By Ben Deatherage
MINOT, N.D. (July 4, 2026) — Payce Herrera finally broke through at the Playground of Power, making a decisive pass with six laps remaining to score his first career Nodak Speedway victory in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods.
The 2026 Tougher Than Dirt Tour champion from Price, Utah, started fourth and collected his 11th win of the season after a race filled with lead changes and intense battles.
Keenan Glasser, the 2024 North Dakota state champion, jumped to the early lead before a caution on lap three erased his advantage. On the restart, Glasser held off a thrilling three-wide challenge from Stan Tomlinson and Herrera, then survived another restart one lap later as Herrera and newly crowned Nodak Speedway champion Chad Strachen both looked for a way around.
Another caution on lap nine changed everything.
Tomlinson, the 2018 McLean County Speedway champion, powered around Glasser exiting turn two to lead lap 10, but Glasser answered two circuits later to regain command.
Herrera remained glued to the leaders and finally found his opening on lap 15, slipping past Glasser for the lead. While Glasser and Tomlinson battled fiercely for second over the closing laps, Herrera steadily pulled away and negotiated lapped traffic without incident to secure the victory.
Glasser, the 18-year-old from Saskatchewan, finished second. Tomlinson crossed the stripe third, Strachen was fourth, and Tim Goodwin rounded out the top five.
Saskatchewan teenager Kolby Fichter earned hard charger honors after advancing from 22nd to 11th.
Williams Perfect on Restarts in Stock Car Feature
Shelby Williams used flawless late-race restarts to score his second win of the week in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars at Nodak Speedway.
Minnesota’s Brody Carlsrud grabbed the lead at the drop of the green but immediately found himself locked in a spirited battle with defending Boone Speedway Stock Car champion Johnathon Logue. Incidental contact between the two on lap two left Carlsrud with a flat right-front tire, bringing out the caution.
On the ensuing restart, 2025 IMCA TV Winter Nationals champion Shelby Williams inherited the lead and quickly began to distance himself from the field.
Behind him, Logue and 2005 Williston Basin Speedway Stock Car champion Chris Tuchscherer waged an entertaining battle for second before Logue secured the position on lap five.
Late cautions erased Williams’ comfortable lead, but the Bonham, Texas, driver executed flawless restarts each time to keep Logue at bay.
Starting fourth, Williams collected his second EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the year and eighth IMCA Stock Car win of the 2026 season.
Logue, of Iowa, finished second ahead of Saskatchewan’s Chase Davidson. Newly crowned Nodak Speedway track champion Brock Beeter brought the Adam Goff-owned No. 30 home fourth, while 2024 Estevan Motor Speedway IMCA Hobby Stock champion Connor Hanson, of Saskatchewan, advanced from 13th to complete the top five.
Colorado veteran Bill Brack earned hard charger honors by advancing from 17th to seventh.
Raynard Races to Hobby Stock Victory
Diezel Raynard used the high side to perfection to earn his first Nodak Speedway victory of the season in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks.
Five-time defending North Dakota state champion Kyler Satran grabbed the early lead, but the two-time defending Tougher Than Dirt Tour champion began reeling him in just a few laps into the race. A caution briefly halted Raynard’s momentum, but on the ensuing restart he returned to the cushion and completed the pass for the lead on lap four.
Raynard quickly stretched his advantage while the battle for second intensified behind him.
A caution on lap nine bunched the field, and 16-year-old Colby Patterson mounted a strong challenge after restarting second. Patterson closed the gap over the next two laps before another yellow with four laps remaining erased Raynard’s lead once again.
Despite Patterson’s persistent pressure in the closing laps, Raynard never faltered, leading the final four circuits to collect his first Nodak Speedway victory of 2026 and sixth B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region win of the season.
The Lampman, Saskatchewan, driver held off Patterson, who raced from 12th to second. Manitoba’s Pat Smith advanced from eighth to finish third, Tyson Grinstead was fourth, and Satran rounded out the top five.
The entire event was broadcast live on IMCA TV affiliate DARN TV. Full replays are available with the IMCA TV Replay Subscription for $25.99/month. Don’t miss Season 2 of the Boone Docuseries, streaming exclusively on IMCA TV.
