eastmolinespeedway Archives

East Moline Speedway to honor Webb’s 50-year career with June 20 tribute race

By Rob Hinckley EAST MOLINE, Ill. (June 10) – As well as he’s running right now, he may even win it. At age 72, Hall of Famer Gary Webb’s dirt track racing career is still at high speed. Webb is in his 50th season of speeding around tracks locally and beyond. The 50 years will be celebrated with The Salute to Gary Webb IMCA Sunoco Late Model race on Sunday, June 20 at East Moline Speedway. In addition, Ken Schrader will be on hand to tackle the quarter-mile oval at the Rock Island County Fairgrounds. “Fifty years at anything is a milestone, but racing at the level Gary has for five decades means more,” EMS General Manager and Race Director Bret Sievertsen said. “We knew East Moline Speedway wanted to honor Gary, especially since he considers this track ‘home’ and won a lot here.” The feature race will be 56 laps, in honor of Webb’s car number and pay $2,000 to the winner. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National and KMJ Performance State points will be disbursed and [Read More]

Ross, Ryan roar to East Moline IMCA Late Model wins

By Rob Hinckley EAST MOLINE, Ill. (June 6) – Joe Ross looked up and then said he couldn’t remember when he won last. “Especially at East Moline,” he said in winner’s circle and laughed. The Ross family special was a bullet on the high side. The Thomson, Ill., veteran passed Gary Webb about halfway through and cruised to the 25-lap IMCA Sunoco Late Model feature Sunday evening at East Moline Speedway. “I found it good on the high side in (turns) one and two and the bottom was better in three and four,” Ross added. “I had no idea where anyone was behind me so I just kept rolling.” There were several cautions early, but the field settled down and put on good battles. Webb held off Andy Nezworski, followed by early leader Leroy Brenner and Chuck Hanna. Earlier in the evening, Matt Ryan flew to the make-up feature from May 16, beating Nezworski, Ross, Hanna and Webb. Jeff Larson kept the hot streak going with his third straight IMCA Modified 20-lap finale. Larson passed [Read More]

Travel decision pays off for Brauns

By Rob Hinckley EAST MOLINE, Ill. (May 30) – Jonathan Brauns made the decision to make the trek to East Moline and it paid off as the Muscatine, Iowa pilot led flag to flag to take Sunday’s 25-lap IMCA Sunoco Late Model finale at East Moline Speedway. Andy Nezworski charged from mid-pack to the runner up spot by the checkers. Gary Webb, Joe Ross and Mike Guldenpfennig followed. A season high 105 entries from four states jammed the pits and racing was concluded by 10 p.m. Jeff Larson stayed hot with his second straight IMCA Modified 20-lap feature win. Also for the second week in a row, he picked up the $100 Maquoketa/East Moline bonus. Brandt Cole led early, charged late and settled for second followed by Travis Denning, Tim Hamburg and Brandon Durbin. Jarrett Franzen topped a season best 27-car Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod field with only one of those not starting the main. On his mind this Memorial Day Weekend were the losses of two people close to his race team. “Yeah, that [Read More]

Larson rides borrowed car to East Moline checkers

By Rob Hinckley EAST MOLINE, Ill. (May 23) – Jeff Larson borrowed Kenny Kostenbader’s machine for the second straight night and won for the second evening in a row, dominating the Sunday evening IMCA Modified 20-lap main at East Moline Speedway. With the win from ninth starting the previous night at Maquoketa Speedway, he picked up a $100 bonus for the second time this year. Travis Denning, missing a lot of sheet metal, roared from near the back for second. Tim Hamburg, Brandon Durbin and Brandon Hamburg rounded out the top five. It was a rollercoaster race for Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod driver Justin Veloz. He started fifth, suffered an early flat tire and then raced the high groove from the rear after a restart to take the 15-lap finale. Jarett Franzen zipped to second, but could not chase down Veloz. Jacob Copley also came from the tail to take third, followed by Logan Veloz and C.J. Durbin. Blake Gonzales’ rough season hit a high note as he wheeled his brother R.J.’s IMCA STARS Mod [Read More]

Sandusky tops IMCA Modified field for East Moline win

By Rob Hinckley EAST MOLINE, Ill. (May 16) – As he peeled the 13th tearoff from his very moist and splattered helmet face shield, Jim Sandusky saw the checkered flag. The longtime veteran’s biggest competition was the persistent drizzle of rain. He dominated the rest of the IMCA Modified feature Sunday evening at East Moline Speedway, leading all 15 laps. “Gratifying,” Sandusky described the victory in the winner’s circle. “I’m just fortunate to have the friends and family to help me get here.” The Coal Valley pilot jumped from the front row and was really never challenged. He held off Brandt Cole through some lapped traffic on lap 12 and then reopened a big advantage for his first 2021 win. Cole slipped up the race track but gathered it back for second place. Jeff Larson, Casey Franks and Brandon Durbin rounded out the top five. Sandusky kept the string of different 2021 Modified winners at EMS intact. The new lineup format for the IMCA STARS Mod Lites did not deter point Mike Zemo Jr. He [Read More]

IMCA STARS Mod Lites new at East Moline Speedway

EAST MOLINE, Ill. – STARS Mod Lites become the fifth IMCA division on Sunday race programs at East Moline Speedway in 2021. “We’ve had Mod Lites for about seven years. It’s a good class, a growing class. These cars are definitely quick and the drivers respect each other,” said new promoter and former car owner Jeff Peterson. “A lot of the drivers have been in them for years and it’s the class they bring their kids into.” The IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season opens April 25 and runs through Aug. 29, with four more race dates in September. East Moline becomes the first track in Illinois to sanction the IMCA STARS Mod Lites, which join IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Late Models, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods on regular race programs. Special events are already scheduled for three of those divisions, with the Northern SportMods running for $750 to win on June 27, the Modifieds for $2,008 to win at the Aug. 8 Greg Durbin Memorial and the Mod Lites for [Read More]