News Archives

Jake Smith Holds On to Earn SportMod Glory at Winter Nationals

By Ben Deatherage (Photo Courtesy of Pixel Boss Productions) Casa Grande, Arizona (January 11, 2025)—A packed crowd at Central Arizona Speedway was thrilled by an incredible Friesen Performance IMCA SportMod feature where Jake Smith fended off fierce competitors to claim victory during the fourth round of the 2025 IMCA TV Winter Nationals presented by Pitt Stop Motorsports. This win marked Smith’s first triumph during the Winter Nationals, and he faced a challenging path to victory lane. The twenty-lap finale began with North Dakota’s Gabe Deschamp surging to the front from the initial start. Deschamp set a steady pace, but as the race continued, the top three competitors began to cluster together around the midway point. Smith and Taylor Kuehl were the two contenders trying to catch the leader. On lap fourteen, the man from St. Joseph, Minnesota, Smith, executed a brilliant double overtake, diving under Kuehl and Deschamp to take control of the top position. Kuehl managed to pass Deschamp and entered second place, putting pressure on Smith from the high [Read More]

Thompson Outduels Richards to Win Night Three of Winter Nationals

By Ben Deatherage (Photo Courtesy of Pixel Boss Productions) Casa Grande, Arizona (January 10, 2025)—The third event of the 2025 IMCA TV Winter Nationals, presented by Pitt Stop Motorsports, had an exciting race in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, showcasing once again the “Dillon & Dillon Show.” In the end, Dillon Thompson emerged victorious in a nail-biting finish. The twenty-lap race began with Thompson leading, closely followed by Dillon Richards in second place. The non-stop feature saw the top two drivers pull away from the rest of the field, racing around the track bumper-to-bumper at time. As the race approached its final five laps, lapped traffic became a critical factor. Tension escalated when Richards pulled out of line and dove under Thompson as they approached the white flag. The two drivers found themselves neck and neck, racing three-wide with a lapped car in the mix as they crossed the finish line, only to have one more lap to battle it out. Thompson gave it his all on the final lap to maintain his lead and [Read More]

Heinrich Captures Stock Car Winter Nationals Glory with Last Lap Pass

By Ben Deatherage (Photo Courtesy of Pixel Boss Productions) Casa Grande, Arizona (January 9, 2025) — Todd Heinrich brought the Central Arizona Raceway crowd to its feet by winning the race to the finish line in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature during the second night of the IMCA TV Winter Nationals presented by Pitt Stop Motorsports. The veteran driver from Fargo, North Dakota, who started in third position, earned his first career Winter Nationals feature victory. The 25-lap contest kicked off with Heinrich outpacing Gary Pesicka to lead the initial lap. From there, the two drivers engaged in a thrilling cat-and-mouse battle on the 3/8-mile clay oval. Pesicka’s patience paid off when he finally passed Heinrich on the eleventh lap. However, Heinrich refused to let him pull away and regained the lead with ten laps remaining. Not to be outdone, Pesicka reclaimed the lead once again on lap seventeen. The climactic moment came when Heinrich powered up beside Pesicka, with the two drag racing down the back stretch on the final lap. The outcome [Read More]

Silber Scores Opening Night Victory at Winter Nationals

By Ben Deatherage (Photo Courtesy of Pixel Boss Productions) Casa Grande, Arizona (January 8, 2025) — 17-year-old Luke Silber achieved a significant upset in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds at the IMCA.TV Winter Nationals presented by Pitt Stop Motorsports at Central Arizona Raceway. The Laveen driver took command of the lead at the initial start after a brief battle with the defending Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals champion Dylan Thornton. The race was a non-stop affair, with the outside polesitter quickly building a substantial lead. However, he faced a setback when he went over the cushion in turn four, making contact with the wall midway through the race. Fortunately, this misstep did not slow his pace, and he successfully navigated the slower traffic, ultimately securing his first-ever Winter Nationals feature win. Defending National and Shaw Race Cars Western Region titleholder Chaz Baca Jr. rallied to finish in second place, overtaking Thornton late in the 25-lap main event. The event also featured four additional Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly racing divisions: Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Friesen Performance [Read More]

Fire destroys White’s residence

ACADEMY, Tex. (Jan. 3, 2025) – Tragedy struck the home of celebrated IMCA Champion Keith White as a fire consumed his residence of 28 years, leaving the motorsports icon and his family without a place to call home. Keith White, a name synonymous with excellence in the IMCA racing community, has built a legacy of dominance on the track. Over his illustrious career, he has garnered numerous titles, earned championship rings, and claimed the prestigious honor of national champion multiple times, including his crowning as the IMCA National Stock Car Champion in 2011 and the IMCA National Modified Champion in 2012. Notably, he excelled in the IMCA Southern Sport Mod division, securing championships in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010. However, this week, the champion faces a challenge far beyond the racetrack. The fire, which erupted unexpectedly, destroyed the house and many of the possessions within. The emotional and material losses are immense. White’s home was not just a residence but a testament to decades of dedication and hard work, filled with memorabilia from his [Read More]

