
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of AOM Creative)
Casa Grande, Arizona (February 1, 2025) — Kollin Hibdon made a thrilling late-race pass to capture his first IMCA Modified victory of the 2025 season at Central Arizona Raceway. The Pahrump, Nevada racer not only took the checkered flag in the final round of the Ernie Mincy Memorial Early Thaw series but also secured the coveted series championship.
The feature began with Troy Morris III, winner of the previous two nights, pacing the field early as he powered around the 3/8-mile clay oval on the high side. However, Morris made hard contact with the wall on lap four and suffered another heavy hit ten laps later, ultimately flattening his right front tire and surrendering the lead to Ian Whisler.
Whisler, from the Northern Oregon Coast, did his best to fend off Hibdon, but the Nevada driver executed a flawless slider in turn two on lap fifteen to take control. From there, the eighth-place starter pulled away from the competition, finally breaking through to victory lane and taming the Western Region field after three consecutive runner-up finishes.
Ian Whisler edged out his older brother, Eston, for second place at the finish line.
Williams Dominates IMCA Stock Car Finale
The Sunoco IMCA Stock Car main event was a display of pure dominance by Shelby Williams. The Bonham, Texas driver made a sweeping move around the outside of Trevor Hidalgo, piloting the Mike Shea-owned entry, to seize the lead on the opening lap and never looked back.
Williams cruised to his third Early Thaw victory and fourth EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region win of the season.
Minnesota’s Kaden Woodie, the previous night’s winner, finished second, while North Dakota driver Jason Storbakken claimed third. Meanwhile, Audubon, Iowa veteran “Wahoo” Mike Albertsen secured the Early Thaw points championship.
Peery Wins SportMod Early Thaw Series With Win
Restarts proved to be critical in the IMCA Northern SportMod main event, with Ryan Peery showcasing his skill in clutch moments. The Yreka, California driver narrowly edged out Joe Docekal and Payce Herrera by just 0.042 seconds at the line on lap one to claim the early advantage.
Docekal made several attempts to wrestle away the lead, but Peery successfully defended every challenge.
In the end, Peery powered to his fourth Early Thaw victory and fifth overall win of 2025. His strong performance throughout the series also earned him the Early Thaw championship.
Docekal, piloting the Phoenix-based Heath Dry entry, finished second, while Oregon’s Jorddon Braaten delivered an incredible drive from twenty-fifth to third, making a decisive move on the final restart to claim the podium spot.
The event was broadcast on Speed Sport TV.