IMCA STARS Mod Lites have new home at Bakersfield

Results

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Race programs at Bakersfield Speedway will feature a fourth IMCA division this season.

Half a dozen dates for newly-sanctioned IMCA STARS Mod Lites are on the schedule at Bakersfield, the first California track to add the class and already a weekly home to IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods.

“We’ve run Mod Lites the last five or six years, the last three years with rules very similar to STARS,” promoter Scott Schweitzer explained. “When we got news that the division would be IMCA, we knew it would be a natural fit for us. It’s an affordable and entertaining class.” 

Most of the Mod Lite competitors at Bakersfield are hometown drivers, with a variety of experience represented on track.

“We have a good combination of younger drivers and drivers who have raced a while, took a liking to this class and made the switch,” Schweitzer said. “One of the things that’s unique about it here are the numbers of fathers and sons, and husbands and wives who race Mod Lites.”

IMCA STARS Mod Lites are now scheduled to run March 13, April 10, May 8, June 5, July 17 and Aug. 14 on the 1/3-mile clay oval.

The IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season for Modifieds, Stock Cars and Northern SportMods starts March 6 and continues through Sept. 25. Three visits by touring RaceSaver Sprint Cars are on the schedule as well in 2021.

“IMCA Modifieds have run at Bakersfield since 1990, the SportMods since 2012 and Stock Cars since 2014,” noted Jim Stannard, vice president of operations for the sanctioning body. “IMCA STARS Mod Lites are an exceptional addition to race programs there.”

Related Articles

Feature

Inaugural California IMCA Modified Speedweek dates announced

By Ben Deatherage  MERCED, Calif. – Something exciting is around the bend in the California IMCA Modified scene. Doug Lockwood, promoter at Merced Speedway, has put together the first-ever Modified Speedweek in the State of California.  The series will race from Monday, Aug. 10 to Saturday, Aug. 15 at six different racetracks in as many nights.  The racing extravaganza will be open to both IMCA Modifieds and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods. Each race will feature a 20-car main event for $1,000 to win and $50 to start for the Modifieds while SportMods will race for $600 to the winner and $40 to start. Modified features are Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying events. Point funds will be up for grabs in both divisions, with $1,000-$400-$200-$100-$100 shares being paid in the Modifieds and $600-$300-$200-$100-$100 shares paid in the SportMods. The whole party kicks off at Placerville Speedway on Aug. 10, before the tour travels west to Petaluma Speedway on Tuesday.  Wednesday will be spent at Antioch Speedway while the Thursday date is reserved for Merced Speedway.  The series continues its southern [Read More]

Feature

Bannister rallies at Bakersfield, completes sweep of IMCA Central California Clash

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]

Results

Bakersfield Speedway primes for opening night March 6

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The long-awaited green flag flies for the first time this season Saturday, March 6 at Bakersfield Speedway. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods all see action at the California oval idled for much of 2020 by the Covid-19 pandemic. “It was a crazy, weird season last year,” acknowledged Promoter Scott Schweitzer. “It’s exciting to be able to go racing again. We’re not going to be 100 percent back to normal but it’s going to be good to get cars back on the track and get back to racing.”  The grandstand will be closed and all admission will be to the pit area on opening night. Pit passes will be $40 for drivers and crew members, $20 for family members and non-racers. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. Hot laps are at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. The race program will be broadcast by Low Budget TV.  Gates open at 4 p.m. and an open practice for all divisions is from 5-9 p.m. this Saturday, [Read More]