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Opening Night Rainout Proves Key to Batt’s Reign in Southern Stock Car Region

By Bill Martin HARKER HEIGHTS, Texas (Oct. 25, 2026) – Most race car drivers are chomping at the bit to get their new season started. Jason Batt didn’t even have a ride at the start of the 2026 Sunoco IMCA Stock Car point season, so he didn’t mind waiting another week. The veteran wheelman motored to his career first EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region crown and fifth Texas State prize, propelled to a runner-up finish in the national points race by bonus points earned along with Heart O’ Texas Speedway and Cotton Bowl Speedway track titles. “What I’m really on cloud nine about was finishing second in the nation. That’s where we’re really pumped,” Batt said, following his 26th season in the class. “It’s pretty exciting. I’m humbled. We had great seasons in 2017, 2018, 2019 and even further back to 2010 when we finished eighth in the nation. But the last couple seasons have been down and I was kind of thinking my not doing good was my age.” “Then we got a new car this [Read More]

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Barney Makes Utah History With B&B Racing Chassis Southern Region Championship

By Ben Deatherage PANGUITCH, Utah (Oct. 22, 2026) — Hayden Barney entered the 2026 Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock season looking to make the most of a repaired race car and build on his success from the previous year. By season’s end, the 35-year-old from Panguitch, Utah, had made history as the first driver from the Beehive State to capture the B&B Racing Chassis Southern Region championship since regional titles were first awarded in 2007. Barney also secured his second consecutive Utah State championship and his first track championship at Desert Thunder Raceway. He became just the second driver to win back-to-back Utah State titles since the championship was established in 2009, joining Troy Sweeten, who accomplished the feat in 2009 and 2010. Behind the wheel of the Eric Hartle Concrete/Burdick Materials/Beau’s Car Quest-sponsored No. 45 Grumpy Chassis, Barney recorded four feature victories, 20 podium finishes, 33 top fives, and 35 top-10 finishes in 35 official starts. All four victories came at Desert Thunder Raceway. The championship season began with a race car that had endured a [Read More]

Feature

IMCA Releases 2027 Rules with Minor Changes

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 2, 2026) — IMCA has released its 2027 rules package, featuring minor updates and clarifications across several divisions, along with changes to helmet requirements and head and neck restraint regulations for minor drivers. In the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock divisions, frame ground clearance must measure a minimum of 6.5 inches and a maximum of nine inches beneath the oval frame holes, identified as letters D and K in the 1978-88 Monte Carlo frame drawing. Floating or removable bars are not permitted in either division. Stock Cars will no longer be permitted to use Camaro nosepieces on anything other than the Camaro MD3 body, while Hobby Stocks will not be allowed to use lightweight pressure plate. For Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Speedway Motors fabricated lower A-frames, part numbers 91035297-L and 91035297-R, have been added to the rules. The interior deck must also be level from left to right within a one-inch tolerance. The Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod division will have the same interior deck requirement, [Read More]