centralarizonaraceway Archives

Earven Triumphs in Wild Modified Feature at Casa Grande

By Rowdy Briggs CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Apr. 18, 2026) — Gerry Glenn got the jump at the start of the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature at Central Arizona Raceway before a chaotic opening lap brought out a restart. Chad Ayers got loose in turn two, sending Jett Ayers up the track to avoid him. Jett’s move forced Terry Belcher Jr. into the wall, and in turn three, contact between Luke Silber and Ethan Stevens collected Bryan Gray, Todd Izzo, and Bill Slocum. On the restart, Glenn again jumped to the lead, but it was short-lived as Don Earven worked his way to the front. Earven settled in out front and held off Justin Erickson over the closing laps to secure the victory. Chad Ayers finished third, followed by Jesse Tellez and Sean Conyers to complete the top five. Silber had raced his way back into contention and up to third at one point before pulling in with two laps remaining. It was Earven’s first win in the DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region since 2024, when his [Read More]

Whitfield Scores Emotional First SportMod Win at CAR

By Rowdy Briggs CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Apr. 17, 2026) — Racing with a heavy heart, Braydon Whitfield captured his first career Speedway Motors IMCA-sanctioned Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod feature at Central Arizona Raceway on Friday night. Whitfield was racing in honor of his grandfather, Roy Tipton—known to him as “Papa Roy”—who passed away on Sunday, April 12. Rex Hasley and Jerry Elliott led the SportMod field to the green flag for their 20-lap feature. Hasley led lap one, but Whitfield scooted by on lap two. Whitfield set sail on the field and built a lead of over a second before a caution with two laps to go bunched the field. A very emotional Whitfield held off Ty Weidner, Bubba Stafford Jr., James Meile, and Hasley to secure the win. Speedy Madrid and Dennis Losing were on the pole for the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature. Madrid led lap one but wasn’t able to hold off Mitchell Ferguson. Ferguson took command on lap two and cruised to the win by more than six seconds for his [Read More]

Silber Sweeps Weekend at CAR in Modifieds, Extending Streak to Four

By Rowdy Briggs CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Apr. 4, 2026) — Marvin Mueller and Lukas Tellez set the tone early in Saturday’s Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature, swapping the lead through the first 13 laps in a strong battle up front. Luke Silber then worked his way into contention and took over the top spot. Once out front, he pulled away to score his fourth straight win at Central Arizona Raceway and in the DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region. Justin Erickson finished second, followed by John Parmeley, Tellez, and Mueller. Jesse Patterson led early in Friday’s feature with Austin Kuehl and Silber locked in a thrilling three-wide fight for the lead at times. The battle intensified in lapped traffic before contact sent Patterson into the wall, collecting Kuehl. When things sorted out, Silber inherited the lead and went on to the victory. Kuehl rallied back through the field for second ahead of Terry Belcher Jr., Mark Carrell, and Montana snowbird C.R. Eisenzimer. Madrid Masters Saturday, Peterson Charges Friday in Hobby Stocks The feature got off to a [Read More]

Bitting Charges from Rear to Win Saturday Hobby Stock Show at Central Arizona

By Rowdy Briggs CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Mar. 14, 2026) — A strong field of 24 Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks answered the call for the $1000 to win feature at Central Arizona. Matt Rice and Joel Magee led the field to green, with Magee taking the early lead. Steve Bitting Jr. spun on lap two and was sent to the rear but mounted an impressive comeback. Up front, Magee and Anthony Madrid battled, for the lead until lap 18, when Bitting charged past both drivers to take over the top spot. Bitting went on to score the win over Magee, Madrid, Charles McDaniel Sr., and Hannah Miller. He stated in his post-race interview that he lost brakes early but kept his car on the bottom and worked his way through the field. Ty Warner and Steve Bitting Jr. led the 18-car field to the green for Friday’s 20-lap feature. Bitting led the opening six laps before Anthony Madrid took over in the Rick Thornton Sr. machine. Madrid pulled away while Bitting battled Joel Magee for second. Madrid [Read More]

Martini and Winemiller Split Casa Grande SportMod Weekend

By Rowdy Briggs CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 22, 2026) — Avon, Minnesota’s Mark Martini captured the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod feature on Sunday night at Central Arizona Raceway, scoring his second victory of the season — both coming at the Casa Grande 3/8-mile oval. Martini seized the early lead and established control of the main event before chaos erupted on lap two. Joseph Patterson, running second at the time, spun in turn one, triggering a multi-car pileup that collected several contenders including Eric Winemiller, pole sitter Austin Wiseman, Scott Francoeur, Ty Weidner, and others. Following the restart, Bubba Stafford mounted the strongest challenge to Martini. A late debris caution with five laps remaining set up a decisive run to the finish. Martini hugged the bottom groove while Stafford threw everything he had at the top side, but Martini maintained his advantage to secure the win. Stafford finished second, followed by Tyler Johnson, Anthony Madrid, and Winemiller, who rebounded from the earlier incident to complete the top five. Tyke Miles delivered an impressive hard charger performance, [Read More]

