A switch in sanctions resulted in Jayden Oskerson earning his first victory in cars. The triumph occurred in IMCA sport mods at Worthington Speedway in Minnesota.
He first started in cars by buying a GRT chassis to compete in the USRA B-mod class at Fairmont Raceway in Minnesota. Before that, he had raced go-karts for years.
“I was bored and had a wild idea to buy a real race car,” Oskerson, of Fairmont, Minnesota, said. “So here we are!”
Oskerson’s first season didn’t go well, leaving him frustrated.
“The USRA car was not working for me,” said Oskerson. “Maybe I needed more seat time. I just got mad and bought a newer GRT setup for IMCA racing. For me, it was a lot easier to drive and to work on.”
The two sanctions have significant differences in rules for the classes that often run in support to the headliner modifieds.
“The USRA car’s springs and sliders are more like an A-mod suspension, though it is a three-link suspension,” Oskerson said. “I felt I had more control with the IMCA sport mod — I could feel the traction. I drove better and learned easier.”
In his first race with the IMCA sport mod, Oskerson took it to Fairmont Raceway, where he finished fourth battling USRA cars. He then brought it to Worthington Speedway, where he struggled.
“I talked to Bob Harris Enterprises and they told me what to try,” said Oskerson. “Then I finished fifth at Fairmont Raceway last Friday and went to Worthington Speedway and redeemed myself.”
To race the IMCA sport mod in USRA competition, Oskerson has to switch to American Racer tires and remove the 5″ spoiler.
“I built a three-bolt, two-piece removable and adjustable spoiler,” Oskerson said. “I raced the new IMCA car at both tracks. With the IMCA spoiler on at Worthington Speedway, I could feel the difference being more traction.”
Jayden Oskerson didn’t sell his USRA B-mod. In fact, he has KS Engineering refreshing his engine for the ride.
“I feel if I have more experience with the USRA car, I can be more competitive,” said Oskerson. “There is a lot more going on in the USRA car and it will be a learning curve. I’ll race in both divisions, both sanctioning bodies. That’s just how it is here.”
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.
