Northern SportMod Archives

Room and Banquet Reservation Deadlines Approaching

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 10, 2026) — With the 2026 IMCA National Awards Banquet quickly approaching on Saturday, Nov. 28, attendees are reminded that the deadline to make hotel room reservations at the Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, Neb., is Friday, Nov. 13. Rooms are filling quickly, and those planning to attend are encouraged to secure their accommodations before the deadline. Banquet tickets must also be purchased by noon CST on Friday, Nov. 20. Tickets are available through the National Banquet page at www.imca.com/banquet. The annual celebration will recognize IMCA National, Regional, State, track and Special Series champions, along with Rookie of the Year honorees from the 2026 racing season. The evening begins with cocktails at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. and the awards ceremony at 8 p.m. Formal attire is required. The Champions Reception will take place Friday, Nov. 27, from 6-9 p.m. at the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed in Lincoln.

Hibdon Banks $8,000 in Diamond in the Desert Modified Finale at Cocopah

By Ben Deatherage SOMERTON, Ariz. (Nov. 7, 2026) — Kollin Hibdon capped the inaugural Wild River Family Entertainment Center Diamond in the Desert with an $8,000 victory in Saturday night’s 30-lap Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified finale at Cocopah Speedway, holding off Cody Laney, who had won the first two nights of competition, to collect his 12th win of the season. Earlier in the evening, Hibdon set a new track record while winning the Taco John’s Modified Knockout time trial challenge to earn the pole starting position. The 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s champion battled 2021 winner Laney for the lead at the start, with Hibdon gaining the advantage over the Janssen Fabrication-owned No. 5L. A caution following the completion of the opening lap proved to be the race’s only stoppage. On the restart, Hibdon and Laney separated themselves from the rest of the field. Hibdon, this year’s Independence Motor Speedway track champion, maintained his advantage over Laney, who had won the previous two nights. Hibdon encountered lapped traffic on lap 11 but [Read More]

Luinenburg Makes More Memories for Facebook in Northern SportMod National Rookie Season

By Bill Martin READING, Minn. (Oct. 28, 2026) – A Facebook memory popped up back on June 6 to tell Blake Luinenburg he’d won his first Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature six years ago to that date. He won his career first Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature that evening at Worthington Speedway, one of many memories Facebook will have to remind him of from his national rookie of the year season in the open wheeled division. The Reading, Minn., racer would total nine victories and win the Murray County Speedway track title, ending the season 12th in the national points race. “It was pretty cool to see that Facebook memory pop up and that I’d gotten my first win in a Hobby Stock six years to that day. And it was cool to have my first SportMod win at my home track,” he said. “I didn’t really know what to expect moving up this season. I had some really successful seasons in a Hobby Stock and for being a rookie, this was a really good year, too.” [Read More]

A First for Canada as Glasser Races to Junior National Championship

By Bill Martin ESTEVAN, Sask. (Oct. 23, 2026) – The road that led Keenan Glasser to the IMCA Junior National Championship started in sunny Florida. Glasser began his 2026 Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod campaign with a fourth-place finish in the IMCA TV Clash on the Coast. He returned home to Estevan, Sask., and The Great White North, and two months later started reeling off feature victories on his way to an became the first Canadian driver to win the Junior National crown. “Junior National Champion was a goal but we didn’t really expect to be competing for it. We didn’t realize until more than three quarters of the season that we were in contention for it. We buckled down those last races and got all the points we could,” said Glasser, after topping point standings for the nearly 600 drivers ages 18 and under at the start of the season competing in IMCA’s nine divisions. Sixth in the national standings, he wheeled a 2020 Rage Chassis to 16 wins and another 16 top five finishes [Read More]

IMCA Releases 2027 Rules with Minor Changes

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 2, 2026) — IMCA has released its 2027 rules package, featuring minor updates and clarifications across several divisions, along with changes to helmet requirements and head and neck restraint regulations for minor drivers. In the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock divisions, frame ground clearance must measure a minimum of 6.5 inches and a maximum of nine inches beneath the oval frame holes, identified as letters D and K in the 1978-88 Monte Carlo frame drawing. Floating or removable bars are not permitted in either division. Stock Cars will no longer be permitted to use Camaro nosepieces on anything other than the Camaro MD3 body, while Hobby Stocks will not be allowed to use lightweight pressure plate. For Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Speedway Motors fabricated lower A-frames, part numbers 91035297-L and 91035297-R, have been added to the rules. The interior deck must also be level from left to right within a one-inch tolerance. The Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod division will have the same interior deck requirement, [Read More]

