Modified Archives

Spalding Holds Off Late Surge to Capture Battle of the Beach Finale at Southern Raceway

By Ben Deatherage MILTON, Fla.(Feb. 22, 2025) — Chris Spalding delivered a commanding performance to win the third and final round of the Battle of the Beach at Southern Raceway. The Montgomery City, Missouri driver led all 20 laps of the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event, fending off fierce competition from top drivers across the DeVilbiss Racing Eastern Region and beyond. Spalding jumped out front from the drop of the green flag, but Pennsylvania pilot Randall Paxton stayed close in pursuit. However, a series of early cautions derailed any momentum Paxton could build to try and perform the overtake. Each restart saw Spalding execute flawlessly, while the battle for third heated up between Shawn Harker and Iowa’s Drew Janssen. At the halfway point, hometown driver Joseph Joiner electrified the crowd with a daring double overtake, propelling himself into third. Unfortunately, a misstep the following lap allowed Harker to snatch the position back. As Spalding maintained control, both Harker and Joiner overtook Paxton, reshuffling the podium contenders. A late caution set the stage for a tense [Read More]

Baca Charges Deep to Sweep IMCA Modified Weekend at Central Arizona Raceway

By Ben Deatherage CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 22, 2025) — Chaz Baca Jr. once again wound up in victory lane at Central Arizona Raceway for the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds as he would sweep the weekend at the place where he has won the last four track championships. This time, however, he would have to win it from starting from tenth and got the lead just a few laps shy of the midway point of the 20-lap affair. Jonathan Mawhinney sprinted out to the lead when the green flag was unfurled and effectively operated on the lower portion of the racetrack. However, the dynamic of the race would change when a caution came out with six circuits counted to the good. On the restart, Baca clawed his way into second and had Mawhinney in his crosshairs. Mawhinney stuck to his guns on the lower portion of the track while Baca operated up on the high side. Baca would execute a sweeping pass around the leader and obtained the top spot on lap 8 just before the [Read More]

Chaz Baca Jr. Extends Dominance with Fourth Win at Central Arizona Raceway

By Ben Deatherage CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 21, 2025) — Central Arizona Raceway delivered another night of high-octane action as Chaz Baca Jr. showcased why he’s the two-time defending Friesen Performance IMCA Modified National Champion. The Mesa phenom captured his fourth win of the season in commanding fashion during the 20-lap feature. Luke Silber set the pace early, leading the field until a lap-two caution reset the competition. Baca seized the opportunity on the restart, expertly working the low line to sweep past Silber coming out of the fourth turn and officially taking the lead on lap 3. Silber did his best to keep pace, but Baca’s blistering speed was unmatched, as lapped traffic could not slow him down. Despite two late-race cautions that threatened his momentum, Baca remained in control and surged to the checkered flag first. Silber finished second in a strong showing, while Michael Egurola Jr. completed the podium in third. Woodie Battles Back for Second Casa Grande Stock Car Victory of 2025 Grabbing the early lead in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car [Read More]

Joiner And Seffens Shine In Southern Raceway’s Battle Of The Beach Doubleheader

By Ben Deatherage MILTON, Fla. (Feb. 21, 2025) — Southern Raceway delivered an action-packed Valentine’s Day weekend with a thrilling Friesen Performance IMCA Modified doubleheader. Drivers from across the Devilbiss Racing Eastern Region gathered for the first two rounds of the highly anticipated Battle of the Beach series at the 3/8-mile oval facility. The Saturday, February 15th feature was a hometown showcase for Jonathan Joiner, who overcame early chaos to secure a commanding victory. After Jimmy Dunaway initially grabbed the lead, Joiner surged ahead at the line just before a massive three-car wreck reshuffled the top five with only one lap complete. Another incident shortly after pushed several top contenders to the back, but once the race settled into long green-flag run, Joiner dominated. Building a significant lead, the Milton motorist seemed untouchable until a late caution reset the field for a green-white-checkered finish. Despite pressure from Owen Barnhill, a three-time Florida State and Southern Raceway champion, Joiner stayed composed and led the final laps to notch his first win of 2025. Owen Barnhill, who rallied [Read More]

Kellen Chadwick’s Triumphant Return: A Story of Resilience

By Ben Deatherage OAKLEY, Calif. (Feb. 21, 2025) – February 22, 2008, is a day forever etched in the memory of Kellen Chadwick. On that fateful evening, while competing in Modified action at Central Arizona Raceway in Casa Grande, Arizona, tragedy struck. During the race, after colliding with a spun car, Chadwick’s car flipped multiple times before being struck by another vehicle near the roof. His car eventually came to a rest, but not before a terrifying fire ignited, when fuel caught flame. The then 22-year-old racer was quickly attended to by safety crews who extinguished the flames and extracted him from the wreckage. Complaining of neck pain and tingling in his arm, Chadwick was transported to a hospital in Phoenix for urgent medical attention. The injuries sustained by the Oakley, California racer were severe—7 broken vertebrae in his neck and 2 in his back, with 31 total fractures altogether, artery damage, and burns to his back and right arm. The severity of the trauma led doctors to place him in a medically induced coma, [Read More]

