Ryan Clark

Kathy Root Honored with Jody Deery Award at RPM Workshops

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Feb. 17, 2026) — Long before she became one of the most influential executives in grassroots motorsports, Kathy Root was answering phones, selling advertising, and laying out pages for a fledgling racing publication. Nearly five decades later, her lifelong commitment to affordable dirt track racing was recognized on one of the sport’s biggest industry stages. Root, of Vinton, Iowa, was announced as the fourth annual recipient of the Jody Deery Award during the RPM Promoters Workshop held February 10 in Daytona, Florida. The honor, named in memory of the late promoter Jody Deery, has quickly become one of the most prestigious recognitions presented within the short-track industry. Her journey in motorsports leadership traces back to the formation of CarPac (Consolidated American Race Promoters of Automobile Competition) Inc., founded by Keith Knaack in 1967. Built on Knaack’s passion for auto racing, the organization launched Hawkeye Racing News in January of that same year, planting the seeds for what would eventually become a national sanctioning powerhouse. In 1976, Knaack and two partners purchased the [Read More]

Hibdon Repeats, Makes Meyer Showdown History at Mohave Valley Raceway

By Ben Deatherage MOHAVE VALLEY, Ariz. (Feb. 14, 2026) — Kollin Hibdon etched his name deeper into Mohave Valley Raceway history, capturing the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature in the 6th Annual Bill and Shirley Meyer Showdown. The 25-lap, $1,500-to-win main event saw the 2025 Marshalltown Speedway track champion become the first repeat winner in event history while scoring his first DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region victory of the 2026 season. Originally from Pahrump, Nevada, and now calling Waterloo, Iowa home, Hibdon delivered a commanding performance from the outset. Hibdon rocketed to the lead on the initial start and never relinquished command, even through a string of cautions that repeatedly reset the field. Austin Kuehl and Adam Hommerding battled for second through multiple restarts while Jake Pike — the 2019 DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region Rookie of the Year — joined the fray in the early going. Dalton Houghton, a two-time Mohave Valley track champion, entered the picture after the halfway mark, working the bottom to climb into second on lap 15. Kuehl and Houghton exchanged [Read More]

Shelby Williams: Legacy in the No. 82 and The Road to 100 Wins

By Ben Deatherage BONHAM, Texas (Feb. 16, 2026) — In North Texas, where red dirt roads wind toward open water and family names carry weight long before trophies ever do, racing isn’t just a sport. In Bonham, one of the oldest cities in Texas, Shelby Williams grew up surrounded by roaring engines and racing stories that came with the Williams name, a lineage rooted as deeply in local racetracks as it is in family history. On January 24, 2026, beneath the desert lights of the IMCA TV Winter Nationals, Williams reached a milestone reserved for only a handful of drivers. He captured his 100th career Sunoco IMCA Stock Car victory, earning entry into the division’s prestigious Century Club and cementing his place among Texas dirt racing’s modern standouts. The moment itself unfolded in a fashion that mirrored his driving style — patient, observant, and calculated rather than flashy. “I wasn’t too excited about the main event going in,” Williams admitted. “Last year, you pretty much had to start on the front row, so I didn’t expect [Read More]

Sunshine State Swing Crowns Permann Florida Winter Nationals Champion

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Feb. 16, 2026) — The 2026 Florida Winter Nationals for the Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites featured an eight-race tour across three Sunshine State facilities, as drivers competed at Hendry County Motorsports Park, Marion County Speedway, and Ocala Speedway. A total of 42 competitors took part in at least one event, representing nine U.S. states and the Canadian province of Quebec, showcasing the division’s growing national reach during the annual winter showcase. Dylan Permann of Port St. Lucie, Florida, emerged as the overall points champion following a consistent weeklong performance. Permann made seven feature starts, highlighted by five top-five finishes and six top-10s. His best finish came in the Bullring Bonanza at Marion County Speedway on February 10, where he drove to a fifth-place result that helped anchor his title run. Dylan Permann stands alongside his No. 777 Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite during the Florida Winter Nationals, where the Port St. Lucie, Florida driver assembled a championship-winning points campaign across the eight-race series. (Courtesy Photo) Carson Hubbard of [Read More]

Babbitt Bags Valentine’s Day Victory to Close Florida Winter Nationals

By Ben Deatherage OCALA, Fla. (Feb. 14, 2026) — Corey Babbitt capped the 2026 Florida Winter Nationals in dominant fashion, scoring the Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lite feature win on the eighth and final night of competition at Ocala Speedway. The 25-lap Valentine’s Day shootout on the 3/8-mile oval saw the New Caney, Texas, driver collect his second victory of the week and the $1,000 winner’s payday after another commanding performance against a stout field. Delaware’s Ryan McKinney paced the opening circuit after expertly navigating the high side to lead lap one and establish early breathing room. Behind him, Jaedon McDowell — last year’s Sugar Bowl winner and 2024 Tennessee Mod Lite Racing Association champion — battled fiercely with Corey Babbitt for second. Babbitt secured the spot on lap five and quickly went on the offensive, slipping low past McKinney exiting turn two on lap seven to seize command. Once out front, Babbitt began to distance himself, encountering lapped traffic by lap eight but maintaining a strong advantage. A caution on lap 11 reset the field, [Read More]

