It’s official: IMCA Modified History Will be Made Under the Hood Next Race Season

VINTON, Iowa – Jan. 1, 2013 marks the introduction of division-wide allowance of the GM 604 crate engine by IMCA Modifieds. It will be the first time in the 35-year history of the class that an engine which cannot be claimed is allowed in sanctioned competition.

“We have tested the crate motor the last two months on different tracks and different conditions,” IMCA Vice President of Operations Brett Root said. We’ve tweaked minimum weight and spoiler options. While we don’t know the combination of weight and spoiler yet, we do know the GM 604 crate motor will be an option in our 2013 Modified engine rules.”

Modified drivers can continue competing with a claim engine.

Both affordability and drivers’ reluctance to claim engines prompted IMCA to study crate options and to begin testing.

“I think this will be a very good option because of the cost effectiveness. It is the most viable option we have, even more than the engine claim is any more,” said Root. “The direction we went with procedures and in general unwillingness to claim have pushed engine costs to an all-time high and the industry has not corrected itself.”

Crate engines are already options for drivers in the IMCA SportMod and Hobby Stock divisions.

After testing concludes on Aug. 18, the crate won’t be legal for use at any sanctioned Modified event in 2012, such as the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals, JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour races or the Duel In The Desert.

Any 604 motor used next season will be required to have GM tamper-proof seals and IMCA seals.

“We plan to issue IMCA seals to GM Performance dealers who retail the 604 and they will install them,” Root said. “We are trying to prevent and learn from some of the experiences we have had with the 602 engine.”

“We want to prevent any tampering with the 604,” he added. “We’re electing to double seal these engines to make it even more difficult to cheat a legal GM 604 and to prevent a racer from bringing an already cheated or altered GM 604 into IMCA racing from other sanctions or racers.”

“It’s important that drivers don’t try to get ahead of us and buy any GM 604 intended for IMCA Modified competition without the IMCA seals,” Root concluded. “We’ve announced this rule solely so racers can plan ahead and prepare accordingly for 2013.”