Photo Credit : Garrett Kunzman
SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 6, 2024) – Kollin Hibdon turned his first competitive laps at Cocopah Speedway at the age of 14.
Fast forward six years and the Nevada native returned to Somerton to win his career fourth IMCA.TV Winter Nationals main event.
Hibdon got the lead following a late restart in a fast and furious battle with defending national king Chaz Baca and topped Saturday’s $1,000 to win Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature.
“There was some pretty intense lapped traffic,” said Hibdon, newly Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible with his 40thcareer win in the class. “I know this track pretty well. It’s always fun to come back here in the winter.”
The front pair traded sliders in the waning laps before Hibdon got the lead for good with a nifty crossover move. Grey Ferrando, defending series champion Tim Ward and Jake Pike completed the top five.
Hibdon will return to the Midwest again this season, loading up the trailer after the snow melts this spring to race out of North Dakota.
Cameron Starry’s first-ever IMCA Sunoco Stock Car win also paid $1,000 and made him eligible for the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational.
The 18-year-old from Corpus Christi, Texas, a senior at Banquete High School, caught then outran chassis builder Zane DeVilbiss after a delay to restore track lighting. Starry made a huge charge from fourth to first following a restart and led the last three circuits, winning ahead of DeVilbiss and Justen Yeager.
“This was just our third night in this car so it was a surprise,” admitted Starry, “but it felt good to win. It gave me the confidence that I belong there. I used to listen to these guys, now I’m in there having conversations with them.”
Also pocketing $1,000 was Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod victor Tyler Bannister. Second was Tyler Johnson and Nathan Speten took third.
Les Lundquist scored the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock win, with Morgan Olmstead and Ryan Gilland scored next.
And Oliver Monson ruled the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts a second straight night, chased across the stripe by Chris Niemi and Jacob Cordova.
Another practice session runs from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9 at the Somerton speed plant, along with the $1,000 to win Gene Freeman Memorial Modified and SportMod pit crew challenge. A complimentary BBQ party follows.
The second half of the 2024 IMCA.TV Winter Nationals kicks off Wednesday, Jan. 10 with IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts all in action again Jan. 11, 12 and 13.
IMCA.TV broadcasts each night of Winter Nationals. Pit gates open at noon each day and racing starts at 4 p.m.