By Ben Deatherage
SOMERTON, Ariz. (Nov. 7, 2026) — Kollin Hibdon capped the inaugural Wild River Family Entertainment Center Diamond in the Desert with an $8,000 victory in Saturday night’s 30-lap Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified finale at Cocopah Speedway, holding off Cody Laney, who had won the first two nights of competition, to collect his 12th win of the season.
Earlier in the evening, Hibdon set a new track record while winning the Taco John’s Modified Knockout time trial challenge to earn the pole starting position. The 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s champion battled 2021 winner Laney for the lead at the start, with Hibdon gaining the advantage over the Janssen Fabrication-owned No. 5L. A caution following the completion of the opening lap proved to be the race’s only stoppage.
On the restart, Hibdon and Laney separated themselves from the rest of the field. Hibdon, this year’s Independence Motor Speedway track champion, maintained his advantage over Laney, who had won the previous two nights. Hibdon encountered lapped traffic on lap 11 but navigated the slower cars to preserve his lead and remained out front the rest of the way.
Originally from Pahrump, Nev., and now residing in Waterloo, Iowa, Hibdon earned his first DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region victory since winning the Bill and Shirley Meyer Memorial at Mohave Valley Raceway on Valentine’s Day. The victory also earned him eligibility to attempt to qualify for the 2027 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational at next September’s IMCA Super Nationals in Boone, Iowa.
Laney, originally from California, finished second, followed by Wisconsin’s Cole Czarneski, the 2024 Wisconsin State and 141 Speedway track champion. Tanner Black, an Arizona native now living in Kansas and the 2025 Dave Garmann Memorial winner, finished fourth. Ethan Braaksma, the 2026 IMCA TV Clash on the Coast champion, completed the top five aboard the Tammy and Jason Beaulieu-owned No. 111.
Williams Completes Stock Car Sweep With $4,000 Victory
Chaz Baca Jr., the 2022 Cocopah Speedway track champion originally from Arizona and now residing in Iowa, grabbed the lead on the opening lap of the $4,000-to-win, 25-lap Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature aboard the Logue Fabrication-owned No. 75JR. However, Shelby Williams of Bonham, Texas, the 2025 IMCA TV Winter Nationals champion, rallied on lap two to take command.
The first caution came on lap nine, but Williams was strong on the restart and quickly established a comfortable advantage. A pair of late-race cautions gave his challengers additional opportunities, but Williams maintained control each time racing resumed.
Williams crossed the finish line first to complete the three-night sweep and earn his 13th victory of 2026, including 10 in the EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region. The race also served as a qualifier for the 2027 B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational, making Williams eligible to attempt to qualify for the event next September at Boone Speedway.
Baca held on for second, followed by Texas driver Tommy Fain, the 2021 All Star Shootout champion, in third. Wyoming’s Cory Wilder finished fourth, while Cole Czarneski, the 2024 141 Speedway Stock Car track champion, completed the top five.
Smith Fends Off Challengers for $4,000 SportMod Victory
Jake Smith of St. Joseph, Minn., took command on the opening lap of the $4,000-to-win, 25-lap Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod feature after winning the previous two nights. Smith encountered lapped traffic on lap 11, but a caution cleared the track and gave him open racing room for the restart.
Smith initially pulled away when racing resumed, but Boddie Parker, the 2024 Ernie Mincy Memorial Early Thaw Series champion, began closing the gap. Parker mounted a serious challenge on lap 18, forcing Smith to defend the lead while Eric Winemiller, the 2026 Arizona State and Deuce of Clubs Thunder Raceway track champion, nearly took advantage of the battle aboard the Matt Hickman-owned No. 44.
A caution on lap 20 gave Smith an opportunity to regroup, and he maintained the lead over the final five laps to complete the weekend sweep. The victory marked his sixth win of the 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing season, with all six coming consecutively.
Two-time track champion Miles Morris prevailed in the battle for second over his 19-year-old son, Hudson Morris, who finished third. Winemiller placed fourth, while Colorado’s Brody Spangler, the 2026 Cortez Fairgrounds Speedway track champion, rounded out the top five.
Madrid Makes Last-Lap Pass to Complete Hobby Stock Sweep
Ty Warner, the 2021 Canyon Speedway Park Stock Car champion, grabbed the early lead in the $1,200-to-win, 20-lap Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature before a lap-one caution slowed the field. Anthony Madrid, winner of the previous two nights, challenged Warner when racing resumed, but Warner held him back and began building an advantage.
Another caution on lap five brought the field together, but Warner maintained control on the restart. Three additional cautions later in the race prevented him from pulling away and kept lapped traffic from becoming a factor as Madrid continued his pursuit.
Following the final restart, Madrid closed the gap and reached Warner approaching the white flag. Madrid made his decisive move in turn three on the final circuit, completing the pass to capture the victory and sweep all three nights of the inaugural Diamond in the Desert.
Warner finished second, followed by 2019 Canyon Speedway Park champion Joe Peterson in third. Fifteen-year-old Drew Madrid, the 2026 B&B Racing Chassis Southern Region Rookie of the Year, recovered from an early-race incident to finish fourth, while Kevin Reuter, last year’s regional Rookie of the Year, completed the top five.
Werkmeister Takes Sport Compact Finale
Tristan Wallin surged to the lead on the opening lap of the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature, but D.J. Werkmeister, the 2022 Arizona State champion, began closing the gap. Werkmeister completed the pass along the backstretch on lap six to take command.
Once out front, Werkmeister pulled away from the field and dominated the remainder of the caution-free feature, becoming the third different winner in as many nights of competition.
Wallin finished second, while Friday night’s winner Joshua Cordova, a two-time Hobby Stock track champion, placed third. Benjamin Pendleton finished fourth, and Oregon’s Ryan Trask rounded out the top five.
The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV affiliate Dirt Oval TV. Catch every lap again with the IMCA TV Replay Subscription, available for just $25.99/month. And don’t miss Season 3 of the Boone Docuseries, now streaming exclusively on IMCA TV.
