usaraceway Archives

Two titles for Thornton, Kuehl reigns over IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour SportMods

TUCSON, Ariz. (Feb. 15) – Ricky Thornton Jr. wrapped up two titles with feature victories while Brady Bjella became a first-time winner and ever-consistent Taylor Kuehl earned an IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour championship of her own Saturday at USA Raceway. Thornton led all but the first of 25 IMCA Modified main event circuits and all 20 times around the track in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Alex Stanford was scored first on the opening lap of the Modified finale, but Thornton drove by in the first set of turns on lap two. He caught up with the back of the field on lap nine and led Stanford through traffic from that point. The race ran caution-free and Thornton avoided potential late drama with a nifty high side pass of two lapped cars. The $2,000 victory was Thornton’s second straight at Tucson, third of the tour and already Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying fifth of the season. Stanford was second and Drew Armstrong held off Jake O’Neil for third. Chaz Baca started 13th and [Read More]

Thornton is double winner, Becerra takes first IMCA Arizona Tour checkers at Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. (Feb. 14) – Ricky Thornton Jr. was a double winner while Austen Becerra collected his first IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour checkers Friday at USA Raceway. Thornton won for the fourth time in five IMCA Sunoco Stock Car Tour starts, before outrunning Jeff Taylor and Alex Stanford for another IMCA Modified victory. In between those two features, Becerra rocketed from eighth starting to top the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod main. He passed Clay Erickson and Brady Bjella following a lap 14 restart, then led to the finish. “I thought I had a third place car ‘til I got to lapped traffic,” the Carthage, Ill., charger said post-race. “But it worked out pretty good for us. It was good to click one off here.” Becerra had sandwiched fourth- and third-place finishes around a pair of 21st place showings in his four prior tour outings. His win was good for $750. Bjella and Bo Partain were one-two in the early going. Erickson owned the second spot after a lap four restart while Becerra motored along in [Read More]

Thornton wins again at USA Raceway reopening

By Jackson Braun TUCSON, Ariz. (Feb. 15) – The grand reopening of the fast USA Raceway was a successful one for many. The track had been shut down for a few years but hard work and dedication to bringing racing back to the facility led to the final two dates for the 2019 edition of the Arizona Mod Tour. Ricky Thornton Jr. and John Hansen led the IMCA Modified field to the green and from that point on Thornton was arguably the smoothest racer on the speedway as he scampered away even after the lone caution of the event. Racing was phenomenal throughout the pack as the drivers adjusted to the track conditions and swapped positions back and forth. Colorado racer Brett Smith had a strong run as he jumped into second place early. Behind him, young guns Zachary Madrid and D.J. Shannon raced hard against veterans Jeff Taylor and hometown racer Jake O’Neil. Thornton claimed his fourth $1,500 victory of the week as Smith finished second with Shannon, Madrid, and O’Neil completing the top [Read More]