VINTON, Iowa — The fourth annual IMCA TV Clash On The Coast returned to the Gulf Coast with four nights of competition split between Blackwater Speedway in Baker, Florida, and Deep South Speedway in Loxley, Alabama.
Blackwater, formerly Northwest Florida Speedway, has hosted the tour each year since its inception, while Deep South joined the rotation for the second straight season.
All three divisions crowned champions after tightly contested four-race title battles, with a different winner in each class on every night of competition.
Seventy-four drivers competed in Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified action during the week.
Iowa’s Ethan Braaksma wrapped up the Modified title by 12 points in the Trent Guest and Danny Meier-owned no. 111. The two-time defending Dakota Classic Modified Tour champion, former IMCA TV Winter Nationals champion, and reigning Harris Clash winner never fell outside the top five all week, stacking one win, three podium finishes, and a perfect four-for-four mark inside the top five to seal the championship.
His best night came in the opening leg at Blackwater Speedway, where he scored the win, and he backed it up with runner-up finishes in both Blackwater round two and Deep South round three.
Grundy Center, Iowa pilot Joel Rust finished second in points. The two-time Benton County Speedway track titlist and 2016 Harris Clash winner was perfect in the top-10 column, finishing inside the top 10 in all four rounds, including three top-five efforts highlighted by a podium run during the Tuesday leg at Blackwater.
Third in points, Dylan Thornton turned in two top fives and three top 10s. The reigning IMCA TV Winter Nationals champion and three-division Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s winner, originally from Santa Maria, California and now living in Belle Plaine, Iowa, stayed in the fight with three top-10 finishes in four starts, including a pair of top-five efforts, with his best run a fourth-place finish in round three at Deep South.
Dubuque, Iowa’s Jed Freiburger placed fourth in the standings. Winner of the last four straight track titles at Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway and Lafayette County Speedway, he logged one podium and three top 10s. His top result came in the opening leg at Blackwater with a third-place finish.
Boone, Iowa racer Izac Mallicoat rounded out the top five in points. He recorded one top five and two top 10s, with his best night coming in Blackwater round two on Tuesday with a fifth-place effort.
Forty drivers took part in Sunoco IMCA Stock Car competition.
Michigan standout Mike Vandermark Jr. became the first two-time Clash On The Coast Stock Car champion after also winning the title last year. He never missed the top five, going a flawless four-for-four in both the top-five and top-10 categories, with his Tuesday Blackwater victory proving decisive.
Wisconsin’s Rod Snellenberger finished second in points, just four markers back. The 2008 National champion and six-time reigning Wisconsin State titleholder posted a Blackwater victory, compiled two top-five finishes, and was perfect in the top-10 column with four top-10 runs in four nights, staying within striking distance to the end.
Shelby William, Owen Barnhill and Dustin White completed the top five in points.
Thirty-five drivers competed in the inaugural Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod portion of the Clash.
Iowa’s Mike Smith captured the inaugural Clash On The Coast Northern SportMod championship by 15 points, the largest margin of any division.
The reigning National Rookie of the Year and Boone Speedway track champion, who also owns two Super Nationals Hobby Stock wins, never finished worse than fifth across the entire series, going four-for-four in both top-five and top-10 finishes while grabbing a Blackwater victory in round two.
Minnesota’s Ben Reierson finished second in the standings. He recorded one podium, two top fives, and three top 10s, highlighted by his best run in Deep South round three with a third-place finish.
Cole Suckow, Keenan Glasser and Joe Docekal completed the top five.
The events were all broadcast live on IMCA TV.
