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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]