modlitesofarkansas Archives

Raffurty Victorious Under the Starrs in Batesville MLA Opener

By Bryce Vowan BATESVILLE, Ark. (Apr. 11, 2026) — Five-time and defending Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lite national champion Dillon Raffurty charged from the fifth starting position to capture the Mod Lites of Arkansas season opener at Batesville Motor Speedway on Saturday night. The Kansas City, Missouri, native arrived late after a seven-hour haul, but Raffurty wasted no time getting up to speed at Mooney Starr’s facility. After limited hot laps, he went on to win his heat race, setting himself up with a fifth-place starting spot for the feature. After battling runner-up Blake Wilson for the top spot, Raffurty took the lead on lap five and never looked back, picking up his fifth feature win of 2026 as he chases a sixth national crown. The victory added to earlier wins during the IMCA TV Winter Nationals in Arizona in January, along with a triumph at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park in his home state of Missouri last month. Blake Wilson rebounded from an earlier incident in the season to finish second, while his father, [Read More]

Bryce Vowan: Delta Dirt Driver Growing Arkansas Mod Lites

By Ben Deatherage WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. (Apr. 13, 2026) — Just across the Mississippi River from Memphis, where freight trucks rumble through one of the busiest corridors in America and the Delta air hangs heavy over rich, dark soil, sits West Memphis, Arkansas—a place shaped by movement, grit, and history. It’s a region where river crossings, rail lines, and highways all converge. Where Saturday nights still belong to dirt tracks carved into gumbo clay. For Bryce Vowan, this isn’t just where the driver of the no. 52 Stealth Racing IMCA Mod Lite lives. It’s who he is. A Region Built on Movement and Music West Memphis sits on the western bank of the Mississippi River, directly across from Memphis, Tennessee—a pairing shaped by geography, commerce, and culture. Long before it became a modern transportation hub, the region was defined by the river itself. In 1541, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto crossed the Mississippi near present-day Crittenden County, encountering one of the most densely populated regions he had seen on his expedition. Centuries later, early settlements like [Read More]

Vowan Earns Third Mod Lites of Arkansas Series Crown

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Dec. 20, 2025) — The Mod Lites of Arkansas presented by Beach Veterinary Service officially wrapped up the 2025 season with its year-end banquet at Corky’s BBQ just days before Christmas. An IMCA Special Series within the Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites division, the Mod Lites of Arkansas completed its fifth sanctioned season, traveling to tracks throughout Arkansas and neighboring states while delivering exciting Speedway Motors IMCA competition. During that tour, Bryce Vowan captured his third IMCA Special Series championship in the past five years. The Marion–West Memphis driver opened the season with a podium finish at the series’ inaugural visit to Batesville Motor Speedway. Over the course of the year, the championship lead exchanged hands between Vowan, J.J. Borden, and Gage Raines before Vowan sealed the title with a strong late-season run. He recorded podium finishes in each of the final four events, including a runner-up result at the season finale at Crawford County Speedway in Van Buren. “There were some setbacks in the middle of the season, including having to [Read More]

Mod Lites of Arkansas Raise Donations for Northeast Arkansas Humane Society

By Rif Clair PARAGOULD, Ark. (Jun. 21, 2025) — The Mod Lites of Arkansas hosted its third annual Racing For The Paws event Saturday night at Crowley’s Ridge Raceway. The event featured both Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite action and a donation drive benefiting the Northeast Arkansas Humane Society, which collected pet supplies and cleaning products. “This event is special to us as we not only get to bring Mod Lite racing to a new audience in a near-capacity setting, but we also get to do something for a great organization that helps displaced animals find their fur-ever home,” said promoter Bryce Vowan. “Our signature trophy for the event, The Paw, has become a very sought-after item for every racer’s trophy case.” Before the start of the racing program, Paul Alban displayed his no. 74a Sidewinder Chassis atop the hill near the entrance, allowing fans and fellow drivers to drop off donations of pet food, cleaning products, and toys. Many spectators, unfamiliar with Mod Lites, had the chance to see the car up close, ask [Read More]

Winning continues for Reid in MLA opener

PLUMERVILLE, Ark. (April 20, 2024) – Jace Reid continued his winning ways Saturday night, as he led from the opening lap en route to the checkers in the first Mod Lites of Arkansas event of 2024 at Two Dollar Pistol Motor Speedway. The Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite victory was the third in as many consecutive starts for Reid, from Nashville, at the Plumerville speed factory. Reid led from the pole and was unchallenged throughout most of the 25-lapper but that didn’t mean the win was not without some drama as his car started to show signs of overheating and smoke emerging in the closing circuits. Son and father Blake and Jeromy Wilson completed the top three with Blake being the evening’s hard charger as he raced from 11th starting to finish in the runner-up position. The Mod Lites of Arkansas return to action April 27 at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis.