Pierce Aiken Scores Friday the 13th Florida Winter Nationals Victory at Ocala

By Ben Deatherage OCALA, Fla. (Feb. 13, 2026) — Pierce Aiken turned Friday the 13th into a lucky night, capturing the Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lite feature during night seven of the 2026 Florida Winter Nationals at Ocala Speedway. The 20-lap main event on the 3/8-mile oval saw the rising contender outduel a stacked field to secure his first Winter Nationals triumph of the season and his third overall victory of 2026 after sweeping a pair of January events at Hendry County Motorsports Park. The Lake Worth, Florida, racer also became the first in-state driver to reach victory lane during the 2026 Florida Winter Nationals series. Early on, it appeared Corey Babbitt might be the driver to beat after winning the night before. Ronnie Choate — the inaugural Florida Winter Nationals champion and 2023 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s winner — grabbed the initial advantage down the backstretch, but Babbitt powered underneath him exiting turn four to assume command. The Texan quickly built momentum, surviving cautions on laps two, three, and eight while [Read More]

Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing National Point Standings through February 12, 2026

Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds – 1. Dylan Thornton, Belle Plaine, Iowa, 300; 2. Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn., 280; 3. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev., 274; 4. Ethan Braaksma, Newton, Iowa, 270; 5. Troy III Morris, Waterloo, Iowa, 264; 6. Chaz Baca, Stanhope, Iowa, 260; 7. Bryson Yeager, Green River, Wyoming, 234; 8. Jonathan Mawhinney, Las Vegas, Nev., 225; 9. Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., 216; 10. Luke Silber, Laveen, Ariz., 201; 11. Logan Drake, San Luis Obispo, Calif., 179; 12. Tate Johnson, Homestead, Montana, 170; 13. Bart Taylor, Sheridan, Wyoming, and Jeremy Richey, Gold Hill, Oregon, both 169; 15. Tyson Blood, Tumwater, Washington, 163; 16. Steven Whiteaker, Robstown, Texas, and Jesse Patterson, Marana, Ariz., both 153; 18. Cody Laney, Fort Dodge, Iowa, 152; 19. Jeff Taylor, Duncan, Okla., 151; 20. Kevin Williamson, Harrisburg, Oregon, 147. Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars – 1. Cameron Starry, Robstown, Texas, 478; 2. Shelby Williams, Bonham, Texas, 418; 3. Curt Lund, Redwood Falls, Minn., 341; 4. Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa, 285; 5. Dillon Richards, Wymore, Neb., 280; 6. Chaz Baca, Stanhope, Iowa, 262; [Read More]

Babbitt Breaks Through at Ocala with Florida Winter Nationals Victory

By Ben Deatherage OCALA, Fla. (Feb. 12, 2026) — Corey Babbitt put together a dominant performance Thursday night, capturing the Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lite feature during night six of the 2026 Florida Winter Nationals at Ocala Speedway. The New Caney, Texas, driver took command early and never relinquished it, mastering multiple restarts on the 3/8-mile oval to secure his first series victory of the season. Ohio’s Carson Hubbard led the field to green and paced the early circuits, but Delaware’s Ryan McKinney quickly went to work on the high side in pursuit of the lead. A charge into the marbles cost McKinney momentum, allowing Corey Babbitt to slip into second. From there, the New Caney, Texas driver wasted little time tracking down Hubbard, executing a clean inside pass at the stripe on lap three to take command. When the green-flag rhythm set in, Babbitt began stretching his advantage before cautions on laps six and seven reset the field. Behind him, a three-wide battle for second erupted between McKinney, Hubbard, and defending Florida Winter Nationals champion [Read More]

Racine Thompson Takes the Reins at Eagle Raceway

By Ben Deatherage EAGLE, Neb. (Feb. 12, 2026) — Eagle Raceway, long known as “America’s Home Track,” has officially been passed down to the next generation of the Hadan family, as Racine Thompson has been named the new promoter of the famed Nebraska 1/3-mile oval. Roger Hadan, who has owned Eagle Raceway since 2007 after leasing and promoting the facility in 2006, formally handed over day-to-day leadership to his daughter with the goal of continuing the track’s long-standing success and family legacy. Racetrack promotion runs deep in the Hadan family. Roger’s grandfather, Albert Hadan, built the historic Sunset Speedway in Omaha, embedding the sport into the family’s foundation. With a desire to ensure racing remains strong in Eagle for years to come, the transition to Racine represents both continuity and evolution. Thompson has spent her entire adult life at the raceway. Since her parents took over operations, she has worked in virtually every role imaginable at the facility. “When my parents purchased the track in 2007, I’ve worked there since then,” Thompson said. “I started off [Read More]

Choate Conquers Ocala, Claims First ’26 Winter Nationals Triumph

By Ben Deatherage OCALA, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2026) — Ronnie Choate of Cookeville, Tennessee, delivered a dominant performance in the Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lite feature on night five of the 2026 Florida Winter Nationals, capturing the 20-lap main event at Ocala Speedway. The defending Florida Winter Nationals champion controlled the race on the 3/8-mile oval to secure his first series victory of the season. Choate jumped to the early lead on the opening start and immediately established command. Behind him, a spirited battle for second unfolded in the opening laps between Texan Corey Babbitt and Delaware’s Ryan McKinney, with McKinney initially holding the position. A caution on lap seven reset the field, allowing Babbitt to move into second on the restart, but Choate quickly stretched his advantage once green-flag racing resumed. Another slowdown on lap 11 again erased the leader’s margin, yet Choate remained flawless on the restart, driving away from Babbitt and the rest of the field. Brandon Dennis worked past McKinney for third on lap 13, while Babbitt attempted to chip into Choate’s [Read More]