Ryan Clark

Matt Rezac: The Charging Czech from Tabor

By Ben Deatherage TABOR, S.D. (May 12, 2026) — In southeastern South Dakota, towns like Tabor don’t try to stand out. They don’t have to. They sit along open stretches of prairie and farmland, where the pace of life is steady and familiar, and where most people know exactly where they’re headed long before they leave the driveway. On summer evenings, that direction often points toward a racetrack. Not because it’s something new. But because it’s always been there. For Matt Rezac, it started the same way it does for a lot of people in places like this. With a ride. “I always kind of heard about it growing up,” he said. “Wagner Speedway was only about 45 minutes from me, but I never really thought anything of it.” That changed the first time he went. “One of my buddies I went to school with asked if I wanted to go with him and his grandpa,” he said. “We went to that, and that’s where I fell in love with it.” He was around 10 or [Read More]

Bannister Leads Every Lap in Santa Maria Modified Opener

By Stephanie Odom SANTA MARIA, Calif. (May 9, 2026) — Tyler Bannister dominated the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified points season opener Saturday night at Santa Maria Speedway, leading all 30 laps for his third DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region victory of the season at three different tracks. Sixteen IMCA Modifieds filled the pit area after the previous event was lost to rain. Doug Hagio and Bannister each earned heat race victories earlier in the evening. Bannister then drew the pole for the feature and brought the field to the green alongside Justin Crockett. The Bakersfield driver wasted little time taking command, charging into the lead entering turn one and never surrendering the top spot the rest of the distance. Behind him, Crockett and Markus Frazier battled fiercely for the runner-up position throughout the race before Frazier secured second at the finish. Crockett crossed the line third while Dalton Houghton advanced from ninth to fourth. Race Liberante passed the most cars in the feature, charging from 13th to round out the top five.

Smith Scores $3,000 I-96 Modified Triumph

By Justin Sharp LAKE ODESSA, Mich. (May 8, 2026) — Casey Smith captured a lucrative $3,000 Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified victory Friday night at I-96 Speedway, earning Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility in the process. The Portland driver started seventh and methodically worked his way into contention in a feature that quickly became a battle of survival and late-race positioning. Mark Anderson and Bree Wonch led the field to the green flag, but Myron DeYoung soon raced into the lead and controlled much of the event. Disaster struck for DeYoung late in the race, however, when mechanical trouble knocked him from contention and handed the top spot to Smith, who had been applying steady pressure. A late caution ultimately shortened the race due to time limitations, allowing Smith to secure his first victory of the season in the Close Racing Supply Eastern Region. The win also placed him on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational eligibility list for the 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Smith completed a sweep of the evening after [Read More]

Hobby Stock

Smith and Reimers Continue Boone SportMod Success

By Jane Burd BOONE, Iowa (May 9, 2026) — Fans at Boone Speedway were treated to another packed night of Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing action with strong car counts, dramatic finishes, and several wild incidents across multiple divisions. Mike Smith of Lake City charged from eighth starting position and took the lead from Matt Avila with seven laps remaining in the opening Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod feature at Boone Speedway. Smith went on to secure his fourth victory of the season, with his last two wins coming in consecutive weeks at Boone. Avila finished second ahead of Chris Webb, while Cam Vincent and Mitchell Morris completed the top five. The second IMCA Northern SportMod feature included late-race drama for Jake Sachau, who suffered a right rear flat tire with four laps remaining. Another caution allowed him to visit the work area for repairs, and despite restarting at the rear, Sachau stormed back to finish seventh. Up front, Kelley driver Cam Reimers charged from 11th starting position and took the lead from Gage Hilgenberg on [Read More]

Close Racing Supply NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series Opens 2026 Season Sunday at Penn Can

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 12, 2026) — The Close Racing Supply NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series is set to launch its 2026 campaign this Sunday, May 17, with the Icebreaker 26 at Penn Can Speedway. The Susquehanna, Pennsylvania oval will host the season opener for the regional Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified tour, with drivers racing for $1,026 to win and $126 to start the feature, presented by NEP Telephone Company. The event will also serve as a Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational qualifier for the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in September at Boone Speedway. Pennsylvania State, Close Racing Supply Eastern Region, and national points will all be awarded. Front gates will open at 2:00 p.m., followed by the pit meeting at 4:15, hot laps at 4:30, and racing at 5:00. The Icebreaker 26 opens a nine-race schedule that will take the series across Pennsylvania and New York throughout the summer and fall. Following Penn Can, the tour heads to Woodhull Raceway in Woodhull, New York on May 30 before making its [Read More]

