ArizonaSpeedway Archives

Ward tops record-setting Arizona Mod Tour opener

By Jackson Braun QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. (Feb. 8) – An action-packed night of racing at the 1/3 mile Arizona Speedway speedplant was capped off by a first-time winner in Arizona Mod Tour action as Arizona native and Iowa transplant Tim Ward bested the field of 26 stout IMCA Modified drivers. A tour record 92 Modifieds and 37 IMCA Northern SportMods checked into the pit gate for opening night of the third annual tour. Ward’s victory paid $1,500 and put him on the ballot for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Robert Hellebust and Joey Price led the field to green for 25 trips around the Arizona Speedway oval. Hellebust jumped out to an early lead, but a caution reset the field back to square one. Hellebust got the jump on the restart but Bobby Hogge IV challenged early on. After a few laps of battling, Hellebust started to pull away. Ward started 11th on the field and had already made his way up into the top five within a few laps. He got past Hogge quickly [Read More]

Marriott collects second Arizona IMCA Modified Tour checkers

By Mike Spieker CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 11) – Round three of the second annual Karl Performance Arizona IMCA Modified Tour continued with a Sunday matinee at Central Arizona Speedway. Just as he did on opening night, Hunter Marriott picked up the $1,500 feature win. “I just had to keep hitting my marks. The checkered came out and I thought it was the yellow. I figured we had another 10 laps to go. I was just focused on keeping my speed up and not letting them get too close,” said Marriott in victory lane. Marriott, who started on the outside of the front row, grabbed the lead on the opening lap over pole sitter Chaz Baca. Casey Arneson moved into second and rode right on the rear bumper of Marriott in the early going of the 25-lap event. By lap 10, 19th starting Ricky Thornton Jr. moved into third with a pass of Russell Allen. With nine circuits remaining, Allen’s top five effort came to an end when he and Ethan Dotson were racing for the [Read More]

O’Neil rebounds for round 2 Arizona IMCA Modified Tour victory

By Mike Spieker QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. (Feb. 10) – After a solid third place effort was negated the night before in post-race tech, Jake O’Neil cruised to the win on night two of the Karl Performance Arizona IMCA Modified Tour at Arizona Speedway. O’Neil started on the pole for the 25-lap main event with Kody Scholpp to his outside. O’Neil led the opening circuit with Scholpp in tow. Meanwhile, Jason Wolla, Casey Arneson and Ethan Dotson raced three-wide for third. The race for third quickly became a battle for second as Dotson and Arneson reeled in Scholpp. Dotson, who was the lone driver in the top five riding the rim around the thin cushion, squeezed around Scholpp for second and brought Wolla with him. Wolla snuck by Dotson for second with 18 laps to go but O’Neil had already stretched his advantage to over two seconds. Lapped traffic slowed O’Neil’s pace significantly, which allowed Wolla to close the gap to just over a half second. Fortunately for O’Neil, the caution was displayed as Wolla was closing [Read More]

Marriott charges to opening night Arizona IMCA Modified Tour victory

By Mike Spieker QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. (Feb. 9) – Defending champion Hunter Marriott was the $1,500 main event winner when the highly anticipated Karl Performance Arizona IMCA Modified Tour got underway Friday at Arizona Speedway. Eighty-eight Modifieds checked in for battle on opening night of the second annual tour. Marriott powered from the eighth starting position to battle Jason Wolla for the lead with four laps to go. Marriott placed a bid for the lead entering turn one as he attempted a slide job on Wolla amongst lapped traffic. Contact was made between Marriott and Wolla, which sent Wolla into the outside retaining wall and Marriott over the thick cushion. “That happens on this kind of race track,” said Marriott of the pass for the lead on Wolla. “[Wolla] messed up exiting turn four and I had a run on him. I knew that would be a good shot to take the lead if I was going to win. We weren’t quite clear, but it was close, though. I wasn’t going to lift and I [Read More]

Thornton is $1,000 Dirt Dominator winner

By Mike Spieker QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. (Feb. 8) – The second annual Karl Performance Arizona IMCA Modified Tour got underway Thursday evening with practice night at Arizona Speedway. Following the night’s practice session was the inaugural Dirt Dominator, a $1,000-to-win, 16-car bracket race for the IMCA Modifieds. Chandler driver Ricky Thornton Jr. walked through the field to capture the overall victory. Thornton topped Jake O’Neil in the championship round, utilizing the inside line starting position. “I knew it was going to be tough. Jake (O’Neil) has been really good,” Thornton said from victory lane. “I picked the bottom because I only ran one lap on the top. I knew I just had to get out front and not mess up.” Thornton took the lead coming to the flag stand off turn four after taking the green flag down the backstretch. O’Neil put his no. 0 machine on the cushion but Thornton was too strong on the bottom and ran unchallenged en route to the victory. Thornton defeated Delbert Shannon in the opening round before knocking off Russell [Read More]