carolinaspeedway Archives

Leoffler Wins Wild Carolina Sprint Tour Season Opener

By Evan McCrory GASTONIA, N.C. (Mar. 6, 2026) — It was a beautiful early March evening in North Carolina and a perfect time to kick off the 2026 season for the Carolina Sprint Tour presented by GSR Chassis at Carolina Speedway. A strong field of 20 RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars signed in for the event, featuring former series champions, past winners, regular contenders still searching for their first victory, and three rookies eager to make their mark on the series. When the green flag waved in the feature, Jeff Oliver immediately jumped to the lead heading into turn one and began setting the pace for the field. Just one lap into the race, Matthew Wall pulled into the pits with fueling issues. The race’s biggest moment came on lap eight. While navigating around the slower car of Patrick Bateman, Oliver was also trying to hold off the hard-charging Connor Leoffler. Contact occurred when Oliver rode over Bateman’s left rear tire, sending the leader into a frightening end-over-end flip down the front straightaway. Oliver’s car came to [Read More]

Jadan Bowling Captures Victory in the Proctor Family Memorial at Carolina Speedway

By Evan McCrory GASTONIA, S.C. (Sept. 6, 2025) — The Carolina Sprint Tour presented by GSR Chassis honored the lives of Theresa and Raymond Jr. with the Proctor Family Memorial at Carolina Speedway on Saturday night. 22 RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars filled the pit area on a warm late-summer evening, setting the stage for one of the most memorable events in tour history. When the green flag waved on the 25-lap feature, Nick Tucker led the field to the start, but an early caution for Biscuit Williams slowed the action. On the second attempt, Jake McLain surged to the front before surrendering the lead to Jadan Bowling on lap six. Moments later, McLain spun, bringing out another yellow. From there, the Holden Beach, North Carolina, pilot never looked back. Despite two red flags—one for Andy Stegall’s frontstretch flip on lap 14 and another for Josh Shantz’s crash in turn three—Bowling controlled the rest of the race and powered to his sixth career Carolina Sprint Tour victory. Tucker and George Loux completed the podium in second and [Read More]

Loux Awarded First Win of the Season

By Evan McCrory GASTONIA, N.C. (Jun. 6, 2025)— On a stunning late-spring evening in Gastonia, 18 of the Southeast’s top RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car drivers rolled into Carolina Speedway for another intense round of the Carolina Sprint Tour presented by GSR Chassis. With warm weather and a packed crowd, the Friday night showdown offered thrilling racing, heated competition, and a dramatic post-race twist. Following a redraw, George Loux, the current series and points leader, lined up on the front row alongside C.J. Miller to chase a $1,000 top prize. Loux took the early lead, but by lap six, Jadan Bowling, aboard the Brian Kemenah Racing-owned no. 01, surged to the front just before a caution flew for Robert Tyler, who slowed with mechanical trouble on the backstretch. Bowling maintained command on the restart and crossed the finish line first, appearing to take his first win of the 2025 season. However, the victory was short-lived. In a surprise post-race development, Bowling failed to report to post-race technical inspection as mandated by race director Andy Stapp during the [Read More]

Nick Tucker Conquers Chaos at Carolina Speedway

By Evan McCrory GASTONIA, N.C. (May 16, 2025) — The Carolina Sprint Tour presented by GSR Chassis brought high horsepower and heart-pounding action to the red clay of Carolina Speedway on Friday night. With temperatures hovering at a warm 86 degrees, the atmosphere was electric, and the fans were treated to a wild night of sprint car racing that saw Nick Tucker of Spanaway, Washington, take the win in dramatic fashion. After the redraw, Jeff Oliver started from the pole position alongside Josh Shantz. The initial green flag didn’t last long, as Gareth Palmer spun in turn one, prompting a complete restart. On the second attempt, Oliver jumped out to an early lead while fending off pressure from Shantz. Things quickly escalated on lap five when Ben McCall struck debris on the front stretch and was hit from behind by Jason Gulledge, who flipped into turn one. The red flag flew, but thankfully both drivers were okay. After the restart, Oliver again set the pace with a pack of challengers forming behind him. On lap nine, [Read More]

Feature

Whiteaker Scores STIMS Season Opener Victory at Texana Raceway Park

By Tim Robbins EDNA, Texas (Mar. 13, 2026) — The Southern Touring IMCA Modified Series presented by On Demand Shirts opened its 2026 campaign at Texana Raceway Park. A strong field of 23 Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds were on hand for the $1,000-to-win 20-lap main event. Twenty-one of the 23 cars made the call for the 20-lap main event and gave the crowd a great four-wide salute, complete with fireworks. Once the green dropped, Robstown driver Steven Whiteaker Jr. jumped out front from the outside of the first row with Rob Slott in tow. The field would run 15 green-flag laps before seeing its first yellow. That stretch allowed Jared Maupin and Johnny Torres to work toward the front in their pursuit of the Whiteaker machine. The caution flew two more times, but ultimately Whiteaker came out on top to score his second win of the season in the GRT Race Cars South Central Region, but his first in STIMS competition. The race was a qualifier for the Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational to be run [Read More]

Feature

Sobbing Surges Late to Capture Spring Nationals Stock Car Opener at Beatrice

By Ben Deatherage BEATRICE, Neb. (Mar. 13, 2026) — Jesse Sobbing powered to victory in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature on opening night of the 33rd annual Spring Nationals at Beatrice Speedway, earning a spot on the eligibility list for the B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational to be held during the 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The Malvern, Iowa driver and reigning Super Nationals Sunoco IMCA Late Model winner grabbed the lead on the opening lap of the 20-lap, $1,000-to-win main event, but immediately had his hands full with Damon Murty. The 2005 National Stock Car champion and six-time Iowa State titlist repeatedly worked the bottom of the track trying to unseat Sobbing while 2019 National champion Jordan Grabouski soon entered the battle. Grabouski powered into second on lap seven as Sobbing stretched his advantage until a lap nine caution erased the gap. On the restart, Grabouski seized the lead on lap 10 and briefly appeared in command before another pair of cautions slowed the pace. Grabouski mastered the [Read More]

Feature

Michigan IMCA Stock Car Scene Expands with Crystal and Mt. Pleasant in 2026

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Mar. 13, 2026) — Two Michigan race tracks will host Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars on a regular basis during the 2026 season, creating additional opportunities for drivers in the Great Lakes region. Crystal Motor Speedway and Mt. Pleasant Speedway will both sanction the division this year, with track, Michigan State, EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region and national IMCA points awarded at both facilities. Crystal Motor Speedway first hosted IMCA Stock Cars during the 2024 Great Lakes Nationals and will expand the division significantly in 2026. Approximately 20 nights for the class are currently scheduled, beginning with the season opener on April 11. Promoter Brian Le Baron believes the division will be a great fit for the speedway moving forward. “I love the class and the racing is great,” Le Baron said. “Our local Stock Car class had gotten to the point where the motors were getting out of hand and expensive. IMCA has a great package to keep everything under control.” “We’re going to run them quite a few times this [Read More]