By Sheldon Wickwar
WaKEENEY, Kan. (May 17, 2025) — WaKeeney Speedway brought the curtain down on the John Fose Memorial/Wall of Fame Weekend with a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature that lived up to the occasion. Jeremy Frenier took command early, storming to the lead as the field settled in behind him. But Daniel Gottschalk soon reeled him in, making the pass after a few circuits to take over the top spot.
As the race reached the midway point, a four-car shootout began to take shape with Gottschalk, Frenier, Kyle Rohleder, and Dakota Sproul all in the mix. Gottschalk’s time out front was cut short when Rohleder powered to the lead, but Sproul was just hitting his stride. Methodically working the track, Sproul closed in and made a dramatic last lap pass on Rohleder to secure his second Jet Racing Central Region victory of the season. Rohleder settled for second with Frenier rounding out the podium.
Walt Steals the Spotlight in SportMod Thriller
The Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod feature at WaKeeney Speedway was packed with drama as Austin Carter and Carson Lang led the field to green. Carter dominated the race, leading the first 19 laps with a commanding presence. But just as it looked like the young gun would cruise to victory, Lang came to a stop in turn four, bringing out a late caution.
On the restart, Blaine Walt seized the opportunity. Charging hard off turn four, Walt edged Carter at the line by just .011 seconds in a breathtaking finish to complete a weekend sweep at WaKeeney. The win marked Walt’s third of the season. Carter settled for a tough-luck second, while Cody Gearhart raced home third.
Blaine Walt celebrates in victory lane after a dominant run from 12th to first in the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod main event. (Photo by Carl Larson-Photos by Red)
Olmstead Wins While Bell’s Streak Lives On
Zach Olmstead and Dylan Bell picked up the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock heat race wins, and in the feature, it quickly became a two-man duel. Bell led the majority of the laps, showing the same speed that’s kept him on the podium all season. But with just a few laps remaining, Bell slipped too high coming off turn four, handing the top spot to Olmstead.
Once out front, Olmstead never looked back, claiming his eighth B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region win in just 12 starts. Bell extended his podium streak with a runner-up finish, while Tyler Heath crossed the line in third.
Zach Olmstead celebrates in victory lane with family and friends after scoring a thrilling win in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks at WaKeeney Speedway. (Photo by Carl Larson-Photos by Red)
Burkhart Rockets to Stock Car Victory Lane
At the start of the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature, Brett Berry made an aggressive move, forcing the front row three wide and jumping into the lead. Berry, aiming to complete a weekend sweep, looked strong until the final laps when he began to fade.
That opened the door for Tathan “2Fiddy” Burkhart, who capitalized on clean air and drove away from the field to earn his second EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region win of the year. Berry held on for second, while Kyle Pfeifer rounded out the top three.
Tathan Burkhart shares a special moment in victory lane after charging to a runner-up finish and earning hard charger honors in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature. (Photo by Carl Larson-Photos by Red)
Porter Shines in Sport Compact Action
The Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature began with Grant Logue and Kyle Mortensen on the front row. Mortensen jumped out to an early lead and controlled the first half of the race. But Gage Porter had other plans.
Porter powered by in the second half and held on to collect his third win of the 2025 campaign. Mortensen finished second with Connor Schwien claiming the third spot.
Gage Porter poses in victory lane after a strong runner-up finish and hard-charging performance in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts at WaKeeney. (Photo by Carl Larson-Photos by Red)
The event was broadcast live on IMCA 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.