Choate adds to IMCA STARS Mod Lite resume with rich Natural State Nationals checkers

PLUMERVILLE, Ark. (Nov. 4, 2023) – Ronnie Choate added to his impressive 2023 Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite resume by winning the Mod Lites of Arkansas Natural State Nationals held Nov. 4 at Central Arkansas Motor Speedway. Choate, from Cookeville, Tenn., made his move to the front with five circuits left in the 30-lapper to win the inaugural special and $3,000. “I was just being patient, waiting for some green flag laps,” Choate said following his seventh win of 2023, a season that also saw him earn IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, Tennessee Mod Lite Racing Association and Kentucky State titles. “Showing up to a new track you have never seen and being fast is a challenge. It makes winning special.” “I feel we accomplished that this weekend,” he continued. “This year has been the best of my racing career and will be very hard to top.” Jaedon McDowell had paced the first from the start and ended in second. “My strategy was to get the lead early and run up [Read More]

Mod Lites of Arkansas checkers to Vowan at Crowley’s Ridge Racing For the Paws event

PARAGOULD, Ark. (June 17, 2023) – Bryce Vowan won the inaugural Mod Lites of Arkansas Racing For The Paws event at Crowley’s Ridge Raceway. Making their first ever visit to Crowley’s Ridge, the MLA kicked off the night’s festivities helping raise much-needed pet food, supplies and kitty litter for the Greene County Animal Farm. Racers and fans donated a truckload of supplies to the shelter, located near the Paragould track. With 28 Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites on hand from Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee, fans got to see the many of the top stars of the division attempt tackle Trent Francis’ Crowley’s Ridge Raceway. The event started off with Bobby Garth winning the Rising Stars Challenge. In the feature, Vowan started fourth and quickly made his way to the point before surrendering the lead to Jeromy Wilson While Vowan was getting back to the front, Mayfield, Ky.’s Cameron Stewart was slowly climbing his way from 12th starting, worked the bottom grove. The stage was set for a green, white, checkered finish that saw Vowan [Read More]

Mod Lites of Arkansas, Crowley’s Ridge Racing For The Paws this Saturday night

PARAGOULD, Ark. (June 14, 2023) – This Saturday night, June 17, the Mod Lites of Arkansas, a Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite series, will be making its series debut at Crowley’s Ridge Raceway for the first annual Racing For The Paws while raising needed pet food and supplies for the Greene County Animal Farm. Already home to the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, this will mark the second time in the speed plant’s 30-plus year history that another IMCA sanctioned division will participate at the historic race track operated by the Francis family for generations. “We are really excited to welcome new racers and fans to our community. Our racing family loves to support local non-profit organizations and the Greene County Animal Farm holds a special place in many of our fans hearts. We can’t wait to see the show the Mod Lites of Arkansas put on Saturday!” said Paige Francis-Hill with the raceway. The Greene County Animal Farm is a non-profit, no-kill, animal shelter that is home to all walks of animals, big and small. They [Read More]

MLA starts 2023 season with new home

PLUMERVILLE, Ark. (March 27) – 2023 for the Mod Lites of Arkansas will start new faces, new places, and a new home track. With the closure of I-30 Speedway, Central Arkansas Motor Speedway in Plumerville becomes the official home for the IMCA series for the 2023 season. “We’re very excited for 2023. We have some new racers, new cars, new sponsors, new tracks to visit for the first time in addition to our long time favorites. But most importantly, we’re happy to call CAMS home for the MLA in 2023,” said President and Promoter Bryce Vowan. By switching to Saturday nights in order to give central Arkansas racers and fans a close to home option, CAMS is expecting a great field of Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites in addition to Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Central Arkansas Motor Speedway has several special paying events for each class including the Johnny Wise Memorial that pays tribute to the late track owner and the Leon Cloninger Memorial as the season finale. President [Read More]

Mod Lites of Arkansas, North Texas head to Louisiana for Caddo Parish Shakedown

VIVIAN, La. (Feb. 7, 2023) – The Mod Lites of Arkansas and North Texas Mod Lites come together for a two-day event at Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, La., Feb. 24-25. The Caddo Parish Shakedown marks the first time two IMCA STARS Mod Lite series have co-sanctioned an event. The Friday winner earns $500 while Saturday’s winner takes home $1,000. Drivers from Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Tennessee and Iowa, among others, are expected to compete and will receive IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Mod Lites of Arkansas and North Texas Mod Lite series, and state points. “I’ve just started as the promoter of the North Texas Mod Lites and am looking forward to working with the Mod Lites of Arkansas and helping build this division,” said John Thiel Jr. “My focus is to build relationships and have fun in the process.” Mod Lites of Arkansas promoter Bryce Vowan noted the Caddo Parish Shakedown marked the first appearance for STARS Mod Lites at Vivian, now promoted by Kevin Rogers. “We have enjoyed working with other series in [Read More]