By Ben Deatherage
SOMERTON, Ariz. (Sept. 21, 2026) — Racing returns to the Yuma area this fall as Cocopah Speedway begins a new chapter with a busy 2026-27 schedule featuring several major Speedway Motors IMCA events.
The three-eighths-mile oval opens its 2026 season in October before hosting the Diamond in the Desert, Turkey Bowl, and Copper State Nationals. The schedule then carries into February with two weeks of Southwest Cactus Nationals competition.
“We are so excited to get things up and running, and the whole community around here is super excited to have racing come back to the Yuma area,” promoter Travis Peery said.
The season-opening weekend is Oct. 15-17, with practice Thursday followed by racing Friday and Saturday. Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lites, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts are scheduled to compete both nights.
Attention then turns to the Diamond in the Desert Nov. 4-7. Practice is scheduled Wednesday, Nov. 4, before three consecutive nights of racing Nov. 5-7.
Modifieds will race for $8,000 to win in the Diamond in the Desert finale, while Stock Cars and SportMods each compete for $4,000 to win. Sport Compacts race for an $800 top prize.
Cocopah returns to action Nov. 19-21 for the Turkey Bowl. Practice is Thursday before racing Friday and Saturday. Modifieds will headline the IMCA portion of the weekend with $2,000-to-win features each night, joined by Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks, and Sport Compacts.
The 2026 portion of the schedule concludes with the Copper State Nationals Dec. 3-5. Practice is Thursday before racing Friday and Saturday. SportMods will be the lone IMCA class on the card.
After a break for the holidays, IMCA racing returns in a big way with the Southwest Cactus Nationals in February.
The first week begins with practice Wednesday, Feb. 3, followed by four nights of racing Feb. 4-7. Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks, and Sport Compacts will compete.
Following practice Tuesday, Feb. 9, the second week features four more nights of racing Feb. 10-13. Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods, Hobby Stocks, and Mod Lites are scheduled to compete.
Modifieds will race for $2,000 to win and $100 to start every night of the Southwest Cactus Nationals.
Modified and Stock Car events paying $1,000 or more to win will also carry additional significance throughout the schedule. Those Modified races will serve as qualifying events for the 2027 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational, while eligible Stock Car races will serve as qualifiers for the 2027 B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational.
Winners of those qualifying events will earn eligibility to attempt to qualify for their respective All-Star Invitationals at the 2027 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway.
All Cocopah Speedway racing will be available on IMCA TV affiliate Dirt Oval TV.
