Newswire

Chris Carroll: Second Lap of Racing for a Purpose Bigger Than Himself

By Ben Deatherage SPRING BRANCH, Texas (Apr. 9, 2026) — On Christmas Day 2020 in Cozumel, with the ocean still and the world quiet, Chris Carroll made a decision that didn’t make sense to anyone but him. He was done racing. Everything tied to it—cars, equipment, years of work—was going up for sale. Just like that. For three decades, racing had been the rhythm of his life. The noise, the grind, the long nights in the shop, the chase from one track to the next—it was all he knew. And now, in a single moment, he was ready to walk away from it. His wife, Melanie, didn’t understand it either — especially when she woke up to find everything had already been sold online. “Now we are going to have to buy it all back again,” she told him. But something in him said it was time. So he stepped away. And for a while, the silence held. No race nights. No engines firing. No next event on the calendar. Just the kind of quiet that [Read More]

NAPA Returns as Title Sponsor of Prelude and Fan Zone for IMCA Super Nationals Week

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Apr. 9, 2026) — NAPA Auto Parts will once again play a major role during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, serving as the title sponsor of both the NAPA Double Down Prelude and the popular Fan Zone experience throughout the week at Boone Speedway. NAPA’s continued support extends beyond naming rights, as the company will provide a $500 gift card to each Super Nationals champion, as well as the RaceSaver Nationals champion. In addition, first non-qualifiers across divisions will each receive $250 NAPA gift cards. A centerpiece of NAPA’s involvement is the Fan Zone, which features a full schedule of interactive events designed to connect drivers and fans throughout the week. Activities include meet-and-greets, redraw ceremonies, group photos, and Victory Lane celebrations across all divisions, giving fans unique access to competitors from across the United States, Canada, and Australia. Highlights include the Young Guns meet-and-greet with Junior National participants, the Women in IMCA session presented by NAPA and Dynamic Drivelines, featuring a meet-and-greet with Lady Eagle competitors [Read More]

Texas RaceSaver Sprint Car Nationals Brings $5,000-to-Win Show to Kennedale May 9

By Ben Deatherage KENNEDALE, Texas (Apr. 8, 2026) — A new chapter begins at Kennedale Speedway Park as the former Michael Melton race transitions into the Texas RaceSaver Sprint Car Nationals, a one-night, high-paying event set for Saturday, May 9. The RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car special will feature a $5,000-to-win main event with a total purse exceeding $20,000, offering multiple bonus opportunities that could see a driver earn as much as $9,000 in a single night. Incentives include $500 for quick time, $500 to win the pole dash, and a $3,000 bonus for leading every lap of the feature. Lap sponsorships will also be available at $100 per lap led. Mike Frieri of Photos by Mike is a primary supporter of the event, alongside presenting sponsor 2nd Opinion Auto Center, owned by Dan and Patricia Harris of Haltom City, Texas. “We wanted to create something big but keep it simple for teams,” said promoter James Lopez. “This is a one-night show that helps racers save on fuel, hotels, and travel expenses while still competing for a [Read More]

Pombo Dominates California RaceSaver Sprint Series Return to Santa Maria

By Stephanie Odom SANTA MARIA, Calif. (Apr. 4, 2026) — The California RaceSaver Sprint Series action returned to Santa Maria Speedway for the first of several visits this season for the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car tour, with George Tristao Jr. and Davey Pombo leading the field to green for the 20-lap feature. Pombo took control at the drop of the green and never looked back, leading all 20 laps to secure his first win of 2026. Tristao finished second, followed by Jeremy Alves, Evan Dixon, and Kevin Barnes Sr. Tristao set quick time in qualifying, while heat race wins went to Tristao and Lance Jackson.

Bellm Captures First Stock Car Win of ’26 at El Paso County Opener

By Suzan McCoy CALHAN, CO (Apr. 4, 2026) — The 2026 season roared to life at El Paso County Raceway with a full night of racing action across four Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly divisions, delivering competitive battles and standout performances across the board. Starting off the night, Layne Bellm of Broomfield dominated the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature, leading all laps from the pole to earn the win—her first in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region. Brian Lessig Jr. crossed the line in second, followed by Brian Lessig Sr. in third. Phil Reid and Hunter Harvey rounded out the top five. The night’s largest field belonged to the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods, where North Dakota’s Stan Tomlinson stole the show. Starting third, Tomlinson worked his way to the front to claim the win. Travis Palmer made an impressive run from seventh to finish second, with Scott Clay rounding out the podium. Hard chargers David Alvarez and James Jarnot completed the top five after starting deep in the field. In Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock action, Brayson [Read More]

