July 17, 2025

Duke Takes First PA Sprint Series Win of ’25 at Selinsgrove

SP Ken Duke Jr. VL — Ken Duke Jr. celebrated his first River Valley Builders PA Sprint Series victory of the 2025 season — and eighth at Selinsgrove Speedway — after winning the July 11 main event at Selinsgrove Speedway. (Series Photo)

By Frank Buhrman

SELINSGROVE, Pa. (Jul. 11, 2025) – Ken Duke Jr. of Selinsgrove is the winningest active driver in the River Valley Builders PA Sprint Series and the reigning series champion, but 2025 had kept him out of victory lane—until Friday night, when “The Ice Man” used his home turf at Selinsgrove Speedway to score a decisive first win of the season.

Three PASS championships and the 2019 RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car national title already give Duke a full trophy case, but there’s always room for another.

Starting third in the 20-lap feature, Duke wasted no time making a veteran’s move—slipping past front row starters Jarrett Cavalet and Christian Rumsey exiting turn two on the opening lap to claim the lead. From there, he was in command, pulling ahead by more than three seconds on multiple occasions before traffic bunched the field.

A lone caution on lap nine briefly erased his advantage, but Duke stayed composed and crossed the finish line 1.396 seconds ahead of Rumsey, collecting his eighth PASS win at Selinsgrove. That brings him closer to Garrett Bard’s all-time division record of 10 at the Snyder County half-mile.

Despite this being his first win of the year, Duke has been consistent as ever, notching his fifth top-five finish in nine PASS starts. Though not running the full PASS schedule, he currently leads the Laurel Highlands Sprint Series standings.

Rumsey’s runner-up marked his third straight second-place finish. Timmy Bittner completed the podium in third. A strong field of 27 RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars was signed in for the evening.

PASS joins Open Wheel Madness at Port Royal

PORT ROYAL, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Sprint Series will be a part of Open Wheel Madness Saturday, April 24 at Port Royal Speedway. It’s the first of three Madness shows for PASS IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car teams; the others will be July 17 and Aug. 21. PASS will run a 20-lap feature each night at the Juniata County Speed Palace. This weekend’s show will be the second of 11 scheduled for PASS at Port Royal this season. ‘Nitro’ Nick Sweigart took the first on April 3. In the COVID-abbreviated 2020 season, PASS raced at the Port seven times, with Garrett Bard winning four of those events on his way to series, KMJ Performance State and IMCA RaceSaver National titles; he also was Port Royal track champ. Sweigart captured two wins and Derek Hauck won once. Sweigart and Bard are pre-registered for Saturday’s race, as is 2019 PASS, IMCA RaceSaver National and Port Royal Speedway champion Ken Duke Jr. Nathan Gramley, the 2016 track champion, also is expected. All total, more than 50 teams have pre-registered for the race. Gates open [Read More]

Frye scores PASS first feature win at Trail-Way

By Frank Buhrman & Stephanie Dodson HANOVER, Pa. (July 17) – Jake Frye might wish the Pennsylvania Sprint Series ran at Trail-Way Speedway more often. A year ago to the weekend, the Lewisberry racer, still one of PASS’ youngest, equaled his best career finish – second place – when the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car series stopped at the Hanover oval. Friday night, he topped that. Frye scored win number one in the 25-lap feature, in his 42nd career PASS start. He’d taken the top spot when early race-leader Larry McVay and third-place Johnny Scarborough were penalized for clipping the restart cone following a lap eight caution, putting Frye in the lead over Doug Dodson. That’s how they stayed, as Frye handled lapped traffic with ease, while Dodson blew a brake line on lap 13, handicapping his effort. He was still able to hang on for his third straight runner-up finish. Scarborough came home in third, with front-row starters Jaremi Hanson and McVay taking fourth and fifth. Feature results – 1. Jake Frye; 2. Doug Dodson; 3. [Read More]

