Vanover holds off Woken for IMCA Stock Car Crown triumph at Dawson County

Results

By Anthony Ainslie

LEXINGTON, Neb. (June 12, 2022) – Kyle Vanover became the latest winner on the inaugural IMCA Sunoco Stock Car Crown Summer Series after the tour headed out west. 

The third round for the series made the Sunday trip to the Sandhills where Lexington, Neb.’s Dawson County Raceway played host. A stout field of 40 stock cars from Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas packed the pit area with the track’s four other IMCA weekly racing classes also in action.

The $2,000 to win main event saw Robert Leonard lead the 21-car field down to the green flag. His lead was short lived as Kyle Vanover jumped from his outside front row starting spot to lead.

Vanover led while Casey Woken was right behind in second followed closely by third-running Jeff Ware. Those three would be the top three for the majority of the race.

The race’s only caution came out with just six laps remaining and bunched the field up. Woken tried a move to the inside of turn one with three laps to go but it was to no avail. Vanover, already eligible to qualify for the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational, hit his marks and led all 20 laps to secure the win

Woken, Mike Nichols, Jordan Grabouski and Ware completed the top five. 

Sunday’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event went caution-free for all 20 laps. Tony Schultz led the first three circuits before Kansas native Kyle Rohleder took control. Rohleder led the next 14 laps until Grabouski tracked him down and made the go-ahead move for the lead as the duo came off turn two with only three laps remaining. 

Grabouski went on to become the third different feature winner in three nights of racing for the Modified division at Dawson County Raceway in 2022. Rohleder was second and Charles Stryker third. 

In the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature, Zane Turner took early command before Brandon Spanjer took the lead away as they came out of turn four for lap five.

Spanjer went on to pick up his second feature win on the 2022 season at Dawson County Raceway while a rising star in the form of Joseph Cooper scored a second place finish, his career best at Lexington. Third was Lukas Pohlman.

Sunday’s IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature saw three different leaders. Early on, Christian Destefano was up front for the first two laps before Zach Olmstead took over. The former track champion led until a restart with nine to go following the race’s only yellow flag.

Dillon Thompson pounced on the restart, briefly taking the lead only for Olmstead to run him down and take the lead again for good two laps later. While Zach led, Morgan Olmstead had the hard charger performance of the night. After he started dead last in 20th, Morgan cut through the field and made it up to fifth in the final order. Zach, however, would go on to take the win. 

Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature saw a wild battle up front as Rileigh Flohrs and Brayden Lockling went side-by-side and even exchanged some paint for the race lead. The two had entertaining battle for the majority of the 12-lap race, but when it was all said and done, Flohrs stuck it out and held on to become the third different feature winner in four races for the division on the 2022 season.

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Results

Roth is awesome at Dawson County

By Kelly Ninas LEXINGTON, Neb. (June 3) – Anthony Roth led the lap that mattered most in winning Sunday’s IMCA Modified feature at Dawson County Raceway. Roth started in the fourth row and got shuffled off the backstretch during the early laps of the feature. Finishing strong would be an understatement as Roth rocketed back to pass Jay Steffens for the lead and eventual victory. Mike Nichols started 10th and rode the high side to another IMCA Sunoco Stock Car win while Jacob Olmstead dominated from the start of the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod main. Caleb Hetrick raced from third to first on the final circuit in winning the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature.

Results

Clough delivers at Dawson County 

LEXINGTON, Neb. (June 24) – Lining up on the outside of the front row was the launching pad Brandon Clough used to run away and hide from the rest of the IMCA Modified field Sunday at Dawson County Raceway. Clough rode the cushion and built up a comfortable lead during the non-stop action. Anthony Roth was second and David Murray Jr. third. Mike Nichols scored another IMCA Sunoco Stock Car victory and Jacob Olmstead collected his third straight feature win in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod division. Luke Wassom raced from fourth row starting to finish first in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock headliner.

Weekly

Connie Jewett Memorial Championship show Sunday at Dawson County Raceway

LEXINGTON, Neb. – Dawson County Raceway’s fifth annual Connie Jewett Memorial Championship Night this Sunday features $1,000 to win main events for both IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Ken Schrader joins the Modified field for the Aug. 30 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier. Money has been added to the purse in all divisions. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods both race for $750 to win, Mach-1 Sport Compacts for $250 at the draw/redraw show. There is no registration fee. Pit gates open at 3 p.m., the draw closes at 5:30 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. Prizes to be given away during the evening include three flat screen TVs. The Dawson County Cattlemen will give away 150 all-beef hot dogs and complimentary Coca Colas.  Pit meeting prizes will be given and there’s a candy toss for kids as well.