Feature Archives

Hit and miss race plans change as Wilson wins rookie award in IMCA Eastern Region

MILTON, Fla. (Nov. 24, 2024) – Already considerably accomplished on dirt tracks in and around the Sunshine State, J.C. Wilson saw his interest in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified division piqued by the inaugural Clash on the Coast. The following season, he was following the second annual tour and motoring toward rookie of the year honors in the DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Eastern Region. “I was beyond proud of myself for what we accomplished this season,” said the seven-time feature winner, also the Northwest Florida Speedway track and Florida State champion. “We were able to do really well and I am beyond proud and happy with what we accomplished.” “We were just going to run hit and miss, then it got to where we were running the Modified every week,” added Wilson, who celebrated his 22nd birthday the week before the IMCA national awards banquet. From Milton, Fla., he started racing street stocks in 2015, then moved into the crate late models. Along with 15 feature wins, Wilson earned track titles at Baker and at Tri-County Speedway [Read More]

Confident Spalding scores rookie award in Southern Region for IMCA Stock Cars

ANDREWS, Texas (Nov. 22, 2024) – After racing to national rookie of the year honors in a Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMod last season, one of the first questions Cutter Spalding heard was ‘Think you can race a Stock Car, too?’ His answer was a confident “Shoot, yes!” and the 19-year-old from Andrews, Texas, was quick to back up that bravado with another rookie of the year award, this one in the EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region. “We were blessed with a lot of good luck and a good team,” said Spalding, after driving a Kerry Fryar Motorsports-owned 2024 Sniper Speed ride built by Jeffrey Abbey to six feature wins, the Texas State championship and a runner-up finish in the regional points race. “I love everything about this sport, no matter what. I’ve been blessed to be able to do it.” Second in points at Abilene Speedway and fourth at Heart O’ Texas Speedway, Spalding had a lot of blessings to count after making a combined 67 starts between the Stock Car and SportMod [Read More]

Whitt expands horizons and races to IMCA North Central Region rookie prize

HAMILTON, Mo. (Nov. 22, 2024) – Looking to expand his racing horizons, Jace Whitt figured a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified just made sense. He’d travel to 13 tracks in four states before the sun set on the 2024 point season, winning four features and earning rookie of the year honors in the Razor Chassis North Central Region. “Rookie of the year wasn’t a goal at the start of the season. After the first couple nights I was toward the top of the standings so I told myself this was something I could probably do and tried for it,” said Whitt, from Hamilton, Mo. “I went pretty hard the rest of the season and came up a little short for national rookie but won the region.” He made 41 North Central region starts, at eight tracks in Iowa, two in South Dakota and one in Minnesota, bookending May 9 and Aug. 8 checkers at Park Jefferson Speedway around July wins at Worthington Speedway and Crawford County Speedway. “Everything just kind of worked out perfect that first [Read More]

Few changes in 2025 rules for other IMCA divisions

VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 21, 2024) – As promised, few changes have been made in rules for seven other IMCA divisions. “We had announced this summer that the 1978-87 General Motors OEM replacement frame manufactured by Speedway Motors would be legal for use in the Stock Car, Hobby Stocks and Southern SportMod divisions, and that Stock Car drivers could compete using the MD3 Camaro kit,” stated IMCA President Brett Root. “No other changes were made in rules for any of those three divisions.” New to 2025 rules are: •A one piece rear spoiler is allowed the Northern SportMods, a maximum of five inches for crate engines and a maximum of three inches for claim engines. •STARS Mod Lite fuel cell vents must have check valves. One spring rubber is allowed per wheel and a minimum 2” x .083” steel drive shaft must be used from the transmission adapter to the automotive rear end. •Skirting is allowed between the tires only on Sport Compacts and while belt driven accessories may be removed, the crank balancer must remain [Read More]

IMCA Modified drivers have spec engine option in 2025

VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 21, 2024) – IMCA Modified drivers will have a third engine option next season. New in rules for 2025 announced today is a spec engine alternative to existing claim and crate options and legal for use in sanctioned competition beginning on Jan. 1. “The spec engine can be built from a 604 crate short block or can be built from scratch,” explained IMCA President Brett Root. “It uses parts drivers and builders are already familiar with in a third engine option. Both drivers and builders will be able to use known components to build these engines.” EngineQuest or DART cylinder heads, an Edelbrock intake manifolds are required. “These parts are well known to Modified drivers and to drivers in other IMCA divisions,” said Root, “and the valve spring rule is compatible with the 604 crate.” Maximum two-inch rear spoilers will be allowed on Modifieds with spec or crate engines. Both may use the same carb adapter, must be used with the maximum 6,800 rpm rev limiter and neither can be claimed. “We [Read More]

Miles gets rookie award, and goosebumps, in IMCA’s Northern region for Hobby Stocks

