Oathout Opens Santa Maria’s IMCA SportMod Season with Dominant Victory

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.

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]

By Stephanie Odom SANTA MARIA, Calif. (Apr. 20, 2026) — Santa Maria Speedway is set to host an action-packed night of racing this Saturday, April 25, on the famed third-mile clay oval. The evening marks the season championship opener for the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds and Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods. IMCA Modifieds competed six times at Santa Maria Speedway in 2025 and produced six different winners, proving just how deep and competitive the division was all season long. Cody Burke opened the year in victory lane, and the Salinas native will look to repeat that performance as he heads south on US 101 for this season’s opener. Josh Combs, Larry Wise, Gavyn Manning, Rob Sanders, and Logan Drake also found victory lane last season, and several are expected back this weekend in pursuit of the first win at SMS in 2026. IMCA Northern SportMods were just as competitive in 2025, producing six different winners over seven nights of racing. The only two-time winner, Tyler Bannister, has moved to the IMCA Modified ranks and will make [Read More]