bakersfieldspeedway Archives

Manning Rolls to Second IMCA Modified Win at Bakersfield

By Steven Blakesley BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (May 10, 2025) – 2024 Bakersfield Speedway champion Gavyn Manning continued to build momentum towards a 2025 title, winning his second Friesen Performance IMCA Modified race of the season during round four at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway on Saturday night. Manning and Austin Kiefer claimed the IMCA Modified heat races before Manning lined up tenth for the 30-lap, $750-to-win feature. Incoming second in points Brad Pounds tagged the turn four wall for a caution on lap nine. The restart allowed Kiefer and Manning to challenge race leader Justin Crockett. Kiefer slid Crockett in turn two and went wide, opening the bottom for Manning to drive underneath and lead lap 10. Manning led the rest of the way for the convincing win, his third in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region, followed by Kiefer and Bryan Clark. Ninth-starting Tyler Bannister charged into the lead by lap 10 in the Karl Chevrolet IMCA SportMods 25-lap feature and never relinquished it for a $600 score. Baypoint’s Danny Wagner led the first [Read More]

Manning Finally Gets a Modified Win At Bakersfield

By Steven Blakesley BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Apr. 18, 2025) — 2024 Bakersfield Speedway champion Gavyn Manning finally prevailed at the all-new speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, winning Friday’s 30-lap IMCA Modified feature during the special Friday Night Lights program at the 1/3-mile dirt track. Manning had finished runner-up in both events to open the 2025 season before finally achieving victory, but his second in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region after a big win at Mohave Valley Raceway’s Bill & Shirley Meyer Memorial late last month. Outside polesitter Dalton Houghton made a strong move to take the lead on the opening circuit of the feature race. Ninth-starting Manning took advantage of multiple early race restarts to work the inside line and take over the lead by the fourth lap of the feature. Manning accumulated a five-second lead that was nullified by a caution on lap 22. Opening night winner Robby Sawyer, in the Joe Gallaher-fielded No. X, soldiered on with early damage, running in the third position for most of the main event. Sawyer then retired [Read More]

Rasmussen Rallies to Second Straight California RaceSaver Win

By Ben Deatherage BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Apr. 12, 2025) — The California RaceSaver Sprint Series delivered a thriller Saturday night, where Clovis chauffeur Kyle Rasmussen charged from sixth to win the 25-lap RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car main event at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern County Raceway. Rasmussen made his move into second just before Pombo hit lapped traffic. With the field bunching up ahead of the leader, Rasmussen seized his opportunity—sliding under Pombo to take command entering turn one on lap 16. From there, Rasmussen never looked back. He powered away from the pack to secure his second straight win with the California RaceSaver Series in as many events. Pombo held on for second, with Phil Heynan completing the podium in third. The event was streamed live on IMCA TV affiliate Track Vision TV powered by Low Budget TV. The full replay is now available to subscribers through the IMCA TV Replay Subscription for just $24.99. Already subscribed? Don’t miss the upcoming premiere of the second season of the Boone Docuseries, coming soon to the IMCA TV [Read More]

Pike Rules IMCA Modifieds at Bakersfield

By Steven Blakesley BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Mar. 29, 2025) – Pahrump, Nevada’s Jake Pike battled past Bakersfield’s Gavyn Manning over the final three laps to win the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway. 22 IMCA Modifieds took the green flag for the 30-lap feature. Pike started eighth and advanced into the lead past Austin Keifer of Corona on lap 13. Keifer tracked him back down before a caution flew on lap 17. Pike held court on the subsequent restart. 11th-starting Gavyn Manning and 13th-starting B-Main transfer Ricky Childress, Jr. battled for second position. Childress retired from the race on lap 20, however. A caution on lap 27 set up a three-lap shootout between Pike and Manning. Manning drove inside Pike and the pair raced side-by-side through turns three and four. Manning pushed up the track with his front wheels in the air, allowing Pike to drive around the outside to maintain the lead. Pike grabbed the $750 checkered flag, his first this season in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region, [Read More]

Robby Sawyer Kicks Off Bakersfield Speedway With IMCA Modified Triumph

By Steven Blakesley BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Mar. 8, 2025) – Bakersfield’s Robby Sawyer kicked off the new era of dirt track racing at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, using a last lap slidejob to win the 2025 Opening Night Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature. The feature win paid $750 and was the inaugural event of the partnership of the two speedways, racing at the newly redesigned one-third mile dirt track adjacent to Kern Raceway. “We lost our brakes early in the race. I didn’t think I had anything. I was just trying to stay consistent. I don’t think I was the better car,” Sawyer said. “Rob Gallaher – I’ve been driving for him for two years and I had yet to win for him. So to do it at home is huge!” The season is a new partnership between Bakersfield Speedway promoter Scott Schweitzer and Kern Raceway promoter Tim Huddleston, with racing taking place at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway dirt track. A strong crowd filled the new grandstands at the one-third mile dirt track. Sawyer [Read More]

