News Archives

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]

Cogburn Returns Stronger to Capture First Southern SportMod National Championship

By Ben Deatherage ROBINSON, Texas (Oct. 22, 2026) — After coming up just short of a national championship in 2025, Trevor Cogburn returned with unfinished business in 2026. The 21-year-old Robinson, Texas, racer captured his first Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMod national championship. Cogburn also earned his first Texas State championship and repeated as Heart O’ Texas Speedway track champion, completing a season that began with a determination to settle the score after narrowly missing the national title the previous year. His championship continued Texas’ dominance of the division, making Cogburn the 11th consecutive driver from the Lone Star State to capture the national title. Since the division began crowning national champions in 2005, Texas drivers have claimed 21 of the 22 championships, with Jesse Baldwin of New Mexico in 2015 the lone exception. In 2025, Cogburn finished tied for the national points lead but lost the championship on a tiebreaker determined by the number of 40-point victories. “We just decided to come back stronger this year and put on a show,” Cogburn said. Driving [Read More]

Goos Claims Third Straight RaceSaver Sprint Car National Championship

By Ben Deatherage HARTFORD, S.D. (Oct. 22, 2026) — Lee Goos Jr. continued his championship run in 2026, capturing his third consecutive RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car national championship after another season of success across the Midwest. The 47-year-old Hartford, S.D., driver finished 44 points ahead in the national standings while adding his second South Dakota State championship. He also collected track championships at Huset’s Speedway and I-90 Speedway in South Dakota and Jackson Motorplex in Minnesota. The Huset’s and Jackson titles were his second at each facility, while his I-90 championship was his fifth overall and fourth consecutive. “This definitely feels great. The first one is always the most exciting, but being able to back it up is really gratifying,” Goos said. “This year was great with Rapid Speedway getting sanctioned and Jackson adding some races on Thursdays this year, giving us more opportunities to gain points. It’s still never easy winning a national championship, especially with the high car counts around our area.” Goos became one of nine drivers in IMCA history to win at [Read More]

Thomas Keeps National Sport Compact Crown in Nebraska

By Ben Deatherage BEATRICE, Neb. (Oct. 21, 2026) — Johnny Thomas never planned to chase a national championship in 2026. But when Dillon Richards asked him to pursue a third consecutive Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact national title for the Cornhusker State, the 40-year-old from Beatrice, Neb., found it difficult to turn down the opportunity. After eight months of traveling, preparation, and racing, Thomas had accomplished that goal, securing his first national championship by 12 points. “The biggest thing was Dillon when this all started, when he asked if I would run this year because if I would have won it, it would be three in a row for WEB Chassis, and I couldn’t really tell him no,” Thomas said. Driving the WEB Chassis/Richards Speed Shop/Bohlmeyer Built-sponsored No. 45, Thomas collected 14 feature victories at five different tracks, 34 top-five finishes, and 42 top-10 finishes in 45 feature starts across 46 events attended. His accomplishments extended beyond the national standings, as he earned his first Nebraska State championship and captured track championships at Beatrice Speedway and Stuart [Read More]

Raffurty Makes It Six Straight Mod Lite Titles with Career-Best 36-Win Season

By Ben Deatherage KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Oct. 20, 2026) — Six seasons into the Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lite division’s history under Speedway Motors IMCA sanctioning, Dillon Raffurty remains the only national champion the division has known. The 29-year-old Kansas City racer continued that streak in 2026, securing his sixth consecutive national title by 21 points following a career-best season that produced 36 feature victories in 47 starts. Raffurty’s latest championship came during a year that also included his third Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s victory, making him the only driver in 2026 to capture both a national championship and a Super Nationals Big Dance. He also earned his sixth consecutive Missouri State championship, the IMCA TV Winter Nationals title, and track championships at Valley Speedway and Electric City Speedway. “It’s been quite a run we’ve been on,” Raffurty said. Driving a new Raffurty Chassis, Raffurty faced the challenge of adjusting to a different car and engine combination during the season. The transition brought immediate success, although mechanical issues occasionally interrupted his momentum. [Read More]

