Feature

Kelly Shryock: Century Club Member Times Two After a Lifetime Behind the Wheel

By Ben Deatherage FERTILE, Iowa (Aug. 14, 2026) — Long before the trophies, championships and hundreds of nights spent beneath the lights of dirt tracks across America, Kelly Shryock was a 12-year-old kid waiting for his father to come home. During the summer, Bob Shryock worked construction four 10-hour days each week, leaving precious little time to prepare his race car before Friday night. So Kelly learned to set valves. He worked alongside the crew. Whatever needed to be done, they tried to have the car ready when Bob walked through the door. Racing became more than something father and son did together. It became the only life Kelly ever really knew. More than four decades later, that kid has become one of the most accomplished drivers and builders in dirt track racing, and on Aug. 10 at Clay County Fair Speedway, Shryock added another milestone when he earned the 100th Sunoco IMCA Stock Car victory of his career. It didn’t come easily. Austin Brands controlled much of the 25-lap feature while Shryock patiently worked behind [Read More]

Hobby Stock

Brands Holds Off Shryock for Clay County Stock Car Victory

By Jane Burd SPENCER, Iowa (Aug. 17, 2026) — Austin Brands withstood a charge from Kelly Shryock to capture Monday night’s 25-lap Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature at Clay County Fair Speedway. Brands, of Alta, started on the pole and led all 25 circuits, but Shryock made sure the trip to victory lane was anything but comfortable. Shryock worked forward seven positions and eventually reached second, where he applied heavy pressure to Brands in the battle for the lead. Brands refused to give way and held off the veteran at the checkers for his third EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of 2026 and first at Clay County. Shryock settled for second, with Dayton Ullrich third, Mike Albertsen fourth and Mike Vondrak fifth. Beckendorf Goes Flag to Flag in Modifieds Brandon Beckendorf controlled the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature from the outset, starting on the pole and leading the distance for his 15th victory of the season. The Danube, Minn., driver recorded his 14th Razor Chassis North Central Region triumph of 2026 and third at the [Read More]

Feature

Sachau Charges from 16th to SportMod Victory on Salute to Veterans Tour Opener

By Jane Burd SPENCER, Iowa (July 22, 2026) — Jake Sachau put together the drive of the night Wednesday at Clay County Fair Speedway, charging from 16th on the starting grid to win the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod feature on opening night of the Salute to Veterans Tour powered by Performance Bodies and Parts. Alec Fett appeared poised to score the victory after leading most of the feature, while Blake Andrews was credited with two laps led during a spirited battle at the front. Sachau steadily worked his way through the field before taking command late to collect his 11th victory of the season on his birthday, his first at Clay County Fair Speedway this year and his second career Salute to Veterans Tour triumph after winning last year’s Boone event. Fett settled for second after his strong outing. Jared Boumeester finished third, Andrews crossed the stripe fourth, and Connor Vande Weerd completed the top five. Sachau earned hard charger honors by advancing 15 positions. Czarneski Leads Every Lap in Modified Feature Cole Czarneski of [Read More]

Feature

Salute to Veterans Tour Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Three Iowa Stops in July

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (June 29, 2026) — One of IMCA racing’s most meaningful traditions reaches a major milestone in 2026 as the Hunting with Heroes Salute to Veterans Tour powered by Performance Bodies & Parts celebrates its 10th anniversary with three stops across Iowa in July. The tour, organized by the 501(c)(3) charity, Hunting with Heroes, aims to connect veterans with their local dirt track communities and will visit Clay County Fair Speedway in Spencer on Wednesday, July 22; Kossuth County Speedway in Algona on Thursday, July 23; and Boone Speedway on Saturday, July 25. Each night will feature Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods, and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks competing in front of veterans, active-duty military personnel, and race fans from across the Midwest. This tour has become a crown jewel of IMCA Racing and promises to deliver the most patriotic and exciting three nights of dirt track racing this year. More than $100,000 in giveaways for Veterans and Widows of Veterans will be distributed during [Read More]

Feature

Midwest Madness Tour Returns for 8th Annual Run Through the Heartland from June 28-July 2

By Ben Deatherage WORTHINGTON, Minn. (May 14, 2026) — The Midwest Madness Tour is set to thunder back into action for its eighth annual edition, bringing five straight nights of Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing competition to tracks across Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota from June 28 through July 2. The tour opens Sunday, June 28 at Worthington Speedway in Worthington, Minnesota before heading to Clay County Fair Speedway in Spencer, Iowa on Monday, June 29. Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, South Dakota hosts round three on Tuesday, June 30, followed by Buena Vista Raceway in Alta, Iowa on Wednesday, July 1. The week concludes Thursday, July 2 at Stuart Speedway in Stuart, Iowa. Free pre-registration is currently available through MyRacePass, with links posted on the Midwest Madness Tour Facebook page. Each event will feature a full Speedway Motors IMCA-sanctioned program for Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. Modifieds will race for a minimum of $1,000 to win and $150 [Read More]

