rpmspeedway Archives

Gottschalk tops IMCA Modified main on night one of RPM’s Sunflower Classic

By Sheldon Wickwar HAYS, Kan. (March 29, 2024) – Nine years after winning his first Sunflower Classic main event, Daniel Gottschalk celebrated after winning his second. The Ellis charger got the best of Eddie Belec in the Friday night feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds at RPM Speedway, earning $1,000 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility for his efforts. “It’s hard to find victory lane here. The competition is just so tough,” said Gottschalk, a Northern SportMod winner at the Sunflower Classic in 2015 and a three-time Modified track champion at RPM since. “I rolled under Eddie, then tried high and once I got to the front it was smooth sailing.” Gottschalk and Belec had raced side-by-side early on, with Gottschalk gaining the lead seven laps in. The 20-lapper ran green to checkered with Belec, Brett Berry, Greg Gustus and Dakota Sproul completing the top five. Mike Nichols’ IMCA Sunoco Stock Car career 628th win was also his Sunflower Classic career 10th while Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod win number 97 for Blaine Walt doubled as the [Read More]

Five IMCA divisions head to RPM for March 29, 30 Sunflower Classic

HAYS, Kan. (March 12, 2024) – The 12th annual Sunflower Classic brings five IMCA divisions to the traditional season opener at RPM Speedway. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000 to win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $750 to win and B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility both Friday, March 29 and Saturday, March 30. Also on both Sunflower Classic cards are IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods in $500 to win features and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts in $200 to win features. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and Kansas State points will be awarded. Entry fees for the weekend are $100 for Modifieds, $75 for Stock Cars, $50 for Hobby Stocks and SportMods and $35 for Sport Compacts. Pit gates open at 5 p.m. and pit passes are $25 for the Thursday, March 28 test ‘n tune at Hayes. Gates open at 3 p.m., hot laps are at 5 p.m. and racing is at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, [Read More]

Champions crowned at RPM Speedway

By Sheldon Wickwar HAYS, Kan. (Sept. 16, 2023) – Track champions were crowned in five IMCA divisions Saturday evening at RPM Speedway. Tim Watts was scooting away with the lead while a four-wide battle broke out early for second in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main. Brett Smith took charge after a restart but Clay Sellard quickly found his way to the front. Point leader Dylan Sherfick was part of a three-car tangle and went to the pits for the rest of the night before Sellard brought the field to a restart with 12 laps to go. Dakota Sproul found some speed on the top side off the restart and started to close the gap behind the leader. The field would single file out in the closing laps, as Sellard was able to pull away from runner-up Sproul to grab the win. Daniel Gottschalk, Jake Nightingale and Brett Smith rounded out the top five. Despite getting caught up in an early wreck, Sherfick held good points lead to pick up the track championship. Troy Burkhart [Read More]

Olmstead keeps grinding for 100th IMCA Hobby Stock win

OVERTON, Neb. (Aug. 19, 2023) – Not that many years ago, Zach Olmstead was just happy to be at the track. Now the defending IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s champion and a 2023 national championship contender, he won for the 100th time in his IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock career Friday night at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction. “Everything is just going right for us. We’ve raced more this year and we’ve had some good luck,” said Olmstead, who has totaled 27 wins at 10 different tracks in Kansas and Nebraska this season. “I don’t think I’m faster than I was last year, I’ve just learned to be patient.” “Super Nationals has been my biggest win so far and you have to have some luck to do that,” added the Overton, Neb., driver, also the two-time defending Stephenville Starter Race of Champions winner. “But that’s more like a sprint. One hundred wins is a marathon. You have to keep your nose to the grindstone.” He’s been grinding out the wins since 2016 after [Read More]

Everything comes up roses for Mills at RPM’s Sunflower Classic

HAYS, Kan. (April 1, 2023) – Jeremy Mills had good finishes to show for his previous handful of visits to RPM Speedway. Now he’s a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature winner at the Hays speed plant. Mills topped Saturday’s Mike Hughes Sunflower Classic main event, earning $1,000 for his first checkers of the season and career 121st in the division. “They reworked the track before the Modified feature and it was very racy,” said Mills, the 2022 Iowa State champion and thus already Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible. “There was lapped traffic and some cautions that we had to deal with.” After starting third and falling back a couple spots, he raced his way back toward the front and took the lead by taking advantage of one of those yellows.” “We had an early restart and I decided it was go time,” Mills said. “I went to the top and took the lead from there.” Clay Money started 13th and finished second and 11th starting Dakota Sproul was third. Tathan Burkhart, already B & B Racing Chassis [Read More]

