Southern SportMod News

VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 29, 2023) – Chevrolet Performance bonuses added up to a record $54,750 for IMCA drivers who won one or more track championships while competing exclusively with crate engines this season. Friesen Performance IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Late Model, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod and Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMod drivers who indicated on their 2023 license application they would run a crate engine receive $250 checks for each of a total of 219 track championships. “Those numbers are impressive,” observed IMCA Marketing Integration and Sponsorship Director Carson Becker-Gramm,” but what really stands out is that since the introduction of the original track championship bonus program in 2005, Chevrolet Performance has now paid over half a million dollars to IMCA drivers competing with crate engines and winning track titles.” “This program is a great way that Chevrolet Performance is able to support drivers across the country.” Modified drivers receiving bonuses for winning one or more track championships, with multiple track titles indicated in parenthesis, while competing with a crate [Read More]

VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 28, 2023) – IMCA drivers won’t have to wait ‘til Christmas morning to open envelopes containing IMCA.TV bonus checks. A total of 705 drivers in the nine divisions sanctioned by IMCA earned shares $97,645 generated by replays of weekly and special events at 57 tracks broadcast by IMCA.TV or its affiliates. Modified, Late Model, RaceSaver Sprint Car and Stock Car drivers finishing in the top three in point standings at those tracks receive checks for $240, $160 and $135; Northern SportMod and Southern SportMod checks are distributed in the amounts of $140, $115 and $100, and Hobby Stock, STARS Mod Lite and Sport Compact checks are in the amounts of $115, $85 and $70. Those checks are being mailed this week from the IMCA home office. “This bonus program is the first of its kind and was developed by our streaming platform provider Riivet in 2021,” explained IMCA President Brett Root. “A percentage of subscription fees paid by replay viewers is paid to tracks and to top three drivers in sanctioned divisions.” “Almost $28,000 was paid to nearly [Read More]

ANDREWS, Texas (Nov. 16, 2023) – Opportunity knocked this season for Cutter Spalding, in the form of a Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMod. The 18-year-old from Andrews, Texas, was quick to make the transition from a local street stock class, racing to three feature wins and the national rookie of the year award in the sanctioned division. “Man, these cars are open wheel, they’re fast and they’re such a competitive class,” said Spalding. “Matt Mueller, who is a family friend and who I grew up watching race, called after last season and asked if I wanted to race his hot rod this season. I wasn’t expecting an opportunity like that.” “Of course I said yes.” Spalding made for than half of his 2023 starts at Abilene Speedway, where his first IMCA win came on April 1. He’d end the season third in points at Abilene, fourth in the All Star Shootout standings and seventh nationally. “It was really cool to get my first win there. Some of the best Southern SportMod drivers around, guys [Read More]

VAN BUREN, Ark. (Nov. 8, 2023) – Schoenfeld Headers puts the wraps on its 25th sponsorship season with new awards for even more IMCA drivers. The Van Buren, Ark., manufacturer, a long-time sponsor of IMCA special events, gives more than $5,000 in product certificates, redeemable for a new set of headers, to top 10 finishers in national standings for the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and to national champions in seven other IMCA divisions. Top 10 Hobby Stock recipients of $260 certificates are national champion Zach Olmstead, Mike Smith, Tristan Grape, Nicholas Ronnebaum, Cory Probst, Cody Williams, Kyler Satran, Randy Lamar, Thomas Daffern and Brandon Nielsen Also receiving certificates will be national champions Chaz Baca, Modified, and Dillon Raffurty, STARS Mod Lite, both $410; Cory Dumpert, Late Model, $390; Tyler Drueke, RaceSaver Sprint Car, $350; Mike Nichols, Stock Car, $330; and Matthew Looft, Northern SportMod, and David Phillips, Southern SportMod, both $290. Schoenfeld certificates will be presented Nov. 25 during the IMCA national banquet. “Special series and Super Nationals competitors have benefitted from Schoenfeld Header support for many [Read More]

VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 8, 2023) – Hobby Stock drivers have an exhaust header option and minimum and maximum ride height is specified in four divisions, in the 2024 rules announced today by IMCA. Changes from 2023 and other previous seasons were few, noted IMCA President Brett Root, so drivers who were legal this year won’t be spending extra money to be legal next year. Beginning next season, Hobby Stock drivers competing with a crate engine can use Schoenfeld header part no. 1485-CM2-22 or an OEM exhaust manifold with a 2-1/4 inch diameter exhaust pipe while those competing with a claim engine can use a Schoenfeld header part no. 1485-20 or OEM exhaust manifold with a two inch diameter exhaust pipe. “This is a step we believe will keep the field level for more drivers in the division,” explained Root. “Schoenfeld has already added header awards to their 2023 contingency program which drivers will be receiving at our upcoming national banquet.” Minimum and maximum ride heights for Modifieds and Northern SportMods are four inches and 7-1/2 inches, and [Read More]

VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 1, 2023) – The 2023 point season may be over and the champions announced, but Allstar Performance will still make winners of drivers in all nine IMCA divisions. Drivers who won 10 or more heat races during the season receive $100 gift cards from the Watervliet, Mich., high performance parts manufacturer and heat race winner decal program sponsor. The driver with the most heat race wins gets a $250 gift card. What drivers MUST do to make themselves eligible for gift card awards is email a photo of their car showing proof of heat win decal placement, as distributed by tracks, to IMCA Marketing Integration and Sponsorship Director Carson Becker-Gramm at cbgramm@imca.com by Nov. 7. No pictures will be accepted after that date. “This is easy money,” said Becker-Gramm, “and I encourage all eligible drivers who have not done so already to get a picture of their car showing proof of heat winner decal placement taken and emailed to me by next Tuesday.” Allstar Performance gift cards will be presented during the IMCA national [Read More]

TUSCOLA, Texas ­­(Nov. 1, 2023) – Back in a race car after six years away from the track, David Phillips couldn’t have scripted a better start to his 2023 season. The ending was pretty special, too. Phillips, from Tuscola, was quick to knock the rust off after his lengthy hiatus, winning a dozen features, Boyd Raceway and Texas State honors on the way to earning the Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMod national championship. “I had something to prove,” stated Phillips, who’d wheeled IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and then a SportMod over 12 seasons before that break. “I had a pretty bad year the last year I raced. It was rough on us. I wanted to come back, prove to myself and show I still had it.” “It’s a really, really cool achievement to win a national championship, especially when you look at the list of the other guys who have done it,” he continued. “You don’t realize what it takes ‘til you do it yourself and it was a 100 [Read More]

Ties broken by 40-point feature win totals, then 39 point finishes, then 38, etc. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 1,029; 2. Matthew Day, Farmersville, Texas, 1,016; 3. Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., 1,006; 4. Travis Hagen, McGregor, N.D., 1,005; 5. Todd Shute, Norwalk, Iowa, 1,002; 6. Clint Hatlestad, Glencoe, Minn., 999; 7. Myron DeYoung, Stanton, Mich., 999; 8. Joel Rust, Grundy Center, Iowa, 991; 9. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque, Iowa, 988; 10. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 987; 11. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, 985; 12. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 983; 13. Jarrett Brown, Ainsworth, Iowa, 982; 14. Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill., 977; 15. Collin Thirlby, Grawn, Mich., 966; 16. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., 962; 17. Chris Zogg, New Liberty, Iowa, 960; 18. Jake Nightingale, Maize, Kan., 959; 19. Anthony Roth, Platte Center, Neb., 959; 20. Ty Clemens, Belgrade, Mont., 954. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Cory Dumpert, Newman Grove, Neb., 810; 2. Andy Nezworski, Blue Grass, Iowa, 799; 3. Alex Banks, Newman Grove, Neb., 776; 4. Cade Richards, Lincoln, Neb., 775; 5. [Read More]

