clashonthecoast Archives

Harrington Claims First Career Victory in Close Three-Wide Finish at Clash On The Coast

By Ben Deatherage BAKER, Fla. (Feb. 24, 2025) — The 2025 IMCA TV Clash On The Coast kicked off with a thrilling 25-lap Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature at Northwest Florida Speedway, ending in a dramatic three-wide finish reminiscent of a scene from the first Disney/Pixar Cars film. Presley Harrington of Oshkosh, Wisconsin emerged victoriously, claiming his first ever win with both the series and in IMCA Stock Car competition. At the drop of the green, Harrington fiercely battled Minnesota’s Jim Horejsi for the lead. Horejsi led the opening lap, but Harrington remained relentless in pursuit on the inside line. A slip from Harrington later allowed Iowans Gage Neal and John Oliver Jr. to surge into second and third. As lapped traffic came into play, Neal, last year’s winner of both nights at the facility, took the lead on lap 11. On a restart, Horejsi made a strong topside move while Harrington dived under Neal in turn one. Horejsi’s pass was nullified by a caution. When racing resumed, Horejsi reclaimed the lead around turn four with ten laps [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds, Stocks head south for third annual Clash on the Coast

BAKER, Fla. (Dec. 20, 2024) – Friesen Performance IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car drivers can enjoy sunlight on the sand and moonlight on the sea when they’re not at the track, during the 2025 Clash on the Coast. Presented by IMCA.TV, the third annual Clash sees both divisions running for $1,000 to win and a minimum of $100 to start each night, along with shares of a combined $16,800 point fund, at shows Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 24 and 25 at Northwest Florida Speedway in Baker and Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, March 1 at Deep South Speedway in Loxley, Ala. No racing is planned Feb. 26-27 so drivers, family and team members can enjoy the beach: Clash promoter Peyton Taylor notes that Northwest Florida is just 35 miles from the sand at Destin while Deep South is a 45-mile drive to Pensacola Beach. “This event has grown from 50 Modifieds the first year to 150 Modifieds and Stock Cars last year,” Taylor said. “A lot of those cars came from 20 hours [Read More]

Mallicoat ends Florida roller coaster ride with IMCA Modified Clash on the Coast checkers

MILTON, Fla. (March 2, 2024) – His Florida roller coaster ride saw Izac Mallicoat end the IMCA Clash on the Coast on top. The 17-year-old speedster from Boone, Iowa, stayed close to leader Trevor Fitz the first 19 times around the track in the Saturday finale for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds at Southern Raceway, and took over up front after Fitz fell off power on a restart. Mallicoat then outran Benji LaCrosse, Ethan Braaksma, speedweek champion Jeff Larson and Tanner Barnhart to the $1,000 checkers. “We have struggled with consistency but the whole week, we knew we had a fast car. We just didn’t know it would be this good,” said Mallicoat, who became eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational aboard a new Brand X ride. “This was a big confidence booster before we start racing around home.” Mallicoat ran fourth in his opening night ‘B’ and exited early from the night two feature at Northwest Florida Speedway, then was kayoed by a flat tire early in his ‘B’ Thursday at Milton. [Read More]

Ohio’s O’Patik tops Clash on the Coast IMCA Modified feature at Milton

MILTON, Fla. (Feb. 29, 2024) – Mitchell O’Patik and Dallon Murty both talked about luck during their post-race interviews Thursday night at Southern Raceway. Truth is that both made their own luck on night three of the IMCA Clash on the Coast. O’Patik led the distance of the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at Milton, outrunning hometown speedster Joseph Joiner for the $1,000 win and earning Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. “I had a good feeling on the night. I drew 11, went out for my heat race and saw there were some heavy hitters in the back,” he said. “I was like ‘Man, it’s pretty stacked, I’d better go,’ and I did that.” A Colorado native and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod winner early in his racing career there, O’Patik attended college in Ohio and now works for Meyer Shank Racing in Pataskala. His Thursday start was just his third in a 2020 Rage Chassis. The win came just a car length ahead of Joiner, with Shane Stephens, Joel Rust and Jadin Fuller [Read More]

IMCA Clash on the Coast finale will be Saturday

MILTON, Fla. (March 1, 2024) – Current weather conditions and impending rain mean no racing tonight (Friday) in Florida and postponement of the final installment of the IMCA Clash on the Coast to Saturday. Both Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars will be in action on March 2 at Southern Raceway. The race day schedule and gate admission rates remain the same with the IMCA.TV broadcast from Milton beginning Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

