Newswire

Veteran Davenport Speedway announcer retires

DAVENPORT, Iowa – When race cars take to local tracks for the 2015 season, it won’t sound the same. After 40 years, veteran track announcer Phil Roberts is hanging up the microphone. Most recently, Roberts has been the voice of the Davenport Speedway. Roberts’ official involvement in racing began in 1973, when he took over as host of the Around the Track motor racing news program on KWNT-AM Radio. The following year, Roberts got his first taste of being a track announcer in a substitute role at Davenport Speedway. Promoter Ernie Cook hired Roberts to his first full-time announcer job at Maquoketa in 1977. Throughout his career, Roberts has announced at many tracks in Eastern Iowa. He has also worked at tracks in Illinois, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Tennessee and Florida. Despite his many announcer jobs, Phil continued to host Around the Track from 1973 to 1990. The show aired on several Quad City area radio stations before landing on KWPC in Muscatine, where it finally ended. Roberts also worked as media coordinator for two series. [Read More]

IMCA Modified, Northern SportMod drivers vie for Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service awards

SUAMICO, Wis. – Second-year marketing partner Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service rewards the accomplishments of IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod special events competitors again this season. Top five finishers at 30 designated Modified specials and 15 Northern SportMod specials receive gift certificates good toward two free shock rebuilds. Certificates will be mailed from the IMCA home office the week after official results are received. JMSS retails Afco, Bilstein, Fox, Integra, QA1, Penske and JRI shocks, repairs and services shocks of all makes and consults on shock packages for high performance use. The Suamico, Wis., company’s growing list of customers includes two-time defending national Northern SportMod national champion Matt Looft. “It is great to renew this program with JMSS in 2015,” IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder said. “They not only presented certificates last year but serviced racers at special events like Super Nationals, and I anticipate we’ll see then back on Manufacturers’ Row again this year.” More information about shocks and shock services available from Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service is available by [Read More]

Gill starts IMCA Modified hardware collection with Siskiyou, Southern Oregon track crowns

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – A driver who hadn’t even thought of a number for his car before he started to race was number one in IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified point standings at two tracks in 2014. Albert Gill reigned at Siskiyou Motor Speedway in California and at Southern Oregon Speedway. His two feature wins at Southern Oregon, on May 3 and June 21, were the first and second of his IMCA career. “It was very gratifying to finally put the car in the winner’s circle. I’d won some big pro stock races over the years but to put my Modified to the checkered flag first was very gratifying,” Gill said. “I didn’t have any intention of trying to win two track championships, especially at two Saturday tracks.” “It was crazy how it worked out. The weather and the track schedules helped make it possible,” he added. “I was in the lead at both tracks when they canceled the last night at Siskiyou to use the fairgrounds as a camp to fight a forest fire.” [Read More]

Record purse set for July 5-10 Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Tour

MANDAN, N.D. (Jan. 12) – Another record purse will be paid out over the course of the 26th annual Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Classic Tour. IMCA Modifieds race for $2,100 to win and IMCA Stock Cars for $800 to win each night of the July 5-10 tour. Top 10 drivers in final point standings earn shares of $2,000 Modified and $1,000 Stock Car point funds, provided by tour title sponsor Kupper Chevrolet. The series starts its six-night run on Sunday, July 5 at the 3/8-mile Nodak Speedway on the North Dakota State Fairgrounds in Minot, then heads just north of the border to Estevan, Sask., and the 3/8-mile Estevan Motor Speedway on Monday, July 6. On Tuesday, July 7, it’s south to the Upper Missouri Valley Fairgrounds and the ¼-mile Williston Basin Speedway. The show at ¼-mile Southwest Speedway in Dickinson is Wednesday, July 8. On Thursday, July 9, the tour heads to the 3/8-mile Dacotah Speedway in Mandan. The series concludes with Championship Night at the ¼-mile Jamestown Speedway on Friday, July 10. All six [Read More]

Speedway Motors to host third annual Racer Appreciation Day

By Damon Lee LINCOLN, Neb. – Building on the success of previous events, Speedway Motors will host its third annual Racer Appreciation Day on Saturday, Feb. 7, from 1-6 p.m. Racers from around the region are expected to swarm Speedway’s Lincoln, Neb., headquarters for this fantastic pre-season open house and sale. Speedway Motors’ Racer Appreciation Day will showcase hundreds of new and exclusive race parts featured in unique displays. It will provide racers with a fantastic opportunity to try on new safety gear and take advantage of free shock and torsion bar dyno services. Special pricing will be available on all parts counter purchases. This year Speedway will be giving racers an inside look into its state-of-the-art engineering and manufacturing center, as well as the all new Speedway Racing Engines facility. “Speedway is very excited for this opportunity to give our local race customers a first look at our brand new engine facility,” said Clay Smith, president of Speedway Motors. “As we prepare for the upcoming race season, this Racer Appreciation Day is the perfect [Read More]

