heartotexasspeedway Archives

Pirkle Powers to First STIMS Win in Dominant Performance at HOT

By Nick Robbins WACO, Texas (Apr. 10, 2026) — The Southern Touring IMCA Modified Series presented by On Demand Shirts roared into the historic Heart O’ Texas Speedway for its first appearance of the 2026 season. A strong field of 30 Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds signed in for action, pushing the winner’s share to $1,500 for the 20-lap main event. Series regulars from South Texas were eager to show what they could do against some of the best local racers from the northern half of the Lone Star State. DIY Equipment Sales and Rental Heat One went to Salado, Texas racer G.W. Egbert, who crossed the line four seconds ahead of the nearest transfer. Sundowner Performance Diesel Heat Two was a bit closer, with Wyatt Bruce of Montgomery, Texas taking the win over current point leader Jared Maupin. 3-D Landscaping and Irrigation Heat Three went to the no. 6R of Jacob Pirkle from Midlothian. Heat Four was won by 2025 STIMS champion Logan Dinsmore. Steven Whiteaker Jr. claimed the B-Main, leading the top eight transfers to [Read More]

All-Star Shootout Returns for 2026 With Increased Payouts and All-Star Qualifiers Each Night

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Apr. 2, 2026) — Bigger paydays and a full slate of All-Star qualifying opportunities headline the return of the All-Star Shootout, which brings four consecutive nights of racing across Oklahoma and Texas from May 21 through May 24. Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, and Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMods will again anchor the tour, with increased payouts across all three divisions. Modifieds will race for $1,250 to win and $125 to start each night, while Stock Cars and Southern SportMods will compete for $1,000 to win and $100 to start. All four nights of the tour will serve as Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational and B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational qualifiers, giving drivers multiple opportunities to add their names to the eligibility lists ahead of the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in September. The 2026 tour opens Thursday, May 21 at Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore, followed by Friday, May 22 at Grayson County Speedway in Bells. The series then heads to [Read More]

Baby Blue Harcrow Memorial Returns April 24 with $3,000-to-Win Stock Car Showdown at HOT

By Ben Deatherage WACO, Texas (Mar. 25, 2026) — A cherished Central Texas tradition returns in a big way as the 7th Annual Baby Blue Harcrow Memorial roars back to life on April 24 at Heart O’ Texas Speedway, bringing with it one of the richest Sunoco IMCA Stock Car paydays in the Lone Star State. The special event comes during a milestone season for the Waco oval, which celebrates 60 years of racing in 2026, and once again honors the life and legacy of “Baby Blue” Harcrow. A $3,000 payday awaits the winner of the 25-car, $300-to-start feature, with additional bonuses including a $315 Brazos Roofing Hard Luck Award in tribute to Baby Blue’s iconic numbers 3 and 15, a $250 Hard Charger award, and a Fastest Lap bonus. The Baby Blue Harcrow Memorial will also serve as a qualifier for the B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational, to be held during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in September. More than just a race, the event carries deep personal meaning [Read More]

Estes Pounces Late to Capture Gene Adamcik Memorial Win at HOT

By Ben Deatherage WACO, Texas (Mar. 20, 2026) — Claud Estes III capitalized on a late-race opportunity to score an emotional victory in the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car feature at the 10th annual Gene Adamcik Memorial at Heart O’ Texas Speedway. Louisianan Thomas Johnson, the reigning 105 Motor Speedway track champion, jumped to the lead at the drop of the green and held off an early charge from Estes. The Mannsville driver briefly took command on lap three, only for Johnson to edge back ahead at the stripe and begin building a solid advantage. Johnson encountered lapped traffic on lap eight, but continued to maintain control until a critical moment on lap 11. After hopping over the cushion in turn four, Johnson lost momentum, allowing Estes to pounce and reclaim the lead. From there, the 2024 track champion pulled away and never looked back, scoring his first win of the season. Daniel Estes Jr. finished second, while Landon Valenzuela came home third. Mark Zoeller earned hard charger honors with a fourth-place finish, and Johnson recovered to [Read More]

Heart O’ Texas Speedway Joins IMCA TV Broadcast Lineup in 2026

By Ben Deatherage WACO, Texas (Mar. 2, 2026) — Heart O’ Texas Speedway is headed to IMCA TV, joining a growing catalog of tracks that showcase weekly competition and marquee events from the Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing program. The 1/4-mile Waco oval will now stream its IMCA-sanctioned action to fans across the country, bringing the intensity of its weekly battles to a broader audience. The 2026 season opens March 6 with the Jack Bagby Memorial and concludes with championship night on August 28. A total of 27 nights of weekly racing are scheduled throughout the campaign. Heart O’ Texas Speedway sanctions weekly competition for the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, and Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMods — three divisions with deep roots at the facility. IMCA Modified competition at Heart O’ Texas dates back to 1995, when Paul White earned the first championship. Over the years, the division has featured several multi-time track champions, led by Keith White, who captured six championships between 2009 and 2015. Kevin Green has also been [Read More]