Webb Captures IMCA Modified Ice Breaker Finale At Abilene Speedway

By Ben Deatherage ABILENE, Texas (Feb. 15, 2025) — John Webb delivered a sensational performance at Abilene Speedway, powering to victory in the IMCA Modified feature during the final night of the 2025 Ice Breaker. The Pauls Valley, Oklahoma driver battled intensely with Friday night winner Toby Herring before seizing the lead in the opening laps and never looking back. Webb initially jumped out front, but Herring found speed and took over the top spot on lap one. Webb stayed within striking distance but had his momentum halted multiple times by cautions just as he was closing in. On lap four, Webb found an opening underneath Herring coming out of turn four and executed a decisive pass for the lead. From there, he managed lapped traffic efficiently and held off his South Central Region rivals to claim his first win of 2025. A hard-fought battle for second unfolded during the long green-flag run, with three-time Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMod champion Dean Abbey securing the runner-up position at the checkered flag. Herring settled for third. [Read More]

Herring Opens Up Abilene Speedway’s Ice Breaker In Dominating Fashion

By Ben Deatherage ABILENE, Texas (Feb. 14, 2025) — Hobbs, New Mexico’s Toby Herring was untouchable on opening night of the 2025 Abilene Speedway Ice Breaker, claiming a dominant victory in the IMCA Modified main event. The only thing that slowed him down was a single caution near the halfway mark of the feature, which attracted top talent from across the South Central Region. Herring wasted no time taking control from his inside front-row starting position, quickly building a comfortable lead. Consistently hitting his marks and showcasing impressive speed, the leader faced a brief scare on lap 11 when a spinning car brought out the race’s lone caution. On the restart, it was business as usual, as Herring once again pulled away from the competition and cruised to victory. The win marks his first of the season and backs up his Ice Breaker triumph from last February. Three-time Abilene Speedway track champion Fred Wojtek secured the runner-up spot, while Charles Brewer made a decisive move following the lone restart to claim third. Holzmeister’s Late Race Heroics [Read More]

Houghton Dominates IMCA Modified Opener at Mohave Valley

By Ben Deatherage BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (Feb. 8, 2025) — Dalton Houghton kicked off his 2025 season in dominant fashion, scoring a commanding victory in the IMCA Modified main event at Mohave Valley Raceway. The Rosamond, California driver wasted no time getting to the front and held strong despite multiple restarts and lapped traffic to claim the season-opening win at the 3/8-mile clay oval. The event attracted an impressive 35 entries from across the Western Region. At the drop of the green flag, Dann Perry III led the field into the first set of corners, but Houghton powered around the high side to take command. A 15-lap green flag run introduced lapped traffic into the mix, but Houghton navigated through the congestion with ease while maintaining his advantage. A series of cautions late in the race reset the field, but the 20-year-old ace handled each restart flawlessly, pulling away from the competition to secure the win in his 2025 debut. Jonathon Mawhinney charged through the field to finish second, while local standout Noah Geer rounded out [Read More]

Hibdon Scores Saturday Night Victory To Earn Early Thaw Title

By Ben Deatherage(Photo Courtesy of AOM Creative) Casa Grande, Arizona (February 1, 2025) — Kollin Hibdon made a thrilling late-race pass to capture his first IMCA Modified victory of the 2025 season at Central Arizona Raceway. The Pahrump, Nevada racer not only took the checkered flag in the final round of the Ernie Mincy Memorial Early Thaw series but also secured the coveted series championship. The feature began with Troy Morris III, winner of the previous two nights, pacing the field early as he powered around the 3/8-mile clay oval on the high side. However, Morris made hard contact with the wall on lap four and suffered another heavy hit ten laps later, ultimately flattening his right front tire and surrendering the lead to Ian Whisler. Whisler, from the Northern Oregon Coast, did his best to fend off Hibdon, but the Nevada driver executed a flawless slider in turn two on lap fifteen to take control. From there, the eighth-place starter pulled away from the competition, finally breaking through to victory lane and taming the Western [Read More]

Morris Holds Off Hibdon For Third IMCA Modified Win Of 2025

By Ben Deatherage(Photo Courtesy of AOM Creative) Casa Grande, Arizona (January 31, 2025) — Troy Morris III secured a hard-fought victory in the IMCA Modified feature at Central Arizona Raceway during the Ernie Mincy Memorial Early Thaw, earning his third Western Region win of the season and second consecutive triumph. The Bakersfield, California driver had to withstand intense pressure from Kollin Hibdon on the final lap and during a late-race restart to capture his fourth career Early Thaw series victory. Starting from the pole n the twenty lap contest, Morris launched into the lead at the drop of the green. Meanwhile, the battle for second was fierce, allowing Morris to extend his advantage. Hibdon and two-time defending Early Thaw champion Chaz Baca Jr. traded the runner-up spot multiple times, with Hibdon surging from fourth to second before Baca briefly reclaimed the position. However, Hibdon solidified himself in second as the race progressed. A caution with twelve laps completed eliminated Morris’s lead and set up an intense eight-lap shootout. Morris got a great restart, and although Hibdon [Read More]