nypennimcaseries Archives

Sites Charges From 12th to Win $3,116 Ed and Jan Billings Classic in NY-Penn Series Finale

By Michael Benjamin ISLE, N.Y. (Oct. 31, 2026) — Eddie Sites charged from 12th to capture the $3,116 second annual Ed and Jan Billings Classic on Saturday night at Thunder Mountain Speedway, closing out the Close Racing Supply NY/Penn IMCA Modified Series season during Monster Bash weekend. Nineteen Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds returned for the second night of competition. Gaege Higley of Wyalusing, Pa., collected his first career IMCA heat race victory in the opening heat. Aaron Benjamin won the second heat for his second victory in as many nights, while Matt Roberts of Afton, N.Y., claimed the third heat. David McDaniels of Sanger, Texas, captured the Dash 4 Cash. McDaniels and Roberts started on the front row of the feature, with Roberts taking the early lead. Several early cautions kept the field close, but Roberts maintained the advantage while Sites worked his way forward from the sixth row. Sites eventually caught Roberts, and the two battled for the lead over the next several laps before Sites completed the pass. Once out front, Sites pulled away [Read More]

Lamphere Capitalizes on Late Trouble to Win Billy Ward Memorial with NY-Penn Series

By Michael Benjamin ISLE, N.Y. (Oct. 30, 2026) — James Lamphere took advantage of a late-race incident involving leader Keith Lamphere to capture the $1,004 fourth annual Billy Ward Memorial on Friday night at Thunder Mountain Speedway during the Monster Bash weekend for the Close Racing Supply NY/Penn IMCA Modified Series. A field of 24 Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds checked in for the opening night of the season-ending doubleheader. Lamphere opened the evening by winning the first heat race aboard the Gary Lamphere-owned No. 87. Aaron Benjamin of Forksville, Pa., collected the second heat victory, while Rodney Morgan won the third heat and the Dash 4 Cash. Morgan and Gaege Higley brought the feature field to the green flag, but James Lamphere quickly moved forward from his fifth starting position to take the lead. Former series champion Keith Lamphere, who started at the rear of the field, worked his way through traffic and eventually passed James Lamphere for the top spot. Keith Lamphere continued to lead until contact with a lapped car in turn three late [Read More]

Sites Charges From Seventh to Capture Fireball 25 at Afton

By Michael Benjamin AFTON, N.Y. (Sept. 26, 2026) — Eddie Sites charged from seventh to capture the rescheduled Fireball 25 for the Close Racing Supply NY/Penn IMCA Modified Series Saturday night at Afton Motorsports Park. Twenty-four Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds checked in for the 25-lap, $1,002-to-win feature on the 3/10-mile oval. The event was originally scheduled for Aug. 8 before weather forced its postponement. Three eight-lap heat races opened the program, with Jacob McConnell, Sites, and Jakub Ingham collecting victories. McConnell and Jason Butler shared the front row for the main event, with Gary Roberts and Matt Roberts starting from row two. Sites had work to do from the seventh starting position but steadily moved the No. 15 toward the front. Keith Lamphere was also on the move after rolling off eighth. When the 25 laps were complete, Sites had worked his way to the front to collect the Fireball 25 victory. The triumph was Sites’ fifth Close Racing Supply Eastern Region victory of the 2026 season, with those five wins coming at four different tracks. [Read More]

NY-Penn Series Closes 2026 With Two-Night Thunder Mountain Finale Oct. 30-31

By Ben Deatherage CENTER LISLE, N.Y. (Sept. 28, 2026) — The final two stops of the 2026 NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series season bring the tour to Thunder Mountain Speedway for a pair of special events Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31. Friday’s Billy Ward Memorial presented by Patriot Tank Lines will pay $1,004 to win before the season concludes Saturday with the Ed and Jan Billings Classic presented by 71 Speed & Design, paying $3,116 to win. Both Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified features will serve as qualifying events for the 2027 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Each winner will earn eligibility to attempt to qualify for next year’s Invitational at Boone Speedway next September. The Billy Ward Memorial has quickly become a staple of the NY-Penn schedule. Eddie Sites captured the inaugural running in 2023 at Afton Motorsports Park, while Keith Lamphere enters this year’s event as the defending winner after taking the checkers in 2025 at Thunder Mountain. Saturday brings the 2026 NY-Penn campaign to a [Read More]

Close Racing Supply NY/Penn IMCA Series Returns to Afton for Fireball 25 on Aug. 8

By Ben Deatherage AFTON, N.Y. (Aug. 4, 2026) — Afton Motorsports Park will honor one of its longtime competitors on Saturday, Aug. 8, as the Fireball 25 pays $1,002 to win for the Close Racing Supply NY/Penn IMCA Series. The 25-lap special recognizes longtime IMCA Modified driver Gary Roberts and features a unique purse that pays $102 to start the feature, along with $100 to each heat race winner. The Fireball 25 also serves as a qualifying event for the 2026 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational. The feature winner will earn eligibility to attempt to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational, held during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in September. A revenge redraw will determine the starting lineup for the feature. Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing National, Close Racing Supply Eastern Region and New York State points will be awarded. Pit gates open at 3 p.m., the main grandstand gate opens at 3:30 p.m., hot laps begin at 5:45 p.m., and racing starts at 6:30 p.m. Adult pit passes are [Read More]

