mercedspeedway Archives

Kings, Thunderbowl, Merced all prepped for May 2-7 IMCA Central California Clash dates

HANFORD, Calif. (April 26, 2022) – Three IMCA divisions fill the card each of six nights in the May 2-7 Central California Clash. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds run for $1,000 to win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility each night, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods vie for $750 to win and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $600 to win. The Clash is at Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds in Hanford on Monday and Tuesday, May 2 and 3; at Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway Wednesday and Thursday, May 4 and 5; and at Merced Speedway Friday and Saturday, May 6 and 7. Kings opens the pits at 2 p.m. and grandstand at 4 p.m. with the drivers’ meeting at 5:15 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m. Grandstand admission is $20 for adults and $15 for seniors, military and students. Tulare opens at pits at 2 p.m. and grandstand at 4 p.m. The drivers’ meeting is at 4:45 p.m. and racing is at 6 p.m. Adult ticket prices are $20 for the grandstands and $15 for [Read More]

Big money for Jernagan at West Coast marquee event

MERCED, Calif. (April 9, 2022) – Garrett Jernagan turned a marquee event into a career-best payday Saturday night. He led the last 26 of 30 laps in winning Merced Speedway’s Al Miller Memorial special for IMCA Northern SportMods, taking home a $5,000 check. “This win ranks right up there, knowing the Miller family and racing one night for five grand,” the Bakersfield driver said, adding plugs for the dual heat format as well as track officials and sponsors. “This is one of the marquee events on the West Coast and it’s nice to only have to go 2-1/2 hours from home and race for $5,000.” Kenny Shrader got the jump on the 20 car field before Jernagan found the fast bottom groove. “I stayed there until right around lap 14 when we had a caution. I’d heard another car (Jacob Mallet Jr.), glanced at the top and saw it was getting pretty clean,” he said. “We got the yellow, I went to the top and while I was never really challenged from there, it wasn’t [Read More]

$5,000 to win for IMCA Northern SportMods at Merced’s fifth annual Al Miller Memorial

MERCED, Calif. (April 5, 2022) – IMCA Northern SportMod drivers chase a $5,000 top check at Merced Speedway’s fifth annual Al Miller Memorial. Pit gates open at 2 p.m. and the grandstands open at 5 p.m. this Saturday, April 9. The pill draw closes and the drivers’ meeting starts at 5:15 p.m. with racing at 7 p.m. Grandstand admission is $17 for adults, $15 for seniors ages 55 and up, and free for kids 11 and under. The Al Miller Memorial will be broadcast by IMCA.TV.

Laney repeats, Ryland wins two at Merced’s Jerry Shannon Memorial

MERCED, Calif. (March 26, 2022) – Cody Laney was back in victory lane with another big check at Merced Speedway’s Jerry Shannon Memorial. Laney led the last 24 of 30 laps to repeat as IMCA Modified winner at the spring special, earning $5,000. Pole sitter Jake Pike led the first four laps before the first yellow. The fourth starting Laney, already Fast Shaft All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible, was quickly on the prowl and took over on lap six. Three more yellows slowed the 22-car field but Laney was not to be denied. Jerry Flippo pursued to no avail and finished second, followed by Pike, D.J. Shannon and 12th starting Rick Diaz. Fred Ryland was a double winner in IMCA Northern SportMod and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car action. Youngster Andrew Pearce started on the pole and led through the caution eight laps into the Northern SportMod main. Ryland started in the fifth row and moved up quickly and took first place on lap 10 and led to the finish. Pearce and last year’s national rookie of the year and [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds chase $5,000 and Merced’s Jerry Shannon Memorial

MERCED, Calif. (March 23, 2022) – A check for $5,000 goes to the winner of Saturday night’s IMCA Modified main event at Merced Speedway’s Jerry Shannon Memorial. The winner also becomes eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational; a minimum of $200 will be paid to start the March 26 feature. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Northern SportMods are also on the card that evening. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing national, regional, KMJ Performance State and track points will be awarded. Pit gates open at 2 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. Racing starts at 7 p.m. Grandstand admission is $17 for adults, $15 for seniors 55 and older, and free for kids 11 and under. The Jerry Shannon Memorial will be broadcast by IMCA.TV.

