Oliver races into IMCA Stock Car 100 win club

Feature, Stock Car

John Oliver Jr. joined an exclusive group of drivers with his career 100th IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature win, on May 26 at Lee County Speedway. (Photo by MF Photography)

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (May 26, 2023) – John Oliver Jr. listened to the list of names of drivers in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car 100 career win fraternity and was impressed.

And honored, to become the 30th member of that exclusive club.

“That’s a pretty good group. It feels pretty good to get 100 wins for how many good Stock Cars are out there,” Oliver said, following his own history-making checkered flag run Friday night at Lee County Speedway. “And I’m glad to get it because now it’s one thing off my mind and I can go out and race my race.”

From West Burlington, Iowa, Oliver ran an outlaw hobby stock before friend Jason Cook asked if he’d be interested in driving a Stock Car.

That was in 2006 and the answer was a resounding yes. Oliver totaled a dozen feature wins and won the first of what is now 14 career track championships that season.

“Stock Car racing is probably the most fun I’ve ever had racing,” he said. “It’s so close. Everybody is just there.”

Always a contender, he got with Paul Burger at B & B Racing Chassis and into a former 2012 Luke Sathoff ride in 2015.

More success followed.

A stellar 2018 campaign saw Oliver win 15 features, track titles at 34 Raceway, Lee County and Benton County Speedway, and – after winning the Sunoco Race Fuels Race of Champions at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s – earn the Iowa State crown and finish as runner-up in national point standings.

He then devoted most of his 2019 season to running a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified, earning North Central Region and national rookie of the year honors, along with five feature wins.

“Getting 100 Stock Car wins and being Modified rookie of the year both rank right up there but they are hard to compare,” said Oliver, now doing double duty in a Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod. “Neither one of them was easy but the rookie of the year was one year. Getting 100 wins has taken multiple years.”

Arizona driver Chaz Baca would win his career 100th Modified feature later Friday evening, making Baca and Oliver the fourth pair of IMCA drivers to get career win 100 the same night.

Once in the 100 win club, Oliver didn’t take long to get back to victory lane, winning Saturday at 34 Raceway and Sunday’s Anniversary Prelude at Benton County.

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