IMCA Stock Car, Northern SportMod drivers race for new engines at Thunderhill

By Edward Anschutz STURGEON BAY, Wis. – Thunderhill Raceway competitors in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod divisions will be racing for new engines in 2015. Last season, Thunderhill boasted a $30,000 contingency plan at the champions awards banquet and the same will take place this year. Stock Car drivers will vie for an Extreme Enterprises 500 spec engine valued at $5,000. Jim Olson Motors of Sturgeon Bay has again stepped up with a new GM 602 crate engine giveaway for the Northern SportMods. Thunderhill street stocks will also have an engine waiting at the banquet courtesy of Dave “The Hammer” DeGrave Engine Rebuilding and valued at $3,500. Drivers are required to compete in 80 percent of scheduled events to remain eligible for the prizes at the 2015 awards banquet. Track promoter Woody Wodack stated his goal is to have $40,000 in cash, parts, apparel and engines. “Extreme Enterprises and Hammer Engine Rebuilding have built countless race winning engines over the years and we’re excited to once again give more to [Read More]

Snowbird Classic set for Jan. 17-18 at Arizona Speedway

QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. – IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds race for $1,250 to win both nights of Arizona Speedway’s Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 17-18 Snowbird Classic. Both features are qualifying events for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods will join XMods in $600 to win features each night. IMCA legal mufflers are required in both sanctioned divisions. Weekend entry fees are $100 for the Modifieds and $60 for the Northern SportMods. The same amounts will be paid to start the respective features. Non-qualifier pay is $50 for the Modifieds and $40 for Northern SportMods. Modifieds vie for IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Larry Shaw Racing Western Region and Allstar Performance State points. Pit gates open at 2 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 4 p.m. both days. Racing starts at 6 p.m. Adult grandstand admission is $15. Pit passes are $30. More information is available at the www.arizonaspeedway.net website, on Facebook or by calling 480 926-6688.

McDaniel makes mark as West Coast Nationals conclude at Chowchilla

CHOWCHILLA, Calif. (Jan. 4) – Ryan McDaniel hit his marks lap after lap as he stayed a step ahead of Cody Laney to win the final IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature of the West Coast Nationals Weekend Sunday evening at Chowchilla Speedway. “As fast as it was up there on the top of the track, I wasn’t about to venture anywhere else,” McDaniel said in victory lane. “It was a racy track, but there was no way he (Laney) was going to get me from the bottom.” McDaniel, already on the ballot for this September’s Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, earned $2,000 for his efforts. Laney stayed at the bottom of the track, thwarting third place finisher Paul Stone’s bid for second. Stone was the top local driver in the event. “He showed me a nose, but I kept ahead,” the 19-year-old Laney said of Stone. “I just couldn’t catch McDaniel. I knew I had to try something, but nothing seemed to work.” Stone tried his best to crack the top two. “I pushed a [Read More]

Late arrival Cleveland is first to IMCA West Coast Nationals finish at Merced

MERCED, Calif. (Jan. 3) – Duane Cleveland opened his trailer Saturday morning for the first time since racing in Las Vegas two months ago and unloaded the car that won the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature on night two of the West Coast Nationals at Merced Speedway. “At seven this morning, I decided to race today and took the car out of its trailer and scaled it,” Cleveland said from victory lane. “I got to Merced just in time for the show.” The win paid $2,500 and put Cleveland on the ballot for September’s Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Cleveland took the lead early in the 30-lap feature after battling Oregon traveler Tom Berry Jr. Cleveland was never to be challenged for the rest of the distance. Berry, who had never before raced at Merced, held off Kellen Chadwick until the waning moments of the race. Chadwick took up the chase of Cleveland but time ran out before he could catch him. “It was a good time out there. The track was great,” Cleveland said. [Read More]

Foulger brews up popular win in West Coast Nationals opener at Antioch

ANTIOCH, Calif. (Jan. 2) – Four-time track champion Troy Foulger and Jeremy Hoff were victorious in the first half of the IMCA West Coast Nationals Friday night at Antioch Speedway. Foulger outdueled Kellen Chadwick after a dogfight for the ages in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified main event. Hoff fought off challenges from Wayne Dotson, then from Fred Ryland and Bubba Nelson to capture the biggest win of his young career in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature. Foulger’s victory paid $2,500; he was already on the ballot for this year’s Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Hoff’s checkers were good for $1,750. Both features were 30 laps. A huge victory lane celebration followed Foulger’s popular win. He caught Chadwick, beating him on the last restart, and took the high groove to victory lane. Chadwick lost second to Nick DeCarlo on the last lap. “I watched Kellen for a few laps and figured how to take his line away,” said Foulger, who proved his nickname Tricky is no misnomer. “I ran the top and stayed above [Read More]