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National Dominance

Over one-quarter of the 111 sprint car drivers who came to the middle of the nation for the biggest 3-day national event drove EMi cars. Of those 29 drivers entered, 12 of them made the A Feature. In front of the biggest crowd in the 5-year history of the Racesaver IMCA Sprint Nationals, 6 preliminary features were run. Three of those were won by EMi drivers; Mike Moore, Nate Berry, and Luke Cranston. Nine additional racers would make up the final 3 rows on the starting grid for the 3-wide start of the A Feature. The front row was all EMi as Jason Martin, the preliminary night winner, John Carney II, and Jack Dover lead the fastest 27 Racesaver IMCA Sprint Cars in the country to the green flag.

John Carney II snagged the lead on lap 1 with Jason Martin, Jack Dover and Toby Chapman in hot pursuit. Martin retook the top spot on lap 3. With 20 circuits left the leaders caught lapped traffic and the top 3 could have been covered with a blanket. High on the cushion and low on the berm went Martin and his pursuers. Dover made a big move and got past Carney for second only to go to the infield on a restart with engine woes. A single caution at lap 25 cleared the deck and the air for Martin. With no lapped traffic to interfere he raced to the checkers earning the top prize of $2,500 and the right to call himself Champion of the 2017 Racesaver IMCA Sprint Nationals.

Twenty-eight racers were ready for action at Calistoga Speedway’s “10th Annual Louie Vermeil Classic.” Ryan Bernal set the early tone by breaking a seven year old track record and becoming the first non-wing sprint car in the 18-second bracket driving the Silva Motorsports #57 EAGLE. But the night belonged to Rico Abreu, who took the lead for good on the 26th circuit and raced to victory. Also in an EAGLE.

Mark Dobmeier and the Jimco Racing #13 EAGLE team wrapped up another track championship, but this one came at a different track. The Grand Forks, North Dakota team picked up the title at the Jackson Motorplex in Minnesota. The track concluded its 410 season last Saturday night. “We are really proud of that,” says Mark. “Our team has been working hard all year, and our big track program is where it needs to be.

Defending series champion, Don Droud Jr. took the lead with seven laps remaining and went the rest of the disctance unchallenged to claim his first feature victory of the season with the NCRA at 81 Speedway. Droud began to reel in the leader and was six car lengths out by lap eleven driving his SCHNEE. In the end, there was no catching Droud as he would cruise the rest of the way to claim a half straight-a-way victory.

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