November 12, 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

Morris hustles to IMCA Wild West Speedweek win at Southern Oregon

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (June 16, 2024) – The driver nicknamed TM3 was the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified winner on night two of Wild West Speedweek. Bakersfield, Calif., ace Troy Morris III motored all the way from 14th in winning Sunday’s main event and $1,000 at Southern Oregon Speedway. Already eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, his dominating victory came over Mark Wauge, Katelynn Robertson, Ian Whisler and Kevin Williamson. The race was a thriller from the start, with Whisler and Wauge fighting up front and Robertson and Tim Balding slugging it out for third behind them. Morris made the most of the top line following a lap restart to crack the top five. He made it around Balding on lap seven for fourth and dispatched Robertson on the ninth circuit for third. Wauge came under fire from Morris before a lap 10 caution erased Whisler’s big lead. Morris kept his faith on the high side on the twelve times around the 3/8-mile clay oval to pick up the runner-up spot [Read More]

Patterson prevails in photo finish at Southern Oregon

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (Sept. 21, 2024) – The 2024 season championship at Southern Oregon Speedway came down to the last lap in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. Carter Patterson beat title contender Ray Kniffen Jr. to the checkered flag by 0.043 seconds. The 17-year-old Lebanon driver now has two wins this season in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region. Albert Gill started the main event off as the leader. Setting a quick pace, he unfortunately experienced issues that forced him to pull in the infield on lap eight. That transformed a three-car race for second into a contest for the lead, with Patterson picking up the position. The race for the runner-up spot ended up being a battle for the championship between Kniffen and Kenny Boardman Jr. Kniffen would secure second with six to go and reeled in the leader with a couple of circuits left to cover. Patterson and Kniffen would go side-by-side in the final two laps, with neither driver letting the other gain the upper hand. The defending [Read More]

James caps Southern Oregon special with $5,500 IMCA Modified checkers

WHITE CITY, Ore. (Aug. 16, 2024) – It didn’t matter where Bricen James ran Friday night, he was fast. The Albany ace became a double winner at Southern Oregon Speedway’s Dwayne Melvin Clash/Bruce Rayburn Classic show, taking the $2,000 Silver Bullet I-5 Late Model Series victory and then beating Nick Trenchard to the stripe by six hundredths of a second for the $5,500 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified top prize. The Modified 40-lapper ran caution-free and the frontrunners ran in traffic more than half that distance. Also the Rayburn winner in 2022, James matched his career-best payday with his 10th victory in the division this season. “This was one of the best race tracks we’ve been on all year. It was fast on the bottom and it was fast on the top and slick all the way between,” said James, who worked his way to the front from eighth starting. “It seemed like the race went really quick.” He picked off a couple cars right at the start, then ran with Grey Ferrando for much of [Read More]

Feature

Room and Banquet Reservation Deadlines Approaching

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 10, 2026) — With the 2026 IMCA National Awards Banquet quickly approaching on Saturday, Nov. 28, attendees are reminded that the deadline to make hotel room reservations at the Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, Neb., is Friday, Nov. 13. Rooms are filling quickly, and those planning to attend are encouraged to secure their accommodations before the deadline. Banquet tickets must also be purchased by noon CST on Friday, Nov. 20. Tickets are available through the National Banquet page at www.imca.com/banquet. The annual celebration will recognize IMCA National, Regional, State, track and Special Series champions, along with Rookie of the Year honorees from the 2026 racing season. The evening begins with cocktails at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. and the awards ceremony at 8 p.m. Formal attire is required. The Champions Reception will take place Friday, Nov. 27, from 6-9 p.m. at the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed in Lincoln.

Feature

Hibdon Banks $8,000 in Diamond in the Desert Modified Finale at Cocopah

By Ben Deatherage SOMERTON, Ariz. (Nov. 7, 2026) — Kollin Hibdon capped the inaugural Wild River Family Entertainment Center Diamond in the Desert with an $8,000 victory in Saturday night’s 30-lap Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified finale at Cocopah Speedway, holding off Cody Laney, who had won the first two nights of competition, to collect his 12th win of the season. Earlier in the evening, Hibdon set a new track record while winning the Taco John’s Modified Knockout time trial challenge to earn the pole starting position. The 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s champion battled 2021 winner Laney for the lead at the start, with Hibdon gaining the advantage over the Janssen Fabrication-owned No. 5L. A caution following the completion of the opening lap proved to be the race’s only stoppage. On the restart, Hibdon and Laney separated themselves from the rest of the field. Hibdon, this year’s Independence Motor Speedway track champion, maintained his advantage over Laney, who had won the previous two nights. Hibdon encountered lapped traffic on lap 11 but [Read More]

Feature

Souder Trades Two Wheels for Four on Way to GRT Race Cars South Central Rookie Honors

By Ben Deatherage GORDONVILLE, Texas (Oct. 30, 2026) — A decision between purchasing another dirt bike or trying something different led 24-year-old Austin Souder to the 2026 GRT Race Cars South Central Region Rookie of the Year award in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified division. Souder becomes the 32nd Texas driver to earn South Central Region Rookie of the Year honors since the award’s inception in 1993, extending the state’s streak to 15 consecutive seasons. The Gordonville, Texas, driver spent much of his life racing motocross before climbing behind the wheel of the N2 Enterprise/Souder Appliance Repair/Cam’s Auto/Gould Race Cars entry for his first full season on four wheels. “I didn’t really know what I was getting into,” Souder admitted. “I raced motocross my whole life. I slowed down on the dirt bikes and just rode for fun.” His introduction to dirt track racing came through friend James Nicholson, who began competing in 2025. After attending several races with Nicholson, Souder considered purchasing a race car rather than another motorcycle. A connection with two-time IMCA Modified [Read More]

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