all in a row. Linkenhoker was smooth out front, running mid-track with Tony Harris high and Jerald Harris low close behind him. On lap 10, Jerald Harris went low and into second with Tom Humphries getting to third two laps later. The top three ran close enough to cover with a blanket until Humphries started to fade and allowing Brian Lawson to close in. Coming to the checkers, Linkenhoker stayed on line as Jerald Harris tried one last time but could only get to the rear of the car as they crossed the stripe as Lawson passed for third. Next Saturday, April 23, the dirt season continues at [Read More]

Carney cruises to SSO victory at SOS

By David Smith Jr. ARDMORE, Okla. (April 15) – John Carney II took the lead at the start and never looked back as he cruised to his third Sprint Series of Oklahoma IMCA EMI RaceSaver Sprint Car victory of the season Friday at Southern Oklahoma Speedway. Carney and Sterling Hoff started on the front row for the 20-lap feature with Carney taking the lead as the green flag fell. Third starting Joe Wood Jr. quickly moved into second from his third starting position while Gary Kelley, Hoff and Lloyd Clevenger followed in the top five. Carney had built a four car length lead over Wood before the first and only caution of the feature fell when Ty Williams and Clevenger tangled in turn four. On the restart, Carney again bolted out into the lead with Wood on his rear bumper. Andy Shouse, who had a bad start at the beginning of the feature after starting fourth, had worked his way up to the third position before the caution and would begin a battle with Wood [Read More]

IMCA Late Model point season starts this weekend

VINTON, Iowa – Opening night events are this weekend for the 2016 IMCA Late Model point season. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Allstar Performance State and local track points will be awarded from Friday, April 22 through Sunday, Aug. 28. Regular Friday night shows will be held at Davenport Speedway, Farley Speedway and the Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway in Des Moines. Saturday sanctions are Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, Independence Motor Speedway, Maquoketa Speedway, Shelby County Speedway in Harlan and West Liberty Raceway. Dubuque Speedway and Quad City Speedway in East Moline feature the Late Models on Sunday race programs. Six Friday events are on the schedule at Marshalltown Speedway. Late Models make five Sunday visits to Benton County Speedway in Vinton and another – on July 3 – to Stuart Speedway.

Taylor has IMCA Modified field covered at Legit

WEST PLAINS, Mo. (April 16) – After restarting last in Saturday’s main event at Legit Speedway, then racing back through the field to take the $1,500 checkers, Jeff Taylor got to go home and get some shuteye. Taylor got the best of the Xtreme Motor Sports Modified field after exiting to the pits with a cut left rear tire five circuits into the 30-lapper. “It was just a racing deal. I got into them and they got into me,” said Taylor, seventh on the original starting grid. “After the restart I was able to run high, low, middle, just wherever. I was happy we were able to so good. There were some pretty good guys there.” The race ended with a couple late cautions and Taylor, already on the ballot for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, four car lengths ahead of Logan Martin. Robby Arnold, 13th starting Richie Tosh and Brian Ritchie rounded out the top five in the Midwest Walnut-sponsored special. Taylor lives just an hour and 15 minutes or so from West Plains but [Read More]

Brown Tops IMCA Modified Extravaganza At West Liberty

By Jerry Mackey WEST LIBERTY, Iowa (April 16) – An outstanding field of 80 race teams entered the West Liberty Raceway Modified Extravaganza on Saturday night. When the final checkered flag of the night waved it was Kyle Brown collecting the $1,000 top prize after thrilling the fans with a charge to the checkers overtaking race leader Kurt Kile for ahalf a car length Performance Concepts IMCA Modified victory. Kile led for 24 and ¾-laps before Brown executed the winning move in the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier. Ray Guss Jr. crossed under the checkers third ahead of Chris Zogg and Zach VanderBeek. The Weikert Iron & Metal IMCA Northern SportMods main event saw Curtis Van Der Wal score a hard fought win over Tim Plummer. The two battled for the majority of the 20-lap main before Vanderwal was able to score a two car length win. The Kile Motorsports IMCA Stock Car car main saw David Brandies turn the tables from the previous weeks’ races and take the checkered flag ahead of Johnny [Read More]

Great Scott! Deery Series win at Hamilton County is first for Fitzpatrick

WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (April 16) – Losing position helped make Scott Fitzpatrick a first-time Deery Brothers Summer Series feature winner. Fitzpatrick checked out on the rest of the IMCA Late Model field Saturday at Hamilton County Speedway. He’d started outside Chad Holladay on the front row, fell behind Darrel DeFrance and Todd Cooney, then put himself in position to take charge after Holladay suffered mechanical issues. “This was awesome,” Fitzpatrick said. “(Getting) This win was haunting me and I finally got it done in true fashion. There were some of the best IMCA drivers here. This win is very humbling.” The $2,000 victory came in Fitzpatrick’s 34th career Deery start and just his second at Webster City. He’d been runner-up twice, at Des Moines in 2014 and at West Liberty last year. Jeff Aikey, Richie Gustin, Tyler Bruening and DeFrance completed the top five. Sixth was Cooney and seventh was hard charger John Emerson, who had started last in the field of 25. Making his first visit to Webster City, Holladay impressed in winning his [Read More]