clashonthecoast Archives

Braaksma, Vandermark Jr., Smith Rise to the Top at IMCA TV Clash On The Coast

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Mar. 2, 2026) — The 4th annual IMCA TV Clash On The Coast returned to the Gulf Coast with four nights of competition split between Blackwater Speedway in Baker, Florida, and Deep South Speedway in Loxley, Alabama. Blackwater, formerly Northwest Florida Speedway, has hosted the tour each year since its inception, while Deep South joined the rotation for the second straight season. All three divisions crowned champions after tightly contested four-race title battles, with a different winner in each class on every night of competition. A total of 74 drivers competed in Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified action during the week. Newton, Iowa’s Ethan Braaksma wrapped up the Modified title by 12 points in the Trent Guest and Danny Meier-owned no. 111. The two-time defending Dakota Classic Modified Tour champion, former IMCA TV Winter Nationals champion, and reigning Harris Clash winner never fell outside the top five all week, stacking one win, three podium finishes, and a perfect four-for-four mark inside the top five to seal the championship. His best night came [Read More]

Hartwick Dominates IMCA TV Clash On The Coast Finale at Deep South

By Ben Deatherage LOXLEY, Ala. (Feb. 28, 2026) — Spencer Hartwick captured the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified 25-lap, $1,000-to-win feature on championship night of the 2026 IMCA TV Clash On The Coast at Deep South Speedway. The race served as a Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational qualifier for the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s later this September — placing Hartwick on the eligibility list to attempt qualification. After an opening-start caution, Hartwick surged to the lead and set the pace while two-time IMCA Modified National champion and Tuesday winner Chaz Baca Jr. applied early pressure. Bo Slay joined the mix as the top three separated themselves from the field. A pair of mid-race cautions threatened to tighten the battle, but the Quitman, Arkansas pilot was flawless on each restart and pulled away late to secure his first win of the season in the Close Racing Supply Eastern Region and his first career Clash On The Coast series triumph — making it four different Modified winners in four nights. Baca finished second, former Arizona [Read More]

Ward Breaks Through at Deep South for First IMCA TV Clash On The Coast Triumph

By Ben Deatherage LOXLEY, Ala. (Feb. 27, 2026) — Tim Ward, originally from Mesa, Arizona, and now residing in Harcourt, Iowa, added another milestone to his decorated résumé by capturing the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified 25-lap, $1,000-to-win feature on the third night of the 2026 IMCA TV Clash On The Coast at Deep South Speedway. The event served as a Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational qualifier for the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s later this September — placing Ward on the eligibility list. After a caution halted the initial start, Ward — wheeling the Doug and Amy Eckrich-owned no. 151 Performer Chassis house car — surged to the lead and paced lap one. Another early caution reset the field before Mississippi’s Spencer Hughes, in the Chris Smith-owned no. 11, and two-time Benton County Speedway champion Joel Rust began battling for second. Hughes secured the runner-up position on lap five as Ward, the two-time reigning Super Nationals winner, began to stretch his advantage. Hughes kept Ward within sight and made a bid underneath on [Read More]

Braaksma Breaks Through for First IMCA TV Clash On The Coast Triumph at Blackwater

By Ben Deatherage BAKER, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2026) — Ethan Braaksma powered to victory in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified 30-lap, $1,000-to-win feature on the opening night of the 2026 IMCA Clash On The Coast at Blackwater Speedway, formerly known as Northwest Florida Speedway. The event also served as a Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational qualifier for the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s later this September, for which Braaksma was already on the eligibility list. Tim Ward, the two-time reigning Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s winner, jumped to the early lead aboard the Doug and Amy Eckrich-owned no. 151 Performer Chassis house car before Joseph Joiner wrestled the top spot away on lap two. Joiner, driving the Andrews Autosport no. 10J for car owner Spencer Andrews, withstood multiple early cautions while fending off challenges from Braaksma. The race turned on lap 10 when Joiner bobbled, allowing Braaksma — the two-time defending Dakota Classic Modified Tour champion racing the Trent Guest and Danny Meier no. 111— to pounce and seize control. [Read More]

IMCA TV Clash On The Coast Returns Bigger Than Ever for 2026

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Jan. 26, 2026) — The 4th Annual IMCA TV Clash On The Coast is set to return February 21–28, 2026, featuring four nights of racing at two premier Gulf Coast dirt tracks with expanded racer amenities and one of the most unique offseason experiences in IMCA competition. It will feature three Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly divisions including the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, and Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods. The 2026 Clash On The Coast will be split between Northwest Florida Speedway in Baker, Fla., and Deep South Speedway in Loxley, Ala., continuing the successful dual-venue format that has defined the event’s rapid growth. Practice sessions are scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21, at Northwest Florida and Thursday, Feb. 26, at Deep South. Full race programs will follow Sunday and Monday, Feb. 22–23, at Northwest Florida before the tour shifts to Deep South for the final two shows on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27–28. Nightly payouts will pay $1,250 to win and $100 to start in each division, [Read More]

Preregistration Opens Oct. 1 for Fourth Annual IMCA TV Clash on the Coast; SportMods Added in 2026

