Divisions Archives

Rust Races to IMCA Summer Nationals Opening Night Modified Victory at Independence

By Christine Rublack INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (June 2, 2026) — Joel Rust topped a stellar field of Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds Tuesday night at Independence Motor Speedway, scoring a $3,000 victory on opening night of the IMCA Summer Nationals and earning eligibility to attempt to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in September. Jed Freiburger took command early while Brennen Chipp and Spencer Diercks battled for second. Rust, the Grundy Center driver, worked his way forward from the fourth starting position while engaged in a battle with Tripp Gaylord. A caution bunched the field and gave Rust an opportunity to attack. Utilizing the high groove, he surged to the lead and never looked back. The victory was Rust’s first Razor Chassis North Central Region win of the season. Gaylord finished second ahead of Freiburger. Tim Ward charged from 11th to fourth, while Cole Czarneski advanced from 14th to complete the top five. Kelsie Black turned in a notable run from 17th to eighth, while Brandon [Read More]

Rush County Speedway Launches 2026 Season with Myers Racing Engines Bullring Nationals

By William Nusser LA CROSSE, Kan. (June 3, 2026) — Rush County Speedway will open its 2026 season on Friday, June 5, with the Myers Racing Engines Bullring Nationals at the quarter-mile oval located on the Rush County Fairgrounds. The 2026 campaign marks a significant milestone for the speedway with the addition of five Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing sanctioned divisions. Rush County Speedway will sanction Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts during the 2026 season. Drivers competing in the IMCA Modified division will race for Jet Racing Central Region points, while IMCA Stock Car competitors will earn EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region points and IMCA Hobby Stock drivers will race for B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region points. Competitors in those divisions, along with IMCA Northern SportMods and IMCA Sport Compacts, will also earn Kansas State and IMCA National points throughout the 2026 season. “Adding full IMCA sanctioning is an important step for our speedway and our racers,” said promoter [Read More]

Tristao Leads Wire-to-Wire for Bakersfield Sprint Car Victory

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (May 30, 2026) — George Tristao Jr. made the most of his pole position start Saturday night, leading all 25 laps to capture the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car feature at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway with the California RaceSaver Sprint Series. The Tulare driver grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag and never relinquished the top spot, keeping a comfortable advantage as the battle behind him intensified throughout the main event. While Tristao controlled the race from the front, Davey Pombo worked his way forward from fourth on the starting grid to claim the runner-up position. Jeremy Alves remained among the leaders throughout the feature and finished third after starting alongside Tristao on the front row. Rino Felicioni crossed the stripe fourth while Phil Heynen completed the top five. The night’s action aired live on IMCA TV affiliate TrackVision TV powered by Low Budget TV. Catch every lap again with an IMCA TV Replay Subscription for just $25.99/month. Plus, stream Season 2 of the Boone Docuseries exclusively on IMCA [Read More]

Freedom Race Lifts Named Official Race Car Lift of IMCA

By Ben Deatherage LAKE CITY, Minn. (June 3, 2026) — Freedom Race Lifts is proud to announce its designation as the Official Race Car Lift of IMCA, bringing its award winning battery-operated lift technology to the nation’s oldest active racing sanctioning body in the country. “It is a great honor to be affiliated with a series who put racers first,” said owner Josh Rodewald. “It’s the heart of what we do at Freedom Race Lifts, and we are thrilled to be able to contribute to the future of the sport.” Owned by engineer and former racer Josh Rodewald, Freedom Race Lifts has fast become nationally recognized for establishing the first truly portable wireless-operated vehicle lifts and jacks designed specifically for race teams. That success was fueled by first hand experience; facing the everyday risk of working under vehicles— whether in the shop or at the track. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports more than 4,800 people are injured each year in the U.S. while working on vehicles, due to automotive jack failures. Rodewald believes those numbers [Read More]

Don Gumke Racers’ Memorial Returns June 6 at Jamestown Speedway

By Ben Deatherage JAMESTOWN, N.D. (June 3, 2026) — Jamestown Speedway will honor one of the most influential figures in its history when the 7th Annual Don Gumke Racers’ Memorial takes center stage on Saturday, June 6. Presented by Wilhelm’s and North Star Buick & GMC Dealers and I-29 Trailer Sales, the special event will feature Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds racing for a $2,222 top prize in memory of Don Gumke and his iconic No. 2* Modified. The event will also serve as a Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational qualifier, giving the winner an opportunity to earn eligibility for the 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Gumke, who passed away in January of 2020 at the age of 66, left a lasting impact on the racing community throughout North Dakota and beyond. A fierce competitor behind the wheel, he later helped transform Jamestown Speedway into one of the region’s premier dirt track facilities. Alongside his partner Joanne and Keith Veil, Gumke helped build the speedway’s reputation as a destination for both racers and [Read More]