VINTON, Iowa (Oct. 3, 2023) – After winning his career 100th feature in the division over the Memorial Weekend, Chaz Baca announced that his next goal for the 2023 season would be winning the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified national championship. Goal accomplished. The Mesa driver became the first Arizona driver to earn an IMCA national crown in any division, ending his drive to the title with six straight checkers and a career single-season best 25 feature wins in all. “I’m excited, relieved, everything you can be at once. This is a ‘Wow !’ thing,” said Baca. “We switched to a (2021) Harris car and thought we had a shot at it at the beginning of the season. My whole team, family, friends and sponsors, was really the key. The whole thing wouldn’t have happened without them.” Along with the national title, Baca raced to a career third Shaw Race Cars Western Region crown, track championships at Central Arizona Raceway, Cocopah Speedway and Deuce of Clubs Thunder Raceway and Arizona State title. While 23 of his weekly [Read More]

Final points races of the 2023 season will be Sunday, Sept. 24 Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 999; 2. Matthew Day, Farmersville, Texas, 988; 3. Clint Hatlestad, Glencoe, Minn., 987; 4. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, and Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., both 985; 6. Myron DeYoung, Stanton, Mich., 984; 7. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 983; 8. Joel Rust, Grundy Center, Iowa, 980; 9. Travis Hagen, McGregor, N.D., 977; 10. Todd Shute, Norwalk, Iowa, 973; 11. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque, Iowa, and Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill., both 962; 13. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 960; 14. Anthony Roth, Platte Center, Neb., 958; 15. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., 957; 16. Chris Zogg, New Liberty, Iowa, 955; 17. Ty Clemens, Belgrade, Mont., 954; 18. Kaleb Emerson, Weatherford, Texas, 952; 19. Collin Thirlby, Grawn, Mich., 951; 20. Jarrett Brown, Ainsworth, Iowa, 943. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Cory Dumpert, Newman Grove, Neb., 795; 2. Andy Nezworski, Blue Grass, Iowa, 784; 3. Cade Richards, Lincoln, Neb., 775; 4. Alex Banks, Newman Grove, Neb., 774; 5. Kale Kosiski, [Read More]

VINTON, Iowa (Sept. 19, 2023) – The 2023 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season will end this Sun­day, Sept. 24. Final points races will be held that day for sanctioned Modifieds, Late Models, Sprint Cars, Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks, Northern SportMods, Southern SportMods, STARS Mod Lites and Sport Com­pacts. Track championship bonus points will be figured and national and regional champions and rookies of the year, as well as the Junior National Champion and Lady Eagle winner, announced as soon as possi­ble after all race reports are received.  Track and series officials have until noon Central Standard Time on Monday, Oct. 23 to notify IMCA of corrections that affect their top 15 point stand­ings before 2023 standings become official. Questions about IMCA point totals and standings should be directed to Virginia Lindsey, director of membership and points, at vlindsey@imca.com or by calling 319 472-2201, ext. 215.

Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 998; 2. Matthew Day, Farmersville, Texas, and Clint Hatlestad, Glencoe, Minn., both 986; 4. Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., 985; 5. Myron DeYoung, Stanton, Mich., 984; 6. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, 982; 7. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 981; 8. Joel Rust, Grundy Center, Iowa, 980; 9. Travis Hagen, McGregor, N.D., 977; 10. Todd Shute, Norwalk, Iowa, 966; 11. Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill., 962; 12. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque, Iowa, and Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, both 960; 14. Anthony Roth, Platte Center, Neb., 958; 15. Chris Zogg, New Liberty, Iowa, 955; 16. Ty Clemens, Belgrade, Mont., 954; 17. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., 952; 18. Collin Thirlby, Grawn, Mich., 951; 19. Kaleb Emerson, Weatherford, Texas, 949; 20. Jarrett Brown, Ainsworth, Iowa, 943. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Cory Dumpert, Newman Grove, Neb., 795; 2. Andy Nezworski, Blue Grass, Iowa, 784; 3. Cade Richards, Lincoln, Neb., 775; 4. Alex Banks, Newman Grove, Neb., 771; 5. Kale Kosiski, Omaha, Neb., 760; 6. Christopher “C.J.” Horn, Auburn, Ind., and Chase Osborne, [Read More]

Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 996; 2. Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., 985; 3. Matthew Day, Farmersville, Texas, 984; 4. Clint Hatlestad, Glencoe, Minn., 982; 5. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 981; 6. Myron DeYoung, Stanton, Mich., 980; 7. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, and Joel Rust, Grundy Center, Iowa, both 978; 9. Travis Hagen, McGregor, N.D., 977; 10. Todd Shute, Norwalk, Iowa, 966; 11. Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill., 962; 12. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque, Iowa, and Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, both 960; 14. Anthony Roth, Platte Center, Neb., 958; 15. Chris Zogg, New Liberty, Iowa, 955; 16. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., 952; 17. Kaleb Emerson, Weatherford, Texas, 949; 18. Jarrett Brown, Ainsworth, Iowa, 943; 19. Collin Thirlby, Grawn, Mich., 942; 20. Brenten DeYoung, Carson City, Mich., 936. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Cory Dumpert, Newman Grove, Neb., 795; 2. Andy Nezworski, Blue Grass, Iowa, 784; 3. Cade Richards, Lincoln, Neb., 775; 4. Alex Banks, Newman Grove, Neb., 771; 5. Kale Kosiski, Omaha, Neb., 760; 6. Christopher “C.J.” Horn, Auburn, Ind., and Chase [Read More]

KENNEDALE, Texas (Aug. 29, 2023) – Sponsorships and contingency awards have been finalized. Early registration is winding down, and new Hall of Famers have practiced their thank you’s. The focus, then, on the IMCA Southern SportMod Super Nationals powered by Smiley’s Racing Products is getting Kennedale Speedway Park in the best shape it can be in for the second annual spectacular Sept. 7-9. Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods race for $5,000 to win and a minimum of $500 to start their Saturday night main event, a 30-lapper with a purse that totals more than $20,000. While keeping up with weekly racing and with all that money on the line, promoter James Lopez and his crew have turned their focus 24/7 to getting the quarter-mile dirt oval as close to perfect as possible. “The biggest thing we have been doing for the last six weeks or so now is track preparation,” stated Lopez. “We are lucky to have one of the most knowledgeable and winningest racers to ever put on a helmet, with over 50 years [Read More]

Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 994; 2. Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., 983; 3. Matthew Day, Farmersville, Texas, 982; 4. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 979; 5. Myron DeYoung, Stanton, Mich., 977; 6. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, and Clint Hatlestad, Glencoe, Minn., both 976; 8. Joel Rust, Grundy Center, Iowa, 973; 9. Travis Hagen, McGregor, N.D., 968; 10. Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill., 962; 11. Todd Shute, Norwalk, Iowa, 960; 12. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 958; 13. Anthony Roth, Platte Center, Neb., 957; 14. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque, Iowa, 954; 15. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., 952; 16. Chris Zogg, New Liberty, Iowa, 946; 17. Kaleb Emerson, Weatherford, Texas, 943; 18. Collin Thirlby, Grawn, Mich., 942; 19. Brenten DeYoung, Carson City, Mich., 936; 20. Charlie Mohr, Bettendorf, Iowa, 932. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Cory Dumpert, Newman Grove, Neb., 795; 2. Andy Nezworski, Blue Grass, Iowa, 782; 3. Cade Richards, Lincoln, Neb., 773; 4. Alex Banks, Newman Grove, Neb., 767; 5. Kale Kosiski, Omaha, Neb., and Chase Osborne, Norfolk, Neb., both 755; 7. Christopher [Read More]