Modified News

By Ben Deatherage GORDONVILLE, Texas (Oct. 30, 2026) — A decision between purchasing another dirt bike or trying something different led 24-year-old Austin Souder to the 2026 GRT Race Cars South Central Region Rookie of the Year award in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified division. Souder becomes the 32nd Texas driver to earn South Central Region Rookie of the Year honors since the award’s inception in 1993, extending the state’s streak to 15 consecutive seasons. The Gordonville, Texas, driver spent much of his life racing motocross before climbing behind the wheel of the N2 Enterprise/Souder Appliance Repair/Cam’s Auto/Gould Race Cars entry for his first full season on four wheels. “I didn’t really know what I was getting into,” Souder admitted. “I raced motocross my whole life. I slowed down on the dirt bikes and just rode for fun.” His introduction to dirt track racing came through friend James Nicholson, who began competing in 2025. After attending several races with Nicholson, Souder considered purchasing a race car rather than another motorcycle. A connection with two-time IMCA Modified [Read More]

By Ben Deatherage ROME, Pa. (Oct. 22, 2026) — More than two decades after stepping away from racing, Charlie Fulton has found his way back behind the wheel and into championship recognition. The 54-year-old Rome, Pa., driver earned the 2026 Close Racing Supply Eastern Region Rookie of the Year award in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified division, completing a successful return to the sport he first became involved with nearly 30 years ago. Driving the Fulton Automotive/TL Powell Transport/Ed Carley Motorsports No. M64, Fulton recorded two feature victories, four podium finishes, 16 top fives, and 26 top-10 finishes in 29 feature starts across 33 events attended. Both victories came at The Hill Speedway, where he visited victory lane June 19 and Aug. 7. Fulton’s interest in racing began through his sister and brother-in-law, who have owned Modifieds for more than 30 years. He started competing around 1998 before stepping away in 2000, eventually returning in 2024 to race in the local Stock Car division. “I used to race a long time ago and got out of [Read More]

By Ben Deatherage CLAFLIN, Kan. (Oct. 22, 2026) — Paxton Dody entered the 2026 Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified season hoping to gain experience and collect a few respectable finishes. By the end of September, the 19-year-old from Claflin, Kan., had earned the Jet Racing Central Region Rookie of the Year honors and the Kansas State championship. Dody became the ninth driver from Kansas since 1995 to earn the Central Region rookie award and the second consecutive Kansan to claim the honor. Driving the Cates Parts City/Janousek Transportation/Abrams Trucking-sponsored No. 09 for Janousek Racing, Dody recorded five podium finishes, 14 top fives, and 24 top-10 finishes in 34 feature starts across 38 events at 13 different facilities. “This year we started like most rookies do and started with low expectations and just be really happy if we got any top tens or top fives,” Dody said. “We went out and our first race was the Sunflower Classic at RPM Speedway in Hays and ended up making the show there and being pretty decent.” After several encouraging performances, [Read More]

By Ben Deatherage OXFORD, Iowa (Oct. 22, 2026) — What began as a season focused on gaining experience turned into a championship campaign for Jace Eckrich, who earned the 2026 Razor Chassis North Central Region Rookie of the Year award in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified division. The 18-year-old Oxford, Iowa, driver also captured the track championship at 34 Raceway, while collecting five feature victories during his first full season in the division. “We came out not really running for points at all and just concentrating on a few tracks,” Eckrich said. “We wanted to run Burlington on Saturday nights because it’s always been a fun track for us. We ended up racing twice a week with the tracks close to home, won the championship at Burlington, and won a handful of races this year. It was a ton of fun.” Driving the Bob Harrington-owned No. 50 Performer Chassis, Eckrich recorded five victories, 18 podium finishes, 24 top fives, and 35 top-10 results in 40 feature starts across 41 events attended. Three of his victories came [Read More]

By Bill Martin BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Oct. 21, 2026) – On the track or in the record book, Tyler Bannister found himself in some pretty good company in 2026. A 12-time feature winner, the Bakersfield speed merchant raced to Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified national and DeVilbiss Racing Western Region rookie of the year honors. He’s just the fourth IMCA driver to earn both SportMod and then Modified national rookie awards in their respective careers, and the third California driver to accomplish the national and regional ROY feat in as many years. Equally as impressive, Bannister returned to Boone Speedway and the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, qualifying for the main event as well as the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational and Rage Chassis Race of Champions, before wrapping up the track championship at hometown Bakersfield Speedway at Kern Raceway. “Running for national rookie wasn’t our initial goal. It was like when we won the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod rookie award in 2021, we just started out the season racing and trying to squeak out a [Read More]

