You’ll need two hands to count how many national IMCA late model championships Cory Dumpert has won. And he won those six consecutively. Dumpert’s latest title didn’t come easy, though, as he won by just one point over Travis Denning.
Even a seasoned champ like Dumpert finds points racing nerve wracking.
“Before six years ago, I had the opinion that if you run good, the points will take care of themselves.” Dumpert, of Newman Grove, Nebraska, said. “By the end of my first championship season, I was watching the points like a hawk — to the point it made me sick. I have to keep that in check. If you worry too much, you can make bad decisions. It’s better not to worry.”
Easier said than done. Dumpert knew Denning had a shot at the championship. So, he ventured to Denning’s home turf, Davenport Speedway in Iowa, during the last week of the points season.
“If Denning won both features at Davenport, he could win the championship,” said Dumpert. “I had 15 wins, he had 14, but I had more second-place finishes than he did.”
The first night, Denning suffered a mechanical failure in his heat race, relegating him to a 16th starting spot in the feature. Denning charged through the field to finish seventh, right behind Dumpert in sixth. Without a win, Denning could not top Dumpert in points.
The next night, Denning finished second and Dumpert fifth. Dumpert finished the season just one point ahead of Denning.
“After that weekend, I never slept so well,” Dumpert said.
In addition to the IMCA national title, Corey Dumpert won track championships at pair of Nebraska dirt ovals: Boone County Raceway in Albion and OffRoad Speedway in Norfolk.
“I surrounded myself with good people, which helped me get off on the right foot every season,” said Dumpert. “During the week, it was me and my wife, Lindsey. My dad, Cary, comes out to help me whenever I need him. On the weekend, I’ve got quite a bit of help. I can focus on setup and not worry about tires, fuel, or changing gears.”
Next year Cory Dumpert has the opportunity to tie an IMCA record for most consecutive national championships with the legendary Ernie Derr. Derr won a total of 12 IMCA stock car championships (1953, 1959–1962, 1965–1971).
“I admit, I am wholeheartedly trying for a seventh in a row,” Dumpert said. “I can’t get this close to Ernie Derr’s all-time record and not go for it.”
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.