Feature

Masters Masters Clay County in Stock Car Blue Ribbon Showdown

By Ben Deatherage SPENCER, Iowa (Sept. 11, 2025) — Jake Masters from Graettinger came out on top of a caution-filled Blue Ribbon Showdown 20-lap Sunoco IMCA Stock Car main event at Clay County Fair Speedway, holding off the Brands family to earn his third EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region win of the season and his second at the track. Levi Feltman showed the way at the start before a caution on lap one quickly slowed the pace. Masters wasted no time on the restart, blasting to the high side and charging into contention. After another yellow on lap four, Masters stayed committed to the cushion and powered to the front on lap eight. Traffic closed the gap as Randy and Austin Brands worked through the field, setting up a tense three-car fight. A late caution waved with two circuits remaining, tightening the field for a green–white–checkered finish. Randy threw everything he had at Masters but had to fend off son Austin in their battle for second, giving Masters the breathing room he needed. At the stripe, [Read More]

Feature

Iowa Speedweek Returns in Full Force in 2025 with Six Nights of Premier Action

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (July 24, 2025) — One of the most iconic stretches of the Speedway Motors IMCA calendar is back and bigger than ever as Iowa Speedweek returns to full strength in 2025. Running Monday, August 4 through Saturday, August 9, the week features six straight nights of high-stakes racing at five premier tracks, showcasing the depth and tradition of IMCA competition across the entire state. The Speedweek opener takes place on Monday, August 4th at Buena Vista Raceway in Alta with the Battle at the Beaver. This event kicks things off with a powerful lineup with the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds race for $2,000 to win and Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars for $1,000. Also on the bill are the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. Tuesday, August 5 marks a major historical moment as the Harris Clash returns to the state of Iowa for the first time since 2017 — and to Boone Speedway for the first time since 1994. As IMCA’s oldest single-night [Read More]

Feature

Salute To Veterans Tour Returns for 2025 with Three July Stops in Iowa

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Jun. 27, 2025) — One of IMCA’s most meaningful racing traditions returns for 2025 as the Hunting with Heroes Salute to Veterans Tour powered by Performance Bodies & Parts makes its way through three Iowa tracks this July. Now in its fifth year visiting multiple venues and originally launched in 2017, this year’s tour heads to Clay County Fair Speedway in Spencer on Wednesday, July 23; Kossuth County Speedway in Algona on Thursday, July 24; and Boone Speedway on Saturday, July 26. Each night will showcase Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern Sport Mods, and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks. Twelve cars—three in each division—will be wrapped in tribute themes that range from honoring military branches to highlighting specific conflicts and events. All 12 wraps will be unveiled through on the Hunting with Heroes Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/huntingwithheroes) on Wednesday, July 23rd, and can be seen before each night’s program in the fan zones where fans can interact with drivers and Veterans alike. “We are always hyper [Read More]

Feature

Shryock Sweeps Stock Car Summer Nationals at Spencer

By Ben Deatherage SPENCER, Iowa (Jun. 4, 2025) — Kelly Shryock completed his dominance of the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car features during the IMCA Summer Nationals at Clay County Fair Speedway, winning Wednesday’s $5,000-to-win 30-lapper in dominant fashion. Texan Jeffrey Abbey, the 2016 Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMod National champion, jumped to the early lead. But Shryock, the defending Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s winner, was on the move from eighth. Piloting the Lake Mills Motorsports No. 3 owned by Mike Hauan, Shryock powered into the lead on lap five, overtaking Abbey at the stripe. The Fertile, Iowa, native pulled away from the field and never looked back, even while navigating lapped traffic in the closing circuits. The victory was Shryock’s second of the week at Spencer and his sixth of the season in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region. Abbey held on to second while Braden Richards rallied from 14th starting to finish third. Braaksma Dominates for Summer Nationals Modified Title Ethan Braaksma returned to form in the Friesen Performance IMCA [Read More]

Feature

Richards Powers to Hobby Stock Glory in $1,500 Summer Nationals Finale at Clay County

By Ben Deatherage SPENCER, Iowa (Jun. 2, 2025) — The Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks were in their final night of Summer Nationals competition at Clay County Fair Speedway on Monday night, and the $1,500-to-win 18-lap main event delivered an absolute thriller. Blake Luinenburg, the reigning track champion at both Murray County and Worthington Speedways, launched from the outside pole and immediately took command using the high groove. A caution on lap five bunched up the field, allowing Tyler Smith and 2022 National Hobby Stock champion Dillon Richards to close in on the restart. Luinenburg built another strong lead, but Richards — who started 14th — began methodically searching the track for speed. He found it, and by lap 12, he was at the leader’s door. Richards worked the bottom while Luinenburg held firm up top. The two exchanged the lead before a caution flew just after Luinenburg reclaimed the spot. On the restart with five to go, Richards pulled even and took the lead for good on lap 15. Luinenburg mounted one last-lap charge, but the [Read More]