Ryan Clark

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]

Hubbard Charges to Bullring Bash Victory at Marion County

By Ben Deatherage OCALA, Fla. (Feb. 10, 2026) — Carson Hubbard broke through in a big way Tuesday night, capturing the Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lite feature during night four of the 2026 Florida Winter Nationals and the second round of the Bullring Bash at Marion County Speedway. The Fredericktown, Ohio, driver led the entirety of the 25-lap contest on the tight 1/5-mile oval to score his first victory of the season and halt Riley Clem’s series dominance. The race opened with Texas driver Scott Jordan jumping to the early lead, but Carson Hubbard stormed around the outside off turn four to lead lap one before an immediate caution slowed the field. On the restart, Delaware’s Shane McCarron — who had flipped the previous night — surged into second and quickly set his sights on the leader. A lap-six caution reset the field, and McCarron briefly took the lead on lap seven before another yellow negated the pass and restored Hubbard out front. The race settled into a long green-flag stretch until a red flag on [Read More]

Clem Commands Marion County Bullring, Stays Perfect in Winter Nationals

By Ben Deatherage OCALA, Fla. (Feb. 9, 2026) — Riley Clem continued his dominant run through the 2026 Florida Winter Nationals, capturing the Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lite feature on night three of competition and the opening round of the Bullring Bonanza at Marion County Speedway. The Bakersfield, California, standout led every lap of the 20-lap main event on the 1/5-mile oval to secure his third victory in three Winter Nationals starts. Clem beat defending Florida Winter Nationals champion Ronnie Choate to the lead on the opening start and quickly established control before an early caution slowed the pace. Multiple stoppages repeatedly erased his advantage, but Clem remained flawless on each restart. Brandon Dennis, the 2024 Delaware State champion, surged into second late, while the 2023 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s winner, Choate, and Missouri’s Billy Beard waged a spirited battle for a podium position through the middle stages. A late caution on lap 18 set up a green-white-checkered finish, but Clem once again executed perfectly, driving away over the final circuits. Dennis [Read More]

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Michaels Mercer Raceway Park Continues RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Sanctioning for 75th Anniversary Season

By Ben Deatherage MERCER, Pa. (Feb. 10, 2026) — RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars will once again thunder around Michaels Mercer Raceway Park in 2026, as the western Pennsylvania facility sanctions the division for a track championship campaign for the second consecutive year. The 3/8-mile clay oval, located roughly an hour from the shores of Lake Erie and just minutes from the Ohio–Pennsylvania border, has quickly established itself as the Saturday night battleground for Sprint Car competition in the region. Under the leadership of promoter Mike Mathieson, now entering his third season at the helm, the speedway continues to build momentum with strong fields and competitive racing. “When these gates open, it’s all about hard racing, clean competition, and giving the fans every bit of action they came for,” Mathieson said. The upcoming season also marks a major milestone for the historic speedway. Michaels Mercer Raceway Park enters its 75th anniversary campaign under new ownership, as Earl and Michelle Michaels finalized the purchase of the facility in late 2025 from Earl’s brother, Edward. Following the acquisition, Earl [Read More]

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AERO Race Wheels Celebrates 30 Years of Supporting IMCA

By Ben Deatherage ESTHERVILLE, Iowa (Feb. 10, 2026) — AERO Race Wheels enters its 30th year as a valued sponsor of IMCA Racing, continuing a long-standing partnership that supports competitors across multiple Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing divisions. AERO Race Wheels will again provide $40 product certificates toward the purchase of two wheels to designated finishers at 80 selected special events. Those events span the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lites, Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods, and Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMods. In addition, state champions in those same divisions, along with the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts, will receive $25 product certificates. AERO also returns as the title sponsor of IMCA’s popular Feature [Read More]

Clem Dominates Sugar Bowl Finale for $3,000 Payday

By Justin Newman CLEWISTON, Fla. (Feb. 7, 2026) — The Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lites took to the track Saturday night at Hendry County Motorsports Park as part of the 7th Annual Sugar Bowl, contesting a scheduled 25-lap feature that marked the second round of the Florida Winter Nationals. The event paid $3,000 to the winner and resulted in Clem’s first career Sugar Bowl triumph. Making the long trip from Bakersfield, California, Riley Clem turned in the most complete performance of the evening, sweeping the night with a strong charge from fifth to the front and carrying that momentum into the main event. He grabbed the lead on the initial start and kept all challengers at bay through multiple restarts, leading every lap en route to the victory — his second win of the 2026 season. Carson Hubbard of Ohio finished second, while Delaware’s Ryan McKinney rounded out the podium after advancing from the 16th starting position. Brayden Benson finished fourth, followed by Drew Hannay in fifth. Quebec’s Jean-Francois LeBlanc earned hard charger honors, advancing from [Read More]

Hinsley Hustles From Sixth to Score Dominant Mod Lite Victory at Central Arizona

By Rowdy Briggs CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 7, 2026) — Queen Creek’s Shane Hinsley turned in a commanding performance in the Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lite feature at Central Arizona Raceway, leading every lap en route to a runaway victory — his first of the year. Starting sixth, Hinsley charged to the front on the opening start and immediately established control of the main event. The race ran caution-free, allowing the leader to build momentum and rhythm as the laps clicked off. With clean air ahead, Hinsley steadily distanced himself from the competition, ultimately crossing the finish line nearly 12 seconds ahead of the field in a flag-to-flag triumph. While the win was never in doubt, the battle for second kept fans engaged. Kobe Lomasney and John Foster waged a spirited duel throughout much of the feature before Lomasney secured the runner-up position late in the race. Foster completed the podium in third, Brandi Bender recorded a solid fourth-place finish, and Chris Lomasney rounded out the top five. The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV. [Read More]

Sugar Bowl Prelude Victory Goes to Clem to Open ’26 Florida Winter Nationals

By Justin Newman CLEWISTON, Fla. (Feb. 6, 2026) — The Prelude to the 7th Annual Sugar Bowl brought a stout field of 24 Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lites to Hendry County Motorsports Park and served as the opening night of the 2026 Florida Winter Nationals, after two events scheduled the previous weekend at Swainsboro Raceway in Georgia were lost due to weather. When the field took the green for the feature, Ohio’s Carson Hubbard surged forward from his fourth starting position, taking command on lap four and pacing the field for the remainder of the race on the track. Early pressure came from Riley Clem. Following post-race technical inspection, Hubbard was disqualified due to a fuel sample infraction, officially awarding the victory to Clem, the Bakersfield, California native now residing in Wildersville, Tennessee. It was his first win of 2026. Dillon Permann delivered one of the evening’s most impressive drives. The Port St. Lucie, Florida racer charged from 14th to second, earning Hard Charger honors after slicing through the field in the race’s closing stages. Bill [Read More]