October 6, 2025

Dubuque checkers fly for Callahan

By Jerry Mackey

DUBUQUE, Iowa (June 3) – Joel Callahan topped the strong field of IMCA Modified drivers in in scoring the 20-lap feature win Sunday at Dubuque Speedway.

Callahan took the lead near midway and held off Tyler Madigan at the checkers.

Troy Bauer followed up a feature win at Farley Speedway on Friday night with another victory in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods. Bauer took the win over always tough Tyler Soppe.

Sunday, June 10 will be Fan Appreciation night at Dubuque with everything half price, including admission and all concessions. In addition, a pre-race car show will be held beginning at 4:30 p.m. All kids will be given autograph books courtesy of the Richardson Motors Kids Club. Drivers will have cars on display and will be signing autographs prior to the races.

dubuquespeedway

Three Key City Challenge dates at Dubuque for IMCA Late Models

DUBUQUE, Iowa (Feb. 6, 2024) – IMCA Sunoco Late Models will have three opportunities to take home $2,500 this season in Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway’s Key City Challenge. Late Model features on Sundays, April 28, June 23 and Aug. 18 all tote big checks for drivers pre-registered by April 28. “This was an idea one of our Late Model drivers, Luke Merfeld, had. He wanted to help promote our track and the sport of racing. Luke contacted and recruited sponsors to make this series possible. It started with Late Models and the wheels just kept rolling,” explained Fairgrounds General Manager Kevin Kotz, noting $850 to win Challenge dates for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars on May 12 and July 14 and $600 to win Challenge features for IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks on June 16 and Aug. 4 as well. “People asked if we could add Challenge races for other classes and just kept donating money.” Late Model drivers who pay a $500 Challenge entry fee by the deadline day also receive six free pit passes; those who [Read More]

Fryer takes IMCA Modified win at Dubuque

By Rob Hinckley DUBUQUE, Iowa (June 2) – The track came to him. That is what Jaden Fryer wanted Sunday evening at Dubuque Speedway. The Freeport, Ill. pilot shot from the outside front row and held off track champion Bryce Garnhart and NASCAR and dirt legend Ken Schrader to win the Merfeld Brothers Automotive IMCA Modified 20-lap feature. “This was really special,” Fryer said in C&W Trucking/Hoker Trucking/Kam Koncepts Victory Lane. “It was fun getting the win and we worked hard.” Fryer and his team dedicated the win to a friend recently lost to cancer and had the car wrapped in her memory. Garnhart shot off seventh and quickly moved to the high side, but could not run down Fryer. Chris Zogg and Matt Short rounded out the top five. Luke Merfeld took off from the first row and paced all 25 laps to win the Eichmann’s Bar and Grill IMCA Late Model feature. Jason Roth also paced every lap of the Peosta Warehousing Logistics IMCA Northern SportMod 15-lap finale. Kyle Merkes held off the [Read More]

Gansen among Dubuque season championship checkers

By Rob Hinckley DUBUQUE, Iowa (Aug. 25) – He tossed another helmet tearoff as the white flag flew. Matt Gansen’s car made it that final lap as he won the 20-lap Merfeld Brothers Automotive IMCA Modified Season Championship feature Sunday evening at Dubuque Speedway. “The car started to overheat and steam was hitting my faceshield,” a jubilant Gansen said. “I was using a tearoff every lap. I didn’t know what was going on on the track.” Gansen moved by early leader Jaden Fryer after several side by side laps on lap nine and extended the advantage. “It looked like (Fryer) was staying on the bottom and we were fast enough up top,” Gansen added. “I wasn’t sure if he would figure something else out so wanted to make the move.” Tyler Madigan also passed Fryer late. Track champion Bryce Garnhart and Timmy Current rounded out the top five. “It takes consistency and wins,” Garnhart said. “We put a lot of time in at the shop and I can’t thank my crew and sponsors enough.” Tyler [Read More]

Feature

Ashton Thompson: Turning Laps for a Cause

By Ben Deatherage SALEM, Ind. (Oct. 3, 2025) — In the rolling hills of southern Indiana, where small towns dot the countryside and history runs deep, sits Salem. It has become a crossroads town with a courthouse square at its heart and strengthened by generations who rebuilt after every setback. Today, its brick streets and quiet neighborhoods still reflect that heritage of resilience. From this backdrop rises Ashton Thompson’s story — a third-generation racer who has carried her family’s tradition further than ever, chasing speed across the Midwest and now carving her path in the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car division with the Huntley’s Hoosier Winged Sprint Series. A Family Affair “I’m a third-generation racer,” Thompson said with a grin. “My dad told me I had to play a sport when I was six, and I chose racing. We kept it in the family.” Her father, Tyson, and grandfather, Gerald, both ran Mini Sprints on the local scene. Ashton went further, climbing from quarter midgets into Micro Sprints, Midgets, and even developmental series on pavement and road [Read More]

Hobby Stock

Braxton Yeager Wins Modified Thriller and Claims Clash Crown at Desert Thunder

By Ben Deatherage PRICE, Utah (Sept. 27, 2025) — The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds closed out the Castle County Clash at Desert Thunder Raceway with a barnburner. Waylon Hale led the opening lap before a lap-two caution reset the field. On the restart, Kade Dimick — a two-time Utah State and Desert Thunder Raceway Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod champion — powered into the lead. Dimick controlled the race through another caution on lap seven, setting the pace as Hale kept close. With only a handful of laps left, the leaders entered lapped traffic, and Hale slipped underneath to challenge. Just as the duel heated up, Braxton Yeager joined the mix. Running the high line to perfection, Yeager beat both Dimick and Hale back to the stripe for the dramatic win. Yeager, the 2022 Sweetwater Speedway track champion from Green River, Wyoming, was driving for the Hislop family and clinched the overall Clash crown with the victory. Dimick held on for second, Hale ran third, while Yeager’s father Justen, 2009 Shaw Race Cars Western Region champion, [Read More]

Feature

Pavlicek Finally Breaks Through in SportMods at Dacotah’s Oktoberfest

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (Sept. 27, 2025) — Casselton’s Rich Pavlicek quickly pulled away in the Karl Chevrolet IMCA SportMod feature on the final night of Oktoberfest at Dacotah Speedway. The real battle was for second as Keenan Glasser, Troy Speten and Nathan Speten fought it out. A series of mid-race cautions regrouped the field, with Nathan Speten slipping past Glasser for second. Glasser rallied, however, and retook the spot with six laps remaining. After coming up short the past two years, Pavlicek finally broke through and parked in Dacotah Speedway victory lane. Glasser held off Nathan Speten for second, with Chris VanMil fourth and Jayden Pavlicek rounding out the top five. Satran Survives Caution-Filled Hobby Stock Main When the green flag waved in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature, it was an early duel between Diezel Raynard and Kyler Satran. Satran grabbed the lead before a caution reset the field, the first of several that slowed the pace. The restarts worked to the advantage of former Oktoberfest champion Brandon Beeter, who sliced his way [Read More]

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