Braaten Banks $6,069 in SportMod Smackdown Win at Southern Oregon

Feature, News, Northern SportMod

Jorddon Braaten celebrates in victory lane after leading all 69 laps to win the $6,069 SportMod Smackdown at Southern Oregon Speedway on May 31. Joining the Central Point driver are his fellow Jackson County Sheriff’s Department deputies, who celebrated the victory alongside him. (Photo by Shadows of Light Photography)

By Ben Deatherage

WHITE CITY, Ore. (May 31, 2025) — Central Point’s Jorddon Braaten showcased his prowess by leading all 69 laps of the rebranded SportMod Smackdown at Southern Oregon Speedway, securing a commanding victory and a $6,069 prize in one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier IMCA SportMod events.

Formerly known as the Dwayne Melvin Clash, the 69-lap feature attracted top competitors, with Braaten — a four-time Oregon State and Southern Oregon Speedway track champion — asserting dominance from the outset.

The race’s first half was marked by intermittent cautions, but as the event passed lap 31, Braaten encountered lapped traffic. Navigating through it masterfully, he extended his advantage and began to check out from the field.

In the second half, 2022 Oregon State and 2021 track champion Matt Sanders tried to mount a high-side charge, but Braaten’s low-line rhythm and ability to work traffic kept him firmly in control. Around lap 50, Braaten sliced through another wave of traffic to create a sizable lead that he never surrendered.

The race for second came down to the wire, with 2023 Oregon State champion Trevor Points charging late to challenge Sanders. Despite the pressure, Sanders held him off at the line, with Points settling for third.

The win marked Braaten’s fourth at Southern Oregon Speedway this season and fifth overall in his 2025 campaign.

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