Divisions Archives

Manning Charges From Seventh for First Santa Maria Win of 2026

By Stephanie Odom SANTA MARIA, Calif. (June 6, 2026) — Tyler Bannister appeared poised to continue his dominance in Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified competition Saturday night at Santa Maria Speedway. The Bakersfield driver entered the evening a perfect two-for-two at the Central Coast facility in 2026 and added another heat race victory to his résumé. Brandon Jennings also earned a heat race win earlier in the evening. Jennings and Rob Sanders led the field to green for the 25-lap feature, with Jennings quickly establishing himself at the front while fending off intense pressure from Sanders during the opening circuits. Starting seventh, fellow Bakersfield racer Gavyn Manning methodically worked his way through the field and into contention. As Jennings continued to pace the field, Manning steadily closed the gap before taking over the lead with five laps remaining. Bannister also charged forward in the closing stages, but Manning proved untouchable over the final circuits, racing away to secure his first Santa Maria Speedway victory of the season. The win was Manning’s fourth of 2026 in the DeVilbiss [Read More]

Mark Martini: 100 Wins in Homebuilt Equipment

By Ben Deatherage AVON, Minn. (June 10, 2026) — The grandstands at North Central Speedway had seen a lot over the years. Championships. Heartbreak. Future stars. Veteran racers. And thousands upon thousands of laps turned around the Brainerd-area clay. On May 23, 2026, the Brainerd-area track witnessed something it had never seen before. Mark “Bud” Martini parked his No. 4Q2 IMCA Northern SportMod in Victory Lane for the 100th time in his career, becoming the first Minnesota driver to reach the century mark in the division and just the 13th member of the SportMod Century Club. The moment carried extra significance. The victory came on the final night of Cliff Sasker’s tenure as promoter before retirement, ending an era at a racetrack Martini had called home for decades. “That was pretty special,” Martini said. “I’m probably one of the longest racing guys there at Brainerd. Cliff is a super, super guy. I don’t know anyone in the racing industry better than him. He is a good man, and it was an honor to race at his [Read More]

Scott Cook Memorial One-Eye Nationals SportMod Special Set for June 11 at Kossuth County Speedway

By Ben Deatherage ALGONA, Iowa (June 9, 2026) — Kossuth County Speedway will honor the memory of Scott Cook with the Scott Cook Memorial One-Eye Nationals SportMod Special on Thursday, June 11. The Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods will headline the evening with a lucrative $1,000-to-win feature. An additional $100 bonus will be awarded to the winner if 24 SportMods are entered, pushing the top prize to $1,100. The special-event purse pays $800 for second, $700 for third, $500 for fourth, $400 for fifth, $300 for sixth, and $200 for seventh. Positions eighth through 24th will each receive $100. In addition to the featured SportMod special, Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks will also be in action as part of a full night of Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing competition. Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6:50 p.m., with racing to follow. Fans unable to attend can watch every lap live on IMCA TV, where America comes to watch racing. For additional event information and updates, follow Kossuth [Read More]

Spring Fling SportMod Nationals Set for June 12 at Hancock County Speedway

By Ben Deatherage BRITT, Iowa (June 9, 2026) — A big night for the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods at Hancock County Speedway is set for Friday, June 12, as the Spring Fling SportMod Nationals presented by Gold-Eagle Cooperative comes to the historic oval. The featured event will see SportMod competitors race for a $1,250 winner’s share, while a full slate of Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing action is also scheduled. Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds and Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars will each compete for $1,000 to win, while Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks will race for a $500 top prize. Both the Modified and Stock Car features will serve as qualifying events for the 2026 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational and B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational, respectively, to be held during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in September. Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing National, Iowa State, track, and regional points will be awarded. Modified competitors will race for Razor Chassis North Central Region points, while Stock Car drivers will compete for [Read More]

IMCA Wild West Speedweek Set to Storm Oregon Border to Border June 13–20

By Jeremy Means VINTON, Iowa (June 9, 2026) — From the Columbia River on the Oregon–Washington border to the doorstep of California, the 2026 IMCA Wild West Speedweek will push drivers through eight consecutive nights of racing June 13–20. The tour opens at Sunset Speedway Park in Banks and heads south, testing teams across bullrings and bigger layouts before champions are crowned in the finale in Southern Oregon. Three Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing divisions—Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, and Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods—will be in action each night. Sunset Speedway Park opens the tour on Saturday, June 13, returning to its role as the “Banks Bullring.” Located just outside the Portland metro area, the quarter-mile oval sets the tone for the week with tight racing after weather impacted last year’s finale. Round two shifts to a new venue, River City Speedway in St. Helens, on Sunday, June 14. Situated near the Columbia River along the Oregon–Washington border, the tight and technical quarter-mile will host its first IMCA-sanctioned event, adding a fresh [Read More]

