By Ben Deatherage
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (May 27, 2026) — The stage is set for one of the richest and most anticipated dirt track events of the summer as the IMCA Summer Nationals prepares to take over Independence Motor Speedway from May 31 through June 3 with more than $200,000 in purse money on the line.
Co-promoted by Mike Van Genderen and Trent Chinn, alongside track promoter Dana Benning, the four-day showcase will feature five Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing divisions competing for massive payouts and marquee event prestige.
Over the course of the week, competitors in Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds and Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars will race for a combined $13,000 to win, while Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods compete for $8,000, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks for $5,500, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts for $2,750.
“Over the last four years the racing has gotten so much better at Independence Motor Speedway and it’s time to bring some marquee racing events here,” said Benning. “A lot of drivers are publicly saying this is one of their favorite places to race.”
The action begins Sunday, May 31 with an open practice session starting at 5:00 p.m. and time trials beginning at 7:00. The top four qualifiers in each division will lock into the redraw for Monday’s Invitational features and will not need to compete in heat races the following night. An IMCA Summer Nationals pit party will also take place Sunday evening.
A new addition for 2026 is Monday’s Invitational Night, featuring all five divisions in a non-sanctioned special with no IMCA points awarded. All feature events will start three-wide, with starting fields determined by car count. Monday payouts include $5,000 to win for Modifieds and Stock Cars, $3,000 for Northern SportMods, $2,000 for Hobby Stocks, and $1,000 for Sport Compacts.
The week continues Tuesday, June 2 with Modifieds and Stock Cars racing for $3,000 to win, SportMods for $2,000, Hobby Stocks for $1,500, and Sport Compacts for $750.
Championship night on Wednesday, June 3 raises the stakes even higher, with Modifieds and Stock Cars each racing for $5,000 to win, SportMods for $3,000, Hobby Stocks for $2,000, and Sport Compacts for $1,000.
Tuesday and Wednesday programs will both serve as Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational and B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational qualifiers for the 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The Wednesday Stock Car winner will also earn a guaranteed starting spot in the All-Star Invitational at Boone Speedway.
Both Tuesday and Wednesday will be full-point IMCA-sanctioned programs with no track points awarded, but Iowa State, regional, and national points up for grabs. Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds will compete for Razor Chassis North Central Region points, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars for EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region points, and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks for B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region points.
Drivers will also have an additional opportunity to get on track prior to the event, as the Travis Smock IMCA Summer Nationals Prelude is scheduled for Saturday, May 30. The Prelude will feature a draw/redraw format.
Racing starts at 6:00 p.m. each night, with general admission tickets priced at $15. All feature events throughout the week will start three-wide.
Drivers looking to take advantage of discounted entry fees must be pre-registered by Friday, May 29 on MyRacePass. Registration will remain open throughout the event, including at the track, though discounted pricing expires after the May 29 deadline. Full payout details for each night are available on the Independence Motor Speedway Facebook page.
“The weather forecast is looking like mid-80s every day and dry,” said Van Genderen. “Trent and I are so excited to get this thing started and can’t wait for the great racing that Independence provides. Make sure you get preregistered if you want to save some dollars.”
Fans unable to attend can catch every lap live on IMCA TV affiliate Advantage Racing TV.
For the latest updates, news, and event information, follow Independence Motor Speedway on Facebook.