PASS record is on the line at Selinsgrove

By Frank Buhrman SELINSGROVE, Pa. (May 18, 2023) – In 25 years of River Valley Builders Pennsylvania Sprint Series competition, no driver has ever won five consecutive feature races. Logan Spahr of Lewisberry will go for that record Saturday night, May 20 at Selinsgrove Speedway. Actually, the driver of the Eshenaur Racing no. 5 KR MacDonald/High Tech Metals/RL Snyder Electric Sprint Car has already won five straight, but that streak extends back to the final race of 2022, the Keystone RaceSaver Challenge. It’s the 2023 streak that sets the record. Last week at Path Valley Speedway, Spahr won his fourth in a row this year, a feat accomplished by only one other driver in PASS history: Logan Wagner in 2011. Several accomplished PASS competitors have won three straight, including Garrett Bard, Tyler Reeser, Mark Watkins, Craig Robinson, Ritchie Fitz, Judi Bates, Vince Snyder and Joe Davis. Only Spahr and Wagner have won four straight. A strong field of IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car challengers will do their best to deny Spahr the record Saturday, including Seth [Read More]

Feature

Diercks Cruises to Wednesday Night West Liberty Checkers

By Mike McGuire WEST LIBERTY, Iowa (July 16, 2025) — With a little help from the weather, the Muscatine County Fair opened with a full night of racing on Wednesday. This was the first racing action the West Liberty Raceway half-mile had seen in 2025. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature went all twenty laps caution-free. Spencer Diercks of Davenport would lead the entire distance and was never challenged in the race, finishing with a six second advantage over second place. The victory was Diercks’ eighth win of the season in the Razor Chassis North Central Region. Second through fifth was where the action took place during the main. Kurt Kile, with the home field advantage, finished in the runner-up position. Chris Zogg took third. Plummer Breaks Through with First SportMod Victory of Season Tim Plummer of Norway, Iowa, captured the win in the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods. While the scoring may show that Plummer led all fifteen laps, it was not an easy win. The pressure on the leader came from Matt Fulton Jr. [Read More]

Feature

Muth Masters Modified Midweek Mayhem at Cottage Grove

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (July 16, 2025) –– Brett Muth thrilled his hometown fans with a determined 25-lap victory in Wednesday’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at Cottage Grove Speedway, the second race of the 2025 Midweek Mayhem Series. The triumph marked his second win of the season in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region. Muth grabbed the lead on the opening lap and looked strong early before the caution waved on lap two. When racing resumed, Kevin Williamson—the wheelman of the Superior Fuel Cells no. 42 machine—began chipping away at Muth’s advantage and caught him by lap 12. What followed was a dramatic side-by-side battle between the pair for several circuits, with Williamson momentarily getting the better of it—only to be forced to relinquish the lead due to a yellow on lap 15. That opened the door for five-time and reigning Cottage Grove Speedway track champion Jake Mayden, who methodically worked the high side aboard the Dustin Brooks-owned no. 5M and surged into the lead on lap 17. But Muth wasn’t done yet—he [Read More]

Events

Rage 40 Returns to Fayette County Speedway with $2,000 Top Prize on July 24

By Ben Deatherage WEST UNION, Iowa (July 16, 2025) — One of the most anticipated summer specials in the Hawkeye State returns to Fayette County Speedway as the fifth annual Rage 40 roars to life on Thursday, July 24, during the Fayette County Fair. The 40-lap special for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds headlines the evening program on the 3/8-mile oval and offers a $2,000 payday to the winner, with a minimum of $200 to start. Sponsored by West Union-based Rage Chassis, the race continues to honor excellence in the Modified division and consistently draws top talent from across the Razor Chassis North Central Region. The Rage 40 has produced an impressive roster of past champions. Joel Rust captured the inaugural event in 2021, followed by Jeff Aikey in 2022, and Cody Laney in 2023. Defending winner Ethan Braaksma added his name to the list last year, and a new contender—or repeat victor—will be crowned in 2025. With fair week in full swing, the Rage 40 promises high-intensity racing and hometown pride on display for fans packing the grandstands.

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