December 10, 2025

Thanksgiving Thunder Set for Nov. 22 at Smoky Mountain Speedway; $1,200 Awaits Mod Lite Winner

By Ben Deatherage

MARYVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 10, 2025) — The Tennessee Mod Lite Racing Association is set to light up the foothills of the Smokies as Thanksgiving Thunder returns to Smoky Mountain Speedway on Saturday, Nov. 22. This can’t-miss event in the scenic Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee will showcase the Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites, competing for $1,200 to win on one of the South’s premier clay ovals.

The weekend opens with a Friday night practice on Nov. 21 from 6:00–9:00 p.m. Pit passes are $20, offering teams valuable track time before race day.

Saturday’s main event schedule features pit gates opening at 9:00 a.m., grandstands at 10:00 a.m., a drivers’ meeting at noon, and hot laps at 12:30 p.m., followed by a full program of high-speed Mod Lite competition.

Grandstand admission is $20 for adults and $5 for kids 11 and under, while pit passes are $35 on race day.

Adding to the prestige of the second annual event, the winning chassis will receive exclusive post-race recognition through a dedicated IMCA media spotlight feature.

Fans can stay up to date through Smoky Mountain Speedway and the Tennessee Mod Lite Racing Association social media channels — and make plans now to be part of this unforgettable weekend in the Smokies.

smokymountainspeedway

Feature

Sports Park Raceway Joins IMCA for 2026 Season, Moves Weekly Racing to Sunday Nights

By Sarah Stewart FORT DODGE, Iowa (Dec. 5, 2025) — Sports Park Raceway has announced a major step forward for the 2026 season, confirming that the facility will operate under Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing sanctioning beginning next year while shifting its weekly program to Sunday nights. The track’s 2026 IMCA lineup will feature Sunoco IMCA Late Models, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. Owner and promoter Jeff Frevert said the decision aligns with the track’s long-term goals for growth, stability, and consistency. “We believe it’s time to grow,” said Frevert, “and with IMCA’s strong consistent support and a move to Sunday nights, we’re confident this step will help Sports Park Raceway continue to thrive for years to come.” The track previously sanctioned IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Northern SportMods, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Sport Compacts, and IMCA Hobby Stocks in 2018–19. Operations manager Sarah Stewart echoed that excitement, noting both personal experience and the benefits for competitors and fans. “As someone [Read More]

Feature

Ken Hansen: A Life Remembered

By Ben Deatherage MYTON, Utah (Dec. 5, 2025) — The Uintah Basin has always been a place shaped by work, resourcefulness, and people who build their own opportunities. Among those who left a lasting mark on the region’s racing community, few names carry more weight or affection than Ken Hansen — a father, inventor, promoter, and friend who helped bring IMCA racing westward and connected drivers across eight states. Hansen passed away on November 18, 2025, at age sixty-five after complications from a stroke. His loss is felt across the Basin and beyond, in the tracks he helped guide, the racers he supported, and the family he poured his life into. Early Years and a Move West Hansen grew up in Powell, Wyoming, exposed to racing without ever taking up the wheel himself. Ken later moved to Utah during the oil boom, drawn by opportunity and the chance to build something of his own. He founded Jet Lift Systems, inventing parts for oil and gas wells that are still used today. His creativity and engineering mind [Read More]

Events

2026 Winter Nationals Stage Set as Mod Lites Tackle Georgia and Florida

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Dec. 4, 2025) — The Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites will launch the 2026 season for many teams with one of the most demanding stretches of racing on the winter calendar, as the 2nd Annual Georgia–Florida Speedweek brings ten events in fourteen days to four tracks across two states. The early-season tour made a strong debut last year, and the 2026 edition promises an even deeper, tougher field as teams converge on the Southeast to chase big money, early momentum, and a Speedweek championship. Everything begins at Swainsboro Raceway in Georgia, where teams will gather for an open practice on Sunday, February 1. The first two nights of racing are set for Monday and Tuesday, February 2 and 3, with both features paying $1,000 to win. After the Georgia opener, the Speedweek caravan heads into Florida and stays there for the remainder of the journey. Hendry County Motorsports Park in Clewiston hosts the next leg of the schedule, beginning with a Thursday practice on February 5. Two lucrative nights follow, [Read More]