Dillan Baldwin: Bluegrass State Phenom on the Rise

By Ben Deatherage TAYLORSVILLE, Ky. (Apr. 8, 2026) — In a small Kentucky town where the evenings are quiet, the roads are narrow, and neighbors gather around campfires, Dillan Baldwin found his calling long before he could even understand it. He was just two years old the first time he saw Sprint Cars. It was the 2011 Kings Royal — a night filled with thunder, speed, and spectacle. “It was probably a bad decision for my dad,” Baldwin said with a grin. “Because I’ve been hooked ever since.” From that moment on, the path was set. What started with arrive-and-drive go-karts turned into Champ Karts, then Quarter Midgets, and eventually — with a leap most wouldn’t dare take — straight into Sprint Cars. No Micro Sprint detour. No gradual easing in. Just full commitment. “It was definitely a big jump going from five horsepower to almost 500,” he said. “Just a small step, right?” Now 17 years old, Baldwin has already carved out a name for himself in the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car ranks, competing against [Read More]

Season Opener Roars to Life April 11 at Phillips County Raceway

By Suzan McCoy HOLYOKE, Colo. (Apr. 8, 2026) — Racing returns to northeastern Colorado as Phillips County Raceway kicks off its highly anticipated season opener with the Colorado Alliance Tour (CAT). The weather looks great at 70 degrees and sunny for Saturday, April 11, with a start time of 6:00 p.m. Fans can expect an action-packed night featuring seven divisions to launch the 2026 racing season. Phillips County Raceway will feature five Speedway Motors IMCA classes for the season, hosting Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. Races are monthly, running April through August, skipping July. Two out of the four races will be CAT Tour events, known for challenging Colorado drivers to step outside their zip code to compete. The CAT Tour travels to five different Colorado dirt tracks and hosts eight races, bringing drivers more money and more bragging rights. BST Promotions is offering a Tri-State driver incentive. Nebraska and Wyoming drivers and fans will receive $5 off admission [Read More]

MD3 Race Bodies Celebrates 15 Years with IMCA Racing

By Ben Deatherage TWIN LAKES, Wis. (Apr. 8, 2026) — MD3 Race Bodies returns for its 15th season as a sponsor of the Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing program, continuing its support of competitors with contingency awards at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The Wisconsin-based manufacturer will again recognize top performers in both the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified and Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod divisions. For the IMCA Modifieds, MD3 will award a $200 product certificate to the champion of Saturday’s Big Dance, along with $200 certificates to both front row qualifiers. IMCA Northern SportMod competitors will see the same awards structure, with the Big Dance champion and both front row qualifiers each receiving $200 product certificates. Sunoco IMCA Stock Car front row starters for Saturday’s Big Dance will each receive $200 product certificates, while the division’s championship car build through Harris Auto Racing will feature a new Camaro body provided by MD3. Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact front row starters will also each receive $200 product certificates. The RaceSaver Nationals champion will [Read More]

Silber Sweeps Weekend at CAR in Modifieds, Extending Streak to Four

By Rowdy Briggs CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Apr. 4, 2026) — Marvin Mueller and Lukas Tellez set the tone early in Saturday’s Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature, swapping the lead through the first 13 laps in a strong battle up front. Luke Silber then worked his way into contention and took over the top spot. Once out front, he pulled away to score his fourth straight win at Central Arizona Raceway and in the DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region. Justin Erickson finished second, followed by John Parmeley, Tellez, and Mueller. Jesse Patterson led early in Friday’s feature with Austin Kuehl and Silber locked in a thrilling three-wide fight for the lead at times. The battle intensified in lapped traffic before contact sent Patterson into the wall, collecting Kuehl. When things sorted out, Silber inherited the lead and went on to the victory. Kuehl rallied back through the field for second ahead of Terry Belcher Jr., Mark Carrell, and Montana snowbird C.R. Eisenzimer. Madrid Masters Saturday, Peterson Charges Friday in Hobby Stocks The feature got off to a [Read More]

TomCat Performance and Carolina Racing Supply Mark 15 Years as IMCA Sponsors

By Ben Deatherage MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Apr. 7, 2026) — TomCat Performance and Carolina Racing Supply return for their 15th season as sponsors of the Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing program, continuing their support of competitors across multiple divisions with awards at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The North Carolina-based companies will again provide a variety of awards during Super Nationals, recognizing both top finishers and hard-fought efforts throughout the week. In Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, and Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods, a set of TomCat deluxe toe plates will be awarded to the first non-qualifier in points for Saturday’s Big Dance. In Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lites, each heat race winner will receive a wheel cover, while the Big Dance champion earns a set of four wheel covers. Champions in all Super Nationals Big Dance divisions, including Sunoco IMCA Late Models and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts, will receive custom-wrapped TomCat pit mats. Custom-wrapped pit mats will also be awarded to winners of the Race [Read More]