By Ben Deatherage
BAKER, Fla. (Feb. 25, 2025) — Austin Harnick made history at the 2025 IMCA TV Clash On The Coast, becoming the first driver to win multiple Friesen Performance IMCA Modified features at Northwest Florida Speedway. The eighth starting Claire, Michigan racer earned a hard-fought $2,000 victory in the 25-lap main event, navigating traffic and surviving two late-race restarts.
Local drivers Tyler Allen and Owen Barnhill set the early pace, with Allen leading the first lap before Barnhill took over on the next one. As the leaders worked through lapped traffic, Harnick moved into second and began closing in on Barnhill, the three-time track champion.
On lap 12, Harnick found his opening on the inside and grabbed the lead. The race stayed green, allowing Joseph Joiner to make his move into second. Driving the Spencer Andrews-fielded Andrew Autosport entry, Joiner used traffic to his advantage, pressuring Harnick before pulling off a bold pass in turn four with eight laps to go.
Just as Joiner looked to pull away, a caution with four laps left grouped the field together. On the restart, Joiner got loose and nearly hit the wall, giving Harnick a chance to retake the lead.
A final caution set up a green-white-checkered finish, where Iowa’s Drew Janssen, aboard the Trent Guest and Danny Meier-owned mount, gave chase but had his hands full with a hard-charging Austen Becerra. With Janssen preoccupied, the reigning Merritt Speedway track champion pulled away.
Janssen, who started 13th, held on for second, while Becerra, the 2023 Clash title winner, charged from 21st to finish third.
In total, 54 drivers from across the DeVilbiss Racing Eastern Region competed at the ¼-mile oval.
Vandermark Scores First-Ever Stock Car Win
Mike Vandermark Jr. took control early in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature, leading the way in the 25-lap $2,000-to-win finale. The Cedar Springs, Michigan driver had to withstand multiple cautions in the race’s first half but kept his rhythm strong.
With 12 laps to go, Iowa’s Gage Neal made a serious bid for the lead, briefly passing Vandermark before the Badger State racer fought back. The top three stayed close as the final laps ticked away, but Vandermark held on to secure his first Clash win.
Photo by Pixel Boss Productions.
Behind him, Neal and reigning Clash champion Dallon Murty battled hard for second, with Neal edging out Murty at the line.
For the second straight night, the IMCA Stock Car class featured a first-time Clash winner, who also earned their first sanctioned victory with Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly action.
The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV.
