By Ben Deatherage
PEORIA, Ariz. (Oct. 30, 2026) — Racing has been part of Drew Madrid’s family for four generations, and the 15-year-old from Peoria, Arizona, added another chapter to that history by earning the 2026 B&B Racing Chassis Southern Region Rookie of the Year award in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock division.
Madrid became just the second Arizona driver to earn Southern Region Rookie of the Year honors since the award began in 2007, joining Nathan DeRagon, also from Peoria, who captured the title in 2019.
Behind the wheel of the Westside Les’s Too/Landshark Gates/Huey Automotive/Championship Martial Arts No. 15M Charger Chassis, Madrid continued a family tradition that began with his great-grandfather Richard and continued through his grandfather Rene, father Rene Jr., and mother Brandy.
“Racing has always been a part of my family,” Madrid said. “My great-grandfather raced, my grandfather raced, my mom and dad raced as well, and I think everyone knew it was a matter of time before I got behind the wheel.”
“I grew up around racing, and so moving into a full-sized car was something I always had wanted to do,” he added.
Madrid began competing in go-karts in 2023 before his family reached a crossroads in 2025, deciding whether to pursue Micro Sprint racing or make the transition into IMCA competition.
They chose the Hobby Stock division, and Madrid made his first appearances in November 2025. After missing the IMCA TV Winter Nationals, he began his 2026 campaign in March, competing at Central Arizona Raceway, Deuce of Clubs Thunder Raceway, and Barona Speedway Park in California.
“This year I got more comfortable in the car and learned to be more patient,” Madrid explained. “Earlier in the season, I was just trying to figure everything out.”
As his confidence grew, Madrid began concentrating on racing competitively rather than simply completing each event.
He made 19 starts during his rookie campaign, recording one podium finish, five top fives, and 15 top tens. His best performance came July 10 at Deuce of Clubs Thunder Raceway, where he finished third.
Madrid found the racing surface at the Show Low facility somewhat familiar compared to Central Arizona Raceway, although the competition required him to be more aggressive.
“There wasn’t too much difference with the way the track raced compared to Casa Grande,” Madrid said. “It was a bit more up on the wheel, but luckily I’ve raced go-karts before, so that helped me out with the wheel-to-wheel racing.”
Traveling outside Arizona also became an important part of his development. Madrid made four appearances at Barona Speedway Park in California, recording three fifth-place finishes and a seventh-place result.
“The weekends when we traveled and went to other places to get races in were challenging,” Madrid said. “The trip to Barona in California was six hours, and we got there, and I basically went straight to staging.”
His consistency improved during the second half of the season, and he closed his IMCA points campaign with 11 consecutive top-10 finishes from July 10 through Sept. 25.
Away from the racetrack, Madrid faced the challenge of balancing racing with school and other athletic commitments.
“Life can get busy,” Madrid said. “I play football, basketball, and baseball, and I have to keep my grades up and race on top of that. It takes a lot of planning, and my parents make sure school comes first.”
“I like being busy, and I wouldn’t want to give any of it up,” he added.
Madrid also expressed appreciation for the family and friends who supported his efforts throughout the year.
“I want to thank my mom, dad, sister, Tata, Serg, Marky, Ant, Papa Kenny, Mimi, and Papa,” Madrid said.
For the fourth-generation competitor, the championship marked another milestone in a family racing tradition that continues with the youngest member of the Madrid family taking his place behind the wheel.
Feature Wins: 0
Total Top Fives: 5
Total Starts: 19
His Pit Crew: Mom Brandy Madrid, Dad Rene Madrid Jr., Tata Rene Madrid Sr., and Vern Madrid
His Sponsors: Westside Les’s Too, Landshark Gates, Huey Automotive, Championship Martial Arts, Flo Pro Plumbing and Drain, Bell Bank Mortgage, Desert West Speedway, Madrid Racing, Christian Brothers Automotive, Enoch’s, AZ Aggregate, JDJ Speed, Dirt Worx Construction, and D&S Heavy Equipment