Gould Ends 13-Year Wait as IMCA Crowns Five New Champions
VINTON, Iowa - The 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing season has delivered one of the more balanced championship hauls in recent memory, with five first-time National titlists emerging alongside veterans who continue to stamp their authority on American short-track dirt racing. Across the nine divisions that make up IMCA's grassroots structure, the season told two parallel stories: dynasties extending their reach and fresh faces finally breaking through.
William Gould's return to the summit of the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified standings headlined the year, the Calera, Oklahoma driver reclaiming a National crown he last held in 2013. Gould's 14-point margin aboard the Kenny Fryer Motorsports No. 60 capped a season in which he also swept his ninth GRT Race Cars South Central Region title and an eighth Texas State championship, underlining a level of regional dominance few in the division can match. For fans following the results and point battles throughout the year, many turned to streaming and racing-content apps, with platforms such as playkaro download apk becoming a popular way to keep tabs on weekly action away from the track. playkaro download apk
New Names Break Through
John Oliver Jr., Coy Vlies, Nicholas Ronnebaum, Trevor Cogburn and Johnny Thomas each claimed their maiden National championships, a notable shift given how entrenched some of IMCA's title races had become. Oliver's five-point Stock Car triumph came alongside a third straight Iowa State crown, while Ronnebaum's four-point Hobby Stock win was paired with a first Northern Region championship. Cogburn's breakthrough in the Southern SportMod ranks included a maiden Texas State title, adding another layer to a season defined by tight margins - none tighter than Vlies' single-point Northern SportMod victory, the closest National battle of the year.
Continuity at the Top
Not every division changed hands. Zach Zeitner defended his Late Model crown by four points for a second consecutive championship, Lee Goos Jr. claimed a third straight RaceSaver Sprint Car title, and Dillon Raffurty extended his remarkable run to six consecutive Mod Lite championships - a streak without precedent in the division's history. These continued reigns, set against the backdrop of new winners elsewhere, reflect the depth and competitiveness that IMCA's regional and State systems are designed to produce.
Rookies and Regional Standouts
Beyond the National titles, regional and rookie honors told their own stories of emerging talent. Tyler Bannister, Jordan Miles, Blake Luinenburg, Colby Patterson and Brady Sexton were among the rookies recognized across divisions, while drivers such as Spencer Diercks, Adam Wasserman, Tyler Belcher and Ty Clemens picked up Modified Regional crowns. Iowa's Leah Wroten also added a second Lady Eagle award, a reminder that IMCA's weekly racing ecosystem continues to reward consistency at every level, from grassroots regional tracks to the National championship stage.