Belcher Captures Fourth Annual KC Cole Memorial at Penn Can Speedway

By Michael Benjamin SUSQUEHANNA, Pa. (July 31, 2026) — Tyler Belcher regained the lead following a late restart and raced to victory in Friday night’s Fourth Annual KC Cole Memorial, earning the biggest win of the season for the Close Racing Supply NY/Penn IMCA Modified Series at Penn Can Speedway. Keith Lamphere and Tyler Stoddard won the evening’s heat races, while Belcher claimed the Dash 4 Cash presented by the Cole Family. Belcher started from the pole for the Hunter Peterbilt-sponsored feature and led the opening 12 laps before Lamphere slipped past for the top spot on lap 13. A caution on lap 16 gave Belcher another opportunity, and he capitalized by reclaiming the lead on the restart before pulling away to score the prestigious memorial victory. The feature served as a Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational qualifier. Already on the eligibility list to attempt to qualify for the event at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, Belcher recorded his second Close Racing Supply NY/Penn IMCA Modified Series victory of the season and [Read More]

Doug Stack Jr. Wins Sixth Annual Billy Maynard Memorial at The Hill Speedway

By Michael Benjamin MONROETON, Pa. (July 17, 2026) — The Close Racing Supply NY/Penn IMCA Modified Series returned to The Hill Speedway on Friday night for the Sixth Annual Billy Maynard Memorial presented by MR Dirt and Middendorf Contracting. A strong field of 22 Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds battled for one of the most prestigious victories on the 2026 schedule. The event paid $1,069 to win and served as a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifier. After an exciting night of MD Welding heat races, Dalton Maynard won the first, Brad Delamater captured the second, and Charlie Fulton took the third. When the cars hit the track for the 25-lap feature, Doug Stack Jr. drove the No. 41S to victory lane after holding off a hard-charging Tyler Belcher by 1.070 seconds. The win was the Nichols, New York pilot’s second of the season in the Close Racing Supply Eastern Region and made him eligible to attempt to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, to be held during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. [Read More]

Maynard Collects First Career NY-Penn Series Victory

By Michael Benjamin MONROETON, Pa. (June 12, 2026) — Jake Maynard raced from seventh on the starting grid to capture his first career Close Racing Supply NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series feature victory Friday night at The Hill Speedway. Mike Wilcox and Shawn Bruce led the field to green for the 25-lap feature. As the race unfolded, Maynard steadily worked his way through the field and into contention. The Wyalusing driver eventually took command and proved to be the class of the field over the closing stages, securing his first career NY-Penn Series triumph. The victory was Maynard’s third of the season in Close Racing Supply Eastern Region competition. Benjamin capped off a strong evening by finishing second after starting fourth and leading much of the feature. Jacob McConnell turned in a good performance, advancing from 11th to complete the podium in third. Keith Lamphere earned S&S Auto Body Hard Charger honors after charging from 17th and last to finish fourth, gaining 13 positions in the process. Charlie Fulton rounded out the top five. MD Welding heat [Read More]

Belcher Captures Sean Lias Memorial Victory at Woodhull Raceway

By Michael Benjamin WOODHULL, N.Y. (May 30, 2026) — The Close Racing Supply NY/Penn IMCA Modified Series returned to Woodhull Raceway on Saturday night for the sixth annual Sean Lias Memorial presented by Chasin Dreams Transport and Lubic Sales and Marketing, with 18 drivers taking the green flag for the 25-lap feature. Tyler Belcher of Laceyville, Pennsylvania, started from the pole and led every lap on his way to victory. The win was Belcher’s first Close Racing Supply Eastern Region triumph of the season. The Sean Lias Memorial also served as a Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational qualifier, making Belcher eligible to attempt to qualify for the invitational during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in September. Jacob McConnell advanced two positions from his fourth-place starting spot to finish second. Jakub Ingham completed the podium in third. Keith Lamphere charged from seventh to fourth while Charlie Fulton rounded out the top five. One of the strongest drives of the night belonged to Mike Wilcox, who advanced from 18th to eighth to earn hard [Read More]

Close Racing Supply NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series Opens 2026 Season Sunday at Penn Can

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 12, 2026) — The Close Racing Supply NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series is set to launch its 2026 campaign this Sunday, May 17, with the Icebreaker 26 at Penn Can Speedway. The Susquehanna, Pennsylvania oval will host the season opener for the regional Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified tour, with drivers racing for $1,026 to win and $126 to start the feature, presented by NEP Telephone Company. The event will also serve as a Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational qualifier for the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in September at Boone Speedway. Pennsylvania State, Close Racing Supply Eastern Region, and national points will all be awarded. Front gates will open at 2:00 p.m., followed by the pit meeting at 4:15, hot laps at 4:30, and racing at 5:00. The Icebreaker 26 opens a nine-race schedule that will take the series across Pennsylvania and New York throughout the summer and fall. Following Penn Can, the tour heads to Woodhull Raceway in Woodhull, New York on May 30 before making its [Read More]