By Ben Deatherage
VINTON, Iowa (Oct. 14, 2026) — The 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing season crowned five first-time National champions while a collection of familiar names added to already impressive championship resumes across the nine divisions.
William Gould returned to the top of the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified ranks for the first time in 13 years, Zach Zeitner captured his second straight Sunoco IMCA Late Model National championship, Lee Goos Jr. earned his third consecutive RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car crown, and Dillon Raffurty continued his unprecedented run with a sixth straight Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lite title.
John Oliver Jr., Coy Vlies, Nicholas Ronnebaum, Trevor Cogburn, and Johnny Thomas completed the championship lineup, with each earning his first career National championship in 2026.
Gould, of Calera, Okla., captured his second career Modified National championship and first since 2013, winning the title by 14 points aboard the Kenny Fryer Motorsports No. 60.
The veteran also captured his ninth GRT Race Cars South Central Region championship and third consecutive Regional crown. Gould continued his run of success in Texas by earning his sixth consecutive and eighth career Texas State championship.
He added track championships at Grayson County Speedway and Heart O’ Texas Speedway. The Grayson County crown was his fifth overall and second straight, while the Heart O’ Texas championship was his first.
The other four Modified Regions produced three first-time champions. Spencer Diercks of Iowa earned his first Razor Chassis North Central Region championship, while Nebraska’s Adam Wasserman captured his first Jet Racing Central Region crown. Pennsylvania’s Tyler Belcher secured his first Close Racing Supply Eastern Region championship, and Ty Clemens of Montana earned his second DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region title and first since 2022.
California’s Tyler Bannister was the National Modified Rookie of the Year and also earned DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region rookie honors. Jace Eckrich of Iowa was the Razor Chassis North Central Region Rookie of the Year, Kansas’ Paxton Dody topped the Jet Racing Central Region rookies, Austin Souder of Texas earned GRT Race Cars South Central Region honors, and Pennsylvania’s Charlie Fulton was the Close Racing Supply Eastern Region Rookie of the Year.
John Oliver Jr. of West Burlington, Iowa, secured his first Sunoco IMCA Stock Car National championship by five points.
Oliver also earned his first EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region championship and a third consecutive Iowa State crown, the fourth State championship of his career.
His season included track championships at 34 Raceway, Benton County Speedway, and Lee County Speedway. Oliver earned his 13th career championship at 34 Raceway, including the last four consecutive seasons. He also earned his fourth Benton County Speedway title, including the last three years, and his fifth championship at Lee County Speedway.
Jason Batt of Texas earned his first EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region championship. Iowa’s Jordan Miles was both the National and Northern Region Rookie of the Year, while Cody Frank of Texas earned Southern Region rookie honors.
Coy Vlies of Casco, Wis., prevailed in the closest National championship battle of 2026, earning the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod crown by a single point.
Vlies also repeated as Wisconsin State champion and added track championships at 141 Speedway and Luxy Raceway. The 141 title was his third career and third consecutive championship, while he also earned his third sanctioned crown at Luxy.
Minnesota’s Blake Luinenburg was named National Rookie of the Year, while Keenan Glasser of Saskatchewan earned the Junior National championship.
Nicholas Ronnebaum of Onaga, Kan., earned his first Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock National championship, prevailing by four points.
Ronnebaum paired the National crown with his first B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region championship and track titles at Beatrice Speedway in Nebraska and Salina Speedway in Kansas. His Salina championship was the fourth of his career.
Hayden Barney of Utah earned his first B&B Racing Chassis Southern Region championship. North Dakota’s Colby Patterson was both the National and Northern Region Rookie of the Year, while Drew Madrid earned Southern Region rookie honors.
Iowa Hobby Stock competitor Leah Wroten earned her second career Lady Eagle award and first since 2018.
Trevor Cogburn of Robinson, Texas, became a first-time Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMod National champion.
Cogburn added his first Texas State championship and repeated as Heart O’ Texas Speedway track champion.
Texan Brady Sexton was the Southern SportMod National Rookie of the Year.
Zach Zeitner of Bellevue, Neb., successfully defended his Sunoco IMCA Late Model National championship, prevailing by just four points to secure his second consecutive crown.
Zeitner added his first South Dakota State championship and three track titles. He earned his fourth championship at Shelby County Speedway, a third career and consecutive title at Highway 39 Speedway, and repeated as Park Jefferson Speedway champion.
Illinois racer Jake Griffin was named the Late Model National Rookie of the Year.
Lee Goos Jr. of Hartford, S.D., extended his reign over the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars by earning his third consecutive National championship.
Goos finished 44 points ahead in the National standings and added his second career South Dakota State championship. He also captured track titles at Huset’s Speedway and I-90 Speedway in South Dakota and Jackson Motorplex in Minnesota.
The Huset’s and Jackson championships were the second of his career at each facility, while Goos earned his fourth I-90 title and third consecutive championship there.
Minnesota’s Matthew Taves was named the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car National Rookie of the Year.
Dillon Raffurty of Kansas City, Mo., remains perfect in Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lite National championship competition, securing his sixth consecutive title since the division joined IMCA in 2021.
Raffurty won the championship by 21 points and also earned his sixth consecutive Missouri State crown. His season included the IMCA TV Winter Nationals championship and his third Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s championship. Raffurty was the only driver in 2026 to win both a National championship and a Super Nationals Big Dance.
He added track championships at Valley Speedway and Electric City Speedway in Missouri. The Valley championship was his sixth straight, while the Electric City crown was his third consecutive title.
Iowa’s Brandon Cox was the Mod Lite National Rookie of the Year.
Johnny Thomas of Beatrice, Neb., became a first-time Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact National champion, securing the crown by 12 points.
Thomas also earned his first Nebraska State championship and track titles at Beatrice Speedway and at Iowa’s Stuart Speedway. The Beatrice championship was his third career and third consecutive title, while his Stuart crown was his first.
Wyoming’s Robert Donmyer earned National Rookie of the Year honors.
The 2026 IMCA National Awards Banquet will recognize National, Regional, State, track, Special Series, and Rookie of the Year champions on Saturday, Nov. 28, at the Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, Neb.
Cocktails begin at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. and the awards ceremony at 8 p.m. Formal attire is required, and no refunds will be issued. The deadline to purchase banquet tickets is noon CST Friday, Nov. 20.
The Champions Reception will precede the banquet Friday, Nov. 27, from 6-9 p.m. at the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed, 599 Oak Creek Drive in Lincoln. Casual attire is requested for the reception.
Banquet tickets are available for purchase at www.imca.com/banquet.