Newswire

Karlnoski captures career first Friesen Empire State Series win

DUNDEE, N.Y. (Oct. 24) – After the third time he drove away from the rest of the field, Rich Karlnoski raced to his career first Friesen Chevrolet Empire State Series feature win. Karlnoski won his IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified tour heat by most of a straightaway Friday at Yates County Speedway. He was checking out before a lap 18 caution in the main event, then pulled ahead again following the restart. The victory was worth $400. “That car was just perfect,” Karlnoski said after piloting the 2008 Ellis, with a self-designed rear end and Steve and Patty Damon-built engine, to the winner’s circle. “When this car is right, it’s perfect.” Karlnoski stayed in front following several early restarts. He was already negotiating lapped traffic and coming up on a tightknit group of six more cars when the late caution flew. “I was trying to figure out how I was going to get by and that caution came out at just the right time,” said Karlnoski, who motored away when the green came back out. [Read More]

Weekly IMCA racing Fridays at Clay County Fair Speedway in 2015

SPENCER, Iowa – The Clay County Fair is pleased to announce IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing each Friday night beginning May 15 at the Clay County Fair Speedway throughout the 2015 season. “This is a tremendous opportunity to fully utilize the Speedway,” said CCF Manager Jeremy Parsons. “Going from five races in 2014 to 14 races in 2015 will be a great benefit to not only the Speedway, but also to all of Spencer.”  According to an independent economic study completed earlier this year, five nights of IMCA racing in 2013 brought nearly $77,000 in direct spending by out-of-county drivers to Spencer. “That number will obviously exceed $200,000 by tripling the amount of race dates,” said Parsons. Races will be held each Friday night May 15 through July 31; August 21; and the final race at the county fair on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Featured divisions each Friday night at the Clay County Fair Speedway will include IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Mach-1 [Read More]

No increase in license cost for next season

VINTON, Iowa – The cost of an IMCA competitor’s license will remain unchanged for the 13th consecutive season in 2015. Licenses will run $115 for Modifieds, $135 for Late Models, $105 for Sprint Cars, $95 for Stock Cars, $90 for both SportMod divisions, $85 for Hobby Stocks and $60 for Sport Compacts. Optional associate/crew member licenses are also unchanged at $60. IMCA will not administer the West Coast Super Stock program next year. The same insurance coverage remains in effect. A subscription to Inside IMCA is included with license purchase. The 2015 license application form is published on Page A21 in this month’s newsletter. It will also be available online.

Victory Chassis Challenge awards 2015 sponsorships to top performers

DES MOINES, Iowa – An exciting season-long competition for IMCA drivers wrapped up Sept. 28 and gave four drivers a head start for the 2015 season. The Victory Chassis Challenge, a new opportunity in 2014, was open to all Victory Chassis drivers in the Modified, SportMod, Hobby Stock, and Stock Car divisions. The Modified and SportMod drivers with the most IMCA sanctioned feature wins each earned a new 2015 Victory Chassis, and the Hobby Stock and Stock Car drivers with the most wins earned a new 2015 Victory Chassis roll cage and floor pan. In the Modified division, Chris Fleming of Union Springs, N.Y., ran away from the field, amassing 28 feature wins. Fleming captured a second straight Eastern Region crown in addition to the 2015 Victory Chassis sponsorship. Shane Swanson of Forest City, Iowa narrowly edged out Doug Smith by virtue of a tiebreaker in the SportMod division. Both drivers tallied 12 wins this season, but it was Swanson, with more national championship points (1,182-1,162) who earned the sponsorship for 2015. A familiar name [Read More]

Early entries for IMCA’s Duel In The Desert already top 100

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – More than 100 early entries are already in hand for the Nov. 12-15 IMCA Duel In The Desert special at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 17th annual event brings IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds back to the Entertainment Capital of the World for a $7,777 to win, minimum $777 to start Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying main event on Saturday, Nov. 15 on the half-mile Dirt Track. Two preliminary features Thursday, Nov. 13 and on Friday, Nov. 14 each pay $777 to win. Saturday’s top prize for Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMods has been raised to $1,777. Those divisions will compete in the same races with their existing 2014 rules; qualifying features on Thursday and Friday will pay $500 to win. Eighty-three Modified drivers from 20 states and two Canadian provinces have already pre-entered for the Duel, as have 32 SportMod drivers from nine states and Canada. Advance entry fees paid by Oct. 31 are $200 for Modifieds and $150 for SportMods; entry fees after [Read More]

10 win decals = $50 gift card

DES MOINES, Iowa – Drivers in all IMCA divisions displaying 10 Karl Performance heat win decals are eligible to receive a $50 gift certificate from the Des Moines high performance parts supplier. Drivers should send a photo of their car proving placement of those decals to Marketing Director Kevin Yoder at the IMCA home office. Yoder’s email address is kyoder@imca.com. Gift certificates will be presented during the national awards banquet next month.

