Racing Biography

Matthew Hicks began his racing career in 2000 racing go karts locally in San Diego. Running a limited schedule in 2000 and 2001, he amassed several wins and twelve podium finishes. In 2002 and 2003 he took a break from racing to concentrate on playing hockey.  

In 2004, Matthew began racing cars in the INEX Legends Cars. He won four races his rookie season, finished in the top-five seventeen times and qualified fifth for the Legends Car Nationals in Las Vegas. In addition, Matthew was the fast qualifier three times. Matthew finished third in the Championship points at Toyota Speedway of Irwindale even though he missed the first race of the season.

In 2005, after just one season, Matthew was promoted to the pro division in his Legends Car. He finished with eight wins, twenty-one top-five finishes, and was the fast qualifier four times. In Matthew’s first attempt racing on a road course, he competed in the Road Course Nationals at Infineon Raceway finishing a respectable sixteenth -place competing against the best pro Legends Car road racers in the world. Matthew finished second in points at Toyota Speedway of Irwindale, just four points from the championship.

In 2006 Matthew would begin his NASCAR career in the King Taco Super Trucks at Toyota Speedway of Irwindale. He adapted quickly to the half mile paved oval known as “The Daytona Speedway of NASCAR Short Tracks.” Matthew finished his first season in the trucks second in the championship with “Rookie of the Year” honors. He had two wins and nine top-five finishes in fifteen races. He was the fast qualifier two times. He also won two Legends Car races at Orange Show Speedway in the five races that he competed in that year.

Matthew again competed in his King Taco Super Truck at Toyota Speedway of Irwindale in 2007. This was a fantastic racing year for Matthew. He won half the races in 2007, seven out of fourteen. Matthew had thirteen top-five finishes out of the fourteen races. He was the fast qualifier four times. Matthew would finish second in the championship for the third straight year. Unfortunately one bad night ruined his bid for a championship. It was his only non top-five finish but it was enough for him to lose the championship.

In 2008 Matthew would step up to the premier division at Toyota Speedway of Irwindale, the NASCAR Super Late Models. Matthew’s race team had decided not to run for a championship from the start of the season. This would be a learning year for Matthew. His team purchased the Victory Circle car his father owned back in the 1990’s. It would take a lot of work to get the car updated for the 2008 season. Matthew would only race thirteen of the season’s twenty-one races. He would finish his rookie season with one win, five top-fives and nine top-ten finishes.

Matthew ran a very limited schedule in 2009 and 2010. He had seven top-five finishes with one win and set one track record.

In 2011, Matthew raced at Orange Show Speedway in the ASA Super Late Model Division and the INEX Legend Car. Matthew would be the fast qualifier five times out of the seven races he raced his Super Late Model, won twice, and finish in the top-five six times. Matthew raced for the championship in the INEX Legend Cars. He was the fast qualifier once, won four races, only finished out of the top three in one race and he won the championship. Matthew raced twenty-one times at four different race tracks. He won one championship, won eight races, and set a track record. In those twenty-one races he had eighteen top-three finishes.

In 2012, Matthew began racing on the dirt for the first time. He purchased a Dwarf car and figured out how to win against the best of the west dwarf car racers in just his 6th race. He went on to win a second race in 2012.

In 2013, Matthew would only race his Dwarf car 9 times finishing with 1 win and had 6 top 3 finishes. Matthew Hicks Racing also purchased a Lucas Oil Modified in the 2013 season. Once again, in just his 7th race in his new car he won the biggest race of his career so far with a dominating performance at Las Vegas. 55 cars from 9 states showed up and Matthew put on a great show. He set fast time at 15.27 seconds and took the lead in the main event on lap 11 and lead the final 65 laps for the big win.

Matthew would race just part time in 2014 in both his dirt dwarf car and his asphalt modified. He had two wins and ten top 5 finishes.

In 2015, Matthew again raced his dirt dwarf car and his asphalt modified. He amassed 4 wins and eight top 5 finishes.

In 2016 Matthew Hicks Racing decided to race the entire season and go for the championship in the tough Lucas Oil Modified Series. The team concentrated on only his asphalt modified and parked his dirt dwarf car. This decision paid off. Matthew won the Lucas Oil Modified Championship in the closest points chase in series history. There were eight winners in the ten race season. Matthew finished with one win, nine races of 6th or better and his worst finish of 10th when the radiator cap failed on lap 59 of a 75 lap race at Vegas, lost all the water in the engine and radiator but with his Lucas Oil Products in the engine it stayed together to finish the race.

In 2017, Matthew wanted a new challenge. The team purchased a 2009 KraftKar IMCA Dirt Modified. The car was stripped to the frame and completely rebuilt. A new motor and transmission was added. Matthew was fast right from the start. He won two main events, nine heat races, had 15 top 3 finishes in his 17 races and finished the season as the 2017 Barona Speedway IMCA Dirt Modified champion. IMCA rules state the driver with the best average finish starts no better than 10th in most main events. This put Matthew towards the rear of the field almost every race night to start the main events. Matthew also raced one asphalt modified race for a friend's team at Madera Speedway in the highly competitive North State Modified Series. He set fast time and won the 60 lap race by taking the lead with one lap to go.

In 2018, Matthew and his team decided to race at multiple tracks to get more experience in his dirt modified. In only 12 races he won one race, finished in the top three 9 times

2019 was another great year for Matthew Hicks Racing. The team would go back full time racing at Barona Speedway and went on to win 6 races, finish 2nd place six times, one 3rd place finish and a disappointing 17th after getting his right rear cut down on opening night while passing for 2nd place early in the main event. Consistency paid off with another IMCA Modified Championship in 2019.  Matthew raced twice at Perris Auto Speedway and had 1 win and one 2nd place.  

As of the end of 2019 racing season, Matthew has 4 championships, his total main event wins now stands at 55 in race cars and many others in his early years of karting.  He has wins at 7 different asphalt tracks and 2 dirt tracks.  He's won in 4 different asphalt divisions (Legends, Super Trucks, Super Late Models and Modifieds) and 2 dirt divisions (Dwarfs and IMCA Modifieds).