Newswire

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]

Cosper collects fendered division honors

By Ryan Clark BELTON, Texas – Charles Cosper’s approach is simple. “We try to look good even if we’re not fast.” The Belton driver had all bases covered in 2014. Following a very successful season on the track, Cosper was the October winner of the Sybesma Graphics IMCA Facebook Fan Favorite Contest for fendered divisions. He’ll get a mini-hood courtesy of Sybesma. A weekly runner at Heart O’ Texas Speedway in Waco and 281 Speedway in Stephenville, the second-year IMCA Sunoco Stock Car driver exceeded expectations in 2014. “We had a very good season,” stated Cosper. “We ended up winning both track championships and 10 features.” Cosper’s local success made him a player in the regional and national standings, as well. He unofficially ended the season fourth in the Arnold Motor Supply Southern Region and 14th nationally. Final points will become official Oct. 27. After eight years in an IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Cosper made the move to the Stock Car ranks in 2013. “We had won state, region and track championships in the Hobby [Read More]

Derek Fralin named director of competition at Beatrice

BEATRICE, Neb. – The Gage County Agriculture Society has promoted head flagman Derek Fralin to director of competition at Beatrice Speedway. Fralin has been head flagman at Beatrice for the past eight years. He competed in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Factory Stock and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car divisions for 15-plus seasons, winning the Hobby Stock track title at Beatrice in 1999 and the Stock Car crown in 2003 and 2004. He comes from a strong racing background which includes his father Monty, brothers Tim and Matt, and son Tyler. Fralin has worked at Exmark Manufacturing for 18 years and is currently a quality control supervisor at the Beatrice plant. He’ll assume his new role at the track in November. Dan Crawford had been director of competition at Beatrice for the past four years.

Friesen Chevrolet Empire State Series déjà vu: Cornell wins again at Five Mile Point Speedway

KIRKWOOD, N.Y. (Oct. 10) – The seventh installment of the 2014 Friesen Chevrolet Empire State Series played out a lot like the first. James Cornell qualified for the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified tour main event at Five Mile Point Speedway despite starting last in his heat, drew a front row starting spot for the feature and then led every lap. “The fact that I grew up racing here helps a lot,” acknowledged Cornell, who’d won the April 13 feature and returned to Kirkwood with the series point lead. “I started racing here in the pro stocks, then the sportsman and now the IMCA Modifieds. This was my 90th career win and more than half of them have been at Five Mile Point.” The victory paid $500 and came ahead of Chris Fleming, Matt Cole, Keith Lamphere and Tyler Stoddard. Fleming, twice a tour winner this season and the two-time defending Dirt Works Eastern Region champion, challenged but couldn’t stay in contention following a restart late in the 20-lapper. “Chris had a really good year [Read More]

Boyd Grand Nationals IMCA Modified checkers worth two grand to Wojtek

BOYD, Texas (Oct. 11) – Three feet or so made the difference between Fred Wojtek’s biggest-paying IMCA IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature win and second place. Wojtek beat Charie Harmon to the checkers by that distance Saturday at Boyd Raceway’s Grand Nationals. The $2,000 victory put Wojtek on the ballot for next year’s Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “I had a couple guys pull up next to me,” he said. “It was a close one there at the end with Charlie.” Wojtek had started the 25-lapper from outside the front row. Kevin Sustaire took over the lead near midway but exited with mechanical problems with 10 circuits left. That put Wojtek back in first and he stayed there despite Harmon’s best efforts. Justin Radcliff, Mark Patterson and Jason Hunter completed the top five. Matt Guillaume and Doug Easterling each earned $1,500 for their IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMod victories, respectively. Ronnie Ellis took the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock checkers and a $1,200 top prize. Brant Bachman bested the $250 to [Read More]

Harris wraps up title in closest finish in VSS history

By Jim Haines SHENANDOAH, Va. (Oct. 11) – Jerald Harris passed Brian Lawson a few feet in front of the checkered flag to win in the closest finish in Virginia Sprint Series history Saturday at Shenandoah Speedway. The series champion’s margin of victory was so slim that the electronic scoring system was needed to decide the winner of the 14th and final IMCA Eagle Motorsports RaceSaver Sprint Car tour event of the season. Chris Ware and Anthony Linkenhoker paced the field to green with Linkenhoker out first and bringing along Brian Lawson. The top two were smooth and steady as Linkenhoker continued to lead until lap eight when Lawson got a better run in to turn one and went into the lead. Harris made his way to the front as Lawson was trying to get away but as the fast paced race clicked by, traffic was coming up and it was getting close with two to go. Lawson stayed smooth but Harris closed as they took the white flag. When the two rockets entered turn [Read More]

