By Ben Deatherage
SPENCER, Iowa (May 5, 2025) — If you glanced only at the box score, you would see Austin Brauner started first and finished first—but the final night of the Clay County Classic was anything but straightforward. The two-time Nebraska State champion went toe-to-toe with Wisconsin’s Cole Czarneski in an edge-of-your-seat battle that set the tone for a thrilling 30-lap finale at Clay County Fair Speedway.
Czarneski briefly led on lap 3 and their door-to-door duel allowed IMCA TV Winter Nationals champion Shelby Williams to enter the fray. The reigning Wisconsin State and 141 Speedway titlist finally gained an edge on lap 13 while the field stayed green, and Shryock climbed into third in the Mike Hauan owned-Lake View Motorsports No. 3.
Shryock, the reigning Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Stock Car winner, took second from Brauner on lap 23 and quickly chased down Czarneski. He completed the pass with five laps to go, appearing poised for another big payday.
Austin Brauner (10A) battles side-by-side with Cole Czarneski (21CZ) during a heated duel for the lead in the Stock Car main event at Clay County Fair Speedway. (Photo by NWIowaPics.com)
But Brauner wasn’t done. He fought past Czarneski again and reeled in Shryock just in time for a final-lap move. Diving low into turn three, Brauner muscled past the leader and beat him to the line by half a car length.
The dramatic win was Brauner’s biggest of the season. Williams made a late move to claim third
Grabouski Doubles Up with Modified Domination
Jordan Grabouski made it a clean sweep at Clay County Fair Speedway with a commanding performance in the 20-lap, $2,000-to-win Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature.
After a brief exchange with Jake McBirnie, Grabouski ripped the top and pulled away from the field. Behind him, the two-time reigning Boone Speedway champion and his brother-in-law Tim Ward fought for second, with Ward securing the position on lap 7.
A mid-race caution gave five-time Minnesota State champion Brandon Beckendorf the opportunity to charge from fifth to third on the restart. Although Ward closed in late after Grabouski slipped over the cushion, it wasn’t enough to prevent the Beatrice, Nebraska, star from collecting his fourth Modified win of the season and second in the Razor Chassis North Central Region. Ward and Beckendorf rounded out the podium.
Carter Outduels Fett Brothers for SportMod Victory
The Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods delivered another thriller with a 20-lap, $1,000-to-win finale that saw Brayton Carter emerge as the class of the field. Colby Fett jumped to the early lead before trading the top spot with brother Alec. Alec, Sunday’s winner and the four-time defending Hancock County Speedway champ, gained control on lap 4 and looked poised for another win as Carter climbed into second.
Following a mid-race caution, Carter went back to work up top. The reigning Iowa State champion completed the pass on lap 15 and kept the Fett brothers at bay for his sixth win of 2025. Alec and Colby finished second and third, respectively.
Probst Completes Spencer Sweep in Hobby Stocks
The Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks capped off their two-night stay at Spencer with a 15-lap, $1,000-to-win feature that saw Cory Probst remain unbeaten at the Clay County Fair Speedway this year. Probst, the two-time reigning National champion, took the lead from Brandon Nielsen on lap 5 and never relinquished it. Nielsen, a five-time Hancock County Speedway champ, held off Zach Ankrum until a caution reset the field with eight to go.
Blake Luinenburg rocketed into second on the final restart to create a rematch from Sunday night. But Probst, from Brewster, Minnesota, stayed flawless to notch his third win of the year, all in the B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region. Luinenburg settled for second, while Nielsen—sporting his Salute To Veterans Tour wrap in tribute to the Blue Angels—rounded out the podium in third.
Vogt Withstands Late Charge in Sport Compacts
In the 10-lap, $500-to-win Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature, Mike Vogt of Sioux City picked up his second win in five days with a calm, calculated performance. The defending South Dakota State champion took the early lead while the two-time Super Nationals winner Devin Jones and four-time Lady Eagle champ Kaytee DeVries jostled for second.
DeVries briefly got back around Jones on the restart, then attacked Vogt for the lead. But Jones mounted a final-lap charge on the inside, nearly stealing it at the stripe. Vogt held on to win in the No. 442 for car owner Mark Dorcey, with Jones second and Sunday winner Caine Mahlberg finishing third.
The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV affiliate Advantage Racing TV. Catch every lap again with the IMCA TV Replay Subscription, available for just $24.99/month. And don’t miss Season 2 of the Boone Docuseries, now streaming exclusively on IMCA TV.