Merced Speedway primed for Aug. 20-21 Ed Parker Memorial

MERCED, Calif. – Three IMCA divisions are on the card this weekend for Merced Speedway’s Ed Parker Memorial. IMCA Modifieds, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars top Friday, Aug. 20 and Saturday, Aug. 21 programs. Regular weekly purse will be paid on Friday. Top prize in both Modified and Northern SportMod features on Saturday is $1,028 with the Modified winner becoming eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational during the upcoming IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The Saturday Stock Car feature pays $528 to win. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional, KMJ Performance State and track points will be awarded. IMCA.TV broadcasts both nights. Pit gates open at 2 p.m., the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. both nights. Pit passes are $40; spectator admission is $15 for adults and $13 for seniors and military on Friday and $20 for adults and $18 for seniors and military on Saturday. Kids twelve and younger get in free both nights. Both concession stands [Read More]

Dotson masters Merced, Bannister also hits California IMCA Speedweek gold at Merced

By Stephanie Deatherage MERCED, Calif. (May 3) – The California IMCA Speedweek presented by Hoppes Motorsports kept rolling northwards and Ethan Dotson kept rolling with two more feature wins Monday night at Merced Speedway. Dotson won his second straight IMCA Modified main event and fourth straight IMCA Sunoco Stock Car outing, while Jason Bannister became a first-time Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod Speedweek winner. When the green flag dropped for the 25-lap Modified feature, Cody Laney rocketed out to the point and went straight to work on building a sizable interval over the rest of the pack. As the long green flag run continued, Dotson closed in and as the pair entered lapped traffic maneuvered his mount underneath Laney, took the lead on the 15th circuit. Dotson remained in front to the $1,000 checkers for his sixth Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying victory of 2021. Oregon’s Collen Winebarger, Darrell Hughes II, Laney and Nevada’s Jake Pike completed the top five. After an early restart, Garrett Corn beat out Nicholas Johnson to set the pace [Read More]

On a rail, Bannister outruns ‘fast guys’ for Miller Memorial win at Merced

MERCED, Calif. (April 17) – Leader Jason Bannister knew “those fast guys” would be coming as the laps clicked away at Merced Speedway’s Al Miller Memorial main event. Bannister was faster, though, and took home Saturday’s $5,000 Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature win ahead of Fred Ryland and Tom Fraser. “It was awesome. To be competitive and win a race like this is really exciting,” the Bakersfield hotshoe said. “We hit the setup and we were on a rail. This was my biggest win and the biggest payday of my career.” He’d passed Fraser for the front spot on lap three and Ryland took over the second spot just before a multi-car pileup on the backstretch brought everything to a halt on lap 10. The race stayed green from that point, with Ryland chasing Bannister in traffic as the 35-lapper wound down. He cleared two lapped cars and was cutting into Bannister’s lead but ran out of laps to catch the leader. “I knew Fred was back there,” said Bannister, the Friday night runner-up. “I’d [Read More]

Al Miller Memorial this weekend at Merced

MERCED, Calif. – The newest addition to the 2021 schedule at Merced Speedway is also one of the biggest. Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods race for $5,000 to win and a minimum of $200 to start at the fourth annual Al Miller Memorial, set for Saturday, April 17. IMCA Modifieds are on the same card, running for $2,000 to win, $100 to start and a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for $1,200 to win and $75 to start. There is no entry fee and the Miller Memorial will be broadcast by IMCA.TV. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Shaw Race Cars Western and EQ Cylinder Heads Southern region, KMJ Performance State and track points will be awarded. Pit gates open at 2 p.m. Hot laps are at 6 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. A practice night will be held Thursday, April 15 at Merced with the regular weekly race program on Friday. Miller was the father of IMCA drivers Robert and Randy Miller. Information about the Miller Memorial [Read More]

Merced’s Shannon Tribute wins go to Laney, Bannister

MERCED, Calif. (March 27) – Cody Laney won for the fourth time already this season while Tyler Bannister won for the first time in his brief IMCA career Saturday at Merced Speedway’s Tribute to Jerry Shannon season opener. Laney started 11th, had the lead before halfway in the IMCA Modified feature and outran Ethan Dotson to the $2,000 checkers. The rookie Bannister started from the pole and swapped the front spot with Fred Ryland before pulling away from a field full of West Coast Karl Kustom Northern SportMod heavyweights. Thirty-eight Modifieds and 32 SportMods contended at the inaugural event. Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, Laney posted the second fastest qualifying time and won his heat before lining up inside row six for the 30-lap main event. He passed Jim Pettit II and then Kellen Chadwick for the front spot. “The bottom was the fastest and I knew Kellen wasn’t going to move off it,” Laney said. “I caught him on the backstretch, rolled around him on top and moved back to the [Read More]