Feature Archives

McKinney Makes 1,000-Mile Trip Pay Off With MLA Nationals Victory

By Bryce Vowan WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. (Sept. 26, 2026) — A roughly 1,000-mile trip from Magnolia, Del., paid off in a big way for Ryan McKinney Saturday night as he captured the $2,000 Mod Lites of Arkansas IMCA Nationals at Riverside International Speedway. McKinney started third and found himself in the right place at the right time late in the feature, taking advantage of trouble for the leaders before driving the No. 25M to victory. The trip to Arkansas was far from a certainty for McKinney, who suffered a spine injury in a racing accident two months earlier. “I came to Riverside on a whim,” McKinney said. “We were iffy on going due to a spine injury from a wreck two months ago, but decided to give it a shot and I’m glad we did!” McKinney said the Riverside surface provided plenty of options throughout the feature. “The track was awesome and racey,” he said. “The line changed a lot throughout the race, and could run anywhere!” McKinney admitted his car wasn’t quite good enough to [Read More]

Southern Challenge Brings Two Nights of Racing to Abilene Oct. 16-17

By Ben Deatherage ABILENE, Texas (Sept. 28, 2026) — The Southern Challenge returns to Abilene Speedway for two nights of Speedway Motors IMCA racing Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16-17, with $3,000 awaiting the Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMod winner and $2,000 top prizes on the line for both Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds and Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars. The weekend begins with qualifying Friday night. Heat races and qualifying features will set the stage for Saturday’s last-chance races and championship features. SportMods headline the IMCA purse in the second annual Brown Plumbing Southern SportMod Blowout, paying $3,000 to win and $200 to start. Non-transfers will receive $100. Bradley Poor returns as the defending race winner after capturing the inaugural event in 2025. Modifieds race for $2,000 to win and $200 to start, with $100 going to non-transfers. Stock Cars will also compete for $2,000 to win and $200 to start, with $100 for non-transfers. The Modified winner will earn eligibility to attempt to qualify for the 2027 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational, while the Stock Car [Read More]

NY-Penn Series Closes 2026 With Two-Night Thunder Mountain Finale Oct. 30-31

By Ben Deatherage CENTER LISLE, N.Y. (Sept. 28, 2026) — The final two stops of the 2026 NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series season bring the tour to Thunder Mountain Speedway for a pair of special events Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31. Friday’s Billy Ward Memorial presented by Patriot Tank Lines will pay $1,004 to win before the season concludes Saturday with the Ed and Jan Billings Classic presented by 71 Speed & Design, paying $3,116 to win. Both Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified features will serve as qualifying events for the 2027 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Each winner will earn eligibility to attempt to qualify for next year’s Invitational at Boone Speedway next September. The Billy Ward Memorial has quickly become a staple of the NY-Penn schedule. Eddie Sites captured the inaugural running in 2023 at Afton Motorsports Park, while Keith Lamphere enters this year’s event as the defending winner after taking the checkers in 2025 at Thunder Mountain. Saturday brings the 2026 NY-Penn campaign to a [Read More]

The Duel Brings Three Nights of Racing to Mohave Valley Nov. 12-14

By Ben Deatherage MOHAVE VALLEY, Ariz. (Sept. 28, 2026) — The Duel returns to Mohave Valley Raceway for three nights of racing Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 12-14, culminating with a $9,777.77-to-win feature for Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds. Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods, and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks will join the Modifieds during the three-day event. Stock Cars and SportMods each race for $3,500 to win Saturday, while Hobby Stocks chase a $2,000 top prize. Thursday and Friday will each pay $500 to win for Modifieds, Stock Cars, and SportMods. Second place receives $400 and third $300. Hobby Stocks will race for $400 to win Thursday and Friday. Second pays $300 and third $200. Saturday’s Modified main event pays $9,777.77 to win, $3,750 for second, and $2,500 for third, with $400 paid to start from 13th through 22nd. Stock Cars and SportMods each race for $3,500 to win Saturday, followed by $2,000 for second and $1,250 for third. Both features pay $150 to start from 12th through 22nd. The Saturday Hobby Stock main [Read More]

Braaksma Banks $10,000 in Survive the 55 at Skagit

By Blake Anderson ALGER, Wash. (Sept. 26, 2026) — Newton, Iowa’s Ethan Braaksma added another marquee victory to his résumé Saturday night, capturing the $10,000 Skagit Casino Resort Survive the 55 for the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds at Skagit Speedway. Braaksma, the 2026 IMCA TV Clash on the Coast champion, started third in the Campbell River, B.C.-based No. 90 provided by Tammy and Jason Beaulieu and survived a caution-filled 55-lapper to his first career Skagit Speedway victory. The victory also gave Tammy and Jason Beaulieu their second Survive the 55 triumph as car owners. Tom Berry Jr. drove the Beaulieu-owned entry to victory in 2024. Grey Ferrando, the 2023 Survive the 55 winner, took command from the pole on the opening lap before an early caution for Adam Holtrop and Cole Logan, who stopped in turn two. Ferrando continued to lead after the restart, but Braaksma began applying pressure. The two were side-by-side for the top spot in turn four when a slowing Matt Sanders brought out the yellow in turn two on lap 10. Tyson [Read More]

