thomascountyspeedway Archives

Bencken’s latest pretty big accomplishment is 100th career IMCA Hobby Stock feature win

OAKLEY, Kan. (Aug. 9, 2024) – Brady Bencken raced his way into the IMCA history book Friday night but probably wasn’t the proudest person standing in victory lane. Bencken won for the 100th time in his IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock career at home track Thomas County Speedway and was joined after the checkers flew by father Rod and grandfather Wes in displaying the congratulatory banner. “It’s pretty big. When I got my first track championship, it was unbelievable. Now we’re 10 years down the road and 100 wins. It’s pretty neat,” the Oakley, Kan., driver said. “I didn’t even realize until last year that we were even that close. I was just racing, not paying attention to the wins, and then IMCA contacted me.” “It’s a pretty big accomplishment.” Bencken has racked up a lot of pretty big accomplishments since recording his first Hobby Stock win, also at Thomas County, in 2014. The 2016 Kansas state and an 11-time track champion, he won at least 10 features every season from 2016 to 2021. Bencken had a [Read More]

Barnhart, Bencken win first features of season Friday at Thomas County

By Sheldon Wickwar COLBY, Kan. (June 28, 2024) – Josh Barnhart and Brady Bencken both won first IMCA features of the season Friday at Thomas County Speedway. The Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod 15-lap feature started with a front row of Barnhart and Monty Nordyke. Barnhart grabbed the early race and by lap five had pulled away. The race single filed out with Carson Lang and Blaine Walt making runs to third and fourth place but not being able to advance further. Barnhart ran away with the victory, ahead of Nordyke, Lang, Walt and Bencken. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks ran a 15-lap feature of their own with a front row of Mike Kennedy and Austin Janousek. Kennedy got the early jump, but quickly Bencken found himself passing for the lead in turn four. The race stayed green until lap 10. Bencken led the restart and despite trying multiple lines, Trent Matson could not run him down. Bencken picked up win number one of the season with Matson, Bret Conness, Mitchell Fischer and Austin Janousek in [Read More]

Leibhart, Kirchoff, Olmstead, Pfeifer, Frenier cash in at Colby

By Sheldon Wickwar COLBY, Kan. (June 21, 2024) – Mother Nature threw a bunch of wind at Thomas County Speedway on a Friday night that saw a couple close finishes, some dominant runs and a driver breaking through for a big win. Visiting victory lane were Brock Leibhart in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts, Morgan Olmstead in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Ryan Kirchoff in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, Kyle Pfeifer in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Jeremy Frenier in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. Leibhart grabbed the lead early in the 4-cylinder feature, holding on to the point despite getting a little too high on lap five and losing some momentum. Mortensen got to the leader’s back bumper but could not deny Leibhart his third win of the season and ninth straight top-10 finish. Third was Gage Porter. Multiple restarts and the best efforts of Brady Bencken couldn’t shake Olmstead from the front spot in the Hobby Stock main. Olmstead picked up win number 10, returning to the Kansas dirt scene [Read More]

Trumbo trumps Thomas County Sport Compact feature

By Sheldon Wickwar COLBY, Kan. (May 24, 2024) – Hard charger Ted Trumbo started the parade to victory lane in the Memorial Weekend show at Thomas County Speedway. Trumbo warmed up for the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact main event by winning his heat race. James Bader and Tyson Plumisto drew front row starts for the main event but Kyle Benoit grabbed the race lead and ran up front before a caution. The restart was chaotic, and Madison Reed was able to get to the lead by lap four; lap five saw the sixth starting Trumbo get to second. Reed and Trumbo battled closely for the remainder of the feature with Trumbo gaining the lead on lap 10 and taking the win. Second was Reed and third was Kyle Mortensen. Other IMCA winners on the night were Morgan Olmstead in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Blaine Walt in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, Kyle Pfeifer in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Brett Berry in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. Olmstead raced his way to [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars headline Thomas County’s Hartwell Memorial

COLBY, Kan. – A pair of All-Star Invitational qualifying events top the ticket at this weekend’s Jeff Hartwell Memorial at Thomas County Speedway. IMCA Modifieds run for $1,523 and a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $1,023 to win and B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility on Saturday, June 19 at Colby. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods both race for $623 to win, Mach-1 Sport Compacts for $223 to win. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. Grandstand admission is $10 with kids ages 12 and under getting in free. Pit passes are $30.