Gregory, Gould, Bransom Crowned 2025 All Star Shootout Champions

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 28, 2025) — Garrett Gregory, William Gould and Jerrett Bransom each topped their respective divisions in the 2025 edition of the All Star Shootout, earning hard-fought championships in one of the most anticipated IMCA tours of the year. For Gregory, from Plantersville, Texas, the title marked his first career All Star Shootout championship in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. He started the week with a sixth-place showing at Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore and backed that up with a solid fifth-place effort at Grayson County Speedway. The breakthrough came on night three when Gregory charged to victory at Heart O’ Texas Speedway, and he wrapped up the week with a sixth-place finish at Kennedale Speedway Park to secure the championship. Garrett Gregory of Plantersville, Texas, celebrates his first career All Star Shootout championship in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds after a strong and consistent week across four tracks. (Photo by Southern Sass Photography) Drake Findley, making the haul from Bryant, Ark., put together a consistent string of performances to earn [Read More]

All-Star Shootout Returns with Bigger Payouts, New Promoter for 2025

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 16, 2025) — Bigger paydays and a fresh face at the helm highlight the 5th Annual All-Star Shootout, which returns May 21–24 with four consecutive nights of racing across Texas and Oklahoma. The tour kicks off Wednesday, May 21 at Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore, followed by Grayson County Speedway on Thursday, Heart O’ Texas Speedway on Friday, and Kennedale Speedway Park on Saturday. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, and Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMods will headline the card each night, with boosted payouts across the board. Modifieds will race for $1,250 to win each night, Stock Cars for $1,000 to win, and SportMods for $750 to win. Markiss Harcrow steps into his new role as promoter of the Shootout and is eager to build on the momentum of the series. “For anyone taking over a promotion, it’s an exciting venture—and this is no different,” said Harcrow. “This tour has some history behind it that we hope to continue and grow.” Harcrow leads the way in [Read More]

Egbert Fends Off Late Challenges to Capture $3,015 Baby Blue Harcrow Memorial at HOT

By Ben Deatherage ELM MOTT, Texas (May 9, 2025) — P.J. Egbert’s first Baby Blue Harcrow Memorial win at Heart O’ Texas Speedway didn’t come easy, but the 2008 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified National champion rose to the occasion in the $3,015-to-win 30-lap Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature. Matt Guillaume, a three-time EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region titleholder, dominated the early laps after starting from the pole, while Egbert moved into second on lap 7 after slipping past reigning track champion Paul White. Guillaume built a comfortable lead but hit traffic shortly after, giving Egbert a chance to close in. A series of mid-race cautions bunched the field, and on lap 20, Egbert muscled past Guillaume to lead on the backstretch. Reigning Baby Blue winner Cody Smith surged into second, with two-time defending Baby Blue winner Jeffrey Abbey rocketing to third after Guillaume drifted high. Abbey, the 2016 Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMod National champion, moved into the runner-up spot and stalked Egbert over the final five laps but couldn’t mount a successful challenge. Egbert, [Read More]

Inaugural RaceSaver Speedweek Set for May 21-25 Across Arkansas and Texas

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 7, 2025) — For the first time ever, RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars will headline a five-night, five-track Speedweek spanning Arkansas and Texas from May 21 through May 25. The tour opens on Wednesday, May 21 at 67 Speedway in Texarkana, followed by Rocket Raceway Park in Petty on Thursday, Hunt County Raceway in Greenville on Friday, RPM Speedway in Crandall on Saturday, and concludes at Heart O’ Texas Speedway in Elm Mott on Sunday. Each night, Sprint Car drivers will race for $1,500 to win and $250 to start, with a championship point fund paying the top ten finishers. The Speedweek champion will collect $2,000, with $1,400 awarded to the runner-up and $1,250 for third. Fourth through tenth will receive payouts ranging from $1,150 to $500. “This is an awesome opportunity for all these great Sprint Car drivers to get a lot of racing at a lot of different race tracks,” said promoter Nathan Moore. “I’m really excited to see this happen for this area.” Teams can pre-register via My [Read More]

Breakthrough Win for Moss in Wild Stock Car Main at HOT

By Ben Deatherage ELM MOTT, Texas (Apr. 11, 2025) – Waxahachie’s Dylan Moss raced to his first career Sunoco IMCA Stock Car victory Friday night at Heart O’ Texas Speedway in EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region competition at the 1/4-mile oval. Five-time Heart O’ Texas titleholder Jason Batt jumped to the lead at the start of the 20-lap main event and appeared poised to pick up another win. Moss kept Batt within striking distance, stalking the leader for several laps while defending HOT champion Paul White fended off challenges from 2022 track titlist Dustin Mooney and three-time EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region kingpin Westin Abbey. Batt encountered heavy traffic with six laps remaining, and on lap 15, was collected by a lapped car, bringing out a caution and ending his tenure at the front. That handed the lead to Moss, who capitalized on the opportunity with a flawless restart. White claimed second, and Mooney secured third after a hard-fought battle with Abbey. Geurin Tames SportMod Field Two-time and reigning Heart O’ Texas track champion Brandon [Read More]