By Ben Deatherage
VINTON, Iowa (May 25, 2025) — Benton County Speedway celebrated the 46th anniversary of the IMCA Modified division with a 46-lap, $4,600-to-win main event, and it was two-time and defending national champion Chaz Baca Jr. who cashed in.
The Mesa, Arizona, standout sliced his way through the field from ninth to score his third Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifier win. He had already secured eligibility to try and qualify for the event at the 2025 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s with two victories during January’s IMCA.TV Winter Nationals.
2020 National champion Tom Berry Jr. paced the opening circuits until trouble on lap 13 handed the lead to Jerry Flippo. Flippo’s own mechanical issues forced him to the infield not long after a red flag on lap 16, giving the top spot to defending IMCA SportMod Super Nationals winner Logan Anderson.
Anderson looked poised to go the distance, but Baca reeled him in by lap 29. The battle soon included Zachary Madrid, who stormed into second just before a lap 31 caution. After an intense exchange of slide jobs and three-wide action with Madrid and Anderson, Baca secured the lead for good on lap 34 and pulled away in the final laps.
Baca earned his eighth win of the season and second in the Razor Chassis North Central Region. Anderson held on for second, while Tripp Gaylord, the defending Marshalltown Speedway champion originally from Colorado, charged into third.
Reimers Reigns in $2,000 SportMod Special
The Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods commemorated 20 years with a $2,000-to-win feature, and Cam Reimers returned to Benton County Speedway to make his second-ever appearance a profitable one.
The two-time Harris Clash winner from Kelley got the lead on lap two after an early caution slowed the field. Reimers had to withstand multiple yellow flags and a green-white-checkered finish to secure his fourth win of the season.
Dylan Van Wyk, the 2023 CJ Speedway champion, powered into second after the final restart. Hunter Longnecker came away third at the finish.
Cam Reimers celebrates his Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod victory in front of a cheering crowd during Sunday night’s special at Benton County Speedway. (Photo by JTFM Productions)
Olson Earns First Vinton Stock Car Win of 2025
Cedar Rapids’ Tony Olson made his way to victory lane in the 20-lap Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature. The former IMCA Northern SportMod track champion at Benton County jumped out front early and fended off a mid-race charge from two-time defending track titlist John Oliver Jr.
A trio of cautions broke up Olson’s rhythm midway through, and a late stoppage with three laps to go bunched the field one more time. Olson, however, was up to the task and scored his first Stock Car win at Benton County this season, and fifth overall in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region. Oliver settled for second with Braden Richards third.
Tony Olson celebrates with a big crowd in victory lane after winning Sunday’s IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature at Benton County Speedway. (Photo by JTFM Productions)
Richardson Scores First Hobby Stock Win of the Year
The Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks saw Morning Sun’s Tucker Richardson outduel early leader Justin Stander to claim his first win of the season in the B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region.
Richardson, the 2023 National Rookie of the Year, took over the point on lap five and then had to weather a pair of late cautions, including one with three laps remaining. Stander, the 2012 Independence Motor Speedway champion, and three-time track champion Joren Fisher made things interesting, but Richardson was perfect on the restart and drove away to the checkers. Stander and Fisher finished second and third, respectively.
Tucker Richardson earned his first Benton County Speedway win of 2025 in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, holding off a late challenge for the checkers. (Photo by JTFM Productions)
Grady Outduels Shannon in Sport Compact Thriller
2021 track campion Cristian Grady came out on top in one of the closest finishes of the night, edging Kaden Shannon in a drag race to the stripe in the 12-lap Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact main.
Shannon led early and appeared in control until Grady closed the gap in the final laps. The Cedar Rapids driver, who started seventh, surged ahead at the last possible moment to pick up his fourth win of the year, and first at Benton County in 2025. Stephan Randall was third.
Cristian Grady grabs the checkers after scoring the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact win on May 26 at Benton County Speedway. (Photo by JTFM Productions)
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.