Southern Oregon Speedway Set for Second Annual SportMod Smackdown May 29-30

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (May 12, 2026) — Southern Oregon Speedway is preparing for one of the biggest Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod events of the season with the second annual SportMod Smackdown, scheduled for May 29-30. Presented by Gage It Construction, the two-night special will showcase IMCA Northern SportMods racing for a massive $3,069-to-win and $500-to-start finale on Saturday night, while Friday’s qualifying program pays a standard $500-to-win purse. Thursday, May 28 will feature a Test and Tune session beginning at 5:00 p.m. to help teams prepare for the weekend’s action. Friday, May 29 will feature a complete qualifying program with pill draw at the gate and dual heat races. The first set of heats will line up straight up, while the second set will be fully inverted. Passing and finishing points will determine lineups for a pair of 20-car qualifier mains, with the top nine from each advancing into Saturday’s Smackdown feature. Saturday’s format will include alphabet soup mains leading into the B Main, where six more drivers will transfer into the [Read More]

Carter Charges from 10th to Score Davenport SportMod Victory

By Mike McGuire DAVENPORT, Iowa (May 8, 2026) — The Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods delivered an exciting feature Friday night at Davenport Speedway. Jordan Hicks raced out to the early lead and appeared to be in control until a lap nine caution erased his advantage and brought the field back to his rear bumper. On the restart, defending national champion Brayton Carter of Oskaloosa made a bold move, charging from third to first in one corner. Carter, who originally started 10th, then pulled away from the field to secure his second win of the season at two different tracks. Hicks held on to finish second, while Tony Olson made a strong run from 13th to place third. Ben Chapman finished fourth, followed by Levi Gaunt in fifth. In the Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lites, Mike Morrow of Colona, Illinois, scored his first win of the season, topping Nolan Morrow and Dustin Munn, who completed the podium. The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV. Catch every lap again with the IMCA TV Replay Subscription, available [Read More]

Barger Brothers Shine at I-90; Bickett Adds Historic Win

HARTFORD, S.D. (May 9, 2026) — Nate Barger led the Barger brothers from Madison to a one-two finish in Saturday’s RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car feature at I-90 Speedway. Starting fifth, Barger worked his way to the front in the 20-lap main event and capitalized during an intense battle for the lead. Heavy lapped traffic in the closing laps allowed brother Nick Barger to close the gap, but Nate held strong at the finish to secure the victory. Nick Barger crossed the line second to complete the family sweep at the top of the podium. Lee Goos Jr. finished third, while Michalob Voeltz and Corbin Erickson completed the top five. Earlier in the evening, I-90 Speedway also completed the make-up feature from May 2, and it was veteran Ryan Bickett putting together a dominant performance. The Ramona driver guided the No. 17B machine to Victory Lane after leading all 20 laps in the caution-free main event. The win further cemented Bickett’s place in track history, as he now stands as the third-winningest sprint car driver in I-90 [Read More]

Richards Nips Meiners in Wild Shelby County Stock Car Finish

By Don Hawkins HARLAN, Iowa (May 9, 2026) — A strong field of 25 Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars checked in, and the feature produced one of the closest finishes of the night at Shelby County Speedway. Madrid’s Braden Richards emerged victorious in nearly a photo finish after charging from the 12th starting position. Austin Meiners also sliced through the field from 13th and appeared poised for victory exiting turn four, but Richards surged alongside and edged ahead at the checkers. The win was Richards’ fourth of the campaign in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region, with half of those triumphs coming at Shelby County Speedway. Meiners settled for second while Michiah Hidlebaugh advanced from 11th to finish third. Dusty Van Horn turned in an impressive run from 18th to fourth, while Larry Robinson Jr. completed the top five. Nineteen Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks signed in, and fans witnessed another thrilling finish. It looked as though Kael Koch was headed for victory until Zach Hemmingsen of Marne charged through the field from 10th starting position. Hemmingsen made [Read More]

Townsend Leads Every Lap for $8,000 KSP Triumph

KENNEDALE, Texas (May 9, 2026) — Christopher Townsend turned in a flawless performance Saturday night at Kennedale Speedway Park, leading every lap of the Photos by Mike and 2nd Opinion Auto Center Texas RaceSaver Sprint Car Nationals feature to collect an $8,000 payday. The Tarkington driver earned the advertised $5,000 winner’s share in the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car main event and added another $3,000 bonus for pacing all 30 circuits. Kennedale’s own Kyle Jones charged from 11th to finish second after also earning the evening’s $500 quick time award. John Carney II of El Paso crossed the line third after winning the $500 pole dash earlier in the program. Marcus Thomas finished fourth, while Justin Zimmerman rounded out the top five. Chad Wilson earned hard charger honors after advancing from 20th to finish 10th. A stout field of 48 IMCA Sprint Cars filled the pit area for the marquee event.