Ronnebaum Rides Late-Season Surge to First Hobby Stock National Championship

By Ben Deatherage ONAGA, Kan. (Oct. 20, 2026) — A late-season charge that produced 12 victories in his final 13 starts helped 28-year-old Nicholas Ronnebaum of Onaga, Kan., capture his first Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock national championship in 2026, prevailing by just four points after a season that saw him win more than half of his feature appearances. Ronnebaum became the fifth Kansas driver to win the national championship and the first from the Sunflower State since Doug Holzmeister in 1994. Kansas drivers claimed the division’s first four national championships from 1991 through 1994, with Brady Bauer, Larry Cole, Wayne Malsom, and Holzmeister each earning a title. The championship came after Ronnebaum recorded 24 feature victories, 37 top-five finishes, and 43 top-10 results in 46 starts. He also secured his first B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region championship and track titles at Beatrice Speedway in Nebraska and Salina Speedway in Kansas, with the latter marking his fourth career championship at the facility. Ronnebaum collected 11 victories at Salina Speedway, three at U.S. 30 Speedway, two each at [Read More]

Zeitner Defends IMCA Late Model National Championship

By Ben Deatherage BELLEVUE, Neb. (Oct. 20, 2026) — Zach Zeitner followed his first Sunoco IMCA Late Model national championship in 2025 with another successful season in 2026, collecting 16 feature victories in 38 starts while maintaining the consistency that helped establish him as one of the division’s leading competitors. The Bellevue, Neb., driver recorded 26 podium finishes, 33 top fives, and 38 top-10 finishes during the Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly racing season. He finished sixth or better in 37 of his 38 appearances, with a ninth-place result accounting for his only finish outside the top six. “The consistency was still there from last year,” Zeitner said. “Last year we had a stretch of DNFs, and this year my goal was to maintain momentum and just try to win as many races as possible. We had around six seconds this year, and we never finished out of the top 10.” Driving the Zeitner & Sons Refrigerated Transport/Select Auto/Factory CS No. 76 Infinity Chassis, Zeitner collected victories at four different facilities. Shelby County Speedway led the way [Read More]

Oliver Claims First Stock Car National Championship After 20-Win Season

By Ben Deatherage WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (Oct. 20, 2026) — After years of competing in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car division, John Oliver Jr. finally reached the top of the national standings in 2026, capturing his first national championship by five points following a season that produced 20 feature victories in 54 starts. The 51-year-old West Burlington driver became the 11th different Iowa racer to win the Stock Car national championship and extended the state’s streak of consecutive titles to seven, dating back to 2020. Iowa drivers have now accounted for 29 of the 39 national championships awarded since the division began crowning champions in 1988. “Finally,” Oliver said with a laugh. “We went to a lot of new tracks and won at some of them. It was really nice. Everything I accomplished this year was fun.” Driving the Oliver Heating and Air/Dustys Extractions/A & B Roofing No. 05JR B&B Racing Chassis, Oliver recorded 35 podium finishes, 38 top fives, and 44 top-10 finishes while collecting victories at seven different tracks. He also earned his first [Read More]

Gould Returns to the Top with Second Modified National Championship

By Ben Deatherage CALERA, Okla. (Oct. 20, 2026) — Thirteen years after winning his first Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified national championship, William Gould returned to the top of the standings in 2026, capturing his second career national crown by 14 points following a season that produced 18 feature victories. The Calera, Okla., veteran became one of just eight drivers to win multiple Modified national championships since 1982 and remains the only Oklahoma driver to accomplish the feat. His latest championship also came with his ninth GRT Race Cars South Central Region title, tying David Murray Jr. for the most regional championships in IMCA history while breaking a tie with Henry Witt Jr. for the most in the South Central Region. Gould also secured his sixth consecutive and eighth career Texas State championship, giving him 10 combined state titles between Texas and Oklahoma, the most in the division’s history. He added track championships at Grayson County Speedway and Heart O’ Texas Speedway, earning his fifth career Grayson County crown and second straight, along with his first championship [Read More]

Caleb Gardner: Carrying a Family Number and Answering a Call to Serve

By Ben Deatherage GLYNDON, Minn. (Oct. 23, 2026) — When Caleb Gardner climbed out of his No. 39 Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock at Dacotah Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 3, another night of racing had come to an end. But this particular evening carried a little more significance for the Glyndon, Minn., driver, who was preparing to trade the familiar surroundings of dirt tracks and race shops for an overseas deployment with the Minnesota National Guard. The Oktoberfest program in Mandan, N.D., marked Gardner’s final race before departing overseas, where he will serve as a tracked-vehicle recovery operator. For Gardner, racing has always been more than a weekend pastime. His grandfather, Al, raced before his father, Randy, and brother, Doug, followed into the sport. The family competed in several different divisions, and the No. 39 on Caleb’s Hobby Stock is the same number carried by his grandfather and father. Yet for all that family history, it was one particular childhood experience at Buffalo River Speedway that convinced Gardner he wanted to move beyond go-karts and into a [Read More]