santamariaspeedway Archives

Bannister Storms Through Field for Santa Maria Modified Score

By Stephanie Odom SANTA MARIA, Calif. (May 23, 2026) — Tyler Bannister charged from eighth starting position to capture the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature Saturday at Santa Maria Speedway and score his fifth DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region victory of the season. Rob Sanders led the opening portion of the Modified main event while Bannister steadily worked his way through traffic. A caution on lap 17 tightened the field and opened the door for the Bakersfield driver, who took over the lead on the following circuit. Once out front, Bannister never looked back and raced away for his second Santa Maria Speedway triumph of 2026. Cole Szlauko finished second while Gavyn Manning advanced from 10th to third. Sanders held on for fourth while Markus Frazier rounded out the top five. King Holds Off Johnson for SportMod Victory Landon King led the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod field to green and quickly established himself as the driver to beat. The Pismo Beach 15-year-old maintained control throughout the feature while fending off repeated challenges from Bakersfield youngster [Read More]

Oathout Opens Santa Maria’s IMCA SportMod Season with Dominant Victory

By Stephanie Odom SANTA MARIA, Calif. (May 16, 2026) — Santa Maria Speedway opened its gates Saturday night for another evening of racing action, including the first Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod event of the 2026 season at the facility. With strong family ties to Santa Maria Speedway, Bakersfield’s Sunnie Simkins picked up her first career SportMod heat race victory. Local favorite Matthew Frazier secured the second heat race win of the evening. With it being opening night for the division, the top 10 drivers after heat race competition redrew for the 20-lap feature event. Willy Oathout and Paul Brown led the field to green. Oathout, from San Luis Obispo, grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag and never looked back on his way to his first victory of the season. Frazier finished second while Alyssa Smith crossed the line in third. Orion Messina charged from 12th to finish fourth while Rich Denman advanced from 10th to round out the top five.

Bannister Leads Every Lap in Santa Maria Modified Opener

By Stephanie Odom SANTA MARIA, Calif. (May 9, 2026) — Tyler Bannister dominated the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified points season opener Saturday night at Santa Maria Speedway, leading all 30 laps for his third DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region victory of the season at three different tracks. Sixteen IMCA Modifieds filled the pit area after the previous event was lost to rain. Doug Hagio and Bannister each earned heat race victories earlier in the evening. Bannister then drew the pole for the feature and brought the field to the green alongside Justin Crockett. The Bakersfield driver wasted little time taking command, charging into the lead entering turn one and never surrendering the top spot the rest of the distance. Behind him, Crockett and Markus Frazier battled fiercely for the runner-up position throughout the race before Frazier secured second at the finish. Crockett crossed the line third while Dalton Houghton advanced from ninth to fourth. Race Liberante passed the most cars in the feature, charging from 13th to round out the top five.

Modifieds and SportMods Set to Get Rolling at Santa Maria

By Stephanie Odom SANTA MARIA, Calif. (Apr. 20, 2026) — Santa Maria Speedway is set to host an action-packed night of racing this Saturday, April 25, on the famed third-mile clay oval. The evening marks the season championship opener for the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds and Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods. IMCA Modifieds competed six times at Santa Maria Speedway in 2025 and produced six different winners, proving just how deep and competitive the division was all season long. Cody Burke opened the year in victory lane, and the Salinas native will look to repeat that performance as he heads south on US 101 for this season’s opener. Josh Combs, Larry Wise, Gavyn Manning, Rob Sanders, and Logan Drake also found victory lane last season, and several are expected back this weekend in pursuit of the first win at SMS in 2026. IMCA Northern SportMods were just as competitive in 2025, producing six different winners over seven nights of racing. The only two-time winner, Tyler Bannister, has moved to the IMCA Modified ranks and will make [Read More]

Pombo Dominates California RaceSaver Sprint Series Return to Santa Maria

By Stephanie Odom SANTA MARIA, Calif. (Apr. 4, 2026) — The California RaceSaver Sprint Series action returned to Santa Maria Speedway for the first of several visits this season for the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car tour, with George Tristao Jr. and Davey Pombo leading the field to green for the 20-lap feature. Pombo took control at the drop of the green and never looked back, leading all 20 laps to secure his first win of 2026. Tristao finished second, followed by Jeremy Alves, Evan Dixon, and Kevin Barnes Sr. Tristao set quick time in qualifying, while heat race wins went to Tristao and Lance Jackson.

Combs, Wilson, Johnson Crowned Central California Clash Champions

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 28, 2025) — Josh Combs, Dylan Wilson, and Nicholas Johnson each made history with their first career Central California Clash championships in their respective Speedway Motors IMCA divisions, capping a competitive four-race tour across the Golden State. Roseville’s Josh Combs clinched the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified title with a strong and consistent week. After opening with a ninth-place finish at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern County Raceway Park, he stormed to victory at Santa Maria. Combs followed that with a runner-up finish at Merced before closing the series with a fifth-place run at Petaluma. Bakersfield youngster Gavyn Manning was runner-up in points after finishing second on opening night, taking ninth at Santa Maria, winning at Merced, and wrapping up the week 10th at Petaluma. Third in points went to Keith Brown Jr., now based in Greenbrier, Ark. Brown’s week included a 10th at Bakersfield, third at Santa Maria, eighth at Merced, and 12th at Petaluma. Dylan Wilson of Bakersfield earned the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod championship with a [Read More]

Combs Makes Late Race Pass to Win at Santa Maria

By Ben Deatherage SANTA MARIA, Calif. (May 23, 2025) — The second leg of the 2025 Central California Clash brought the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds to Santa Maria Speedway for the tour’s first-ever race at the Central California coastal facility, featuring a 30-lap showdown. Roseville’s Josh Combs seized the opportunity to claim his first career series victory and first win of the season in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region. Combs took the early lead and maintained it through multiple cautions, which prevented him from encountering heavy lapped traffic. Cody Burke, a four-time Ocean Speedway track champion, briefly overtook Combs before a red flag incident nullified the lap, returning Combs to the front. Burke reclaimed the lead on lap 26, but a left rear flat tire with a few circuits remaining allowed Combs to retake the top spot and secure the win. Katelynn Robertson, the 2023 Nevada State champion, charged into second late in the race, while reigning Arkansas State champion Keith Brown Jr. finished third. Bannister Battles to SportMod Victory In the 25-lap Karl Chevrolet [Read More]