Modified Archives

Baca visits victory lane twice during Showdown opener

By Ben Deatherage CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Nov. 22, 2024) – Chaz Baca, reigning national champion of the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and the Shaw Race Cars Western Region, showcased his dominance at Central Arizona Raceway to score a big win on the first night of The Showdown presented by Toste Construction. The Mesa maestro obtained the lead just before the midway point of the 25-lap feature at Casa Grande. Montana standout Joey Price paced the field early. He would receive a strong challenge from Baca around lap six but kept him at bay. The two-time national champion would pressure again and get the necessary run-off of turn four on lap nine to become the new pacesetter. From there, Baca handled the rest of the distance without issue despite some congested lapped traffic. North Dakota traveler Shawn Strand ended the race second with Price in third. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites were also on hand. Baca, Taylor Kuehl, Zack Tate and [Read More]

Hit and miss race plans change as Wilson wins rookie award in IMCA Eastern Region

MILTON, Fla. (Nov. 24, 2024) – Already considerably accomplished on dirt tracks in and around the Sunshine State, J.C. Wilson saw his interest in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified division piqued by the inaugural Clash on the Coast. The following season, he was following the second annual tour and motoring toward rookie of the year honors in the DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Eastern Region. “I was beyond proud of myself for what we accomplished this season,” said the seven-time feature winner, also the Northwest Florida Speedway track and Florida State champion. “We were able to do really well and I am beyond proud and happy with what we accomplished.” “We were just going to run hit and miss, then it got to where we were running the Modified every week,” added Wilson, who celebrated his 22nd birthday the week before the IMCA national awards banquet. From Milton, Fla., he started racing street stocks in 2015, then moved into the crate late models. Along with 15 feature wins, Wilson earned track titles at Baker and at Tri-County Speedway [Read More]

Whitt expands horizons and races to IMCA North Central Region rookie prize

HAMILTON, Mo. (Nov. 22, 2024) – Looking to expand his racing horizons, Jace Whitt figured a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified just made sense. He’d travel to 13 tracks in four states before the sun set on the 2024 point season, winning four features and earning rookie of the year honors in the Razor Chassis North Central Region. “Rookie of the year wasn’t a goal at the start of the season. After the first couple nights I was toward the top of the standings so I told myself this was something I could probably do and tried for it,” said Whitt, from Hamilton, Mo. “I went pretty hard the rest of the season and came up a little short for national rookie but won the region.” He made 41 North Central region starts, at eight tracks in Iowa, two in South Dakota and one in Minnesota, bookending May 9 and Aug. 8 checkers at Park Jefferson Speedway around July wins at Worthington Speedway and Crawford County Speedway. “Everything just kind of worked out perfect that first [Read More]

IMCA Modified drivers have spec engine option in 2025

VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 21, 2024) – IMCA Modified drivers will have a third engine option next season. New in rules for 2025 announced today is a spec engine alternative to existing claim and crate options and legal for use in sanctioned competition beginning on Jan. 1. “The spec engine can be built from a 604 crate short block or can be built from scratch,” explained IMCA President Brett Root. “It uses parts drivers and builders are already familiar with in a third engine option. Both drivers and builders will be able to use known components to build these engines.” EngineQuest or DART cylinder heads, an Edelbrock intake manifolds are required. “These parts are well known to Modified drivers and to drivers in other IMCA divisions,” said Root, “and the valve spring rule is compatible with the 604 crate.” Maximum two-inch rear spoilers will be allowed on Modifieds with spec or crate engines. Both may use the same carb adapter, must be used with the maximum 6,800 rpm rev limiter and neither can be claimed. “We [Read More]

Broadcast dates announced for Super Nationals encore on Speed Sport 1

BOONE, Iowa (Nov. 20, 2024) – Didn’t get enough of the action at Boone Speedway and the 42nd annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s ? You can enjoy encore presentations of highlights from America’s Racin’ Vacation four nights this week, beginning tonight (Wednesday) on the SPEED SPORT 1 channel. Three-hour produced shows broadcast at 9 p.m. EST and feature highlights from IMCA.TV from Day 4 at Boone this evening, Day 5 on Thursday and Day 6 on Friday. A nine-hour broadcast marathon begins at noon Sunday, Nov. 24. SPEED SPORT 1 is available for free on Amazon Prime, PlutoTV, SlingTV and more.

