By Ben Deatherage
OSKALOOSA, Iowa (Oct. 20, 2025) — Brayton Carter delivered one of the most complete performances of his career in 2025, capturing the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod National Championship by a razor-thin three-point margin. The Oskaloosa, Iowa, racer steered the Eibach Springs / Midstate Machine / Wehr’s Machine and Racing Products no. 01 VanderBuilt Race Car to his first career national title while also earning his second straight Iowa State championship. Along the way, he collected track titles at both Stuart and Marshalltown Speedways.
The championship capped a campaign marked by consistency, momentum, and mastery across multiple Iowa ovals. Between Stuart and Marshalltown alone, Carter has now earned six IMCA track championships, highlighted by a three-peat at Stuart Speedway from 2020 through 2022 before returning to claim a fourth there this year, and back-to-back championships at Marshalltown Speedway in 2024 and 2025. It was also the second time in his career that he’s captured two track championships in the same season, joining a previous dual-title effort in 2022.
His 2025 season included 29 feature victories in 49 starts — the most wins he’s recorded in a single year — along with 40 top-five finishes and 46 top-tens, a rate of success that kept him at the front nearly every night out. Carter’s spring surge set the tone for his title run. He opened the year with back-to-back wins at Marshalltown Speedway and quickly found a rhythm that produced multiple victories each weekend. Between early May and late June, he captured 14 wins in 20 starts, often winning three or four times in a single week.
“It’s been real good,” Carter said. “We normally do pretty well, but this year we were able to string some more wins together and actually run weekly at two tracks. We don’t often win two track championships in one season. We had some stretches where we’d win multiple races on weekends — pretty soon three or four nights a week.”
Brayton Carter’s 2025 season was one for the record books, highlighted by 29 feature victories in 49 starts and the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod National championship. The Oskaloosa, Iowa, driver also earned track titles at both Stuart and Marshalltown Speedways. (Photo by Tom Macht)
By mid-May, his win total had already reached 15, and Carter shifted his focus to maintaining consistency.
“We only finished outside of the top five a handful of times,” he said. “We were in contention to win most nights. When you factor in the Stock Car, I think I’ve raced more this year than any other.”
In addition to his SportMod campaign, Carter also raced the no. 7V Sunoco IMCA Stock Car for car owner Carter Van Den Berg, gaining valuable experience in a second division.
“It was fun to learn — that class has its own challenges,” he said. “There’s a learning curve for sure.” He credited his VanderBuilt chassis for much of his SportMod success. “Ever since we got this VanderBuilt car last year it’s been on point every night,” he said. “As long as I do my job, we end up toward the front.”
Carter’s 2025 victories came at eight tracks across Iowa, including 10 at Marshalltown, six at 34 Raceway, five at Stuart, three at Clay County Fair, two at Cedar County, and single wins at Bloomfield, Davenport, and Independence. His consistency, car control, and calm approach made him a weekly threat in one of IMCA’s most competitive divisions — and by season’s end.
Feature Wins 29
Total Top Five’s 40
Total Starts 49
His Pit Crew: Grandpa Jimmy, Dad B.J., Lake Spetan, Mark Dickerson
His Sponsors: Eibach Springs, Midstate Machine, Wehr’s Machine and Racing Products, Fast Shafts, Ace Racing Clutches, Performance Bodies, CPD Racing Shocks, Capital Race Decals, Close Racing Supply, Schroeder Racing Products, Mitchell Machine, Aero Wheels, OTR Racing Filters, Schaeffer Oil, Quick Time, Competition Carburetion, K1 RaceGear, QuickCar, Schoenfeld Headers, TDR 30M, Gorsuch Performance, PEM Racing, Velocita, Dirt Defender