August 13, 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.

southernoregonspeedway

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]

Southern Oregon win to Winebarger on night two of Wild West Modified Shootout

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (June 22) – Another defending race winner was first to the checkers, on night two of the Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout Collen Winebarger topped Saturday’s main event at Southern Oregon Speedway, gaining a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth with the $1,000 victory, his series second in a row at White City. Kellen Chadwick took full advantage of his pole starting spot, taking the lead early and remaining there much of the race. Chadwick cruised until the culminating laps when he was briefly barricaded by traffic. Winebarger managed to cut down Chadwick’s lead and for the first time in the feature put significant pressure on the leader. The two battled briefly until lap 33 when Winebarger edged out in front. Winebarger went on to win the main event, his career fourth Wild West Shootout triumph. Chadwick, Jesse Williamson and Zach Fettinger were next across the stripe, while Jerry Flippo posted a fifth in his series first career feature start. Nick Trenchard had repeated his winning ways on opening [Read More]

Bigfoot finale checkers fly for Sanders

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (June 29, 2024) – Always consistent at Southern Oregon Speedway, Matt Sanders sped to his first Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature win at White City this season on night two of the Bigfoot Weekend presented by Toyota. The Brookings hotshoe brought three top five’s and had finished no worse than sixth in four previous Southern Oregon starts during the current campaign, drew the ninth starting spot on Saturday and got the win ahead of Jorddon Braaten. Jeffrey Hudson led on the first trip past the finish line before a caution came out with two laps complete. On the restart, Andy Freeman moved up to third just before the yellow flag returned for the second stoppage of the main event. When things got underway again, Braaten took over third while Ethan Killingsworth was all over Freeman for fourth. Shields and Braaten battled for the runner-up position before Shields had to bow out early due to mechanical issues on lap seven. Sanders continued an impressive run, obtaining third on lap [Read More]

Feature

Nate Coopman: Three Hundred Wins and a Lasting Legacy

By Ben Deatherage MANKATO, Minn. — Three hundred victories. Even Nate Coopman has a hard time wrapping his head around that number. “I can’t believe it,” Coopman said. “It’s pretty amazing to have had that much success.” On Aug. 1 at Arlington Raceway, the Mankato, Minn., driver reached another milestone by earning the 300th IMCA Sport Compact feature victory of his career, extending his record as the division’s all-time winningest driver. What began with his first IMCA feature victory in 2011 quickly turned into one of the most dominant seven-year stretches in IMCA history. Between 2011 and 2017, Coopman never won fewer than 21 features in a season, highlighted by a 54-win campaign in 2014 that is tied with Mike Nichols’ 2016 IMCA Stock Car season for the modern-era record for victories in a single IMCA class. “We were racing four or five nights a week for a while, so I guess I never really looked at it that close,” Coopman said. “When you step back now, it’s pretty incredible.” Nate Coopman celebrates his 300th career [Read More]

Feature

Dan Mackenthun: The Hamburg Racer’s Road to 200 Stock Car Wins

By Ben Deatherage HAMBURG, Minn. (Aug. 11, 2026) — Two hundred victories don’t happen overnight. They aren’t the product of one dominant season or one magical race car. They’re built one night at a time, one feature at a time, one year after another. When Dan Mackenthun earned the 200th Sunoco IMCA Stock Car victory of his career, the Hamburg, Minn., driver joined one of the most exclusive clubs in IMCA history, becoming just the eighth driver to reach the milestone. “It was something we were looking forward to,” Mackenthun said. “The Stock Car class is pretty tough competition anywhere, so to pick up just one win is a feat, let alone to do it 200 times. It’s been a pretty solid year so far.” His first IMCA Stock Car victory came in 2002 at Arlington Raceway. The following night he backed it up with another triumph at Redwood Speedway, unknowingly beginning one of the sport’s most accomplished careers. Mackenthun’s milestone also earned him membership in IMCA Stock Car racing’s exclusive Double Century Club. Only seven [Read More]

Events

Ralph Bloom Memorial Returns to Cottage Grove Speedway Aug. 14-15

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (Aug. 12, 2026) — The sixth annual Ralph Bloom Memorial returns to Cottage Grove Speedway on Aug. 14-15 with an exciting new twist, as the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods will compete topless for the first time in event history. The two-night special honors the memory of Ralph Bloom, one of the patriarchal members of the Bloom Family Racing team whose passion for racing helped build one of Cottage Grove Speedway’s most recognizable racing families. His legacy continues to be celebrated each summer through one of the premier IMCA SportMod events in the Pacific Northwest. Saturday night’s 33-lap feature currently pays at least $3,333 to win and $333-to-start main event. The confirmed purse has already grown to nearly $14,000, with additional support continuing to come in. Presented by American Steel, Industrial Source, Discount Windows, R&S Industrial Supply and Bloom Family Racing, the event continues to grow in prestige while drawing many of the Northwest’s top IMCA SportMod competitors. The weekend opens Friday, Aug. 14, with qualifying competition to set the [Read More]

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