MohaveValleyRaceway Archives

Childress Cashes In With Mohave Valley Modified Win

By Ben Deatherage BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (Apr. 19, 2025) — Ricky Childress Jr. bolted to the front on the opening stanza of the 25-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at Mohave Valley Raceway and never looked back. Wheeling the Pike Racing No. 16, the 2016 Bakersfield Speedway champion masterfully navigated the 3/8-mile oval, fending off Dann Perry III through a flurry of early restarts. Once the race settled into rhythm, Childress built a strong lead until pressure mounted from teammate Jake Pike, who took over second on lap 13. Pike narrowed the gap in lapped traffic, but a late yellow set up a green-white-checkered finish. Pike pulled into the pit area under caution, and Childress powered to the $1,750 victory—his first in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region this season. Adam Hommerding and Noah Geer rounded out the podium. Morris Motors to First SportMod Victory of 2025 In the 20-lap Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod feature, Nick Coffman paced the opening laps before facing a challenge from Jake Snowden and eventual winner Hudson Morris. Morris, a [Read More]

Gavyn Manning: Flipped It, Fixed It, Finished First

By Ben Deatherage BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Apr. 4, 2025) — On March 22nd this year, Bakersfield native Gavyn Manning embarked on what would become one of the most unforgettable nights of his young career. Competing at the Bill and Shirley Meyer Memorial at Mohave Valley Raceway in Bullhead City, Arizona, Manning flipped his car during hot laps—a chaotic beginning to what would soon become a rare and remarkable comeback story. “I was going to try and go to the top of the board in hot laps, but I didn’t realize how greasy the track was,” Manning explained. “I hit some grease going into turn three and blew off the top and rolled and ended on top of the tractor tires. More than anything, it was sheet metal damage, but it really bent the J-bar. We beat out the roof, the sail panels, and the deck and had to scramble and find a new J-bar, and made it just in time for the heat race.” What followed was the kind of story race fans live for. With adrenaline [Read More]

Manning Flips, Then Flies to Victory in Bill & Shirley Memorial at Mohave Valley

By Ben Deatherage BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (Mar. 22, 2025) — It was a wild night for Gavyn Manning at Mohave Valley Raceway, as the Bakersfield, California driver went from flipping early in the night during hot laps to standing in victory lane after winning the $2,000-to-win 5th Annual Bill & Shirley Memorial. Manning capitalized on a strong restart to take control of the race and never looked back in the 25-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature. The 3/8-mile oval hosted 29 competitors from across the Shaw Race Cars Western Region, setting the stage for an action-packed night. Adam Marx led the field early, but it was Dalton Houghton who stormed from fourth to the front on the opening lap. The two-time Mohave Valley Raceway champion set a solid pace until mechanical issues surfaced. Smoke began pouring from his machine, and a left rear tire failure ultimately ended his night and brought out the caution flag. That handed the lead to Noah Geer, but during the restart, eighth-starting Manning made a bold move to the front and [Read More]

Payce Herrera Wins at Mohave Valley; Miles Morris Scores Friday Victory

By Ben DeatherageBULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (Mar. 1, 2025) — The Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods ran a doubleheader weekend at Mohave Valley Raceway, with Payce Herrera claiming victory in Saturday’s 25-lap feature. The race began with Kohlzin Park setting the early pace before spinning in turn four on lap nine, handing the lead to Jake Snowden, who was battling Jerry Walton before the stoppage. The fight continued on the restart, leading to contact between the two entering turn one. Walton was able to continue and inherited the lead. Walton survived multiple restarts, including a one-lap dash to the finish, and crossed the line first. However, a post-race review of the earlier incident altered the final results, awarding the win to Herrera, the reigning Junior National champion and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock National Rookie of the Year. The 16-year-old from Price, Utah, started 10th and overcame an early race incident to secure his second victory of 2025. Arizona’s Jimmy Davy finished second, with California’s Brandon James rounding out the podium. Rafael Flores and Braxton James battled early [Read More]

Houghton Dominates IMCA Modified Opener at Mohave Valley

By Ben Deatherage BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (Feb. 8, 2025) — Dalton Houghton kicked off his 2025 season in dominant fashion, scoring a commanding victory in the IMCA Modified main event at Mohave Valley Raceway. The Rosamond, California driver wasted no time getting to the front and held strong despite multiple restarts and lapped traffic to claim the season-opening win at the 3/8-mile clay oval. The event attracted an impressive 35 entries from across the Western Region. At the drop of the green flag, Dann Perry III led the field into the first set of corners, but Houghton powered around the high side to take command. A 15-lap green flag run introduced lapped traffic into the mix, but Houghton navigated through the congestion with ease while maintaining his advantage. A series of cautions late in the race reset the field, but the 20-year-old ace handled each restart flawlessly, pulling away from the competition to secure the win in his 2025 debut. Jonathon Mawhinney charged through the field to finish second, while local standout Noah Geer rounded out [Read More]