Early season doubts disappear as Mitchell is IMCA South Central Region rookie of the year

MILFORD, Texas (Nov. 20, 2024) – After the first two starts of his career, Bradley Mitchell wasn’t sure if he’d ever even finish a race. But after the end of his first Friesen Performance IMCA Modified season, the Milford, Texas, driver was making plans to attend the national awards banquet, where he’ll walk across the stage and accept the GRT Race Cars South Central Region rookie of the year award. “It’s a little bit the excitement of going fast, and it’s the excitement of going around the track and seeing what you can do,” said Mitchell, who helped crew for Ennis driver Mike Svehlak last year, then bought a 2011 Hoffman Chassis to begin his own, self-sponsored career in. “Starting out, I was real nervous and always stayed toward the back but by the end of the year I was more comfortable and started being more competitive.” “It’s something I always dreamed about and now it’s a reality. I enjoy it a lot.” The first member of his family to race, Mitchell debuted at Abilene [Read More]

IMCA crate engine track champion bonuses awarded for 2024

VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 19, 2024) – IMCA drivers earning one or more track championships while competing exclusively with crate engines this season receive $250 bonuses given by Chevrolet Performance. Friesen Performance IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Late Model, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod track champions indicating on their 2024 license application that they would run a crate engine will receive $250 checks for each of a total of 186 track championships. Checks will be presented during the upcoming national awards banquet or mailed in December. Modified drivers receiving bonuses for winning one or more track championships, with multiple track titles indicated in parenthesis, while competing exclusively with a crate engine include: Steven Anderson, Chaz Baca (2), Curtis Barnes, Jordan Bartz, Cole Bents, Brett Berry, Tyson Blood, Kenny Boardman, Kyler Bowen, Jarrett Brown, Keith Brown Jr., David Carrera, Kellen Chadwick, Ben Chapman, Brandon Clough (2) and Jimmy Cole. Jeffery Cooper, Ted Cooper Jr., Troy Cordes, Joel Crowbridge, Cole Czarneski, Myron DeYoung, Rick Durica, Dwight East, Grey Ferrando (2), Shawn Fletcher, Dalton Flory, Dakota Fox, [Read More]

Perseverance pays off for Harr with IMCA Central Region rookie award

ASHLAND, Neb. (Nov. 19, 2024) – Those gray clouds that seemed to follow Tyler Harr for so much of the summer gave way to a ray of sunshine at the end of the season. Harr overcame a totaled race car, a slew of engine issues and more rainouts than he really cared to count in earning rookie of the year honors in IMCA’s Jet Racing Central Region for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. “In the end it was all worth it. This is the biggest accomplishment of my racing career,” said the determined Harr, who chased rookie points at nine venues in Nebraska and Kansas. “When stuff like that happened, the blown engines, the truck breaking down, the rainouts, it was stressful in the moment.” “It was one of those years when it could be 3 o’clock in the afternoon and not a cloud in the sky, but we were checking the forecast to make sure it wasn’t going to rain,” he continued. “But we always had to do our best to stay in a good [Read More]

Finish to 2024 already has IMCA Central Region champ Nightingale looking ahead to next season

MAIZE, Kan. (Nov. 12, 2024) – How he finished his 2024 campaign already has Jake Nightingale looking forward to next year. The Maize, Kan., clipper repeated as back-to-back champion in the Jet Central Region for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, with the same consistency but none of the late-season drama as last year. “We were getting down to the last month and realized we were in the fight, we were right there,” said Nightingale, who tallied six feature wins and 23 top five finishes in his 31 starts, all but one of them coming in his home state. “We didn’t win as much as I think we should have. We had a lot of second place finishes and some of them were hard to swallow,” he’d continue. “We were good, but we weren’t good enough and I’ll be the first to tell you that.” Fast but not fast enough through the middle of June, Nightingale picked up a slew of runner-up’s before winning consecutive outings at Saltcity Racing, RPM Speedway and Salina Speedway. “That was a [Read More]

Gould gets 200th IMCA Modified win, takes seventh turn as South Central Region champ

CALERA, Okla. (Nov. 12, 2024) – A season that started with no clear-cut goals still produced what William Gould called “some pretty cool” accomplishments. Gould became just the ninth Friesen Performance IMCA Modified driver to reach the 200-career win mark while earning a career seventh championship in the GRT Race Cars South Central Region. “My only goal was to win when it was my turn,” said Gould, who took his turn on top of the podium 10 times in all in 2024. “It always means a lot to us when we’re able to win our region and getting the 200th win was pretty cool, too. “We’ve raced a Modified for a lot of years and I’m glad we were able to get it this season,” he’d add. “We didn’t have a regular Friday night track so moving up the list in wins isn’t easy.” From Calera, Okla., Gould also raced to the All-Star Shootout and a career seventh state championship, the sixth of them coming in Texas. He’d started the season sweeping Kennedale Speedway’s Spring Kickoff [Read More]