Five IMCA divisions run March 31, April 1 as Sunflower Classic starts season at RPM

HAYS, Kan. (March 24, 2023) – RPM Speedway starts the 2023 race season with the traditional Mike Hughes Sunflower Classic on March 31 and April 1. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds run for $1,000 to win, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $750 each night. Both Friday and Saturday features are qualifying events for Fast Shafts All-Star or B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitationals. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod features both pay $500 to win, Mach-1 Sport Compact features $200. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Jet Racing Central, EQ Cylinder Heads Northern or Big Daddy Race Cars Northern regional, and Kansas State points will be awarded for each draw/redraw show. Entry fee for the weekend is Modifieds $100, Stock Cars $75, Hobby Stocks and Northern SportMods both $50 and Sport Compacts $35. Pit passes are $30. Spectator admission is $10 for adults and free for military with ID and kids ages 12 and under. King of the hill races for Modifieds and Stock Cars are on the March 30 open [Read More]

RPM Speedway opens with April 15-16 Sunflower Classic

HAYS, Kan. (April 11, 2022) – RPM Speedway opens the season in legendary fashion with the Friday and Saturday, April 15 and 16 Mike Hughes Memorial Sunflower Classic. IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000 to win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility both nights while IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for $750 to win in each of their B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying events. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and IMCA Northern SportMods both run for $500 to win, Mach-1 Sport Compacts for $200 to win each night. One-time entry fee is $75 for the Modifieds, $50 for the Stock Cars, $40 for Hobbies and Northern SportMods and $30 for Sport Compacts. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and KMJ Performance State points will be awarded. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. with hot laps at 5 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m. Pit passes are $25 for the Thursday, April 14 practice session that starts at 5 p.m. Pit passes are $30 on Friday and Saturday. More information is available about [Read More]

Big-time IMCA Modified special at RPM leads to another big win for Hobscheidt

HAYS, Kan. (Oct. 2) – Another big-time event ended with another big payday for Jacob Hobscheidt. After starting on the pole, running second most of the way and passing Tanner Black late in the 40-lapper, Hobscheidt was the $5,000 IMCA Modified winner Saturday at RPM Speedway’s 15th annual Fall Nationals presented by Nutrien Ag Services. “It’s been a pretty good year,” said the modest Hobscheidt, recently the winner of Park Jefferson Speedway’s Iron Cup and Southern Oregon Speedway’s R. Charles Snyder Salute and now eligible to qualify for the 2022 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “We’ve focused and worked hard. We’ve made some mistakes but we’ve learned a lot.” His IMCA travels took Hobscheidt to 16 tracks in six different states in 2021. He drew the pole for his first post-season start at Hays, saw Black motor by on lap two and then stayed in the runner-up spot before a restart opened the door. “The season started out terrible,” he said. “We finally got things rolling when I got this new car (a 2020 GRT) put together.” [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds headline Oct. 1-2 RPM Fall Nationals

HAYS, Kan. – A $5,000 to win main event for IMCA Modifieds headlines RPM Speedway’s rich, 15th annual Fall Nationals presented by Nutrien Ag Services this Friday and Saturday, Oct. 1 and 2. The Saturday feature pays $2,500 for second, $1,500 for third and $1,000 for fourth with a minimum of $400 paid to start. The winner becomes eligible to qualify for the 2022 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Also on the card at Hays are IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars racing for $3,000 to win and $250 to start, along with B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods run for $2,000 to win and $175 to start, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $1,500 to win and $175 to start, and Mach-1 Sport Compacts for $400 to win and $50 to start. Qualifying events for all five divisions are on Friday; last-chance qualifying and features are on Saturday. Entry fee and non-qualifier pay are $150 for Modifieds, $100 for Stocks, $80 for SportMods, $75 for Hobby Stocks and $25 for Sport Compacts. [Read More]

A race fan forever, Sutton takes over as new promoter at RPM Speedway

HAYS, Kan. – A race fan forever, Chris Sutton takes a new job at a long-time IMCA Kansas race track this season. The veteran tech inspector and jack of all trades at tracks across the state steps up as promoter at RPM Speedway. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts all return to Saturday shows at Hays. “I want to see this track continue to be a success. It’s a very big piece of the IMCA racing puzzle in the state and consistently has had one of the biggest car counts in Kansas,” said Sutton. “There’s not a lot of maintenance that needs to be done before opening night. The biggest change is that we had to forego the Sunflower Classic this spring but that will be back on the 2022 schedule.” The IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season runs from April 3 to Sept. 19. The final checkers fly during the Oct. 1-2 Fall Nationals. Sutton’s race career was brief before becoming [Read More]