May 13, 2026

Bannister Leads Every Lap in Santa Maria Modified Opener

MOD Tyler Bannister OT PB Turbow Photography — Tyler Bannister wheels through the corners during his winning performance in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature at Santa Maria Speedway on May 9. The Bakersfield driver led all 30 laps to earn his third DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region victory of the season. (Photo by Turbow Photography)

By Stephanie Odom

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (May 9, 2026) — Tyler Bannister dominated the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified points season opener Saturday night at Santa Maria Speedway, leading all 30 laps for his third DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region victory of the season at three different tracks.

Sixteen IMCA Modifieds filled the pit area after the previous event was lost to rain.

Doug Hagio and Bannister each earned heat race victories earlier in the evening. Bannister then drew the pole for the feature and brought the field to the green alongside Justin Crockett.

The Bakersfield driver wasted little time taking command, charging into the lead entering turn one and never surrendering the top spot the rest of the distance.

Behind him, Crockett and Markus Frazier battled fiercely for the runner-up position throughout the race before Frazier secured second at the finish.

Crockett crossed the line third while Dalton Houghton advanced from ninth to fourth. Race Liberante passed the most cars in the feature, charging from 13th to round out the top five.

santamariaspeedway

Combs Makes Late Race Pass to Win at Santa Maria

By Ben Deatherage SANTA MARIA, Calif. (May 23, 2025) — The second leg of the 2025 Central California Clash brought the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds to Santa Maria Speedway for the tour’s first-ever race at the Central California coastal facility, featuring a 30-lap showdown. Roseville’s Josh Combs seized the opportunity to claim his first career series victory and first win of the season in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region. Combs took the early lead and maintained it through multiple cautions, which prevented him from encountering heavy lapped traffic. Cody Burke, a four-time Ocean Speedway track champion, briefly overtook Combs before a red flag incident nullified the lap, returning Combs to the front. Burke reclaimed the lead on lap 26, but a left rear flat tire with a few circuits remaining allowed Combs to retake the top spot and secure the win. Katelynn Robertson, the 2023 Nevada State champion, charged into second late in the race, while reigning Arkansas State champion Keith Brown Jr. finished third. Bannister Battles to SportMod Victory In the 25-lap Karl Chevrolet [Read More]

Combs, Wilson, Johnson Crowned Central California Clash Champions

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 28, 2025) — Josh Combs, Dylan Wilson, and Nicholas Johnson each made history with their first career Central California Clash championships in their respective Speedway Motors IMCA divisions, capping a competitive four-race tour across the Golden State. Roseville’s Josh Combs clinched the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified title with a strong and consistent week. After opening with a ninth-place finish at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern County Raceway Park, he stormed to victory at Santa Maria. Combs followed that with a runner-up finish at Merced before closing the series with a fifth-place run at Petaluma. Bakersfield youngster Gavyn Manning was runner-up in points after finishing second on opening night, taking ninth at Santa Maria, winning at Merced, and wrapping up the week 10th at Petaluma. Third in points went to Keith Brown Jr., now based in Greenbrier, Ark. Brown’s week included a 10th at Bakersfield, third at Santa Maria, eighth at Merced, and 12th at Petaluma. Dylan Wilson of Bakersfield earned the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod championship with a [Read More]

Pombo Dominates California RaceSaver Sprint Series Return to Santa Maria

By Stephanie Odom SANTA MARIA, Calif. (Apr. 4, 2026) — The California RaceSaver Sprint Series action returned to Santa Maria Speedway for the first of several visits this season for the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car tour, with George Tristao Jr. and Davey Pombo leading the field to green for the 20-lap feature. Pombo took control at the drop of the green and never looked back, leading all 20 laps to secure his first win of 2026. Tristao finished second, followed by Jeremy Alves, Evan Dixon, and Kevin Barnes Sr. Tristao set quick time in qualifying, while heat race wins went to Tristao and Lance Jackson.

Feature

Matt Rezac: The Charging Czech from Tabor

By Ben Deatherage TABOR, S.D. (May 12, 2026) — In southeastern South Dakota, towns like Tabor don’t try to stand out. They don’t have to. They sit along open stretches of prairie and farmland, where the pace of life is steady and familiar, and where most people know exactly where they’re headed long before they leave the driveway. On summer evenings, that direction often points toward a racetrack. Not because it’s something new. But because it’s always been there. For Matt Rezac, it started the same way it does for a lot of people in places like this. With a ride. “I always kind of heard about it growing up,” he said. “Wagner Speedway was only about 45 minutes from me, but I never really thought anything of it.” That changed the first time he went. “One of my buddies I went to school with asked if I wanted to go with him and his grandpa,” he said. “We went to that, and that’s where I fell in love with it.” He was around 10 or [Read More]

Feature

Bannister Leads Every Lap in Santa Maria Modified Opener

By Stephanie Odom SANTA MARIA, Calif. (May 9, 2026) — Tyler Bannister dominated the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified points season opener Saturday night at Santa Maria Speedway, leading all 30 laps for his third DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region victory of the season at three different tracks. Sixteen IMCA Modifieds filled the pit area after the previous event was lost to rain. Doug Hagio and Bannister each earned heat race victories earlier in the evening. Bannister then drew the pole for the feature and brought the field to the green alongside Justin Crockett. The Bakersfield driver wasted little time taking command, charging into the lead entering turn one and never surrendering the top spot the rest of the distance. Behind him, Crockett and Markus Frazier battled fiercely for the runner-up position throughout the race before Frazier secured second at the finish. Crockett crossed the line third while Dalton Houghton advanced from ninth to fourth. Race Liberante passed the most cars in the feature, charging from 13th to round out the top five.

Feature

Smith Scores $3,000 I-96 Modified Triumph

By Justin Sharp LAKE ODESSA, Mich. (May 8, 2026) — Casey Smith captured a lucrative $3,000 Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified victory Friday night at I-96 Speedway, earning Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility in the process. The Portland driver started seventh and methodically worked his way into contention in a feature that quickly became a battle of survival and late-race positioning. Mark Anderson and Bree Wonch led the field to the green flag, but Myron DeYoung soon raced into the lead and controlled much of the event. Disaster struck for DeYoung late in the race, however, when mechanical trouble knocked him from contention and handed the top spot to Smith, who had been applying steady pressure. A late caution ultimately shortened the race due to time limitations, allowing Smith to secure his first victory of the season in the Close Racing Supply Eastern Region. The win also placed him on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational eligibility list for the 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Smith completed a sweep of the evening after [Read More]

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