Ryan Clark

Lamphere Capitalizes on Late Trouble to Win Billy Ward Memorial with NY-Penn Series

By Michael Benjamin ISLE, N.Y. (Oct. 30, 2026) — James Lamphere took advantage of a late-race incident involving leader Keith Lamphere to capture the $1,004 fourth annual Billy Ward Memorial on Friday night at Thunder Mountain Speedway during the Monster Bash weekend for the Close Racing Supply NY/Penn IMCA Modified Series. A field of 24 Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds checked in for the opening night of the season-ending doubleheader. Lamphere opened the evening by winning the first heat race aboard the Gary Lamphere-owned No. 87. Aaron Benjamin of Forksville, Pa., collected the second heat victory, while Rodney Morgan won the third heat and the Dash 4 Cash. Morgan and Gaege Higley brought the feature field to the green flag, but James Lamphere quickly moved forward from his fifth starting position to take the lead. Former series champion Keith Lamphere, who started at the rear of the field, worked his way through traffic and eventually passed James Lamphere for the top spot. Keith Lamphere continued to lead until contact with a lapped car in turn three late [Read More]

A First for Canada as Glasser Races to Junior National Championship

By Bill Martin ESTEVAN, Sask. (Oct. 23, 2026) – The road that led Keenan Glasser to the IMCA Junior National Championship started in sunny Florida. Glasser began his 2026 Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod campaign with a fourth-place finish in the IMCA TV Clash on the Coast. He returned home to Estevan, Sask., and The Great White North, and two months later started reeling off feature victories on his way to an became the first Canadian driver to win the Junior National crown. “Junior National Champion was a goal but we didn’t really expect to be competing for it. We didn’t realize until more than three quarters of the season that we were in contention for it. We buckled down those last races and got all the points we could,” said Glasser, after topping point standings for the nearly 600 drivers ages 18 and under at the start of the season competing in IMCA’s nine divisions. Sixth in the national standings, he wheeled a 2020 Rage Chassis to 16 wins and another 16 top five finishes [Read More]

Trials and Tribulations Can’t Deny Wroten in Pursuit of Second Lady Eagle Championship

By Bill Martin INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (Oct. 23, 2026) – The secret is out, Leah Wroten really was chasing another Lady Eagle championship this season. After six months of trials and tribulations, the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock driver from Independence, Iowa, adds a bookend award to her trophy from 2018 after winning the closest nationwide points race of 2026. She got the tiebreaking nod ahead of Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact pilot Brooke Osler after the pair finished tied atop a points race contested by more than 300 female drivers in the nine divisions sanctioned by IMCA. “My goal from the start was to win the Lady Eagle but I didn’t tell a lot of people that because if I didn’t, I might have been more disappointed. I’m not getting any younger – I’m kind of the old gal in the group – and I’m not sure how much longer we want to run 30-40 nights a season,” she explained. Track champion at Benton County Speedway in a 2025 Dominator Chassis built by husband Nick, Wroten had one [Read More]

Clemens Claims Second DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region Crown and Sets Montana Championship Mark

By Ben Deatherage BELGRADE, Mont. (Oct. 22, 2026) — Ty Clemens knows what it takes to compete for a regional championship in Montana, where traveling several hours between racetracks is a regular part of the season. The 38-year-old from Belgrade made those miles count in 2026, capturing his second DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region championship in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified division. Clemens, who previously won the region in 2022, remains the only Montana driver to claim the Western Region championship. He also secured his fifth Montana State championship, breaking a tie with Jeremy Meirhofer for the most in state history, and earned his second consecutive track championship at Electric City Speedway in Great Falls. “We have to travel a lot in this part of the world with the racetracks all spread apart as they are compared to Iowa or other places,” Clemens said. That travel included regular three-hour trips from Belgrade to Electric City Speedway and Big Sky Speedway in Billings. One weekend, Clemens raced Friday at Gallatin Speedway in his hometown before making the [Read More]

Belcher Captures Eastern Region Crown while Adding Two State Championships

By Ben Deatherage LACEYVILLE, Pa. (Oct. 22, 2026) — Tyler Belcher’s 2026 Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified campaign began with a difficult trip to Florida, but the 35-year-old from Laceyville, Pa., returned home and put together a season that ended with the Close Racing Supply Eastern Region championship. Belcher became just the third Pennsylvania driver to capture the Eastern Region championship, marking the 10th time the title has gone to a Keystone State competitor. He joined eight-time champion Sean Lias and 2015 titleholder Keith Lamphere. Belcher also earned his first New York and Pennsylvania State championships, along with track titles at The Hill Speedway in Monroeton, Pa., and Thunder Mountain Speedway in Center Lisle, N.Y. Driving the Robinson Timber Harvesting/Latini Enterprise/Belcher Trucking-sponsored No. 7B Alpha Chassis, Belcher recorded five feature victories at three different facilities, along with 20 top-five finishes and 27 top-10 results in 32 feature starts across 35 events attended. He also reached the podium 16 times. “We started out the year in Florida and didn’t do too hot down there, but we learned a [Read More]