BERNARD, Iowa (Nov. 21, 2024) – A high school freshman took fellow IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock drivers to class this season. Karter Miles, 14 years old and the latest member of the Bernard, Iowa’s Miles racing family to find dirt track success, is rookie of the year in IMCA’s B & B Racing Chassis Northern Region. He won once and had another 26 top five finishes in 50 outings, racing regularly at four tracks and making single starts at four others. “Being competitive racing against older drivers in big fields of cars was just awesome. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it,” said Miles, a freshman at Cascade High School. “Being 14 and being able to run with stuff we built ourselves, and not the most expensive stuff, and win regional rookie of the year was really special.” The youngest son of Stock Car veteran Jerry Miles, who will race for a 40th season in 2025, Karter finished third in points at Davenport Speedway and Maquoketa Speedway – brother Jordan was track champion at both – [Read More]

Early season doubts disappear as Mitchell is IMCA South Central Region rookie of the year

MILFORD, Texas (Nov. 20, 2024) – After the first two starts of his career, Bradley Mitchell wasn’t sure if he’d ever even finish a race. But after the end of his first Friesen Performance IMCA Modified season, the Milford, Texas, driver was making plans to attend the national awards banquet, where he’ll walk across the stage and accept the GRT Race Cars South Central Region rookie of the year award. “It’s a little bit the excitement of going fast, and it’s the excitement of going around the track and seeing what you can do,” said Mitchell, who helped crew for Ennis driver Mike Svehlak last year, then bought a 2011 Hoffman Chassis to begin his own, self-sponsored career in. “Starting out, I was real nervous and always stayed toward the back but by the end of the year I was more comfortable and started being more competitive.” “It’s something I always dreamed about and now it’s a reality. I enjoy it a lot.” The first member of his family to race, Mitchell debuted at Abilene [Read More]

IMCA crate engine track champion bonuses awarded for 2024

VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 19, 2024) – IMCA drivers earning one or more track championships while competing exclusively with crate engines this season receive $250 bonuses given by Chevrolet Performance. Friesen Performance IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Late Model, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod track champions indicating on their 2024 license application that they would run a crate engine will receive $250 checks for each of a total of 186 track championships. Checks will be presented during the upcoming national awards banquet or mailed in December. Modified drivers receiving bonuses for winning one or more track championships, with multiple track titles indicated in parenthesis, while competing exclusively with a crate engine include: Steven Anderson, Chaz Baca (2), Curtis Barnes, Jordan Bartz, Cole Bents, Brett Berry, Tyson Blood, Kenny Boardman, Kyler Bowen, Jarrett Brown, Keith Brown Jr., David Carrera, Kellen Chadwick, Ben Chapman, Brandon Clough (2) and Jimmy Cole. Jeffery Cooper, Ted Cooper Jr., Troy Cordes, Joel Crowbridge, Cole Czarneski, Myron DeYoung, Rick Durica, Dwight East, Grey Ferrando (2), Shawn Fletcher, Dalton Flory, Dakota Fox, [Read More]

Perseverance pays off for Harr with IMCA Central Region rookie award

ASHLAND, Neb. (Nov. 19, 2024) – Those gray clouds that seemed to follow Tyler Harr for so much of the summer gave way to a ray of sunshine at the end of the season. Harr overcame a totaled race car, a slew of engine issues and more rainouts than he really cared to count in earning rookie of the year honors in IMCA’s Jet Racing Central Region for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. “In the end it was all worth it. This is the biggest accomplishment of my racing career,” said the determined Harr, who chased rookie points at nine venues in Nebraska and Kansas. “When stuff like that happened, the blown engines, the truck breaking down, the rainouts, it was stressful in the moment.” “It was one of those years when it could be 3 o’clock in the afternoon and not a cloud in the sky, but we were checking the forecast to make sure it wasn’t going to rain,” he continued. “But we always had to do our best to stay in a good [Read More]

Thomas earns IMCA Sport Compact rookie honors after getting offer he couldn’t refuse

BEATRICE, Neb. (Nov. 17, 2024) – After a lifetime around the sport, Johnny Thomas got an offer he couldn’t refuse. Thomas made the most of that offer, to drive a Dillon Richards-built Mach-1 Sport Compact, and raced to rookie of the year honors in the 4-cylinder class and a runner-up finish in national point standings, second only to Richards’ wife Kaylee. “Two feature wins was my goal. I just wanted to have fun and see what happened,” said Thomas, who had made just a handful of starts in the Richards-built ride in 2023. “I went out to have a little fun and everything turned out pretty good really quick.” “When someone like Dillon makes you an offer like that, you can’t say no, especially when you already love the sport,” added Thomas, who dates Richards’ aunt Michelle Moore. “I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d get to race a car, let alone have the success I did this year.” He’d total 10 feature wins and 30 top five finishes in his 42 starts, along with [Read More]