September 28, 2026

Fettinger is fastest at Southern Oregon

Zach Fettinger bounced back from an early crash to win Saturday’s IMCA Modified feature at Southern Oregon Speedway. (Photo by Carole Bryan, Shadows of Light Photography)

By Don Martin II

WHITE CITY, Ore. (June 16) – Making a nice comeback from an early race crash, Zach Fettinger scored the 25-lap IMCA Modified main event victory Saturday night at Southern Oregon Speedway.

Fettinger held off C.J. Putnam down the stretch for what would be his first win of the season despite restarting at the back of the field following the lap eight fracas.

The frontrunners had come up on a slower car and while Andy Freeman got by, Mark Wauge and Fettinger both got caught up. Wauge suffered enough damage to end his race while Fettinger made a pit stop and was able to rejoin the back of the pack for the restart.

Fettinger quickly found the fastest line and charged to the lead, and eventual win ahead of Putnam and Albert Gill.

Braxton Possinger was flawless in leading start to finish of the 20-lap feature for Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods.

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Travels take James to victory lane at Southern Oregon’s Rayburn Classic

MEDFORD, Ore. (Aug. 19, 2022) – His latest finish in a self-described “pretty dang good year” also turned out to be a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified career-best payday for Bricen James. The much-traveled James banked $5,500 for his win at Southern Oregon Speedway’s 55-lap Bruce Rayburn Classic. The checkers were his 10th of the season, with those wins coming at seven different tracks in three states. “We kind of went everywhere this year. We’ve chased the big races around here and have won a lot of them,” said James, who piloted a Jerry Schram-owned ride with his own Rage Chassis on the trailer and ready for the next-week tow to Iowa. “It’s been a pretty dang good year for us.” He’d started the main event from the 11th spot and was running in the top five when lap 10 was scored. After a fuel-only stop at midway, James caught Collen Winebarger for third and then Nick Trenchard for the runner-up spot. He chased down Jesse Williamson for the lead around lap 40 and stayed in front to [Read More]

Fettinger returns to victory lane at Southern Oregon Speedway

By Don Martin II WHITE CITY, Ore. (July 7) – After taking the lead from Mark Wauge on lap 10, Zach Fettinger went on to win the 20-lap IMCA Modified main event Saturday at Southern Oregon Speedway. He won by a straightaway advantage at the checkered flag as Albert Gill settled for second. The feature had to be restarted after a lap one caution and that was the only yellow flag of the race. Wauge raced into the lead at the start, followed by Gill and Fettinger. Fettinger slipped past Gill for second on lap three, and the lead three cars ran in close formation at the front of the pack. A low move in turn two of the 10th lap put Fettinger into the lead and he was soon lapping slower cars. Wauge retired from second on lap 13, and Trenchard made a move around Gill for second a lap later. However, Gill came charging by on lap 15 to regain the position. Branden Wilson made a last-lap pass to score a surprising Karl [Read More]

Sanders brushes away foes in Sherwin Williams Night feature

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (Aug. 3, 2024) – Matt Sanders chose the perfect palette for winning the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature on Sherwin Williams Night at Southern Oregon Speedway. Ty Williams reached the point at the start of the feature but saw misfortune strike as he got sideways with three laps complete and got collected by another car. That gave the lead to Ryder Boswell. Ryan Peery started to challenge but Boswell held him back. Peery again came to call on lap eight and got the lead, but the caution came out before the lap could be officially counted. On the restart, Peery went on the offensive but got sideways in turn four and came to a halt, resulting in another stoppage. Sanders then emerged as the new threat. He made a sweeping maneuver around the outside of Boswell in the fourth turn of the ninth circuit to become the new trailblazer, followed by Trevor Points progressing to second. The ninth-place starter had no issues while at the head of the [Read More]

Feature

McKinney Makes 1,000-Mile Trip Pay Off With MLA Nationals Victory

By Bryce Vowan WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. (Sept. 26, 2026) — A roughly 1,000-mile trip from Magnolia, Del., paid off in a big way for Ryan McKinney Saturday night as he captured the $2,000 Mod Lites of Arkansas IMCA Nationals at Riverside International Speedway. McKinney started third and found himself in the right place at the right time late in the feature, taking advantage of trouble for the leaders before driving the No. 25M to victory. The trip to Arkansas was far from a certainty for McKinney, who suffered a spine injury in a racing accident two months earlier. “I came to Riverside on a whim,” McKinney said. “We were iffy on going due to a spine injury from a wreck two months ago, but decided to give it a shot and I’m glad we did!” McKinney said the Riverside surface provided plenty of options throughout the feature. “The track was awesome and racey,” he said. “The line changed a lot throughout the race, and could run anywhere!” McKinney admitted his car wasn’t quite good enough to [Read More]

Events

Southern Challenge Brings Two Nights of Racing to Abilene Oct. 16-17

By Ben Deatherage ABILENE, Texas (Sept. 28, 2026) — The Southern Challenge returns to Abilene Speedway for two nights of Speedway Motors IMCA racing Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16-17, with $3,000 awaiting the Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMod winner and $2,000 top prizes on the line for both Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds and Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars. The weekend begins with qualifying Friday night. Heat races and qualifying features will set the stage for Saturday’s last-chance races and championship features. SportMods headline the IMCA purse in the second annual Brown Plumbing Southern SportMod Blowout, paying $3,000 to win and $200 to start. Non-transfers will receive $100. Bradley Poor returns as the defending race winner after capturing the inaugural event in 2025. Modifieds race for $2,000 to win and $200 to start, with $100 going to non-transfers. Stock Cars will also compete for $2,000 to win and $200 to start, with $100 for non-transfers. The Modified winner will earn eligibility to attempt to qualify for the 2027 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational, while the Stock Car [Read More]

Feature

NY-Penn Series Closes 2026 With Two-Night Thunder Mountain Finale Oct. 30-31

By Ben Deatherage CENTER LISLE, N.Y. (Sept. 28, 2026) — The final two stops of the 2026 NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series season bring the tour to Thunder Mountain Speedway for a pair of special events Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31. Friday’s Billy Ward Memorial presented by Patriot Tank Lines will pay $1,004 to win before the season concludes Saturday with the Ed and Jan Billings Classic presented by 71 Speed & Design, paying $3,116 to win. Both Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified features will serve as qualifying events for the 2027 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Each winner will earn eligibility to attempt to qualify for next year’s Invitational at Boone Speedway next September. The Billy Ward Memorial has quickly become a staple of the NY-Penn schedule. Eddie Sites captured the inaugural running in 2023 at Afton Motorsports Park, while Keith Lamphere enters this year’s event as the defending winner after taking the checkers in 2025 at Thunder Mountain. Saturday brings the 2026 NY-Penn campaign to a [Read More]

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