News Archives

Werner Keeps Nebraska’s Sport Compact Rookie Streak Alive with Six-Win Season

By Ben Deatherage PIERCE, Neb. (Oct. 29, 2025) — Fourteen-year-old Kiegan Werner wasted no time making a name for himself in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts in his Tom’s Service/Meyer Family/TC Agronomy no. 1K entry. The first-generation racer from Pierce turned his rookie season into a breakthrough year, winning six times, capturing both the South Dakota State championship and Park Jefferson Speedway track title, finishing seventh in the national points, and showing the poise of a veteran. He also became the sixth driver since 2008 from Nebraska to win the National Rookie of the Year award, and the second straight Nebraskan to achieve that honor. “We decided to go down to the Beatrice Spring Nationals,” Werner said. “The first night went well, but the second night I got taken out on the first lap in the main event and it junked the race car. After that, we decided to make another go at it at Redwood in Minnesota and ended up winning up there. We then made the decision in June to try and go for [Read More]

Robbie Throop Captures National IMCA STARS Mod Lite Rookie of the Year title

By Ben Deatherage WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 29, 2025) — Florida racer Robbie Throop capped a breakout 2025 campaign by claiming the Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite Rookie of the Year title, the culmination of a season built on determination, family effort, and redemption. The 22-year-old from West Palm Beach opened the year with a devastating crash during a Georgia event that destroyed his race car before the season had even begun in earnest. But the setback only fueled the drive of the Tuff Solutions/Anthony Long Fence Contracting/Smokin Joe’s Race Engines no. 55 Joker Chassis team. Backed by his mother Wendy, father Steve, cousin Andrew, uncle Scott, and grandfather Ronnie, the Throop family rallied to rebuild the car in time for the Sugar Bowl Nationals at Hendry County Motorsports Park, Robbie’s home track. “This was a great season even though it started off rough,” Throop said. “We were able to bounce back, keep our heads up, and just keep working. The people around me never gave up, and that made all the difference.” Throop’s [Read More]

Smith Makes Swift Transition to Win Race For IMCA Northern SportMod Rookie Prize

By Bill Martin LAKE CITY, Iowa (Oct. 29, 2025) — Two starts into his 2025 season and Mike Smith was rethinking his decision to move up to a Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod. A checkered flag run his third night out, however, helped convince him he was in the class where he belonged. Smith, from Lake City, Iowa, and already much accomplished in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, would compile 13 feature wins in 43 starts, earning national rookie of the year honors along with Boone Speedway and Buena Vista Raceway track titles in the open-wheeled division. “Running for rookie of the year was never really a goal. With the way the year started, I was ready to go back to a Hobby Stock,” admitted Smith, 19th and 10th in those first two SportMod outings before getting that first win, on April 12 at Boone. “There’s a huge difference between the two cars, mostly in steering and traction. There were a couple things we tried to sort out with the car we started the season with that didn’t [Read More]

Saturday Night Track Titles Spark Gould to Eighth Career GRT South Central Region Prize

By Bill Martin CALERA, Okla. (Oct. 29, 2025) — He’s been fast on dirt now for 31 years, but William Gould might have been fastest on pavement this season. Gould hotshoed his way his way to 10 feature wins on his way to earning another GRT Race Cars Southern Region crown and finishing third in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified national points race. Most impressively, perhaps, the Calera, Okla., speedster won championships at tracks that raced on some of the same Saturday nights, Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore and Grayson County Speedway in Bells, Texas. “We would race at Southern Oklahoma, where they run Modifieds first, then we would load up, haul ass 80 miles to Grayson County, unload and start last in the feature,” said Gould, who also boasted career second Oklahoma and seventh Texas State titles, plus the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car All Star Shootout title on his 2025 resume. “There was one night when I got to Bells literally a minute late, as they were taking the green flag, so I didn’t [Read More]

Killingsworth Captures IMCA Modified National and Shaw Race Cars Western Region Rookie of the Year Honors

By Ben Deatherage YREKA, Calif. (Oct. 27, 2025) — Ethan Killingsworth’s first full season in a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified couldn’t have started much stronger. The Yreka racer, wheeling his Ace’s Affordable Auto Glass/J Cota Forestry/Twysted Motorsports no. 7M Twysted by Evo entry, capped an impressive rookie campaign by earning both the IMCA National Rookie of the Year and Shaw Race Cars Western Region Rookie of the Year titles. Killingsworth became just the third Californian to win the IMCA Modified National Rookie of the Year award, joining 1993 winner Scott Pounds and Jacob Mallet Jr., who received the honor last year. He’s also the 16th driver from California to claim the Shaw Race Cars Western Region Rookie of the Year title since 1993, and the fourth straight to do so. Along the way, he collected the Southern Oregon Speedway track championship and finished second in the Western Region standings, building on his success from 2024 when he captured the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod track championship “We weren’t expecting to come swinging out of the gate [Read More]