Feature

Simpson Family Enjoys Memorable Night at Kossuth County Speedway

By Greg Grabianowski ALGONA, Iowa (May 28, 2026) — It was a night the Simpson family won’t soon forget at Kossuth County Speedway. Thirteen-year-old Ryan Simpson celebrated his first career feature victory in one of the track’s local divisions, and later in the evening father Jake added a Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod feature win to complete a memorable family double. With Ryan already in victory lane, the spotlight shifted to Jake in the Northern SportMod feature. The Algona driver answered the challenge in impressive fashion. Drew Fett led the opening laps before cautions on consecutive circuits slowed the action. Following the second restart, Simpson powered past Fett and took command. Starting third, Simpson maintained the lead over the final eight laps to score his second victory of the season, with both wins coming at Kossuth County Speedway. Josh Appel finished second while Grant Kramer completed the podium in third. Charlie Stevens charged from ninth to fourth and Alec Fett rallied from 11th to fifth. Swearingen Wins Stock Car Thriller for Second Straight Week The Sunoco [Read More]

Olsen Charges Late for Shelby County SportMod Victory

By Don Hawkins HARLAN, Iowa (May 30, 2026) — Thirty-three Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods signed in at Shelby County Speedway and the feature lived up to expectations. Josalyn Elmquist jumped out to the early lead before defending track champion Hayden Hillgartner worked his way to the front. As the laps wound down, Red Oak’s Cody Olsen charged through the field from the eighth starting position and made a late-race move to steal the victory. The win was Olsen’s second of the season and came at his second different track in 2026. Hillgartner settled for second while Corey Madden completed the podium in third. Elmquist finished fourth and Brayden Shepherd rounded out the top five. Meiners Scores First Stock Car Win of Season The Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars closed out the evening with Austin Meiners putting together an impressive drive from the eighth starting position. The Polk City driver worked his way through traffic and eventually overtook Larry Robinson Jr. to score his first EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the season. Robinson finished second [Read More]

Sunoco Bonus Bucks Program Rewards IMCA Late Model Racers During Busy Month of May

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (June 2, 2026) — The 2026 Sunoco Bonus Bucks program for Sunoco IMCA Late Models got underway in May, recognizing feature winners and contingency award recipients at four events across Iowa and Illinois. The month began May 8 at Highway 39 Speedway, where Omaha, Nebraska’s Corey Zeitner scored the feature victory and collected the Sunoco Bonus Bucks award. Defending Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing National champion Zach Zeitner finished second, while Drew Baker advanced from eighth to third. Mike Collins and Robbie Jorgensen completed the top five. Baker’s charge through the field earned him the Justice Brothers Hard Charger Award, while Charlie Peck collected the PEM Racing award as the 10th-place finisher. One night later at Shelby County Speedway, Zach Zeitner put together an impressive drive from 10th starting position to capture both the feature win and Sunoco Bonus Bucks honors. Aidan Mohr finished second, followed by Allan Hopp, Sterling Perkins, and Cooper Tilley. Zeitner’s drive through the field also earned him the Justice Brothers Hard Charger Award. The May 15 [Read More]

Bittner Sweeps Weekend with Selinsgrove PASS Victory

By Frank Buhrman SELINSGROVE, Pa. (May 30, 2026) — Timmy Bittner’s summer is off to a pretty good start. The Beech Creek driver slipped past race-long leader Mike Alleman in lapped traffic with five laps remaining and held on to win Saturday night’s 20-lap River Valley Builders PA Sprint Series feature at Selinsgrove Speedway. The victory completed a weekend sweep for Bittner, who also captured Friday night’s RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car feature at Clinton County Speedway. The two wins further strengthened his position atop both the national and Pennsylvania RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car standings. Bittner won his heat race before quickly advancing from fourth to second in the feature. While he remained within striking distance of Alleman throughout the race, traffic proved to be the deciding factor. As Alleman negotiated slower cars, Bittner found an opening underneath and completed the winning pass with five laps to go. A caution on lap 17 gave Alleman one final opportunity, but Bittner executed two flawless restarts after the first attempt was called back and pulled away to secure the [Read More]

Mackenthun Capitalizes Late for Arlington Stock Car Victory

By Susan Allen ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 30, 2026) — Dan Mackenthun used a late restart to his advantage and charged from the 11th starting position to win the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature at Arlington Raceway. Ryan Bjerkeset led the majority of the race while drivers behind him battled two and three wide throughout the field. Dave Moriarty spent much of the event trying to track down the leader while Mackenthun steadily worked his way through traffic. A late caution changed everything when Garrett Uecker made contact with the retaining wall in turn three, ending his night and setting up a crucial restart. Mackenthun capitalized on the opportunity, taking over the lead and driving away for his fourth EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the season. The Hamburg veteran has now won at three different tracks in 2026 and scored his first Arlington Raceway triumph of the year. Matthew Looft advanced from ninth to finish second while Bjerkeset settled for third. Trent Loverude charged from 15th to fourth and Matt Speckman completed the top five. [Read More]