Late Model Archives

Allstar Performance Continues Heat Race Winner Awards Program for IMCA Racers

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (June 16, 2026) — Winning heat races continues to pay dividends for IMCA competitors thanks to Allstar Performance and its popular Heat Race Winner Awards Program. Now in its 15th season as an IMCA sponsor, the Watervliet, Michigan-based company will once again reward drivers across the country for their success in preliminary competition throughout the 2026 season. Heat race winner decals were distributed to all IMCA-sanctioned tracks at the beginning of the 2026 season. Drivers who accumulate 10 or more heat race victories during the year become eligible for a drawing for a $100 Allstar Performance gift certificate. To be entered, drivers must submit a photo clearly showing the heat race winner decal displayed on their race car. Photos should be emailed to Carson Becker-Graham at cbgramm@imca.com no later than September 21, 2026. In addition to the heat race winner program, Allstar Performance will award a $200 product certificate to each champion crowned at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s and the RaceSaver Nationals. For more information about Allstar Performance [Read More]

Smith Scores First Davenport Late Model Victory

By Mike Maguire DAVENPORT, Iowa (June 12, 2026) — Dustin Smith of Long Grove broke through for his first Davenport Speedway Sunoco IMCA Late Model victory Friday night, charging from fourth and making a late-race pass to secure his second win of the season at two different tracks. Smith worked his way into second by lap five and spent much of the 25-lap feature tracking down leader Blaise Lewis. After stalking Lewis for more than half the race, Smith dove underneath him on lap 21 to take command. The closing laps were anything but easy as Travis Denning charged from 12th and pressured Smith to the finish, but Smith held on for the victory. Denning finished second after advancing 10 positions. Lewis settled for third, Logan Veloz raced to fourth, and Matt Ryan rounded out the top five. Diercks Charges from 12th for Modified Win Spencer Diercks put together one of the night’s strongest drives in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature. The Davenport driver started 12th and needed only six laps to track down early [Read More]

Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing National Point Standings through June 11, 2026

Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds – 1. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 914; 2. Chaz Baca, Jewell, Iowa, 739; 3. Todd Shute, Norwalk, Iowa, 704; 4. Jason Barnhill, Milton, Florida, 695; 5. Trevor Fitz, Bondurant, Iowa, 674; 6. Owen Barnhill, Milton, Florida, 655; 7. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 636; 8. Kevin Williamson, Harrisburg, Oregon, 624; 9. Jared Maupin, Helotes, Texas, 615; 10. Chris Smith, Brewton, Alabama, 610; 11. Izac Mallicoat, Boone, Iowa, 567; 12. Markus Frazier, Santa Maria, Calif., 566; 13. Kyle Anton, Gillette, Wyoming, 563; 14. Chase Weimer, Eldora, Iowa, 553; 15. Jace Whitt, Hamilton, Mo., 551; 16. Spencer Diercks, Davenport, Iowa, 549; 17. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque, Iowa, 539; 18. Bryson Yeager, Green River, Wyoming, 528; 19. Cole Czarneski, Denmark, Wisconsin, 523; 20. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev., 522. Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars – 1. Cameron Starry, Robstown, Texas, 947; 2. Blake Clark, Joshua, Texas, 864; 3. John Oliver Jr., West Burlington, Iowa, 739; 4. Shelby Williams, Bonham, Texas, 712; 5. Dillon Richards, Wymore, Neb., 690; 6. Jordan Miles, Bernard, Iowa, 680; 7. Jason Batt, Harker [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]

Eckrich Earns Second SportMod Victory of Rookie Season at Maquoketa

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (June 6, 2026) — Twenty-two Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods took the green flag Saturday night at Maquoketa Speedway, and the drivers used every inch of the well-prepared racing surface while putting on a thrilling display of three- and four-wide racing. Fifteen-year-old Bryson Eckrich of Oxford worked both the top and bottom grooves as he charged forward from the eighth starting position. Eckrich eventually overtook Josh Starr for the lead and drove away to score his second victory of the season and first at Maquoketa Speedway. Jarett Franzen turned in a strong run from 11th to finish second while Starr completed the podium in third. Ed Mills crossed the stripe fourth and Nathan Silaggi rounded out the top five. Garnhart Dominates Late Model Main Event Bryce Garnhart proved to be the class of the field in the Sunoco IMCA Late Model feature. The Lanark, Illinois, driver started third and quickly worked his way to the front before leading all 25 laps en route to his first victory of the season. Dalton [Read More]

Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing National Point Standings through June 4, 2026

Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds – 1. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 914; 2. Todd Shute, Norwalk, Iowa, 682; 3. Chaz Baca, Jewell, Iowa, 675; 4. Jason Barnhill, Milton, Florida, 658; 5. Owen Barnhill, Milton, Florida, 655; 6. Trevor Fitz, Bondurant, Iowa, 634; 7. Jared Maupin, Helotes, Texas, 615; 8. Chris Smith, Brewton, Alabama, 610; 9. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 560; 10. Jace Whitt, Hamilton, Mo., 551; 11. Spencer Diercks, Davenport, Iowa, 549; 12. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque, Iowa, 539; 13. Izac Mallicoat, Boone, Iowa, 528; 14. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev., 522; 15. Chase Weimer, Eldora, Iowa, 521; 16. Luke Silber, Laveen, Ariz., 510; 17. Greg Hopkins, Repton, Alabama, 508; 18. Jake McBirnie, Boone, Iowa, 507; 19. Kevin Williamson, Harrisburg, Oregon, 506; 20. Jonathan Mawhinney, Las Vegas, Nev., 502. Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars – 1. Cameron Starry, Robstown, Texas, 940; 2. Blake Clark, Joshua, Texas, 848; 3. John Oliver Jr., West Burlington, Iowa, 739; 4. Shelby Williams, Bonham, Texas, 712; 5. Jason Batt, Harker Heights, Texas, 625; 6. Jordan Miles, Bernard, Iowa, 605; 7. Hunter Smith, Lynnville, [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]

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]

Morris Holds Off Birkhofer for Davenport Late Model Victory

By Mike McGuire DAVENPORT, Iowa (May 29, 2026) — Mitch Morris captured his first Davenport Speedway victory of the season Friday night in the Sunoco IMCA Late Models, but it didn’t come easy. Morris found himself in an early battle with Blaise Lewis before Lewis became tangled with a lapped car, bringing out a caution and sending him to the rear of the field. Morris then had to fend off challenges from Andy Nezworski during the middle stages of the race and Cruz Birkhofer over the closing laps. The McCausland driver held strong to earn his second victory of the season. Birkhofer charged from 10th to finish second while Nezworski advanced from eighth to third. Jesse Bodin crossed the stripe fourth and Matt Ryan rallied from 12th to fifth. Dustin Smith posted one of the night’s most impressive drives, advancing from 21st to sixth. Morris, Lewis and Logan Veloz claimed heat race victories. Diercks Charges from 12th for Modified Triumph Spencer Diercks finally broke through for a victory in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified division. Jason [Read More]