By Ben Deatherage
WHITE CITY, Ore. (May 30, 2026) — Oakley, California’s Buddy Kniss held off a furious late-race challenge to win the 40-lap, $3,069-to-win Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod Smackdown feature at Southern Oregon Speedway, earning his first victory of the 2026 season and his first career triumph in the prestigious event.
Kniss jumped to the early lead and remained at the point through a lap one caution. As the race settled into a lengthy green-flag run, the battle for the lead intensified when Cory Biggs, driving the Ethan Killingsworth-owned No. 7M, mounted a charge. Biggs took over the lead on lap 15, but Kniss answered one lap later to reclaim the top spot as the leaders entered lapped traffic.
While Kniss maintained command, a fierce battle for second developed between Biggs, Bo Crebs, and Isaac Sanders. Crebs, who won Friday night’s preliminary feature in the Jerry Movrich-owned No. 168, emerged as a serious contender after cautions on laps 24 and 25 tightened the field.
Biggs used the bottom groove to reel in Kniss during the closing laps, but a caution on lap 36 halted his momentum. On the final restart, Crebs positioned himself for a last-lap bid and made a run entering the final corners, but Kniss held firm to secure the victory. Biggs edged Crebs at the line for second.
Ricky Ashley, in the T.R. Points Trucking No. 8511, finished fourth, while Justin Holt got fifth.
2022 Marysville Raceway champion Jimmy Ford earned hard charger honors after advancing from 21st to ninth.
Killingsworth and Williamson Split Modified Weekend at SOS
The Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified division produced two different winners over the weekend, with Kevin Williamson capturing Friday’s feature before Ethan Killingsworth was credited with Saturday’s main event following post-race inspection.
Friday night began with defending Southern Oregon Speedway track champion Ethan Killingsworth leading the opening lap before Williamson, driving the Superior Fuel Cells-owned No. 42, took command on lap two. The defending DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region and Oregon State champion settled into a comfortable rhythm despite repeated challenges from Ryan Peery as the leaders navigated lapped traffic.
Peery, the 2022 IMCA SportMod track champion, made several bids while Williamson worked through slower cars, but the Coburg driver maintained the advantage throughout the second half of the race. Williamson’s victory was his fourth Western Region win of the season and his first at Southern Oregon Speedway. Peery finished second, while multi-time track title winner Mark Wauge completed the podium in third. Nick Trenchard in the Biehn Racing-owned No. 54N was fourth, followed by Killingsworth in fifth.
Saturday’s feature initially belonged to Matt Sanders, who led the opening lap before engaging in an entertaining battle with Peery. Peery grabbed the lead on lap four, only for Sanders, the 2021 IMCA SportMod track champion, to thunder around the outside and reclaim the top spot on lap seven. Sanders built a comfortable advantage and remained in command despite a caution on lap 15 that erased his lead.
On the restart, Killingsworth charged into second and began closing the gap while working through lapped traffic. The reigning National Rookie of the Year stayed within striking distance, but Sanders crossed the finish line first.
Following post-race inspection, however, Sanders was disqualified for a shock infraction, awarding the victory to Killingsworth. The Yreka, California, driver, who started sixth, was credited with his first Western Region win of the season. Trenchard was scored second, followed by Peery in third. Wauge finished fourth, while Nevada traveler Cole Jones, the 2021 Lovelock Speedway champion, rounded out the top five.
Both races served as Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational qualifiers, placing Williamson and Killingsworth on the eligibility list for the event at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in September.
