The Mod Lite STARS recently became the newest division to be sanctioned by IMCA. The group hosted 400 events in 15 regions last season. More than 500 racers turned a lap with Mod Lite STARS. That included Mike Kennedy (95) and Justin Kinderknecht (1), pictured here at Iowa’s Stuart International Speedway. Jimmy May, owner and director of the IMCA Mod Lite STARS, said the move should help the class get respect.
“Our drivers felt they never got the recognition they deserved, though we produced full fields of cars with great competition,” said May, who formed the organization in 2007. “We are a division of full-blown, purpose-built race cars that are as fast as cars in the modified division.”
IMCA delivers a national spotlight for its divisions, with a points system funded and administrated by IMCA.
“[The national points system] is a big deal to our drivers,” May said. “Another plus is being part of the IMCA Super Nationals. The Super Nationals is prestigious. Every IMCA driver dreams of making the Big Dance at the Super Nationals. Now, our drivers will be part of that event.”
IMCA will incorporate the existing Mod Lite STARS rules into their rule book.
“The rules will be easier to enforce and will be consistent across North America,” May said. “Our drivers will pay a $60 membership fee and receive $100,000 of insurance from the IMCA.”
Many drivers welcomed the move of the Mod Lite STARS to IMCA. That included Kennedy, past president of the Mid America Dwarf Car Racing Association (MADCRA), which ran under the Mod Lite STARS banner.
“We are going to have an even bigger stage to race now that we are part of IMCA,” said Kennedy, of Boone, Iowa. “Once the drivers in this class realize the exposure they are going to get from being an IMCA division, they’ll stop grumbling about not getting any respect.”
Outside Groove Note of Transparency: Correction made, noting Jimmy May still owns Mod Lite STARS while now being sanctioned by IMCA (2020-12-22).
Mike Adaskaveg has written hundreds of stories since the website’s inception. This year marks his 54th year of covering auto racing. Adaskaveg got his start working for track photographer Lloyd Burnham at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway in 1970. Since then, he’s been a columnist, writer, and photographer, in racing and in mainstream media, for several outlets, including the Journal Inquirer, Boston Herald, Stock Car Racing, and Speedway Illustrated. Among Adaskaveg’s many awards are the 1992 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Ace Lane Photographer of the Year and the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) George Cunningham Writer of the Year.
