Newswire

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]

Shatzer Schools Virginia Sprint Series Field at Natural Bridge

By Jim Haines NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (Sept. 19, 2026) — Dylan Shatzer is a schoolteacher by day, but Saturday night he moved the classroom to Natural Bridge Speedway and taught the Virginia Sprint Series field a lesson with a clean sweep of the evening. Shatzer won his heat race before charging to the front of the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car feature and staying there through the checkered flag. Matthew Mullins was the other heat race winner. Mullins and Billy Hubbard led the feature field to green, with Mullins getting the early advantage while Hubbard settled into second. Shatzer and Daren Bolac followed close behind. Shatzer quickly worked his way around Hubbard for second and immediately began applying pressure to Mullins for the top spot. The eventual winner swept into the lead, with Hubbard moving into second. Behind them, Bolac and Mullins battled for third while Jerald Harris began working his way forward from fifth. Bolac eventually secured third, dropping Mullins to fourth, but his night came to an early end when front-end damage forced him to [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]

Sierra Davenport: Making History With a Family Number

By Ben Deatherage BISMARCK, N.D. — Nothing about Sierra Davenport’s night at Dacotah Speedway on June 26 suggested history was about to be made. The 17-year-old had started near the front of her heat race and gone backward. Way backward. “I struggled really bad in the heat race,” Davenport said. “I think I started second and finished pretty much last.” Back in the pits, Davenport and her team went to work. A few adjustments were made to her No. 51S Sunoco IMCA Stock Car before the feature. Then everything changed. Davenport found the speed that had been missing earlier in the evening and drove to the first IMCA Stock Car feature victory of her young career. In doing so, the Bismarck teenager became the first female driver from North Dakota to win an IMCA Stock Car feature. “It felt really good to finally get that win,” she said. “I made a couple of adjustments for the feature, and it worked out great.” The accomplishment came in only Davenport’s second season racing a full-sized car. But racing [Read More]

Shryock Charges From 11th to Capture Battle of the Blue Ribbon at Spencer

By Jane Burd SPENCER, Iowa (Sept. 17, 2026) — Kelly Shryock charged from 11th to capture the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature and highlight the Battle of the Blue Ribbon at Clay County Fair Speedway on Thursday night. The Fertile driver had plenty of ground to make up before finding himself in a battle with Jake Masters for the victory. Shryock ultimately prevailed to record his 12th EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the season and third win of 2026 at Clay County. The Battle of the Blue Ribbon also served as a qualifying event for the 2027 B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational. With the victory, Shryock earned eligibility to attempt to qualify for the Invitational during next year’s Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway. Masters, who started second, settled for the runner-up position. Elijah Zevenbergen also made a charge through the field, advancing 10 positions to finish third. Mike “Wahoo” Albertsen gained five spots and battled Zevenbergen before finishing fourth, while Randy Brands completed the top five. [Read More]

Super Nationals Auction Adds to Championship Night Haul

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 16, 2026) — After the final championship features were decided at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, the annual auction in the NAPA Auto Parts Fan Zone added another chapter to Championship Saturday at Boone Speedway. Engines and chassis went across the auction block, generating additional money for competitors following America’s Racin’ Vacation. For two of the week’s champions, the auction added considerably to what they had already earned on the racetrack. Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified champion Kollin Hibdon earned $10,000 for his Big Dance victory and received a new Harris Auto Racing Modified chassis. Hibdon elected to put the chassis up for auction, where it brought $13,500, giving him $23,500 between his championship purse and chassis proceeds before contingency awards and other prizes were figured in. Sunoco IMCA Stock Car champion Jake McBirnie earned $8,000 for his championship victory and received a new Terminator Stock Car chassis. McBirnie also elected to auction his chassis, which brought $14,500, putting his championship purse and chassis proceeds at $22,500 [Read More]

Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing National Point Standings through Sept. 17, 2026

Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds – 1. Spencer Diercks, Davenport, Iowa, and William Gould, Calera, Okla., both 993; 3. Todd Shute, Norwalk, Iowa, 973; 4. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque, Iowa, 972; 5. Ty Clemens, Belgrade, Montana, 969; 6. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 963; 7. Matthew Sanders, Brookings, Oregon, and Chaz Baca, Jewell, Iowa, both 961; 9. Tyler Bannister, Bakersfield, Calif., 959; 10. Kevin Williamson, Harrisburg, Oregon, 955; 11. Jace Eckrich, Oxford, Iowa, 953; 12. John Nord, Enderlin, N.D., 945; 13. Cole Czarneski, Denmark, Wisconsin, 944; 14. Tyler Belcher, Laceyville, Pennsylvania, 943; 15. Matthew Looft, Swea City, Iowa, 940; 16. Donald Proctor, Ionia, Michigan, 937; 17. Travis Hagen, McGregor, N.D., and Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev., both 934; 19. Johnny Whitman, Suamico, Wisconsin, and Myron DeYoung, Stanton, Michigan, both 932. Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars – 1. John Oliver Jr., West Burlington, Iowa, 992; 2. Blake Clark, Joshua, Texas, and Jason Batt, Harker Heights, Texas, both 982; 4. Cameron Starry, Robstown, Texas, 980; 5. Dan Mackenthun, Hamburg, Minn., 975; 6. Kyle Vanover, Beatrice, Neb., 974; 7. Kelly Shryock, Fertile, [Read More]

$30,000 Awaits Race for Hope 71 Winner at Batesville

By Ben Deatherage BATESVILLE, Ark. (Sept. 17, 2026) — One of the richest Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified events of the entire season returns to Batesville Motor Speedway Sept. 30-Oct. 3 with First Community Bank’s 10th annual Race for Hope 71 presented by IMCA TV. The four-day event culminates with a 71-lap championship feature paying $30,000 to win, while a deep purse will reward competitors throughout the field. The runner-up will earn $12,500, with $11,500 going to third, $11,250 to fourth, and $11,000 to fifth. Sixth through ninth pay $10,800, $10,600, $10,400, and $10,200, respectively, while the 10th-place finisher will still collect $10,000. The payout continues with $6,000 for 11th and $3,000 for 12th. Positions 13th through 17th pay $2,000, $1,900, $1,800, $1,700, and $1,600, respectively, with every starter finishing 18th through 30th earning $1,500. In addition to the $30,000 payday, the Race for Hope 71 will serve as a qualifying event for the 2027 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, with the winner earning eligibility to attempt [Read More]

Jordan Page Memorial Winter Nationals Brings IMCA Action to Southern Oklahoma Oct. 1-3

By Ben Deatherage ARDMORE, Okla. (Sept. 16, 2026) — Three IMCA divisions will converge on Southern Oklahoma Speedway Oct. 1-3 for the 22nd annual Jordan Page Memorial Winter Nationals. Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, and Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMods will be on tap during the three-day event, which begins with practice Thursday before two nights of racing Friday and Saturday. The Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified finale pays $2,500 to win and $250 to start, while Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMods race for $1,500 to win and $200 to start. Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars will compete for $1,000 to win and $150 to start. There will also be added incentives for the Modified and Stock Car winners. The Modified winner will be added to the eligibility list for the 2027 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational, earning eligibility to attempt to qualify for the event during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The Stock Car winner will likewise be added to the eligibility list for the 2027 B&B Racing [Read More]

Water Restrictions Bring Cortez Fairgrounds Speedway Season to Early End

By Suzan McCoy CORTEZ, Colo. (Sept. 16, 2026) — The remainder of the 2026 racing season at Cortez Fairgrounds Speedway has been canceled due to ongoing water restrictions affecting Montezuma County and surrounding areas. Track officials said the decision was made after irrigation restrictions and the shutdown of area wellheads left the facility without enough available water to properly prepare and maintain the racing surface. Continuing to race under those conditions would not allow the speedway to provide a properly prepared or safe racing surface. “We are very disappointed that we had to make this decision, but we have to comply with the water restrictions that are in place throughout the county and surrounding areas,” co-promoter Joe Bellm said. “We sincerely apologize to our racers, crews and fans, and we are extremely grateful and thankful that we were able to complete six of our scheduled eight races this season.” The six completed events will stand as the official 2026 racing season at Cortez Fairgrounds Speedway. Points accumulated during those events will determine the track and IMCA [Read More]