Sawyer Strikes Again in Modifieds at Bakersfield

Modified, News, Northern SportMod, Results, Stock Car

Robby Sawyer (X) battles Dalton Houghton (61) during Friesen Performance IMCA Modified action at Bakersfield Speedway on June 13. Sawyer would go on to collect his second Shaw Race Cars Western Region victory of the season. (Photo by Tom Macht)

By Steven Blakesley

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (June 13, 2025) – After winning the season opener for the renovated and relaunched Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in March, Bakersfield’s Robby Sawyer returned to victory lane on Friday night in the 30-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature.

Sawyer earned his second win of the season in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region, with both victories coming at Bakersfield. Once action resumed following a red flag incident, Sawyer passed Dalton Houghton on lap 12 and fended him off the rest of the way for the triumph. Jake Pike, the round two winner from Nevada, finished second, while Ricky Childress Jr. rounded out the top three.

Bannister Battle Goes to Jason in Family Duel

Jason Bannister claimed his second win of the 2025 season in the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods, with both victories coming at Bakersfield. The 2024 track champion started on the front row alongside his son and current points leader Tyler Bannister. Jason seized the lead early and never relinquished it, leaving Tyler to settle for second. Dylan Wilson came home third.

Johnson Wins Stock Car Nail-Biter at the Line

Nicholas Johnson celebrated the night before his birthday by scoring his sixth win of the season in the EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region, and third at Bakersfield in 2025, in the 20-lap Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature.

It was a race-long battle, with Johnson, opening night winner Austin Van Hoff, and points leader Raymond Noland racing under a blanket. Van Hoff edged ahead on the final lap out of turn two, but Johnson stormed back on the top side to snatch the narrow victory by a nose. Van Hoff was second, while Noland finished third.

The event was broadcast live on IMCA.TV affiliate TrackVision TV powered by Low Budget TV. Fans can relive every lap with the IMCA.TV Replay Subscription, available for just $24.99/month. Season 2 of the Boone Docuseries is now streaming exclusively on IMCA.TV.

Related Articles

Results

Dotson, Johnson are best at Bakersfield

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (April 9, 2022) – Bakersfield Speedway fired the engines back up for another exciting installment of the 2022 season, with IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars on the Saturday night card.  Ethan Dotson stormed to P1 when racing got underway in the Modified main. The Bakersfield native, racing for car owner Troy Morris Jr., drove a flawless race despite four stoppages. Dotson was fantastic on restarts as Jerry Flippo brought a tad bit of heat in the last few laps.  Dotson kept calm, cool and collected to pick up the main event victory. Flippo held onto second with Cody Laney, piloting the Terry Henry-fielded entry, in third. In the Stock Car main, things started with a bang with a three-car fight for the lead. Justin Schweitzer managed to beat Dakota Schweitzer and Miranda Scott. Justin managed to beat out the competition on lap one, but the second circuit had Scott as the pacesetter.  Justin Schweitzer managed to get back to the point on lap three and began to take off. However, just [Read More]

Feature

Green flag flies Wednesday for IMCA Central California Clash 

ANTIOCH, Calif. (May 1, 2023) – Wednesday night is opening night for the fourth annual IMCA Central California Clash.  Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds run for $1,000 to win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $750 to win and B & B Racing Chassis All-Star qualifying eligibility, and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods for $750 to win each night of the May 3-7 tour.  Following the opening night show at Antioch Speedway are dates Thursday, May 4 at Merced Speedway; Friday, May 5 at Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford; Saturday, May 6 at Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway; and Sunday, May 7 at Bakersfield Speedway. IMCA.TV broadcasts each night of the tour and the top drivers in point standings for each division also become eligible to qualify for their respective race of champions event during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in September. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Shaw Race Cars Western Region and EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region and California State points will be awarded all five [Read More]

Feature

Six tracks host California IMCA Speedweek shows

MERCED, Calif. – California is the place Modified and Northern SportMod drivers will want to be, for the inaugural California IMCA Speedweek Aug. 10-15. IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000 to win their Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying fea­tures while Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods chase $750 top checks each night.  The inaugural California IMCA Speedweek presented by Hoppes Motorsports opens next Mon­day at Placerville Speedway, then travels to Petaluma Speedway on Aug. 11; to Antioch Speed­way on Aug. 12; to Merced Speedway on Aug. 13; to Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford on Aug. 14; and to Bakersfield Speedway for the Aug. 15 finale. All events are draw/redraw. Modified features pay $100 to start, Northern SportMod features $75, with IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Shaw Race Cars Western Region and KMJ Performance State points, in addition to series points at stake.  Top five drivers in standings for each division receive point fund shares, in increments of $1,000, $400, $200, $100 and $100 for the Modifieds and $700, $300, $200, $100 and $100 for the North­ern [Read More]