Friday date at Yates County next for Friesen Chevrolet Empire State Series

DUNDEE, N.Y. – Touring IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds have a Friday, Oct. 24 date at Yates County Speedway during the Dutch Hoag National Open Weekend. The eighth of nine Friesen Chevrolet Empire State Series features this season pays $400 to win and a minimum of $75 to start. There is no entry fee. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 5:45 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. Pit passes are $30 for members and $35 for temporary members. Grandstand admission is $18 for adults, $16 for seniors ages 62 and up, $10 for students ages 13-17, $5 for kids ages 6-12 and free for five and under. An open practice session for all divisions runs from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23. Friday’s main event for the IMCA Modifieds will be 25 laps. Matt Cole of Binghamton won the June 15 Empire State Series feature at Dundee. Friesen Chevrolet Empire State Series top 20 point standings – 1. James Cornell, Port Crane, 277; [Read More]

15 marketing partners to receive awards during IMCA national banquet in November

LINCOLN, Neb. – Fifteen marketing partners will be recognized with special awards during the national IMCA banquet next month. Speedway Motors, IMCA’s longest tenured sponsor, receives a 35-year award. Bassett and Intercomp both get 20-year awards. Ten-year plaques go to Chevrolet Performance, Dynatech Headers, Landrum Springs and Smiley’s Racing Products. Recipients of five-year plaques include Allstar Performance, Arnold Motor Supply, CPD Racing Tools, HJC Motorsports, Integra Shocks, PRO Shocks, Summit Racing Equipment and Sweet Manufacturing. 2014 champions and rookies of the year receive awards, as do promoters of tracks to be recognized with length of sanction awards. IMCA’s national awards banquet is Saturday, Nov. 29 at the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, Neb. Room reservations can be made by calling 866 706-7706 and requesting the IMCA group rate. Tickets are $35 and banquet reservations should be made by Nov. 20, by mail or by calling the IMCA home office at 319 472-2201. The champions’ reception will be held at the Smith Collection of American Speed, on the Speedway Motors campus in Lincoln on Friday, Nov. 28.

20th Ryan Bard Memorial Southern Challenge this weekend at Abilene Speedway

ABILENE, Texas – Abilene Speedway marks a milestone with its 20th annual Ryan Bard Memorial Southern Challenge special Oct. 17-19. Four sanctioned divisions are on the program for the Friday through Sunday special, which totes a total purse of $75,000. IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds chase a $3,000 top check, with a minimum of $450 paid to start their 2015 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier. Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMods race for $2,500 to win and a minimum of $250 to start. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars vie for $2,000 to win and a minimum of $300 to take the main event green. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks race for $1,000 to win and $100 to start. “B” feature starters get $250 in the Modifieds and $150 in both the Southern SportMods and Stock Cars. Non-qualifier pay is $100 for the Modifieds and Stock Cars and $75 for the Southern SportMods and Hobby Stocks. Gates open at 5 p.m. and an open practice session will be held from 6-10 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, with complimentary [Read More]

Mari tops October entries in non-fendered divisions

By Ryan Clark IMPERIAL, Calif. – What Lance Mari considered a mediocre year would be a successful one by the standards of many drivers. The Imperial, Calif., veteran earned three wins en route to a third place finish in the final standings at Cocopah Speedway, a mere 13 points short of earning his second straight track championship. He was also the winner of October’s Sybesma Graphics IMCA Facebook Fan Favorite Contest for non-fendered divisions. The honor earns him a mini-mod door courtesy of Sybesma. “We built a new car,” said Mari, “and when it’s on, it’s real good. When it’s not, it’s a struggle. I think we’re at the end of the struggles with it.” Mari, who runs MRT Race Cars, has built his own cars since the mid-2000s. “The newer designed car seems like it wants to work, it’s just a matter of putting it all together,” he explained. Along with the weekly battles at Cocopah, Mari did his fair share of traveling by following the Winter Challenge Series in Arizona and Kupper Chevrolet [Read More]