Just Out to Win, Races Diercks Earns Top Prize in Razor Chassis North Central Region, Too

By Bill Martin DAVENPORT, Iowa (Oct. 25, 2026) – A Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified driver who says he was “just out to win races” this season won the first regional championship of his career, too. Spencer Diercks collected a personal single-season best 21 features in reigning over point standings for the Razor Chassis North Central Region. He was track champion and a five-time winner at hometown Davenport Speedway. The national runner-up, Diercks made starts at 13 different tracks in his home region in 2026, winning at least once at a remarkable 11 of those venues. “Everything had to go our way, and it was cool to accomplish what we did. It’s October now and I still kind of look back and think ‘Damn, we did that,’” Diercks said. “It’s pretty cool, and I never thought I’d be able to win the region.” “We had luck on our side, the car was working good and the team worked well together. Everything was just gelling,” he’d add. “Everything has to work good and that starts with all the [Read More]

Late Change of Focus Puts Wasserman on Jet Racing Central Regional Throne

By Bill Martin FAIRBURY, Neb. (Oct. 23, 2026) – Adam Wasserman was so focused on winning a track championship that he’d forgotten about an even bigger prize. The second-season Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified driver clinched the Jet Racing Central Region crown, along with the track and Nebraska State titles with a third-place finish in the Aug. 29 finale at Eagle Raceway. “I wasn’t paying attention to regional points until about the last three weeks, then somebody said, ‘hey, you should look at the standings,’” he said. “I did and told myself I’d better try. I was so focused on winning the track championship that I kind of forgot about the region.” “It still feels surreal that I put my name up there with guys like Johnny Saathoff, Jordan Grabouski and David Murray Jr. as a regional champion. It’s cool to have your name with guys like that.” From Fairbury, Wasserman cut his racing teeth running with the best of them for five seasons in a Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock. His Modified rookie season was a learning [Read More]

Opening Night Rainout Proves Key to Batt’s Reign in Southern Stock Car Region

By Bill Martin HARKER HEIGHTS, Texas (Oct. 25, 2026) – Most race car drivers are chomping at the bit to get their new season started. Jason Batt didn’t even have a ride at the start of the 2026 Sunoco IMCA Stock Car point season, so he didn’t mind waiting another week. The veteran wheelman motored to his career first EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region crown and fifth Texas State prize, propelled to a runner-up finish in the national points race by bonus points earned along with Heart O’ Texas Speedway and Cotton Bowl Speedway track titles. “What I’m really on cloud nine about was finishing second in the nation. That’s where we’re really pumped,” Batt said, following his 26th season in the class. “It’s pretty exciting. I’m humbled. We had great seasons in 2017, 2018, 2019 and even further back to 2010 when we finished eighth in the nation. But the last couple seasons have been down and I was kind of thinking my not doing good was my age.” “Then we got a new car this [Read More]

Barney Makes Utah History With B&B Racing Chassis Southern Region Championship

By Ben Deatherage PANGUITCH, Utah (Oct. 22, 2026) — Hayden Barney entered the 2026 Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock season looking to make the most of a repaired race car and build on his success from the previous year. By season’s end, the 35-year-old from Panguitch, Utah, had made history as the first driver from the Beehive State to capture the B&B Racing Chassis Southern Region championship since regional titles were first awarded in 2007. Barney also secured his second consecutive Utah State championship and his first track championship at Desert Thunder Raceway. He became just the second driver to win back-to-back Utah State titles since the championship was established in 2009, joining Troy Sweeten, who accomplished the feat in 2009 and 2010. Behind the wheel of the Eric Hartle Concrete/Burdick Materials/Beau’s Car Quest-sponsored No. 45 Grumpy Chassis, Barney recorded four feature victories, 20 podium finishes, 33 top fives, and 35 top-10 finishes in 35 official starts. All four victories came at Desert Thunder Raceway. The championship season began with a race car that had endured a [Read More]

IMCA Releases 2027 Rules with Minor Changes

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 2, 2026) — IMCA has released its 2027 rules package, featuring minor updates and clarifications across several divisions, along with changes to helmet requirements and head and neck restraint regulations for minor drivers. In the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock divisions, frame ground clearance must measure a minimum of 6.5 inches and a maximum of nine inches beneath the oval frame holes, identified as letters D and K in the 1978-88 Monte Carlo frame drawing. Floating or removable bars are not permitted in either division. Stock Cars will no longer be permitted to use Camaro nosepieces on anything other than the Camaro MD3 body, while Hobby Stocks will not be allowed to use lightweight pressure plate. For Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Speedway Motors fabricated lower A-frames, part numbers 91035297-L and 91035297-R, have been added to the rules. The interior deck must also be level from left to right within a one-inch tolerance. The Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod division will have the same interior deck requirement, [Read More]