Mohave Valley checkers fly for Pike

By Ben Deatherage BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (Sept. 28, 2024) – Jake Pike took control of the race lead in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified division within the first 10 laps and would conquer the Saturday feature at Mohave Valley Raceway. When the green flag unleashed the field, Wyatt Maxwell emerged ahead in the fierce battle for the lead on the opening lap. A caution nullified his advantage over second place. As the restart reignited the competition, Noah Geer, fueled by determination, surged forward to challenge the leader. Geer successfully obtained the top position on lap three and began to take off from the rest of the pack. As the green flag run developed, Pike moved into third and tried to run down the runner-up, Eric Hamilton. The second caution of the race was a pivotal moment. Pike, demonstrating his skill, applied immense pressure on Geer for the lead. Navigating turns three and four with precision, Pike executed a brilliant maneuver to overtake Geer and claim the lead. Once in the lead, the young racer from [Read More]

Morris makes incredible last lap move to win at Mohave Valley

By Ben Deatherage BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (Sept. 14, 2024) – Fans in the stands at the Mohave Valley Raceway were brought to their feet as Troy Morris III pulled off an incredible last-corner pass after exchanging the top spot twice on the white flag lap in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature. The Bakersfield, California driver came from 13th to score his second win of the season at the 3/8-mile oval this year and the 11th time he’s bested the field in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region in 2024. Noah Geer led most of the main event. Seizing the lead from the start, the local driver sprinted to a healthy advantage on the initial green flag run of 16 laps. With two restarts to deal with, Geer was consistently fast on the top side of the track when the field had to get back up to speed. When the green banner came out for the final time, reigning national champion Chaz Baca moved into third and Morris, who had gotten into second a few [Read More]

Hibdon makes it three straight at Mohave Valley

MOHAVE VALLEY, Ariz. (March 2, 2024) – There’s just something about Mohave Valley Raceway that suits Kollin Hibdon’s racing style. He’s just not sure what. Hibdon won for the third time in as many Mohave Valley starts this season, topping Saturday’s $2,000 to win Bill and Shirley Meyer Showdown feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. “I don’t know why we’ve been so good here,” he admitted afterwards. “I’ve probably only raced at Mohave Valley a couple times before and I think I finished second both times. Now I’ve won three in a row.” Those first two wins came on back-to-back nights, in Arizona IMCA Tour shows Feb. 16 and 17. Win number six on the young season came at the end of a caution-slowed 25-lapper and ahead of 10th starting Troy Morris III. “I saw Troy try to poke his nose in a couple times,” said Hibdon, “but we didn’t run in a lot of lapped traffic and I was able to pull away a little.” Brady Gladd, 11th starting Donald Houghton and Cameron Williams ran 3-4-5. [Read More]

Morris, Hogge, haul to first wins of season at Mohave Valley IMCA Meyer Showdown

BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (Feb. 17-18, 2023) – Two of the California drivers who made long tows to Mohave Valley Raceway loaded up with early-season, shot-in-the-arm type Friesen Performance IMCA Modified wins at the end of the Bill and Shirley Meyer Showdown weekend. Bakersfield’s Troy Morris III won the Friday feature and $1,000 while Salinas veteran Bobby Hogge collected Saturday’s $1,500 checkers. Their wins were the first of the season for both drivers and came in Morris’ 11th start and Hogge’s sixth outing of 2023. Morris had made a single prior visit to Bullhead City, finishing second on a weekly show last spring. Wheeling the Victory ride his father drove in 2022, he got the best of Cody Laney in the battle for second, then reeled in leader Timothy Allerdings. “I was able to set the pace from there and won by three and a half seconds,” said Morris, who took the checkers running in lapped traffic. “It was definitely rewarding to be able to go down there and win. It reassured me that I was still [Read More]

IMCA Modified sweep for Dotson at Mohave Valley’s Showdown special

BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (Feb. 4-5) – Ethan Dotson won the IMCA Modified feature at $1,250 on opening night of Mohave Valley Raceway’s Bill & Shirley Meyer Showdown. He doubled that payout and swept the weekend with the Saturday night checkers at Bullhead City. Dotson saw his early season success continue in his first-ever visit to Mohave Valley, winning from the ninth starting spot on Friday and taking the $2,500 win from the fifth spot on night two. “This track is pretty different than anywhere I’ve run before,” Dotson said following wins number six and seven on the young season. “We had a pretty good cart both nights. The weekend was not bad at all.” Already eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, Dotson used a late restart to his advantage in winning the Friday feature. He started fourth after the caution waved with six laps left, then motored to the front with four laps to go and crossed the stripe ahead of Dalton Houghton and Kelsie Foley. Dotson needed 10 laps to get [Read More]