MARCH 8 SEASON OPENER TICKETS ON SALE FOR BAKERSFIELD SPEEDWAY AT KEVIN HARVICK’S KERN RACEWAY
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (February 26, 2025) – The new era of dirt track racing in Bakersfield kicks off on March 8th with the 2025 season opener for Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway. After 79 of racing excitement at Bakersfield Speedway on North Chester Ave, the action moves west to Enos Lane and Interstate 5 for a full season of IMCA championship races planned on the renovated one-third mile dirt track at Kern Raceway. Photo by Tom Macht
Opening night features the first points races for the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Mods, IMCA Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks, and American Stocks.
Kern Raceway officials went to work during the off season, reshaping turns one and two, adding additional catch fencing in that corner, and increasing seating capacity to over 2500 seats. Promoters Tim Huddleston and Scott Schweitzer announced their collaboration plans in January, with the pair working hand in hand for a unified dirt track in 2025 and beyond.
General Admission tickets in the new grandstands are on sale now at www.BakersfieldSpeedway.com or on TheFOAT. Adult general admission tickets are just $18 with kids ages 6-12 admitted for just $10 and kids five and under are free! Parking is free of charge for the season opener. Grandstands open at 4pm with opening ceremonies at 6pm.
Racers across the five championship weekly divisions will compete for $10,000 in posted awards each night including $750 to win for the IMCA Modifieds. Bakersfield’s Gavyn Manning is the defending track champion after four main event wins at Bakersfield Speedway. Santa Maria’s Markus Frazier made the trip over to Bakersfield all season in 2024, finishing second in the standings while searching for a victory. Frazier will be among those aiming for victory lane on opening night.
A large field of IMCA Sport Modifieds have thrown their names in the ring for the season, chasing $600 to win main events all year. Bakersfield’s Jason Bannister topped fellow Bakersfield driver Chris McKellar in 2024 by just 11 markers in the standings. At least four division rookies will be joining the action including Tyler Irwin and Santa Maria’s Brandon Wiley.
All three of Bakersfield Speedway’s stock car classes are set to roll west to Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in force. Seven different drivers won the Hobby Stock features in 2024 with Wasco’s Marcus Wankum standing tall as the champion. A pair of winless drivers prevailed in the hotly contested American Stock action last year, with Sunnie Simkins nipping Trenton Millard by just ten points for the championship. The growing IMCA Stock Car division was dominated by Norco’s Tom Smith last year with four feature wins. Matthew Frazier of Santa Maria and Bakersfield’s Billy Simkins are among the new entrants to the Stock Car division this year.
Grandstand gates open at 4pm with opening ceremonies at 6pm. Legendary Bakersfield Speedway champion Dick Shepherd will be the opening night Grand Marshal. Family members of the late Mike Moshier will be in attendance as well and the 2024 Bakersfield Speedway track champions will be honored during opening ceremonies!
For more information on Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, visit www.BakersfieldSpeedway.com or follow the speedway on social media. Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway is located at 13500 Raceway Blvd, near Enos Ln and Interstate 5 in Bakersfield.