Tyler Bannister Captures Richie McGowan Memorial at Bakersfield

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The long-awaited green flag flies for the first time this season Saturday, March 6 at Bakersfield Speedway. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods all see action at the California oval idled for much of 2020 by the Covid-19 pandemic. “It was a crazy, weird season last year,” acknowledged Promoter Scott Schweitzer. “It’s exciting to be able to go racing again. We’re not going to be 100 percent back to normal but it’s going to be good to get cars back on the track and get back to racing.”  The grandstand will be closed and all admission will be to the pit area on opening night. Pit passes will be $40 for drivers and crew members, $20 for family members and non-racers. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. Hot laps are at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. The race program will be broadcast by Low Budget TV.  Gates open at 4 p.m. and an open practice for all divisions is from 5-9 p.m. this Saturday, [Read More]

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (May 7, 2023) – He was the defending tour champion but Tyler Bannister admittedly went into opening night of the IMCA Central California Clash with low expectations. Four wins – the last of them best described as improbable – in as many races later, the Bakersfield driver was a repeat champion in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod portion of the tour. “Our goal had been to show up and turn laps,” said Bannister, forced into father Jason’s 2019 Victory Circle ride after totaling his own mount late last month. “I’d finished second in my only other start in that car but we struggled to do that and there were a lot of things we had to change.” “We ended up having a pretty good week,” he continued, “and to get our first wins of the season in our home state was great.” Getting his fourth win of the week, and first of 2023 at his hometown track was even better. Feature wins at Antioch Speedway, Kings Speedway and Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway … [Read More]

By Stephanie Deatherage BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Aug. 15) – Shane DeVolder won the battle, Bobby Hogge IV won the war and Garrett Jernagan won both on the final night of California IMCA Speedweek presented by Hoppes Motorsports.  DeVolder won the IMCA Modified feature at Bakersfield Speedway, earning $1,000 and a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth, while runner-up Hogge took the overall Modified tour title.  Jernagan clinched the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod crown with his fifth $750 victory of the week.  DeVolder regained the lead from Alyssa Smith before a long green flag run got him into lapped traffic. Three cautions slowed the final 10 circuits but neither Hogge or Ryan Daves had anything for the leader and finished in that order behind him.  Jim Pettit II and Jerry Flippo completed the top five.  Brent Curran set the tone early in a SportMod feature slowed by yellows, nailing each restart and checked out on the rest of the pack. Jernagan finally navigated his way into the lead following a lap 11 restart, holding off all challengers [Read More]