canyonspeedwayaz Archives

Cain collects IMCA Modified checkers at Challenge finale

PEORIA, Ariz. (Feb. 6) – A car that was good enough took Josh Cain to victory lane on the final night of Canyon Speedway AZ’s Winter Series Challenge. Cain led all 20 laps of Sunday’s IMCA Modified main event, earning $1,000 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility along with his first win of 2022. “There was only one caution and it was a good thing it came when it did,” Cain said. “Don Shaw showed me the bottom about five laps in. After the caution I was able to take the bottom away.” Shaw had his hands full with Chaz Baca before ending in second. Baca took third after having won the previous two events at Peoria. A four-time winner last season, Shaw was to rebuild his 2021 DeVilbiss after a January wreck at Cocopah Speedway. “It wasn’t as good as I wanted but we got the car good enough,” said Cain. “We’ve made a lot of changes in the car from the first weekend to this one.” Chanse Hollatz, already eligible to qualify [Read More]

Baca keeps learning, wins again at Canyon Speedway AZ

PEORIA, Ariz. (Feb. 5) – As the learning continued, so did the winning. Chaz Baca won a second straight Winter Series Challenge IMCA Modified feature Saturday at Canyon Speedway AZ Saturday night. The victory was also his second in 13 starts aboard a 2022 DeVilbiss Chassis. “I had kind of an easy night,” said Baca, contending for a third consecutive Shaw Race Cars Western Region crown in 2022 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible six times over. “I won my heat race, started on the pole in the main event and just had to keep her straight and smooth and not make any mistakes.” Zachary Madrid, the first-night Winter Series Challenge winner, challenged for a couple laps later in the contest but couldn’t find his way by. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot about this new car. We’ve kept learning every night out,” Baca said. “It’s been a happy race car at Canyon. Hopefully we can take it to some other tracks and keep that going.” Baca’s winning efforts were good for $1,000. [Read More]

4 dates for 5 IMCA divisions in Canyon’s Winter Series Challenge

PEORIA, Ariz. – The Winter Series Challenge sees five IMCA divisions in action on four nights at Canyon Speedway AZ. IMCA Modifieds run for $1,000 to win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $800 to win and B & B Race Cars All-Star qualifying eligibility on Saturday and Sunday Jan. 29 and 30 and Feb. 5 and 6. IMCA Northern SportMods run for $800 to win, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and IMCA STARS Mod Lites both for $500 to win on the same four programs. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Shaw Race Cars Western, EQ Cylinder Heads Southern and Big Daddy Race Cars Southern regional points, and KMJ Performance State points will be awarded and pill draw each night will be $50 for Modifieds, $40 for Stock Cars and Northern SportMods, and $30 for Mod Lites and Hobby Stocks. Pit gates at Peoria open at 10 a.m., the grandstand opens at 2 p.m. and racing starts at 3 p.m. Pit passes are $35 for adults and $15 for kids [Read More]

Round 3, 4 Winter Series Challenge IMCA Modified wins to Gaylord, Baca

PEORIA, Ariz. (Feb. 6-7) – While Tripp Gaylord repeated his weekend runs to victory lane, Chaz Baca scored Sunday IMCA Modified checkers in Canyon Speedway AZ Winter Series Challenge action. After racing early with Bryson Yeager, Gaylord took charge of the Saturday main event and took home $1,000. “I lucked out with the pill draw,” said Gaylord, who started second and finished in front of Baca, 15th starting Cody Thompson and Aaron Elwess. “Then I kept it out front.” Baca, also already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, worked his way up from the third row to reel in leader Elwess on Sunday. He chased Elwess into traffic, then took over the front spot when the Oregon visitor pulled off with a flat. “I held it steady and smooth and stayed in the lead the rest of the race,” Baca reported following his third $1,000 checkers of the early season. Rounding out the top three were John Parmeley and Josh Cain. Aaron Spangler, 10th starting Anthony Madrid and 15th starting J.C. Parmeley were 1-2-3 in Saturday’s IMCA [Read More]

Gaylord, Skyberg up to IMCA Modified challenges at Canyon

PEORIA, Ariz. (Jan. 30-31) – Tripp Gaylord and Casey Skyberg proved up to the challenge in winning Winter Series Challenge features for IMCA Modifieds at Canyon Speedway AZ. Gaylord led the last 20 circuits in topping the Saturday event while Skyberg paced Sunday’s show from green to checkered. Both pocketed $1,000 and each later compared Canyon favorably to a track closer to their respective homes, I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan, Colo. Runner-up in the Saturday IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature, Gaylord more than made up for the DNF four years ago that resulted from his one previous Modified outing at Canyon. Already a Fast Shafts All-Star candidate, the Colorado driver led Brandon Schmitt and Zachary Madrid to the stripe on opening night. He’d become one of three double winners of the weekend by topping Sunday’s IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main. Roughed up in an early first-night tangle, Skyberg dominated on Sunday, pulling away from the pack following a restart with five to go in the 25-lapper. “We needed that,” the new All-Star ballot qualifier said. [Read More]

Canyon primes for IMCA Winter Series Challenge dates

PEORIA, Ariz. – Four IMCA divisions will be featured each night of the Winter Series Challenge at Canyon Speedway AZ. IMCA Modifieds are in the running for $1,000 to win and a minimum of $100 to start in their Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying events Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 30 and 31 and Feb. 6 and 7. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods both race for $800 to win, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $500 to win each day. Pit gates open at 11 a.m. and racing starts at 1 p.m. All four race programs will be broadcast by IMCA.TV. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National and KMJ Performance Arizona State points will be awarded each night, along with Shaw Race Cars Western Region points for Modifieds, EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region points for Stock Cars and Big Daddy Race Cars Southern Region points for Hobby Stocks. Pill draw is $50 for Modifieds, $40 for Stocks and SportMods and $30 for Hobbies. Open practice sessions run from 1-5 p.m. on Fridays [Read More]

Craft returning to home state as Canyon Speedway AZ promoter

PEORIA, Ariz. – David Craft comes home this season, as the new promoter at Canyon Speedway AZ. The Arizona native, also starting his second year in charge at Nebraska’s Lincoln County Raceway, and his wife Penny take over at Peoria where IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods, Mach-1 Sport Compacts and newly-sanctioned STARS Mod Lites will fill Saturday cards. “I spent a lot of years in Arizona. We have family here and Arizona has been a big part of our lives. We’re pleased to be back,” said Craft. “It’s a special place for us.” Craft started racing a Modified in Arizona and will commute between tracks in the spring and fall, focusing on Lincoln County when Canyon Speedway AZ is closed in July and August. “I know all racers want a shot at winning. We’re going to work very hard at being consistent in tech and treating all drivers fairly,” he said. “Consistency is another thing we like about IMCA. We don’t have to reach out to [Read More]