Fitz tops next level competition for IMCA Modified Clash on the Coast win

BAKER, Fla. (Feb. 27, 2024) – Trevor Fitz made the move to the Midwest from his native California looking to race with and win against next level Friesen Performance IMCA Modified competition. He did just that Tuesday, in Florida. The transplant to Marshalltown, Iowa, won the night two installment of Clash on the Coast at Northwest Florida Speedway, earning $1,000 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. Fitz chased leader Tanner Barnhart into what quickly became lapped traffic. He was in the right place at the right time, running second when Barnhart couldn’t avoid hitting a spun car and the resulting chaos on lap 12. Fitz inherited the point, lead the pack after another restart on lap 13, then held off opening night winner Jeff Larson as the race stayed green the last 12 circuits. “I was hoping for lapped traffic but when I got it, I messed up,” said Fitz, who more than had his hands full with Larson. “I ran for my life. I knew he was back there and I saw his [Read More]

Weekend forecast forces change in Clash on the Coast schedule

BAKER, Fla. (Feb. 27, 2024) – An ever fickle Mother Nature has forced changes to the weekend part of the schedule for the IMCA Clash on the Coast. Tonight’s (Tuesday) speedweek event for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars at Northwest Florida Speedway is on as originally scheduled with Wednesday’s planned day off at the beach becoming a practice day at Southern Raceway. With developing potential for inclement weather, the scheduled Friday and Saturday races at Milton have been moved to Thursday and Friday, Feb. 29 and March 1. What was to have been the final night of racing on Saturday has been designated as a rain date should the Friday show fall to weather. All start times and gate admission rates remain the same. Each Clash on the Coast race program will be broadcast on IMCA.TV starting at 6:30 p.m. CST.

IMCA history made with Neal’s Clash on the Coast Stock Car win

BAKER, Fla. (Feb. 26, 2024) – After getting caught up in a first-lap caution, Gage Neal was wondering if he’d be able to stay in the race. After winning the first-ever IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature in Florida, he was thinking about leaving his car just the way it was. Neal topped Monday’s Clash on the Coast main event for The Class Too Tough to Tame at Northwest Florida Speedway, earning $1,000 and a chapter in the IMCA history book. After starting 17th and restarting 23rd following that early fracas, his checkers came ahead of heavyweights John Oliver Jr. and Dallon Murty. “It means the world to me. I never thought in a million years I’d be racing out of the Midwest,” the Anamosa, Iowa, driver said. “Obviously I’ve never been here (Baker) before or raced in the South at all.” “It’s pretty amazing to come here and win.” Nearly 100 Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – Jeff Larson of Freeport, Ill., won that feature – and 49 Stock Cars competed on night one at Baker, representing 23 states and [Read More]

Sun, sand, speed are Clash on the Coast attractions for IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars

BAKER, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2024) – Sun, sand and speed bring 150-plus IMCA drivers to Florida for the four-race Clash on the Coast presented by IMCA.TV. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds will be joined by IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, making their first-ever appearance in the Sunshine State Feb. 26 and 27 at Northwest Florida Speedway in Baker and March 1 and 2 at Southern Raceway in Milton. Speedweek features for both divisions pay $1,000 to win and a minimum of $100 to start. Feature winners become eligible to qualify for the Modified Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational or the Stock Car B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational. “We now have more than 150 drivers from 23 states and two provinces pre-entered,” said speedweek director Peyton Taylor, “including Ken Schrader for the first two nights in a Modified and Kenny Wallace all four nights in both the Modified and Stock Car.” “Both the opportunity to race in Florida at this time of year and to compete under the IMCA sanction are what bring a lot of drivers to [Read More]

130-plus IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars are Florida bound for Clash on the Coast

BAKER, Fla. (Jan. 29, 2024) – Just north of 130 drivers from across the United States and Canada are headed south for the Clash on the Coast presented by IMCA.TV. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds return to race night cards for the second annual speedweek, presented by IMCA.TV and will be joined by IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for first-ever appearances by The Class Too Tough To Tame at both Northwest Florida Speedway in Baker Feb. 26 and 27, and at Southern Raceway in Milton on March 1 and 2. Features for both divisions pay $1,000 to win and a minimum of $100 to start. Feature winners become eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational or the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational. All four race programs will be broadcast by IMCA.TV. “It’s mind boggling that we have gotten this much support from the racing community. We’ve already got more than 80 Modified and more than 50 Stock Car entries, from 20 states and two Canadian provinces,” said speedweek promoter Peyton Taylor. “These being 100 percent [Read More]