By J.M. Hallas
PLEASANTON, Texas (Jan. 7, 2026) — After a short winter break, I-37 Speedway, just south of San Antonio, returned to action with a huge four-day show, the Texas Showdown. The event features IMCA Modifieds and Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars on the ¼-mile, semi-banked dirt oval, with strong early-season payouts. Extra money is also up for grabs for any driver sweeping all four nights in the two Speedway Motors IMCA classes.
The start of the 20-lap IMCA Stock Car feature saw Beau Collins and Cody Leonard stay side by side into turn one, but it was Collins who gained the advantage off turn two. Cameron Starry was able to get by Leonard for second, with Leonard settling into third ahead of Boone Evans and Mason Martin. Behind the lead pack, it was three-wide for eighth before Shawn Graham broke and came to a stop in turn three.
Once back to green, Starry began pressuring Collins for the lead while Johnny Torres and Jacob Slough made contact in the mid-pack. Starry slipped inside Collins to take over the top spot on lap six, with Leonard trying to follow through the opening.
Past the halfway mark, Starry then eased away from Collins and Leonard, who had opened a gap back to Evans, Martin, and Gregory Muirhead. With four laps to go, Leonard was able to sneak past Collins, but Collins fought back, going door to door with Leonard on lap 17.
As those two slugged it out, the Corpus Christi chauffeur, Starry, built a three-quarter straightaway lead and went unchallenged to the checkers for his first triumph of the new campaign in the EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region.
Collins finished second, followed by Evans. Martin placed fourth, with Muirhead rounding out the top five.
Laney Lands Wednesday Modified Loot
As the $1,000-to-win, 20-lap IMCA Modified main came to green, Jared Maupin jumped into the lead while Rick Green, William Gould and Troy Morris III went three-wide for second. A false start, however, brought out a rerack for a second try. Second verse, same as the first—but without the jump start.
Maupin held the point, trailed by Morris, Gould, Green and Jeff Taylor. Taylor worked past Green for fourth, bringing Steven Whiteaker Jr. along into fifth. Cody Laney then broke into the top five by getting past Whiteaker before a lap-six caution for debris.
Maupin again got out front on the restart, with Gould, Whiteaker, Laney and Morris sorting things out behind him. At the crossed flags it was Maupin, Gould, Laney, Whiteaker and Morris in the top five before another caution for debris on the track. Maupin once more pulled away on the green, while Taylor moved by Morris for fifth.
Up front, Laney slipped past Gould for second and began tracking down Maupin for the lead. Laney caught Maupin with five laps to go but momentarily slipped, giving up some ground. Meanwhile, Whiteaker took third from Gould. The lead battle caught traffic, and Laney slipped past Maupin with two laps remaining.
Laney, from Torrance, California, motored away over the final two circuits in the Mike Kirby-owned no. 5K entry. In addition to the victory against the GRT Race Cars South Central Region competition, the event served as a Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational qualifier, making Laney eligible to attempt qualification for the race to be run at this year’s Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals in September.
Whiteaker wound up the runner-up with a late overtake, with Maupin settling for third. William Gould and Jeff Taylor completed the top five, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.
