Grabouski and Jaxon Saathoff are IMCA Modified winners at Octoberfest

Results

A first-time weekly winner at Beatrice Speedway in August, Jaxon Saathoff returned to his hometown track to win the Saturday night Octoberfest feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and $2,000. (Photo by Joe Orth)

BEATRICE, Neb. (Oct. 21-22, 2022) – Jordan Grabouski added to his Octoberfest hardware collection on opening night, while Jaxon Saathoff started his on night two of Beatrice Speedway’s traditional season-ending special. 

Grabouski topped Friday’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event and earned $1,000 for his career 11th Octoberfest victory since 2012. Saathoff checked out on everybody in winning the Saturday feature and $2,000. 

Grabouski started the opening night 25-lapper from ninth and caught Trey Duensing for the lead with three circuits left. His career seventh Modified win at Beatrice’s fall show is complemented by another four Stock Car triumphs.

“We have had a lot of success here,” said the now five-time national and eight-time Modified track champion. “I was able to get around Trey after a restart and were able to pull away once we got in front. This might have been our last race of the year and if so, it was a good way to end the season.”

Duensing, Saathoff’s father Johnny – another multi-time national and Beatrice champion and Octoberfest winner – Anthony Roth and Cole Wayman completed the top five.

Jordan Grabouski motored from ninth starting to win Friday’s Octoberfest main event for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, his career 11th feature victory at Beatrice Speedway’s fall special. (Photo by Joe Orth)

Eighth on Friday, Jaxon Saathoff started outside the front row in the Saturday show and never looked back after the green flag fell.

He was running in lapped traffic and well ahead of any potential challengers when the only caution waved with 10 laps left, then jetted away again to win three seconds ahead of Roth.

“It meant a lot to me when I got my first weekly win here this season (on Aug. 5) and I thought that was the coolest thing ever,” Saathoff said. “But it’s even cooler to win the same race that my dad won so many times.”

The $2,000 that came with that win was a career best. Saathoff joins Grabouski on the list of Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible drivers. Duensing, Grabouski and Dave Pederson ran third through fifth. 

Jesse Sobbing’s Friday night IMCA Sunoco Stock Car win came ahead of Dan Nelson and 19th starting Kyle Vanover. Dusty Blake was the Saturday winner, in front of the 13th starting Vanover and Lance Borgman on Saturday. 

Taylor Huss and Nick Ronnebaum ran 1-2 in both IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock features, charging from 12th starting and 11th starting, respectively, in the opening night show. Third went to Roy Armstrong on Friday and to Travis Blythe on Saturday.

Adam Armstrong raced to Octoberfest career title number eight on Friday’s Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main. Matt Andrews was second and Lee Horky third.

Andrews was the Saturday winner, in front of Borgman and Joseph Cooper.

Justin Kinderknecht was a double winner in the IMCA STARS Mod Lite features, ahead of Nathan Wolfe and Randy Bryan on Friday and Ben George and Ed Griggs on Saturday. 

And Drake Bohlmeyer brought a broom of his own to Beatrice in sweeping Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact features.

Now a career four-time Octoberfest king, he started eighth and beat 12th starting Kaylee Richards and Mike Vogt to the Friday checkers, then started 12th and outran Zach Bohlmeyer and Coleton Williamson on Saturday.

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