Leach Charges From Sixth for Electric City Modified Victory

By Jason Laird GREAT FALLS, Mont. (June 6, 2026) — Seventeen-year-old Tyler Leach overcame a sixth-place starting position and a series of restarts to score the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature victory Saturday night at Electric City Speedway. The Sun River driver methodically worked his way through the field in the 20-lap main event and completed a sweep of the evening after also winning his heat race. The triumph was his second of the season, with both coming at Electric City Speedway and in DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region competition. Leach took command following a restart and never looked back, surviving several caution periods to secure the win. Caden Craver turned in one of the night’s best drives, advancing from 10th to finish second. Braidyn La Mere completed the podium after starting alongside the front-row starter. Kolby Hannah finished fourth while heat race winner Joey Price rounded out the top five. Points leader Ty Clemens charged from 14th to seventh. Matye Rallies From Ninth for Sport Compact Score The Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature provided one [Read More]

Mackenthun Prevails in Wild Stock Car Finish at Arlington

By Susan Allen ARLINGTON, Minn. (June 6, 2026) — A wild night of racing at Arlington Raceway produced plenty of thrills, spills and dramatic finishes, highlighted by Dan Mackenthun’s second straight Sunoco IMCA Stock Car victory at the Sibley County fairgrounds oval. The feature saw its share of carnage early. Ryan Grochow and Garett Uecker led the field during the opening laps before contact exiting turn four sent Uecker sideways, collecting Matt Schauer and Matt Speckman in a crash that eliminated all three drivers. On the restart, Grochow again showed the way, but Mackenthun quickly charged from his 12th starting position and worked his way to the front. The Hamburg driver and Trent Loverude traded positions repeatedly while slicing through lapped traffic. Loverude nosed ahead as the white flag waved, but Mackenthun answered immediately entering turn one and regained the advantage for good. He held off Loverude for his fifth EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the season, second at Arlington and second straight at the track. Loverude finished second, while Daniel Eckblad turned in [Read More]

Hobby Stock

Fitz Snatches Boone Topless 30 Modified Victory with Late Move

By Jane Burd BOONE, Iowa (June 6, 2026) — Trevor Fitz tracked down race-long leader Izac Mallicoat and made the winning move with just two laps remaining to capture the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature during Saturday night’s Topless 30 program at Boone Speedway. Mallicoat appeared destined for victory after pacing the field for the first 28 laps of the 30-lap contest. The Arizona driver maintained command through several challenges before Fitz closed the gap in the waning stages. The Bondurant driver, originally from Camarillo, California, completed the decisive pass on lap 29 and held on to score his third victory of the season, with all three wins coming at Boone Speedway. The triumph also made Fitz eligible to attempt qualification for the Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational at the upcoming Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Mallicoat settled for second after his dominant performance. Jeremy Mills crossed the stripe third, Kyle Brown was fourth, and Arkansas racer Brint Hartwick completed a remarkable charge from 20th to fifth. Smith Scores First Career Stock Car [Read More]

Hagen Hustles to Don Gumke Memorial Victory, Earns Fast Shafts Eligibility

By Jon Breckel JAMESTOWN, N.D. (June 6, 2026) — Travis Hagen added another special-event victory to his resume Saturday night, charging to the front and capturing the seventh annual Don Gumke Racers’ Memorial for Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds at Jamestown Speedway. The victory was worth $2,222 and also made the McGregor driver eligible to attempt to qualify for the 2026 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The 25-lap feature produced intense racing from the opening green flag as defending track champion Quentin Kinzley and Marcus Tomlinson brought the field to the start. A caution on the opening lap slowed the action before John Nord emerged as the early leader following the restart. Nord paced the field through the opening stages while Hagen methodically worked the low groove and reeled in the frontrunners. Kinzley maintained second for much of the early going, but Hagen steadily closed the gap as the race settled into a long green-flag stretch. A caution just past the halfway point proved pivotal. Hagen utilized [Read More]

Petersen Earns First Career Stock Car Victory at Shelby County Speedway

By Don Hawkins HARLAN, Iowa (June 6, 2026) — Dylan Petersen’s transition from Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods to Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars paid off in a big way Saturday night as the Jacksonville driver captured his first career Stock Car feature victory at Shelby County Speedway. Twenty-seven Stock Cars filled the pit area and put on a show worthy of the division’s reputation. Petersen entered the night with just two previous starts in the class but showed veteran poise throughout the 20-lap feature. Starting second, Petersen quickly established himself among the frontrunners and never relinquished the lead despite constant pressure from behind. As the laps wound down, Miciah Hidlebaugh mounted a charge from his 16th starting position and closed the gap on the leader, but Petersen held his line and raced to the checkered flag. The victory was Petersen’s first career Stock Car triumph and came in EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region competition. Hidlebaugh’s impressive run netted a runner-up finish, while Mike Albertsen crossed the stripe third. Ryan Webb finished fourth and Dayton Ullrich rounded [Read More]