Fall Nationals at RPM Speedway rained out

By Mike Hughes HAYS, KS—The Xtreme Motorsports Fall Nationals VIII fueled by Casey’s General Stores at RPM Speedway in Hays, Kan., this past weekend was rained out and will not be rescheduled. Rain started to fall Thursday afternoon and continued into Friday afternoon, forcing track officials to cancel the race program both nights. The sun came out on Saturday and track prep crews did their best to try and roll in the track, but with all the rain, they were unable to do so and officials had to cancel the Saturday show as well. IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Mach-1 Sport Compacts were on the program at RPM.

Kay completes Deery Series title run with twin wins at West Liberty

WEST LIBERTY, Iowa (Oct. 11) – Justin Kay couldn’t have scripted a better finish to his career first Deery Brothers Summer Series championship campaign. Kay won the final event of the 2014 IMCA Late Model tour Saturday during West Liberty Raceway’s Liberty 100 special. He followed that victory – his sixth in 14 series events – with another $3,000 run to the checkers in the pay/no points feature that followed. Both main events were 50 laps. Denny Eckrich, Nate Beuseling, Colby Springsteen and hard charger Ryan Dolan completed the top five in the series finale. Ray Guss Jr. and Todd Malmstrom were the early leaders before Beuseling took over for a long run at the front. Kay finally caught up on lap 43 and beat the 10th starting Eckrich to the checkers by a couple car lengths. Nick Marolf, Jeremy Grady and Chad Holladay split time up front before Kay worked his way from 20th starting and into the lead on lap 19 in the second feature. He won by a straightaway despite a lap [Read More]

Unofficial 2014 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings; point standings become official at noon CST on Monday, Oct. 27.

Ties are broken by (home region where applicable) 40-point finish totals, then 39-point finishes, 38-point finishes, etc., in drivers’ first 55 starts IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds – 1. Zane DeVilbiss, Farmington, N.M., 1,233 (includes 36 bonus points); 2. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 1,227 (35); 3. Keith White, Little River Academy, Texas, 1,222 (40); 4. Chris Abelson, Sioux City, Iowa, 1,219 (25); 5. Christopher Fleming, Union Springs, N.Y., 1,219 (26); 6. Cory Sample, Winnemucca, Nev., 1,218 (32); 7. Jesse Sobbing, Glenwood, Iowa, 1,217 (31); 8. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton, Iowa, 1,216 (36); 9. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz. 1,197 (40); 10. A.J. Ward, Ionia, Mich., 1,188 (38); 11. Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn., 1,177 (32); 12. Josh Vogt, Santa Maria, Calif., 1,177 (34); 13. Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup, Iowa, 1,174 (18); 14. Josh McGaha, Abilene, Texas, 1,166 (32); 15. Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice, Neb., 1,162 (34); 16. Dean Abbey, Waco, Texas, 1,152; 17. Jimmy Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, 1,148 (20); 18. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Ill., 1,142 (29); 19. Matt Cole, Binghamton, N.Y., 1,139 (12); 20. Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa, 1,139 [Read More]

Friday Five Mile Point show next for Friesen Chevrolet Empire State Series

KIRKWOOD, N.Y. – James Cornell got the win when Friesen Chevrolet Empire State Series came to Five Mile Point Speedway for opening night back on April 13. He’ll bring the point lead to Kirkwood when the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified tour returns to Kirkwood for a Friday, Oct. 10 show, the seventh of nine events on the 2014 series schedule. The feature pays $400 to win, plus a $100 bonus courtesy of Riding The Cushion, and lap money. Main event qualifiers earn a minimum of $100 when they take the green flag. There is no entry fee. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 4:45 p.m. Hot laps are at 7 p.m. with racing to follow. Grandstand admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors ages 65 and over, $5 for students 13-17 and free for kids 12 and under when accompanying a paid adult. A family pack sells for $30 and gets two adults and three seniors or students through the turnstiles. Each also gets a hot dog and [Read More]