McGaha Legacy Grows as Jaxon Earns GRT Race Cars South Central Rookie of the Year

By Ben Deatherage ABILENE, Texas (Oct. 28, 2025) — At just 15 years old, Jaxon McGaha turned his rookie campaign in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds into a season of growth, grit, and steady progress. The second-generation racer from Abilene captured GRT Race Cars South Central Region Rookie of the Year honors, finishing third in both the South Central Region and Texas State standings — just one spot behind his father, longtime standout Josh McGaha. “We had a lot of ups and downs this year,” McGaha said. “The beginning wasn’t too hot because I was learning — and I’m still learning — but toward the end it got a lot better.” Behind the wheel of the All Pro Clutch and Driveline/Stephenville Starter & Electric/Dirt Defender no. 8 IRP, McGaha rolled out for 27 starts, collecting three top-five finishes, 14 top-tens, and multiple podium runs over the course of his rookie campaign. The early months were difficult, marked by a string of DNFs at Grayson County, Heart O’ Texas, and Kennedale, including his first career rollover. But [Read More]

Oregon’s Williamson Crowned Shaw Race Cars Western Region Champion

By Ben Deatherage COBURG, Ore. (Oct. 27, 2025) — Kevin Williamson’s 2025 season was nothing short of career-defining. Competing in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, the Coburg chauffeur pieced together the best year of his racing life — winning the Shaw Race Cars Western Region championship by a slim seven points, along with his first Cottage Grove Speedway and Douglas County Dirtrack titles, and capturing the Oregon State championship for the first time. It marked a breakthrough campaign that elevated him from local contender to regional powerhouse, making him the only other driver from Oregon to capture the Western Region crown since Bricen James accomplished the feat in 2019. Williamson, the younger brother of standout Jesse Williamson, also added a top-ten finish on the national stage, placing sixth in the final Friesen Performance IMCA Modified national standings — his best points result to date. “I never thought at the start of the year that we would be running for the Western Region,” Williamson admitted. “But halfway through the season we were 25 races in and had [Read More]

“The Showdown” Set for Nov. 7–9 at Central Arizona Raceway; $3,000 Sunday Payday for IMCA Modifieds

By Ben Deatherage CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Oct. 28, 2025) — Central Arizona Raceway will have the return of “The Showdown,” a three-day IMCA special presented by Toste Construction, running Friday through Sunday, Nov. 7–9, with an open practice on Thursday, Nov. 6. The weekend features Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods, and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, capped by a $3,000-to-win Modified main event on Sunday. Action fires at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday. Pit gates open at noon Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday. Grandstands open at 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at noon on Sunday. Purses are stout all three days. Friday and Saturday pay $1,000 to win and $100 to start for Modifieds; $500 to win and $50 to start for Stock Cars; $500 to win and $50 to start for Northern SportMods; and $400 to win and $50 to start for Hobby Stocks. The top two finishers from Friday and Saturday’s main events in each division will be locked into [Read More]

Ferrell is Class of Fields in Junior National and IMCA Hobby Stock Southern Region Ranks

By Bill Martin BAYFIELD, Colo. (Oct. 28, 2025) — Hunter Ferrell walked across the stage and accepted his Bayfield High School diploma this spring, then raced to the top of the class in both IMCA Junior National Championship and B & B Racing Chassis Southern Region standings. The first driver from Colorado to accomplish either feat, Ferrell won 20 features in his career fourth Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock season. Fifth in national point standings, the much-traveled 18-year-old took 13 checkers and the track title at Utah’s Desert Thunder Raceway. He was also a three-time winner at both Cortez Fairgrounds Speedway in his home state and at Arizona’s Deuce of Clubs Thunder Raceway, while winning once at Aztec Speedway in New Mexico. “It was about halfway through the season when I took over first in the regional standings, and realized I was first in Junior Nationals and started getting more wins under my belt that I realized this season could be special,” said Ferrell, now a freshman at Fort Lewis College in Durango, studying business. “At the [Read More]

Hard Work Pays Off for Harker with IMCA Jet Racing Central Region Title

By Bill Martin NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (Oct. 22, 2025) — It’s hard to believe now, but there was a time not so long ago when Shawn Harker wondered if he’d ever win a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature. The Nebraska City ‘shoe would total six checkers at Eagle Raceway, on his way to earning state and ultimately his first Jet Racing Central Region crown in 2025. “We ended the season with five wins in a row. We won the first time at Eagle in June, and we won the last five points races of the year there,” said Harker. “It was a good feeling. Our mentality was race for the wins and the points will take care of themselves.” “Last season we never paid attention to regional points because we were just racing to race. We got toward the end, and somebody called to ask me why I wasn’t racing more because we were up there in points and could maybe win it, but it was too late,” he continued. “So, we set out this year with [Read More]