IMCA’s best Modified drivers battle in Harris Auto Racing Race of Champions

2019 Super Nationals, Saturday, September 7, 2019

Jason Wolla aims to race his way back to victory lane in the upcoming Harris Auto Racing Modified Race of Champions, on Sept. 7 during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. (Photo by Bruce Badgley, Motorsports Photography)

BOONE, Iowa – It’s been one of the biggest Modified races on the IMCA schedule for more than three decades. 

And Jason Wolla will return to Boone Speedway in September, looking to defend his Harris Auto Racing Race of Champions title on the biggest stage in all of dirt track racing. 

The 31st annual Harris Race of Champions matches 12 of IMCA’s best Modified drivers in a 12-lap contest on Saturday, Sept. 7, the final day of the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s.

Wolla became the 22nd different driver, and the first from North Dakota, to win the Harris RoC. He appreciates the achievement every bit as much today as he did while standing trophy in hand on the infield stage last September. 

“Any time you go to Boone and compete with that level of racers, it’s a big deal. “I enjoyed the race and hopefully we can repeat,” said IMCA’s 2017 national champion. “It means a lot to have this win on your resume.”

Two hundred and five drivers, from 23 states and Canada, have qualified for one or more of the first 30 Harris RoC events.

Drivers eligible to qualify on Thursday, Sept. 5 for the race of champions include former national and Super Nationals champions and race of champions winners, 2019 track champions/point leader or the second-place driver if the leader is not in attendance at Super Nationals, and former regional champions crowned since 1993. 

The race pays $1,000 to win plus $100 for each lap led. Wolla took home $2,000 for his 2018 exploits.

“You have to go into this race with an open mind, be willing to change what you’re doing and adapt to track conditions” he said. “I think that when you try to turn it up mentally is when you make more mistakes, or at least I do, so you have to keep your mind clear and approach it like any other race. Regardless of whether you’re racing one car or 500, there’s only one place that matters and that’s first.” 

Harris Auto Racing Race of Champions Winners

1989 – Wayne Larson, Ames

1990 – Larson

1991 – Bill Davis Sr., Des Moines

1992 – Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

1993 – Rex Merritt, Billings, Mo.

1994 – Davis

1995 – Rick Gustin, Marshalltown

1996 – Kelly Boen, Henderson, Colo.

1997 – Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice, Neb.

1998 – Saathoff

1999 – Noble

2000 – Al Hejna, Ventura

2001 – John Logue, Boone

2002 – Ron Pope, Mason City

2003 – David Murray Jr., Oberlin, Kan.

2004 – Scott Hogan, Vinton

2005 – Kevin Stoa, Polk City

2006 – Hejna

2007 – Jimmy Gustin, Marshalltown

2008 – Johnathan Thimmesch, Aurora

2009 – Jay Noteboom, Hinton

2010 – Clint Hatlestad, Glencoe, Minn.

2011 – Jimmy Gustin

2012 – Stoa

2013 – Dustin Smith, Lake City

2014 – Keith White, Little River Academy, Texas

2015 – Smith

2016 – Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.

2017 – Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.

2018 – Jason Wolla, Ray, N.D.

Related Articles

2023 Super Nationals

Eight more earn eligibility for IMCA Fast Shafts All-Star qualifying

VINTON, Iowa (July 14, 2023) – Another eight Friesen Performance IMCA Modified drivers have earned Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational eligibility, with recent feature wins at qualifying weekly, special and special series events. Weekly winners of $1,000 or more were Jordan Bartz, Ryan Duhme, Travis Hagen, Regan Tafoya and Fred Wojtek. Matt Werner won the mid-week show at Davenport, Brad Sites topped the NY-Penn Series feature at The Hill Speedway and Brad Sites was first to the checkers at Bakersfield Speedway’s McGowan Memorial. Drivers already eligible winning qualifying events were Ricky Alvarado, Chaz Baca, Tom Berry Jr., Spencer Diercks, Jerry Flippo, Troy Foulger, Jacob Hobscheidt, Austin Kuehl, Jeremy Mills, Kody Scholpp, Kelly Shryock, Cody Thompson, Tim Ward, Jesse Williamson and Braxton Yeager. The All-Star Invitational will be held Friday, Sept. 8 during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Two rounds of fast time qualifying will be held during the Thursday, Sept. 7 program at Boone Speedway. Any driver who believes they should be added to the eligible list must contact Bill Martin at [Read More]

2019 Super Nationals

Last-minute campaigns underway for Super Tuesday IMCA Fast Shafts All-Star voting

VINTON, Iowa (July 29) – IMCA Modified candidates have today to do last-minute campaigning before Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballots are cast.  Twenty-eight of the 30 drivers starting the All-Star Invitational will be elected on Super Tuesday tomorrow, July 30: All voting will be through the IMCA Facebook page with the electronic polls open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. CST.  The top three vote recipients from each of the five Modified regions are guaranteed starting spots, with their region of candidacy determined by where they made the majority of their IMCA sanctioned starts. The next 13 drivers with the highest vote totals, regardless of region, become All-Stars.  Completing the field will be drivers with the top national point total and with the most 40-point feature wins as of Aug. 29 competing at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The $1,000 to win, 30-lap event will be held Sept. 6 at Boone Speedway. All-Star drivers receive firesuits from Velocita and mini-replica drive shafts from event title sponsor Fast Shafts by Axle Exchange. [Read More]

2024 Super Nationals

Reed follows first feature win with first trip to IMCA Super Nationals

WOODLAND, Wash. (Aug. 9, 2024) – Devon Reed got into a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified so he could race more often and at more tracks. Coming off his career-first feature win in the division, the Woodland, Wash., hotshoe is finalizing plans for his first-ever trip to Boone Speedway and the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “It’s going to be a new experience for me,” said Reed, who will make the bulk of the 1,850 mile one-way trip to Iowa’s Action Track on Interstates 84 and 80. “I‘m looking forward to watching some good racing and hopefully being part of it.” “I don’t have super high expectations, given that this is my first trip and the level I’m at,” he added, “but I’m definitely going to give it a try. I’d like to win a heat and get into one of the qualifying features. I’d be pretty happy with that for my first time.” Forty-one years old and the owner of an auto repair shop, Reed followed grandfather Frank Manley, who raced midgets in the [Read More]