Sproul capitalizes, collects $1,000 checkers in headliner at IMCA Havoc on the Hi-Plains

COLBY, Kan. (April 8-9) – Another Thomas County Speedway special ended with Dakota Sproul in victory lane. Sproul paced the Jeff Hartwell Memorial last August en route to earning IMCA Modified national and Jet Racing Central Region rookie of the year honors. He was the winner at Colby again Saturday night, scoring the night two $1,000 Havoc on the Hi-Plains checkers after leader Clay Sellers got caught up with a lapped car near midway. Sproul had started fifth. “We had been fast on opening night and went from ninth to third. The car was really good all weekend,” he said. “The track was pretty good around the bottom. I stayed there and was able to hold my own. It was a good race.” Kyle Rohleder and Tanner Black were next across the stripe. Daniel Gottschalk and Clay Money, the 2019 and 2020 track champions at Thomas County, respectively, were the top two in Friday’s $500 to win Modified feature. Jason Rogers raced from 12th starting to win his IMCA Sunoco Stock Car career 100th feature on Friday. [Read More]

Havoc on the Hi-Plains starts season at Thomas County Speedway

COLBY, Kan. – Thomas County Speedway opens the new season with five IMCA divisions running both nights of the Friday and Saturday, April 9 and 10 Havoc on the Hi-Plains. IMCA Modifieds run for $500 to win on Friday and for $1,000, plus a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth, on Saturday. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars race for $400 to win on Friday and $750 on Saturday; Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks both for $300 on Friday and $500 on Saturday; and Mach-1 Sport Compacts for $125 on Friday and $200 on Saturday. Both shows will be draw/redraw. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing, KMJ Performance State and track points will be awarded in all five divisions with Modifieds earning Jet Racing Central Region points, Stock Cars EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region points and Hobby Stocks Big Daddy Race Cars Northern Region points. Hot laps are at 7:30 p.m. and racing starts at 8 p.m. on Friday. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Grandstand admission [Read More]

URSS slated for Western Kansas doubleheader June 27, 28

COLBY, Kan. – The Mel Hambelton Ford Racing POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series is slated to take on a doubleheader weekend June 27 and 28. Lucas Oil POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series drivers will head to Thomas County Speedway in Colby, Kan., on Saturday, June 27. Racing is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. General admission is $15 with kids 12 and under free. On Sunday, June 28, competitors will head east on I-70 to WaKeeney Speedway complete the doubleheader weekend. With the Sprint Cars will be IMCA Kansas Thunder Racing Series Modifieds, Sports Mods, Stock Cars, and Hobby Stocks. Racing will begin at 6 p.m.. General admission is $15 with kids 12 and under free. Both events pay $700 to win and $200 to start, and were originally scheduled for late-May, but restrictions in effect forced the postponement to a later date.

Thomas County Speedway gears up for busy June

COLBY, Kan. – Thomas County Speedway will host its season opener this Friday, June 5 at the 3/8-mile speedplant. In action will be IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts. Pit gates open at 5 p.m. with grandstands opening at 6:30 p.m. General admission tickets cost $10 for adults with children ages 12 and under admitted free when accompanying a paid adult. Racing action continues on Friday, June 12 with the same divisions and start times, before leading into a big doubleheader weekend June 26 and 27. The Friday night, June 26 card will again see sanctioned Modifieds, Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks, Northern SportMods and Sport Compacts in action. The Saturday, June 27 card changes pace and welcomes the United Rebel Sprint Series as part of a one-of-a-kind show that’s never been seen before at Thomas County Speedway. Check out Thomas County Speedway on Facebook, or on myracepass.com, for a full schedule.

New ride carries Ursetta to two Colby wins, IMCA Modified Madness checkers pay $3K

COLBY, Kan. (June 1) – Dominic Ursetta didn’t need a lot of laps to shake any bugs out of his new ride. Ursetta debuted a new 2019 GRT by Phillips in winning Friday’s IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing program at Thomas County Speedway. He followed up with the $3,000 Nutrien IMCA Modified Madness checkers at Colby on Saturday, beating Eddie Belec to the finish line by two-plus seconds. “It took us a little while to find our line Saturday,” said Ursetta, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “Once we got into the lead we were able to pull away a little.” Tanner Black and Cody Gearhardt had started at the front of the Modified Madness field. Black powered to a sizable advantage in the early stages of the 25-lapper while Daniel Gottschalk worked to chase him down after moving to second from his seventh starting spot in just two laps. Belec worked his way into the top three while Ursetta hustled into fourth after falling to seventh in the first couple circuits, before [Read More]