A first for Arizona: Cocopah adds IMCA Late Models

SOMERTON, Ariz. – The wave of the future is taking IMCA Late Models to Arizona. 

Cocopah Speedway at Somerton becomes the first track in the Grand Canyon State to sanction the division, with five dates on the schedule announced for the 2020 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season. 

“The fans are excited and we have drivers who have never competed in a Late Model before looking to get into this class,” said promoter Benji Lyons. “”We are committed as a track to this division and we’ve got a group of drivers who are committed to building cars.” 

“We have to do something to reduce the cost of Late Model racing and we’re going to stick to our guns,” he concluded. “This is going to be the wave of the future.”

The division makes its Cocopah debut on Feb. 1. 

Other point season dates are March 7 and 21, May 2 and Sept. 26.

“With the stability of IMCA, sanctioning Late Models just made sense,” Lyons stated. “It’s going to be a building project but I believe everything IMCA does is on the right path.”

IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Mach-1 Sport Compacts are also new at Cocopah, joining established IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod programs.

“The new sanctions complement the divisions we have been running,” said Lyons. “We have 10 Sport Compacts being built now. One of the things I like best about that class is that it fills a gap for our younger drivers between our mini dwarf and Hobby Stock classes.” 

Final night for points at Somerton is Sept. 26. 

Cocopah is in IMCA’s Shaw Race Cars Western Region for Modifieds, EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region for Stock Cars and Big Daddy Race Cars Southern Region for Hobby Stocks. 

“Our rules make it possible for Late Model drivers to be competitive without breaking the bank,” commented IMCA Vice President of Operations Jim Stannard. “It’s been a number of years since we sanctioned the division outside the central part of the country and I anticipate a steady growth in the number of sanctioned tracks and membership.”