Stock Cars join Modifieds, SportMods when Harris Clash returns to Boone June 24, 2025

BOONE, Iowa (Dec. 20, 2024) – Event promoter Bob Harris had a very early Christmas present for IMCA drivers already looking ahead to the 2025 Harris Clash. The 34th annual Clash will move to Boone Speedway, with the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods joined for the first time by IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars on Tuesday, June 24 at Iowa’s Action Track. The Clash was held once previously at Boone, in 1994. IMCA’s longest-running one-day special had been held at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., since 2018. “Deer Creek has been awesome. I love the facility, and I love the people up there, however their fans the last couple years have not supported an IMCA race,” explained Harris. “It’s just a situation where I looked at moving it back to Iowa and wanted a central location.” “I had quite a few people from different tracks contact me about it. I wanted to get back to a good facility that is run well, and both centrally located and easy to get to. [Read More]

Changes come to qualifying for IMCA All-Star Invitationals

VINTON, Iowa (Dec. 20, 2024) – They say everything changes and for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational and B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational, those changes will be good. Both events return to the schedule for the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, the fifth annual B & B All-Star race for Stock Cars to the Thursday, Sept. 4 program and the 22nd annual Fast Shafts All-Star race for Modifieds to the Friday, Sept. 5 card at Boone Speedway. Drivers in both divisions must have won sanctioned events paying at least $1,000 to win to become eligible for two rounds of fast time qualifying; drivers in either division who won sanctioned events paying $5,000 or more will be guaranteed starting spots in their respective fields of 30 cars. Previously, Stock Cars had to win events paying $750 and there were no automatic qualifying berths for Modifieds. Two provisional starts will be awarded for each invitational, to top eligible drivers in national points and the top drivers in 40-points feature wins competing at Super [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds, Stocks head south for third annual Clash on the Coast

BAKER, Fla. (Dec. 20, 2024) – Friesen Performance IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car drivers can enjoy sunlight on the sand and moonlight on the sea when they’re not at the track, during the 2025 Clash on the Coast. Presented by IMCA.TV, the third annual Clash sees both divisions running for $1,000 to win and a minimum of $100 to start each night, along with shares of a combined $16,800 point fund, at shows Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 24 and 25 at Northwest Florida Speedway in Baker and Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, March 1 at Deep South Speedway in Loxley, Ala. No racing is planned Feb. 26-27 so drivers, family and team members can enjoy the beach: Clash promoter Peyton Taylor notes that Northwest Florida is just 35 miles from the sand at Destin while Deep South is a 45-mile drive to Pensacola Beach. “This event has grown from 50 Modifieds the first year to 150 Modifieds and Stock Cars last year,” Taylor said. “A lot of those cars came from 20 hours [Read More]

Entries already top 200 for IMCA Winter Nationals

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Dec. 17, 2024) – As the online promotions state, Winter Is Coming and Central Arizona Raceway is the place for IMCA drivers in six divisions to be in January. The Casa Grande oval hosts the fifth annual Winter Nationals, sponsored by Pitt Stop Motorsports and broadcast by IMCA.TV, Jan. 8-11 and 15-18. “We have well over 200 entries, from 20-plus states and three Canadian provinces, already and I expect the total car count to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 to 260,” said promoter Brad Whitfield. “This will be the first Winter Nationals held at Casa Grande, we’ve made a lot of improvements here and we’re looking forward to see the fruits of our labor flourish.” Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for $1,000 to win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational or B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying berths each night while Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods run for $1,000 to win and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $500 top checks. Winter Nationals champions in those divisions receive fire [Read More]

IMCA.TV bonuses top milestone $100,000 mark

VINTON, Iowa (Dec. 17, 2024) – Christmas came early for IMCA drivers in the form of IMCA.TV bonus checks totaling more than $105,000. That total was generated by replays of weekly and special events at 59 tracks broadcast by IMCA.TV or its affiliates during the 2024 race season, then distributed to drivers finishing in top three in point standings in each sanctioned division at those facilities. Modified, Late Model, RaceSaver Sprint Car and Stock Car drivers finishing in the top three in point standings at those tracks receive checks for $255, $205 and $150; Northern SportMod and Southern SportMod checks are distributed in the amounts of $155, $120 and $115; and Hobby Stock, STARS Mod Lite and Sport Compact checks are in the amounts of $130, $100 and $85. “A percentage of subscription fees paid by replay viewers is paid to IMCA tracks and ultimately to top three drivers in sanctioned divisions,” explained IMCA President Brett Root. “Developed by our streaming platform provider Riivet four years ago, this bonus program was the first of its [Read More]