December 4, 2025

Block is best in IMCA Modified main at Shawano

Wyatt-Block,-IMCA-Modified — Wyatt Block bested a veteran IMCA Modified field for his career first win in the division Saturday at Shawano Speedway.

By Scott Owen

SHAWANO, Wis. (May 19) – Rookie Wyatt Block won his first career IMCA Modified feature Saturday at Shawano Speedway.

Trevor Spaulding pulled to the early lead with Eddie Muenster in tow. As those two paced the field, Block began to work through the field after starting the race in 10th. By the time Block passed Muenster for second near the midpoint of the race, Spaulding had built up a sizeable advantage.

Block continued to reel in Spaulding, though, before a caution after lap 13 bunched the field back up.

Block took advantage and grabbed the lead with an inside pass for the lead on lap 15, then never looked back in scoring his first IMCA Modified win. Spaulding finished second. Lance Arneson was the hard charger as he moved from 17^th starting to finish third.

Jeremy Christians notched another IMCA Sunoco Stock Car win, his first of the 2018 season, while Lucas Lamberies remained unbeaten in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods as he won his third feature in a row.

shawanospeedway

Shawano checkers fly for Stankowski

SHAWANO, Wis. (July 22, 2023) – There were some new faces in victory lane at the legendary half-mile Shawano Speedway Saturday night. Up first was the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car division and the man of the hour would be Mitch Stankowski as he jumped to an early lead from sixth starting and into the lead by two. Travis VanStraten and Dan Michonski followed in what became a three-car breakaway. Stankowski held his ground, fought off the challenges of his fellow competitors and was not denied as he raced his no. 5 to victory lane. “It’s nice to win and I want to do it again,” he said. “We definitely have a lot of stout competition here.” As the checkered flags flew at the line in the $3,000 to win Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature it was Johnny Whitman, Mike Wedelstadt, Mike Mullen and Konnor Willinski finishing in that order. However after post-race inspection track officials deemed Whitman was disqualified for a weight infraction which gave the victory and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility to Wedelstadt. In [Read More]

Opening night checkers at Shawano fly for Christians, Schmidt, Mullen

SHAWANO, Wis. (April 17) – Welcome sights on opening night at Shawano Speedway included a nearly packed grandstand and 111 cars checking in to the pit area. Eric ‘Chummy’ Arneson would return to racing action at the speedway in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car division and would battle through caution the opening laps to take the lead on lap four, powering past the Chucky Forstner machine and bringing Jeremy Christians along with him. Arneson and Christians were joined by Kevin Hebbe in the top three before numerous cautions set up a final lap shoot out that found Christians jumping past Arneson to pick up another feature win. The constant throughout the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod event was defending track champion Jayden Schmidt leading the pack. Schmidt gained the top spot from Jason Jach on lap two and survived multiple restarts to pick up the feature win. Jeff Schmuhl powered through the field from his ninth place starting spot to grab second while Jeffrey Teske took third. The IMCA Modifieds rolled on the track with Mike Mullen to the [Read More]

Block, Van Straten capture first Shawano features of season

By Dave Buss SHAWANO, Wis. (May 29) – The Memorial Weekend brought cool temperatures and hot action to the Shawano Speedway along with the unofficial start of summer. Wyatt Block, Travis Van Straten and Tyler Sobiescyk got their summers off to the best start of everyone with feature wins. Early action saw Jerry Wilinski jump to the lead in the IMCA Modified main and begin to build a big advantage. The caution would fly on lap four and bring the field to his bumper. On the restart, Wilinski scooted away only to have a debris bring out another yellow. Block and Andy Karl filled the second row on the lap six restart. Wilinski again extended his lead with Karl and Block fighting it out for the runner-up spot. Block took the second spot and begin to reel in the Wilinski machine at halfway. On lap 15, Block moved past Wilinski and into the lead. Block cruised to victory with Wilinski second. Jordan Bartz charged to third with Karl fourth. Josh Mroczkowski powered to the early lead in the [Read More]

Divisions

Taylor Heaton: Long Roads, Long Nights, and a New Beginning

By Ben Deatherage BAKER, Mont. (Nov. 25, 2025) — The highway out of Baker runs straight and lonely, a ribbon of asphalt cutting through open prairie and endless sky. It’s the kind of road where you measure distance not in miles, but in hours — the kind that every racer from eastern Montana knows by heart. Most weekends, Taylor Heaton and his family point their rig toward North Dakota, chasing laps across the badlands, putting in three-, four-, even five-hour hauls just to race. For Heaton, that long road is part of the deal. It’s where the thinking happens, where the nerves settle, where the excitement builds. It’s where the weekend begins. This is the landscape that shaped him — wide, rugged country where nothing comes easy and every mile matters. It’s where his family put down roots, where racing first sparked to life, and where that spark carried him from off-road machines to the no. 11H Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock. Now, as he prepares for 2026, those same long miles are leading him into a [Read More]

Feature

Shane Butler: A Second Chance at Speed

By Ben Deatherage GLIDDEN, Iowa (Nov. 24, 2025) — The open country between Scranton and Glidden is quiet in the fall, corn stubble rolling out beneath a November sky that feels wider than the world. Out here, farm towns don’t hide their history. These towns were built by people who kept going no matter the obstacles, and in that way alone, they fit the life of Shane Butler. Butler returned to racing in 2025 after nearly four years away, climbing back into a Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock at Boone Speedway. The comeback was more than a restart. It was a declaration that life had finally given him back the one thing he had lost — his health, his freedom, and the chance to chase the sport that runs in his family’s blood. The Road Back Butler had raced since he was 17, when his father Rodney built him his first Hobby Stock. Racing was a Butler family constant. His dad had raced Hobby Stock–type cars for three decades beginning in 1985, often carrying the number 37 [Read More]

Modified

Inaugural Texas Showdown Set for Jan. 7–10 at I-37

By Ben Deatherage PLEASANTON, Texas (Nov. 12, 2025) — The first-ever Texas Showdown will take center stage at I-37 Speedway January 7–10, 2026, featuring four consecutive nights of Speedway Motors IMCA-sanctioned action for the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars. A practice session on Tuesday, January 6 will precede the racing program, followed by a free BBQ gathering for all competitors and crews. Each night’s IMCA Modified feature will serve as a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifier, while the IMCA Stock Cars will race for B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying status Thursday through Saturday. Drivers earning those wins will be added to the eligibility list to qualify for their respective All-Star Invitational events to be run at the 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The IMCA Modifieds will race for escalating purses across all four nights: $1,000 to win Wednesday, $1,250 Thursday, $1,500 Friday, and $2,000 to win Saturday. The IMCA Stock Cars will chase $750 to win Wednesday, $1,000 Thursday and Friday, and $1,500 to win Saturday. Each [Read More]

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