Bakersfield Speedway and Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway team up for 2025 dirt racing season

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (January 25, 2025) – The 80th season of dirt track racing in Bakersfield and Kern County will be an impactful one, as Scott Schweitzer at Bakersfield Speedway along with Tim Huddleston at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway have announced an exciting partnership. Bakersfield Speedway’s 2025 operations will relocate to the one-third mile Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway Dirt Track with a full season of championship dirt track racing. Bakersfield Speedway held 79 years of dirt track racing thrills at its current home on Chester Ave. Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway at Enos Lane and I-5 opened in 2013 while its dirt track began operations in 2015. Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway combines two of California’s signature venues into one racing season. The Kern Raceway dirt track is undergoing a transformation with a reshaping of the exit of turn two into the entrance to turn three. Over 2000 additional seats will be added along with a new VIP Booth, scoring tower, and press box are also planned. Track championships will be awarded in the IMCA Modifieds, [Read More]

McKellar wins battle at Bakersfield

By Ben Deatherage BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Sept. 21, 2024) – In a display of sheer determination, Chris McKellar, starting from the ninth position, clinched a thrilling victory on the last corner of the last lap in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature at Bakersfield Speedway. After a relentless chase throughout the main event, the hometown driver, with unwavering faith in the high side, overtook the race leader to secure his first win of the season. Markus Frazier was the dominant force for much of the race, skillfully fending off occasional challenges and striving to widen the gap from the rest of the pack. The race took a dramatic turn when the final caution was displayed, setting the stage for a thrilling four-lap shootout. As the race neared its end, McKellar maintained a steady pace at the top of the track, while Adam Baker fiercely battled on the bottom for second place. The outcome seemed set until McKellar summoned his last burst of energy for a dramatic overtake for the lead on the final lap. Frazier [Read More]

Morris has prescription for special win at Bakersfield

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Aug. 17, 2024) – Troy Morris III had the right prescription for winning the race dedicated to the memory of The Race Doctor. Morris led 46 of 50 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified circuits Saturday at hometown Bakersfield Speedway, topping the Mike Moshier Classic ahead of Gavyn Manning. The win, Morris’ 10th this season and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying sixth, paid $1,200. Moshier, aka The Race Doctor, was the long-time announcer at Bakersfield and died in 2015 at the age of 69. “This win was special,” said Morris. “I grew up listening to him (Moshier) announce at the track. He called my first win and interviewed me when I was six and racing a mini dwarf.” Morris got to the front early from his inside row three start and built a seven second advantage before the scheduled stoppage at lap 25. Tyler Blankenship found his way to the lead following the restart with Manning challenging in third; issues at the front, however, saw Blankenship drive off to the work area and Morris restart at the [Read More]

Bannister rallies at Bakersfield, completes sweep of IMCA Central California Clash

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (May 7, 2023) – He was the defending tour champion but Tyler Bannister admittedly went into opening night of the IMCA Central California Clash with low expectations. Four wins – the last of them best described as improbable – in as many races later, the Bakersfield driver was a repeat champion in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod portion of the tour. “Our goal had been to show up and turn laps,” said Bannister, forced into father Jason’s 2019 Victory Circle ride after totaling his own mount late last month. “I’d finished second in my only other start in that car but we struggled to do that and there were a lot of things we had to change.” “We ended up having a pretty good week,” he continued, “and to get our first wins of the season in our home state was great.” Getting his fourth win of the week, and first of 2023 at his hometown track was even better. Feature wins at Antioch Speedway, Kings Speedway and Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway … [Read More]

Green flag flies Wednesday for IMCA Central California Clash

ANTIOCH, Calif. (May 1, 2023) – Wednesday night is opening night for the fourth annual IMCA Central California Clash. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds run for $1,000 to win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $750 to win and B & B Racing Chassis All-Star qualifying eligibility, and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods for $750 to win each night of the May 3-7 tour. Following the opening night show at Antioch Speedway are dates Thursday, May 4 at Merced Speedway; Friday, May 5 at Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford; Saturday, May 6 at Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway; and Sunday, May 7 at Bakersfield Speedway. IMCA.TV broadcasts each night of the tour and the top drivers in point standings for each division also become eligible to qualify for their respective race of champions event during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in September. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Shaw Race Cars Western Region and EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region and California State points will be awarded all five [Read More]