IMCA champions are crowned at RPM

Hobby Stock, Modified, Northern SportMod, Results, Sport Compact, Stock Car

Rileigh Flohrs’ runner-up finish Sunday night secured the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact title at RPM Speedway. (Photo by Carl Larson)

By Sheldon Wickwar

HAYS, Kan. (Sept. 15, 2024) – Eighty-two race teams checked into the legendary RPM Speedway for championship night racing on Sunday.

Taking home feature wins were Gage Porter in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts and track champions Blaine Walt in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, Zach Olmstead in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Kyle Pfeifer in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Daniel Gottschalk in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds.

Rileigh Flohrs was the Sport Compact track champion.

The 15-lap feature for the 4-cylinder class started with a front row of Kaishen Brack and Alison Jeske. Brack led early while Kyle Mortensen and Porter fought for second, with Porter grabbing the lead after a few laps. Jake Schwien broke and that would open the championship door for Flohrs.

Meanwhile, nobody could catch Porter as he ran away with the feature win. Second was Flohrs and third was Connor Schwien.

Hobby Stocks were second on the program. Their 20-lap feature started with a front row of Blake Holmes and Danny Schulte. Holmes got the early lead while Olmstead, Jonathan Saliba and Cody Williams were charging to the front.

Dion Priddy gained the lead with Williams right behind him. Lap three saw a caution and the field restarted with Williams finding the lead before Olmstead got by.

Once Olmstead found the lead, he cruised to the feature win, along with grabbing the track championship. Second was Williams and third was Colton Czapanskiy.

Northern SportMods were next. Their 20-lap feature event started with a front row of Cody Gearhart and Dalton Bell. Walt started 10th and it took a handful of laps, but he found himself up front, got to the lead and stormed away with the feature event win, securing a track championship after Maughlin was forced to retire early with mechanical issues.

Second was Tyler Watts and third was Gearhart.

The Stock Car 20-lap feature started with a front row of Troy Burkhart and Garrett Hager. Burkhart led the bulk of the first half of the feature event, before Pfeifer was able to get by.

Tathan Burkhart held on to second or third throughout the feature event but was unable to find victory lane to have a shot at the championship. Pfeifer picked up the feature win along with the track championship. Second was Tathan Burkhart while third went to Hager.

Modifieds closed out the show with a 20-lap feature that saw Kaid Calhoon and Dalton Murphy start on the front row. Jake Nightingale led the first eight laps before breaking a right rear shock, which occurred on a restart and formed a parking lot that caught up championship contenders Gottschalk and Clay Money.

Gottschalk charged from the rear of the field to win the race and collect his fourth track championship at RPM Speedway. Second was Dylan Sherfick and third was Kyle Rohleder.

RPM’s next event will be Fall Nationals which take place Oct, 3-5 and feature all five IMCA divisions.

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