VINTON, Iowa – A record 107 IMCA Allstar Performance state champions were crowned this season, including first-ever divisional kings in three states.
The previous mark of 103 was set last year; the record for the number of state champions named has been equaled or bettered each year since 2004.
Shelby Williams was the only driver winning state crowns in multiple divisions this season, pacing both IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMod points in Oklahoma. Both championships were career firsts.
Brian Carey won his first Southern SportMod crowns in Colorado and Wyoming. He’d previously reigned in his home state of New Mexico.
State-first champions were in New York and South Carolina, where Jeff Trombely and Danny Jones topped IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car standings, and in Wyoming, where Beau Hutchison led Stock Car points.
Eight hundred and eighteen different drivers have won state championships since the awards program began in 2000.
Drew Armstrong motored to a career sixth IMCA Modified championship in Arkansas this season. Jeremy Meirhofer won for the fourth time in as many years Montana has crowned a state king and Cory Sample won for the fourth time in Nevada.
Winning third state titles were A.J. Ward in Michigan and Chase Hansen in Utah.
Collecting second awards were Brian Schultz in Arizona, Jason Barnhill in Florida – he paced Alabama points in 2016 – former SportMod champ Cody Malcom in Idaho, Steven Bowers Jr. in Kansas, Will Ward in New York, Jason Wolla in North Dakota, William Gould in Texas and Eddie Kirchoff in Wyoming.
First-time Modified state champions were Branden Harris in Alabama, Robby Sawyer in California, John Burrow Jr. in Colorado, Eric Barnes in Illinois, Clint Luellen in Iowa, Ryan Canon in Minnesota, Shane Kelley in Missouri, Scott R. Smith in Nebraska, Toby Herring in New Mexico, former Northern SportMod king Kayden Menasco in Oklahoma, John Campos in Oregon, Bob Moore in South Dakota and T.J. Smith in Wisconsin.
If not already vote eligible, all Modified state champions become Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational candidates.
Todd Cooney prevailed over Late Model standings in Iowa for the ninth season and Rob Toland repeated in Illinois.
Winners of career second RaceSaver Sprint awards were Tyler Drueke in Nebraska and Andy Shouse in Oklahoma.
Other first-time state champs were George Tristao Jr. in California, Zac Taylor in Colorado, Ryan Tusing in Indiana, Mike Moore in Iowa, Zach Blurton in Kansas, Jacob Harris in Louisiana, Trevor Serbus in Minnesota, Edward Wagner III in New Jersey, Jake Hesson in Ohio, Kyle Ganoe in Pennsylvania, Colin Smith in South Dakota, Marcus Thomas in Texas and Anthony Linkenhoker in Virginia.
Dan Mackenthun will make room on the mantle for a career eighth Minnesota state Stock Car award.
Three-time state champions include Troy Patee in California, Joren Boyce in North Dakota – he also has eight Modifed state plaques in his IMCA collection – Kirk Martin in Texas and Travis Van Straten in Wisconsin, another former Northern SportMod titlist.
Chad Bruns was best in Nebraska for the second time in his career.
Drivers earning first state titles included George Fronsman in Arizona, where he’d previously won a Modified crown, Joe Bellm in Colorado, Brian Hoener in Illinois, Nathan Wood in Iowa, Tommy Fose in Kansas, Mark Lord in New Mexico, Greg Taylor in South Dakota and Gene Henrie in Utah.
Cory Probst raced to his career third IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock state title in Minnesota.
Kolby Stegman became the 10th different driver to wear the state champion’s crown in Colorado in as many years.
Other first-time Hobby Stock state champions were Dean Zachrison in Arizona, Chanse Hollatz in Iowa, Cody Williams in Kansas, Jeff Ware in Nebraska, John Davis in New Mexico, Allison Pierce in New York, Adam Goff in North Dakota, David Miller in South Dakota, Damian Snyder in Texas and Bru Till in Wyoming.
Ryan Moser’s Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod Colorado State crown is his third in a row. Tony Rialson, Hunter McDonald and Rusty Montagne each earned career second titles in Minnesota, Oklahoma and South Dakota, respectively. Montagne is a former two-time Hobby Stock champ in South Dakota.
Earning first state crowns were Jason George in Arizona, Shane DeVolder in California, Kendra Vollmer in Idaho, Dustin Schram in Illinois, Tyler Soppe in Iowa, Kolton Vogel in Kansas, Trent Roth in Nebraska, Erik Laudenschlaer in North Dakota, Jayson Nelson in Oregon, Shane Simper in Utah, Hunter Parsons in Wisconsin and Jason Wright in Wyoming.
Jeffrey Kaup won his sixth straight Southern SportMod championship in Kansas while Brock Aeschbacher made it three in a row in Idaho.
First-time state kings were Tyler Cook in New Mexico, James Hanusch in Texas and Steve Gray in Utah.
Two-time Mach-1 Sport Compact state champions were Levi Heath in Iowa, Jason Berg in North Dakota, Luke Jackson in South Dakota and Mitch Meier in Wisconsin.
Four-cylinder division drivers winning career first state tiles were Chad Mann in Colorado, Craig Bangert in Illinois, Brandon Wise in Kansas, Alex Dostal in Minnesota, Brooke Fluckiger in Nebraska and Julia Childs in Texas.