By Michael Benjamin ISLE, N.Y. (Oct. 31, 2026) — Eddie Sites charged from 12th to capture the $3,116 second annual Ed and Jan Billings Classic on Saturday night at Thunder Mountain Speedway, closing out the Close Racing Supply NY/Penn IMCA Modified Series season during Monster Bash weekend. Nineteen Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds returned for the second night of competition. Gaege Higley of Wyalusing, Pa., collected his first career IMCA heat race victory in the opening heat. Aaron Benjamin won the second heat for his second victory in as many nights, while Matt Roberts of Afton, N.Y., claimed the third heat. David McDaniels of Sanger, Texas, captured the Dash 4 Cash. McDaniels and Roberts started on the front row of the feature, with Roberts taking the early lead. Several early cautions kept the field close, but Roberts maintained the advantage while Sites worked his way forward from the sixth row. Sites eventually caught Roberts, and the two battled for the lead over the next several laps before Sites completed the pass. Once out front, Sites pulled away [Read More]

By Michael Benjamin ISLE, N.Y. (Oct. 30, 2026) — James Lamphere took advantage of a late-race incident involving leader Keith Lamphere to capture the $1,004 fourth annual Billy Ward Memorial on Friday night at Thunder Mountain Speedway during the Monster Bash weekend for the Close Racing Supply NY/Penn IMCA Modified Series. A field of 24 Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds checked in for the opening night of the season-ending doubleheader. Lamphere opened the evening by winning the first heat race aboard the Gary Lamphere-owned No. 87. Aaron Benjamin of Forksville, Pa., collected the second heat victory, while Rodney Morgan won the third heat and the Dash 4 Cash. Morgan and Gaege Higley brought the feature field to the green flag, but James Lamphere quickly moved forward from his fifth starting position to take the lead. Former series champion Keith Lamphere, who started at the rear of the field, worked his way through traffic and eventually passed James Lamphere for the top spot. Keith Lamphere continued to lead until contact with a lapped car in turn three late [Read More]

By Ben Deatherage BELGRADE, Mont. (Oct. 22, 2026) — Ty Clemens knows what it takes to compete for a regional championship in Montana, where traveling several hours between racetracks is a regular part of the season. The 38-year-old from Belgrade made those miles count in 2026, capturing his second DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region championship in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified division. Clemens, who previously won the region in 2022, remains the only Montana driver to claim the Western Region championship. He also secured his fifth Montana State championship, breaking a tie with Jeremy Meirhofer for the most in state history, and earned his second consecutive track championship at Electric City Speedway in Great Falls. “We have to travel a lot in this part of the world with the racetracks all spread apart as they are compared to Iowa or other places,” Clemens said. That travel included regular three-hour trips from Belgrade to Electric City Speedway and Big Sky Speedway in Billings. One weekend, Clemens raced Friday at Gallatin Speedway in his hometown before making the [Read More]

By Ben Deatherage LACEYVILLE, Pa. (Oct. 22, 2026) — Tyler Belcher’s 2026 Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified campaign began with a difficult trip to Florida, but the 35-year-old from Laceyville, Pa., returned home and put together a season that ended with the Close Racing Supply Eastern Region championship. Belcher became just the third Pennsylvania driver to capture the Eastern Region championship, marking the 10th time the title has gone to a Keystone State competitor. He joined eight-time champion Sean Lias and 2015 titleholder Keith Lamphere. Belcher also earned his first New York and Pennsylvania State championships, along with track titles at The Hill Speedway in Monroeton, Pa., and Thunder Mountain Speedway in Center Lisle, N.Y. Driving the Robinson Timber Harvesting/Latini Enterprise/Belcher Trucking-sponsored No. 7B Alpha Chassis, Belcher recorded five feature victories at three different facilities, along with 20 top-five finishes and 27 top-10 results in 32 feature starts across 35 events attended. He also reached the podium 16 times. “We started out the year in Florida and didn’t do too hot down there, but we learned a [Read More]

By Bill Martin DAVENPORT, Iowa (Oct. 25, 2026) – A Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified driver who says he was “just out to win races” this season won the first regional championship of his career, too. Spencer Diercks collected a personal single-season best 21 features in reigning over point standings for the Razor Chassis North Central Region. He was track champion and a five-time winner at hometown Davenport Speedway. The national runner-up, Diercks made starts at 13 different tracks in his home region in 2026, winning at least once at a remarkable 11 of those venues. “Everything had to go our way, and it was cool to accomplish what we did. It’s October now and I still kind of look back and think ‘Damn, we did that,’” Diercks said. “It’s pretty cool, and I never thought I’d be able to win the region.” “We had luck on our side, the car was working good and the team worked well together. Everything was just gelling,” he’d add. “Everything has to work good and that starts with all the [Read More]

