# International Supermodified Association

The International Super Modified Association (ISMA) is a sanctioning body of short track auto racing in the United States. It is the largest sanctioning body of super modified racing, an open wheel discipline.

## History

The International Super Modified Association (ISMA) was founded in 1974 by Jim Shampine and Nolan Swift, with support from Tom Heveron and Jacob Speck. It aimed to improve safety and increase race events for better driver support. Heveron served as president while Shampine and Fred Graves were also in key roles.
ISMA negotiated with the Lancaster National Speedway & Dragway in Lancaster, New York, to hold its first-ever race at the track. It was a 40-lap event on July 3, 1974. Todd Gibson of Richwood, Ohio, emerged as the winner, marking a key moment in the association’s expansion into new venues. The following year, ISMA booked races at Fulton Speedway with a $5,000 purse and $1,000 to win.
Starting in 1976, ISMA developed a point fund. Tracks contributed $500–$1,000 per race to support this fund. ISMA awards points to car owners, not the drivers. Joining the Heveron, Shampine, and Graves team, Shirley Letcher took over the responsibility for the point system. In just three seasons, ISMA had sanctioned over $96,000 in purse money and races, adding a point fund of $4,400 paid by promoters, providing a tow fund at all races, requiring all promoters to hold insurance, and working to expand the race schedule to other tracks. Steve Giola Jr. became the first point-based champion that year.

## Current

ISMA has recently introduced a franchise system in which teams purchase a franchise at the beginning of the season. Each of the 19 franchise teams may miss up to 3 shows during the race season while being guaranteed a minimum starting purse of $1,000 at each event.
ISMA typically approves 13 to 17 events annually, which includes two prestigious races from the Super modified Triple Crown Series held on paved short tracks ranging from one-quarter to five-eighths of a mile in length, situated across six states and Canada. In 2023, ISMA merged with the Midwest Super modified Series (MSS), focusing on events in New York, Ohio and Michigan. The 2024 schedule includes races at Oswego, Evans Mills (New York), Sandusky, Lorain County (Ohio), Lee, Claremont (New Hampshire), Berlin (Michigan) and Caraway (North Carolina).

## Champions

Bracketed numbers denote a cumulative number of championships:
| Season | Driver |
| 1976 | Steve Gioia Jr. (1) |
| 1977 | Jim Shampine (1) |
| 1978 | Steve Gioia Jr. (2) |
| 1979 | Doug Heveron (1) |
| 1980 | Doug Heveron (2) |
| 1981 | Doug Heveron (3) |
| 1982 | Doug Heveron (4) |
| 1983 | Den Wheeler (1) |
| 1984 | Bentley Warren (1) |
| 1985 | Steve Gioia Jr. (3) |
| 1986 | Steve Gioia Jr. (4) |
| 1987 | Joe Gosek (1) |
| 1988 | Bentley Warren (2) |
| 1989 | Bentley Warren (3) |
| 1990 | Bentley Warren (4) |
| 1991 | Russ Wood (1) |
| 1992 | Pat Abold (1) |
| 1993 | Pat Abold (2) |
| 1994 | Russ Wood (2) |
| 1995 | Mike Ordway Sr. (1) |
| 1996 | Russ Wood (3) |
| 1997 | Russ Wood (4) |
| 1998 | Mike Ordway Sr. (2) |
| 1999 | Russ Wood (5) |
| 2000 | Joe Gosek (2) |
| 2001 | Dave McKnight Jr. (1) |
| 2002 | Russ Wood (6) |
| 2003 | Chris Perley (1) |
| 2004 | Chris Perley (2) |
| 2005 | Pat Abold (3) |
| 2006 | Chris Perley (3) |
| 2007 | Chris Perley (4) |
| 2008 | Chris Perley (5) |
| 2009 | Chris Perley (6) |
| 2010 | Russ Wood (7) |
| 2011 | Russ Wood (8) |
| 2012 | Mike Lichty (1) |
| 2013 | Lou Cicconi Jr. (1) |
| 2014 | Ben Seitz (1) |
| 2015 | Dave Shullick Jr. (1) |
| 2016 | Dave Shullick Jr. (2) |
| 2017 | Jonathan McKennedy (1) |
| 2018 | Kyle Edwards (1) |
| 2019 | Mike Lichty (2) |
| 2021 | Otto Sitterly (1) |
| 2022 | Otto Sitterly (2) |
| 2023 | Mike McVetta (1) |
| 2024 | Otto Sitterly (3) |
Competitors notable outside of ISMA:
* Bentley Warren- 37 IndyCar Series starts including the 1971 and 1975 Indianapolis 500.
* Doug Heveron- 96 professional NASCAR starts, 1 IndyCar Series start, attempted 1983 Indianapolis 500.
* Joe Gosek- Started the 1996 Indianapolis 500.
* Davey Hamilton- 56 IndyCar Series starts including 14 Indianapolis 500 starts, with a best finish of 4th.
* Doug Didero- 3 professional NASCAR starts, 6 IndyCar Series starts, attempted 2000 Indianapolis 500.
* Mike McLaughlin- 318 professional NASCAR starts with 6 wins, 1988 Winston Modified Tour Champion.
* Johnny Benson Jr.- 503 professional NASCAR starts with 18 wins, 1995 Busch Series Champion, 2008 Craftsman Truck Series Champion, 1993 ASA National Tour Champion.
* Bobby Santos III- 7 professional NASCAR starts, 2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion.
* Ted Christopher- 29 professional NASCAR starts, 48 NASCAR Modified wins, 2008 Whelen Modified Tour Champion, 2x 24 Hours of Daytona starts.