Hinsley Hustles From Sixth to Score Dominant Mod Lite Victory at Central Arizona

By Rowdy Briggs CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 7, 2026) — Queen Creek’s Shane Hinsley turned in a commanding performance in the Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lite feature at Central Arizona Raceway, leading every lap en route to a runaway victory — his first of the year. Starting sixth, Hinsley charged to the front on the opening start and immediately established control of the main event. The race ran caution-free, allowing the leader to build momentum and rhythm as the laps clicked off. With clean air ahead, Hinsley steadily distanced himself from the competition, ultimately crossing the finish line nearly 12 seconds ahead of the field in a flag-to-flag triumph. While the win was never in doubt, the battle for second kept fans engaged. Kobe Lomasney and John Foster waged a spirited duel throughout much of the feature before Lomasney secured the runner-up position late in the race. Foster completed the podium in third, Brandi Bender recorded a solid fourth-place finish, and Chris Lomasney rounded out the top five. The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV. [Read More]

First-Time Champions Sweep Winter Nationals Titles at Casa Grande

By Ben Deatherage CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 4, 2026) — More than 300 drivers representing five Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing divisions converged on Central Arizona Raceway for the 2026 DeVilbiss Racing Chassis IMCA TV Winter Nationals, competing across eight nights of racing at the 3/8-mile clay oval. Racers from over 20 states and multiple Canadian provinces made the journey to Casa Grande, highlighting the national and international reach of the Winter Nationals as first-time champions emerged across every division. A total of 112 competitors contested Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified action. Dylan Thornton of Belle Plaine, Iowa, secured the Winter Nationals Modified championship after winning the opening three rounds and adding a fourth victory in round six. The Santa Maria, California, native claimed the title by a 20-point margin, recording four feature wins, six top-five finishes, and seven top-10s, while bringing his career Winter Nationals Modified win total to six. Brandon Beckendorf finished second in the final point standings. The Danube, Minnesota, racer and 2018 Razor Chassis North Central Region champion earned his first Winter Nationals [Read More]

Beckendorf Wins Thriller, Thornton Claims Overall Title in IMCA Modifieds

By Ben Deatherage CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Jan. 31, 2026) — Brandon Beckendorf captured a dramatic victory in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature during the eighth and final night of the DeVilbiss Racing Chassis IMCA TV Winter Nationals powered by Pitt Stop Motorsports and Dynamic Drivelines at Central Arizona Raceway, edging out defending Winter Nationals champion Ethan Braaksma in a late race finish. Braaksma jumped to the early lead in the Trent Guest and Danny Meier-owned no. 111 and set the pace through early cautions. Beckendorf, the 2018 Razor Chassis North Central Region champion, stayed within striking distance and began closing in just past the halfway point as lapped traffic came into play. A late-race duel unfolded when Beckendorf made his move under Braaksma on lap 23. The pair raced side-by-side to the white flag before Beckendorf surged ahead exiting turn two and held on for the victory. The Danube, Minnesota, driver earned his first career Winter Nationals series win and his first victory of the 2026 season in the DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region after [Read More]

Baca Charges Late to Capture Night Seven Modified Thriller at IMCA TV Winter Nationals

By Ben Deatherage CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Jan. 30, 2026) — A dramatic late-race surge lifted Chaz Baca Jr. to victory in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature during the seventh night of the DeVilbiss Racing Chassis IMCA TV Winter Nationals powered by Pitt Stop Motorsports and Dynamic Drivelines at Central Arizona Raceway. Three-division Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s winner Dylan Thornton jumped to the lead on the opening lap after overtaking two-time Sweetwater Speedway champ Bryson Yeager. Pressure mounted immediately as Baca moved into second on lap two and began challenging Thornton following an early caution. The two raced side-by-side for several circuits before Baca edged ahead at the stripe on lap six. Brandon Beckendorf soon entered the battle, working past Thornton and setting his sights on the leader as the race settled into a long green-flag stretch. Beckendorf, the 2018 Razor Chassis North Central Region champion, seized the lead on the backstretch on lap 17 and started to pull away. The closing laps delivered a stunning reversal. Baca, the two-time IMCA Modified [Read More]

Thornton Rallies Late for Fourth Modified Victory at ’26 IMCA TV Winter Nationals

By Ben Deatherage CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Jan. 29, 2026) — Belle Plaine, Iowa’s Dylan Thornton added another chapter to his dominant Winter Nationals run with a hard-fought victory in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature during the sixth night of the DeVilbiss Racing Chassis IMCA TV Winter Nationals powered by Pitt Stop Motorsports and Dynamic Drivelines at Central Arizona Raceway. The former Santa Maria, California, resident earned his fourth win of the 2026 event, his fourth victory of the year in the DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region, and his sixth career Winter Nationals Modified triumph. Thornton, a three-division winner at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, jumped to the early lead from the bottom groove before 2018 Razor Chassis North Central Region champion Brandon Beckendorf began applying pressure. Beckendorf took control on lap five and briefly stretched the advantage as the leaders navigated lapped traffic. A caution on lap 18 reset the field, and Thornton went to work on the outside, pulling alongside Beckendorf and completing the winning pass on lap 22. Beckendorf [Read More]