McGowan Memorial is Saturday at Bakersfield

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – IMCA Modifieds race for $5,000 on Sunday, night two of the Nationals at Bakersfield Speedway.  One of the top-paying events of the season in California sees Modifieds run for $1,200 to win, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods for $1,000 to win and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $500 to win on opening night Saturday, May 29. Along with the big Modified payday on Sunday, SportMods race for $1,000 to win and Stock Cars for $750 to win on May 30. Both Modified features are Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying events while the winner of Sunday’s Stock Car feature joins the list of B & B Chassis All-Star qualifiers. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Shaw Race Cars Western and EQ Cylinder Heads Southern region points, KMJ Performance State and track points will be awarded.  Start money each night is $100 for Modifieds and SportMods and $50 for Stock Cars.  Entry fees and pit passes each day are $50. Grandstand admission is $20 for adults, $10 for kids ages 6-12 and free for five [Read More]

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Oct. 13-14) – Racing took a backseat to remembering a much loved mem­ber of the Bakersfield Speedway family. Bailey Schweitzer, daughter of promoter Scott Schweitzer, was one of the victims of the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting in Las Vegas. She was remembered in pre-race ceremonies before both nights of the Budweiser Nationals, with a balloon launch held before racing began on Satur­day. “This has been a race I’ve always wanted to win and especially being able to do it this year means a lot to me,” said Friday night IMCA Modified winner Cody Laney. “There were a lot of peo­ple here and a lot of work went into this weekend. A lot of people came together.” Laney’s 30-lap win on Friday and Collen Winebarger’s 40-lap victory on Saturday both paid $1,500 and were Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying events. Robby Sawyer ran up front early on Friday and was in and out of the lead before Laney got there to stay on the 18th lap. After moving to the lower line, Laney [Read More]

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (May 7, 2023) – He was the defending tour champion but Tyler Bannister admittedly went into opening night of the IMCA Central California Clash with low expectations. Four wins – the last of them best described as improbable – in as many races later, the Bakersfield driver was a repeat champion in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod portion of the tour. “Our goal had been to show up and turn laps,” said Bannister, forced into father Jason’s 2019 Victory Circle ride after totaling his own mount late last month. “I’d finished second in my only other start in that car but we struggled to do that and there were a lot of things we had to change.” “We ended up having a pretty good week,” he continued, “and to get our first wins of the season in our home state was great.” Getting his fourth win of the week, and first of 2023 at his hometown track was even better. Feature wins at Antioch Speedway, Kings Speedway and Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway … [Read More]