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Sept. 30, 2025) — Preregistration for the much-anticipated Fourth Annual IMCA TV Clash on the Coast opens Wednesday, Oct. 1, on MyRacePass, with a major addition to the 2026 edition of the event. For the first time ever, Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods will join Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars in the Gulf Coast’s premier early-season showcase. The 2026 Clash on the Coast runs Feb. 21–28 with six nights of racing split between Northwest Florida Speedway in Baker, Fla., and Deep South Speedway in Loxley, Ala. Practice sessions are scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21, at Northwest Florida and Thursday, Feb. 26, at Deep South. Full race programs follow at Northwest Florida on Sunday, Feb. 22, and Monday, Feb. 23, before the tour shifts to Deep South for final shows on Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28. Feature winners in the Modified and Stock Car divisions at each event will earn eligibility to qualify for the 2026 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational and the B&B Racing Chassis [Read More]

Mike Vandermark Jr.: From Snowy Michigan to Clash On The Coast Champion

CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich. (Mar. 14, 2025) — A Wolverine who took his mittens off at this year’s IMCA TV Clash On The Coast was Mike Vandermark Jr., who never finished outside the Top 5 and earned the overall championship title in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car series. His worst finish was fourth on the final night at Deep South Speedway in Loxley, Alabama, to become the second champion in the class in two seasons. Racing Against the Odds Vandermark stands out for more than his performance. Like Florida’s Wyatt Parker and Evan Foust of Maryland, during this year’s Clash, he comes from a state without a track that hosts IMCA Stock Car races weekly. Despite the long journey and limited experience in the division, he finished second in a three-wide photo finish on the first night and claimed victory at Northwest Florida Speedway. Seizing the Opportunity “There’s a bunch of snow and cold weather back at home, so it was a perfect opportunity to go down and race and have some fun,” Vandermark said. “We stayed [Read More]

Joiner Dominates Modified Finale at Clash On The Coast, Becerra Wins Second Title

By Ben Deatherage LOXLEY, Ala. (Mar. 1, 2025) — Joseph Joiner delivered a commanding performance in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified finale of the 2025 IMCA TV Clash On The Coast at Deep South Speedway. The Milton, Florida driver, piloting the Andrews Autosport entry for car owner Spencer Andrews, led all 25 laps to secure his second career Clash victory and first since 2023. Joiner wasted no time asserting control, blasting into the lead in turn one and quickly building a massive advantage. His blistering pace carried him into lapped traffic by lap 16, but he navigated through the back markers effortlessly. A late caution tightened the field, setting up a restart where Matthew Triefenbach, a current U.S. Air Force airman, battled for second against Dylan Thornton, the reigning Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s IMCA Modified and Sunoco IMCA Late Model champion. Thornton took the spot, bringing Austen Becerra up into third shortly after the overtake. Another stoppage with two laps to go led to a green-white-checkered finish. Becerra and Thornton fought for [Read More]

Horejsi Holds Off Charging Murty for Clash On The Coast Glory

By Ben Deatherage LOXLEY, Ala. (Feb. 28, 2025) — After near-misses last year and again on Monday, Jim Horejsi finally broke through at the IMCA TV Clash On The Coast, leading all 25 laps of the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature at Deep South Speedway. The Marshall, Minnesota driver held off a late charge from defending series champion Dallon Murty to claim his first Clash victory. Horejsi jumped to the lead in his Pearl Harbor tribute Salute To Veterans Tour wrap at the start while Shelby Williams of Texas and Wisconsin’s Rod Snellenberger battled for second. This allowed Horejsi to build an early advantage. Williams, the 2025 IMCA TV Winter Nationals champion, saw his night cut short due to mechanical trouble, bringing out the first caution. That set up a fierce battle for second between Snellenberger, the 2008 National Stock Car champion, and Iowa’s Gage Neal, again giving Horejsi room to pull away. A series of additional cautions kept the pressure on Horejsi, with the final yellow waving with three laps to go. Before the stoppage, [Read More]

Harnick Doubles Up at Clash On The Coast with Tuesday Night Win

By Ben Deatherage BAKER, Fla. (Feb. 25, 2025) — Austin Harnick made history at the 2025 IMCA TV Clash On The Coast, becoming the first driver to win multiple Friesen Performance IMCA Modified features at Northwest Florida Speedway. The eighth starting Claire, Michigan racer earned a hard-fought $2,000 victory in the 25-lap main event, navigating traffic and surviving two late-race restarts. Local drivers Tyler Allen and Owen Barnhill set the early pace, with Allen leading the first lap before Barnhill took over on the next one. As the leaders worked through lapped traffic, Harnick moved into second and began closing in on Barnhill, the three-time track champion. On lap 12, Harnick found his opening on the inside and grabbed the lead. The race stayed green, allowing Joseph Joiner to make his move into second. Driving the Spencer Andrews-fielded Andrew Autosport entry, Joiner used traffic to his advantage, pressuring Harnick before pulling off a bold pass in turn four with eight laps to go. Just as Joiner looked to pull away, a caution with four laps left [Read More]