Every Point Counts as Vlies Captures First Northern SportMod National Title

By Ben Deatherage CASCO, Wis. (Oct. 20, 2026) — CASCO, Wis. (Oct. 20, 2026) — At just 19 years old, Coy Vlies accomplished something no Wisconsin driver had done before, becoming the first from the Badger State to capture the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod national championship. The Casco racer was also the youngest of IMCA’s 2026 national champions, prevailing in the closest national championship battle of the season by edging Jarett Franzen by a single point after a campaign that produced 19 feature victories in 45 starts. For Vlies, the possibility of winning a national championship seemed like a long shot entering the year, particularly with Wisconsin’s limited weekly racing opportunities compared to other parts of the country. “I thought going into the season if winning a national championship in the state of Wisconsin was even possible because you can only race two times a week up here,” Vlies said. “But everything fell the right way this year, and it all worked out.” Driving the Prestige Custom Cabinetry & Millwork/Vlies Custom Race Bodies/Casco Kids Zone No. [Read More]

Inaugural Wild River Diamond in the Desert Set for Cocopah Speedway Nov. 4-7

By Ben Deatherage SOMERTON, Ariz. (Oct. 21, 2026) — Some of the biggest names in Speedway Motors IMCA racing will converge on Cocopah Speedway Nov. 4-7 for the inaugural Wild River Diamond in the Desert, featuring three nights of competition and an $8,000 payday awaiting the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified winner. Presented by Wild River Family Entertainment Center, the first-year event will bring five IMCA divisions to the Diamond in the Desert for a weekend of racing in southwestern Arizona. The four-day gathering begins Wednesday, Nov. 4, with an open practice session before racing gets underway Thursday, Nov. 5, and continues through Saturday, Nov. 7. The Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds will headline the event, with $8,000 awaiting the winner of the division’s main event. The Modifieds will be joined by the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods and Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, with both divisions competing for $4,000 top prizes. Saturday’s Modified and Stock Car features will serve as qualifying events for the 2027 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational and B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational, [Read More]

Central Arizona Raceway Set for Three-Night Showdown Honoring Phil Hertel Nov. 27-29

By Ben Deatherage CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Oct. 21, 2026) — Central Arizona Raceway will close out the Thanksgiving holiday weekend with three nights of Speedway Motors IMCA racing during The Showdown: A Salute to Phil Hertel, scheduled for Friday through Sunday, Nov. 27-29. The three-day event will feature Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks also competing Friday and Saturday. More than just a weekend of racing, The Showdown will pay tribute to Phil Hertel while offering competitors three opportunities to race for substantial payouts at the Casa Grande facility. The IMCA Modifieds will headline the weekend, with Friday and Saturday’s features each paying $1,000 to win before Sunday’s $3,000-to-win finale. All three Modified features will serve as qualifying events for the 2027 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s All-Star Invitational, with each winner earning eligibility to attempt to qualify for the prestigious race at Boone Speedway. Modified competitors will receive $100 to start Friday and Saturday’s features, while Sunday’s finale will pay [Read More]

Freiburger Holds Off Laney’s Late Charge for Modified Victory at Dirt on the Downs

By Christine Rublack CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Oct. 17, 2026) — Jed Freiburger of Dubuque collected his 11th Razor Chassis North Central Region victory of the season in the $2,000-to-win, 20-lap Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature, holding off a late charge from Cody Laney. Freiburger started on the pole and established the early advantage while Jace Eckrich moved into second, followed by Jeff Bodendorfer and Laney. Following a restart, Bodendorfer advanced into the runner-up position as Laney worked the bottom groove to take over third. Laney, who started eighth, continued his charge and moved into second with only a few laps remaining. Despite the late pressure, Freiburger maintained his advantage and crossed the finish line first. Laney finished second after advancing six positions, with Bodendorfer third, Eckrich fourth, and Chris Zogg fifth. Gifford Makes Three-Wide Move Count in Hobby Stocks Bradyn Gustin of Marshalltown used the bottom groove to his advantage in the $1,000-to-win, 15-lap Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod feature, taking control early and pulling away as Josh Banes and Jarett Franzen battled for second. Gifford, [Read More]

Rush County Speedway Closes Inaugural IMCA Season with Last Call Classic Oct. 23-24

By William Nusser LA CROSSE, Kan. (Oct. 13, 2026) — Rush County Speedway will close its first full Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing season with the Last Call Classic, a two-night event scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24, at The Bullring on the Rush County Fairgrounds. The event features United Rebel Sprint Series (URSS) competitors alongside Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, and Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods. The weekend offers $1,500 to win for both Modifieds and Stock Cars, $1,000 for the URSS, and $750 for Northern SportMods. The weekend will serve as qualifiers for the 2027 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational and B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational. Winners of the main events will earn eligibility to attempt to qualify for their respective invitationals at next September’s Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “The season isn’t over yet,” promoter William Nusser said. “One more weekend. One last shot under the lights. This is last call at The Bullring for 2026 — and we see Last Call Classic becoming [Read More]