By Bill Martin FAIRBURY, Neb. (Oct. 23, 2026) – Adam Wasserman was so focused on winning a track championship that he’d forgotten about an even bigger prize. The second-season Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified driver clinched the Jet Racing Central Region crown, along with the track and Nebraska State titles with a third-place finish in the Aug. 29 finale at Eagle Raceway. “I wasn’t paying attention to regional points until about the last three weeks, then somebody said, ‘hey, you should look at the standings,’” he said. “I did and told myself I’d better try. I was so focused on winning the track championship that I kind of forgot about the region.” “It still feels surreal that I put my name up there with guys like Johnny Saathoff, Jordan Grabouski and David Murray Jr. as a regional champion. It’s cool to have your name with guys like that.” From Fairbury, Wasserman cut his racing teeth running with the best of them for five seasons in a Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock. His Modified rookie season was a learning [Read More]

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 2, 2026) — IMCA has released its 2027 rules package, featuring minor updates and clarifications across several divisions, along with changes to helmet requirements and head and neck restraint regulations for minor drivers. In the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock divisions, frame ground clearance must measure a minimum of 6.5 inches and a maximum of nine inches beneath the oval frame holes, identified as letters D and K in the 1978-88 Monte Carlo frame drawing. Floating or removable bars are not permitted in either division. Stock Cars will no longer be permitted to use Camaro nosepieces on anything other than the Camaro MD3 body, while Hobby Stocks will not be allowed to use lightweight pressure plate. For Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Speedway Motors fabricated lower A-frames, part numbers 91035297-L and 91035297-R, have been added to the rules. The interior deck must also be level from left to right within a one-inch tolerance. The Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod division will have the same interior deck requirement, [Read More]

By Ben Deatherage CALERA, Okla. (Oct. 20, 2026) — Thirteen years after winning his first Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified national championship, William Gould returned to the top of the standings in 2026, capturing his second career national crown by 14 points following a season that produced 18 feature victories. The Calera, Okla., veteran became one of just eight drivers to win multiple Modified national championships since 1982 and remains the only Oklahoma driver to accomplish the feat. His latest championship also came with his ninth GRT Race Cars South Central Region title, tying David Murray Jr. for the most regional championships in IMCA history while breaking a tie with Henry Witt Jr. for the most in the South Central Region. Gould also secured his sixth consecutive and eighth career Texas State championship, giving him 10 combined state titles between Texas and Oklahoma, the most in the division’s history. He added track championships at Grayson County Speedway and Heart O’ Texas Speedway, earning his fifth career Grayson County crown and second straight, along with his first championship [Read More]

By Nick Robbins EDNA, Texas (Oct. 17, 2026) — The Southern Touring IMCA Modified Series presented by On Demand Shirts took the green flag for its 2026 season finale at Texana Raceway Park during the Lance and Martha Toler Last Call Racing Texana Clash. Two separate $1,500-to-win shows produced two different winners, with one grabbing his first victory of the season. The first heat race went three-wide at the green flag, with Steven Whiteaker Jr. storming through the middle of the track to take the lead from fourth off turn two. Reigning series champion Jared Maupin got loose entering turn three, leaving Shawn Sandegren with nowhere to go as contact brought out the caution. The second attempt saw polesitter Brian Machicek hold off a charge from Logan Dinsmore to lead the opening lap. Dinsmore took command on lap two and led through lap seven, but Whiteaker grabbed the lead off turn four coming to the white flag. Whiteaker held on to win, with Dinsmore second. The second heat saw Cody Leonard walk away from the field [Read More]

By Ben Deatherage SOMERTON, Ariz. (Oct. 21, 2026) — Some of the biggest names in Speedway Motors IMCA racing will converge on Cocopah Speedway Nov. 4-7 for the inaugural Wild River Diamond in the Desert, featuring three nights of competition and an $8,000 payday awaiting the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified winner. Presented by Wild River Family Entertainment Center, the first-year event will bring five IMCA divisions to the Diamond in the Desert for a weekend of racing in southwestern Arizona. The four-day gathering begins Wednesday, Nov. 4, with an open practice session before racing gets underway Thursday, Nov. 5, and continues through Saturday, Nov. 7. The Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds will headline the event, with $8,000 awaiting the winner of the division’s main event. The Modifieds will be joined by the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods and Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, with both divisions competing for $4,000 top prizes. Saturday’s Modified and Stock Car features will serve as qualifying events for the 2027 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational and B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational, [Read More]