Nicholas Ronnebaum: Racing His Way Into the Century Club

By Ben Deatherage ONAGA, Kan. (Sept. 21, 2026) — Nicholas Ronnebaum began the weekend nearly 700 miles from home. By the time he finished it, he had joined one of the most exclusive groups in Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock racing. Ronnebaum won Friday night at Fix It Forward Speedway in West Fargo, N.D. He won again Saturday at Salina Speedway. Then came Sunday, Aug. 23. Ronnebaum arrived at Goodland Raceway in western Kansas sitting on 99 career victories and facing another track he barely knew. “The night wasn’t too bad,” Ronnebaum said. “I hadn’t really raced Goodland before and didn’t know what to expect, but I got out to see the track and set the car up for tracks that I’d been on that looked similar to it.” Whatever he saw worked. Ronnebaum started eighth in his heat race and charged to second. He rolled off ninth for the feature and began working his way through the field. “I picked them off one by one,” he said. When the checkered flag fell, Ronnebaum had completed a [Read More]

Moore Wins Grays Harbor Finale, Secures IMCA Modified Track Championship

By Shaun Hulbert ELMA, Wash. (Sept. 19, 2026) — Craig Moore put the finishing touches on his championship season Saturday night at Grays Harbor Raceway, winning the final Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature of 2026 and securing the track championship. Moore started fourth and worked his way toward the front before taking command on lap nine. Once out front, Moore sailed away from the field and drove the No. 14 machine to the final checkered flag of the season at the Elma oval. While Moore controlled the race out front, the battle behind him was much tighter as positions second through seventh remained hotly contested. Jeff Hunt, who started sixth, worked his way to the runner-up position and earned Elma Lanes Hard Charger honors. John Higgenbottom completed the podium from the pole, recording his first podium finish. Austin Rognlin crossed the stripe fourth, while Brenton Schnitzer charged from ninth to complete the top five. The finish also cemented Schnitzer second and Rognlin third in the final Grays Harbor Raceway IMCA Modified standings. Hunt and Rognlin were [Read More]

Battle for the Belt Brings Two Nights of Action to WaKeeney Speedway Oct. 16-17

By Ben Deatherage WAKEENEY, Kan. (Sept. 21, 2026) — Two nights of racing and a pair of All-Star Invitational qualifying opportunities headline the Battle for the Belt at WaKeeney Speedway on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16-17. Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts will compete in complete shows both nights following an open practice Thursday, Oct. 15. Saturday’s program will carry additional significance for the Modifieds and Stock Cars. The $3,000-to-win Modified feature will serve as a qualifying event for the 2027 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational, while the $3,000-to-win Stock Car feature will be a qualifier for the 2027 B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational. The respective winners will earn eligibility to attempt to qualify for their All-Star Invitationals at the 2027 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway. Modifieds and Stock Cars race for $750 to win Friday, with $175 paid to start the 24-car features. Saturday brings a three-wide start and an increased [Read More]

Pettit Shootout Brings Two Nights of Action to Watsonville Speedway Oct. 2-3

By Ben Deatherage WATSONVILLE, Calif. (Sept. 21, 2026) — Two complete nights of racing, a pair of Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying events, and a 103-lap Saturday Modified main event highlight the 16th annual Pettit Shootout at Watsonville Speedway on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 2-3. Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds and Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods will compete both nights, with each program serving as a separate show. There will be no lock-ins from Friday to Saturday, putting every competitor back on equal footing for the second night. The Pettit Shootout is run in memory of Jim Pettit and Pat Pettit, the parents of event promoter Jim Pettit II. The number three carries special significance in the event because Pat’s birthday was Jan. 3, and that connection is reflected throughout the weekend’s format. Both main events will start 23 cars each night. Friday’s Modified main event will cover 33 laps and pay $1,003 to win and $103 to start. Saturday’s Modified finale goes 103 laps and increases the payday to $3,006 to win and $206 to start. [Read More]

Racing Returns to Yuma as Cocopah Speedway Opens New Era in 2026

By Ben Deatherage SOMERTON, Ariz. (Sept. 21, 2026) — Racing returns to the Yuma area this fall as Cocopah Speedway begins a new chapter with a busy 2026-27 schedule featuring several major Speedway Motors IMCA events. The three-eighths-mile oval opens its 2026 season in October before hosting the Diamond in the Desert, Turkey Bowl, and Copper State Nationals. The schedule then carries into February with two weeks of Southwest Cactus Nationals competition. “We are so excited to get things up and running, and the whole community around here is super excited to have racing come back to the Yuma area,” promoter Travis Peery said. The season-opening weekend is Oct. 15-17, with practice Thursday followed by racing Friday and Saturday. Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lites, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts are scheduled to compete both nights. Attention then turns to the Diamond in the Desert Nov. 4-7. Practice is scheduled Wednesday, Nov. 4, before three consecutive nights of racing Nov. [Read More]