By Ben Deatherage
BOTTINEAU, N.D. (Jun. 7, 2025) — Leevi Runge outlasted multiple restarts and late-race pressure to claim the $2,000-to-win Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod feature at Thunder Mountain Speedway’s Robbie Conway Memorial and the fifth night of the Tougher Than Dirt Tour.
The 25-lap main event, one of the highest-paying SportMod races in North Dakota, saw Runge take the lead from the outset. The Lampman, Saskatchewan racer — a three-time Estevan Motor Speedway SportMod track champion — maintained his edge through multiple cautions and a green-white-checkered finish. He held strong through it all to secure his second win of the week and first career Conway Memorial victory.
Utah’s reigning Junior National Champion Payce Herrera rallied late to finish second, while Chad Strachan — the 2006 Sunoco IMCA Stock Car champ at both Geographical Center and McLean County Speedways — recorded his fourth third-place finish of the week.
Raynard Runs Away With $1,000 Hobby Stock Check
Diezel Raynard continued his winning ways with the Tougher Than Dirt Tour in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, charging to victory in the 20-lap, $1,000-to-win feature.
Raynard, from Lampman, Saskatchewan, passed early leader and 2022 McLean County Speedway champion Trever Haas on lap three, then survived a pair of cautions — one on lap five and another on lap 14 — to dominate the rest of the event.
The win marked Raynard’s third of the season in the B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region and second in a row this week.
Four-time North Dakota State champion Kyler Satran finished second, with Haas hanging on for third.
Diezel Raynard earned the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature win on June 7 at Thunder Mountain Speedway, topping the Tougher Than Dirt Tour stop and celebrating with family and crew in victory lane. (Photo by MAK’n Photography)
Hughbanks Hustles to Compact Victory
Zach Hughbanks topped a tight battle in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts, taking the 12-lap feature after an intense duel at the front.
The Minot driver, who started third, grabbed the lead early but had to fend off repeated challenges throughout the race. He briefly lost the lead on lap six but regained it the following circuit and held on to notch his sixth win of 2025. Hughbanks is the defending Dacotah Speedway track champion.
Two-time and reigning North Dakota State champion Krys Yost was second, with Harrison Schwartz rounding out the top three.
The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV affiliate DARN 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.