April 24, 2026

Yarie, Raddant return to Shawano winner’s circle

By Scott Owen

SHAWANO, Wis. (June 9) – Marcus Yarie and Kyle Raddant made return trips to the winner’s circle at Shawano Speedway following IMCA Modified and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod main events, respectively.

Chucky Forstner and Jerry Muenster battled for the lead on the opening lap of the Modified main. Forstner held the lead until lap 10 when rookie Brekken Kleinschmidt took to the outside of the track and grabbed the front spot.

Yarie followed Kleinschmidt around Forstner into second, then powered his way past Kleinschmidt for the lead on the following lap. Wyatt Block soon passed Kleinschmidt to grab second. In the end it was Yarie for the win, chased by Block, Kleinschmidt, Lance Arneson, and Jerry Wilinski.

Kaden Besaw led the opening lap of the Northern SportMod feature before giving way to Raddant, who then took to the high line of the track and looked to ride off into the sunset.

Behind Raddant, Bryce Clements, Cole Magnin and Lucas Lamberies jockeyed for position. Magnin’s night ended though after getting into the outside wall. Lamberies raced to second but was never able to offer a serious challenge for the lead; 17^th starting Jason Jach finished third, Kevin Bethke fourth and Jordan Bartz fifth.

Travis Van Straten scored his second straight and third overall IMCA Sunoco Stock Car win.

shawanospeedway

Mission accomplished for Karl

By Scott J. Owen SHAWANO, Wis, (Aug. 20, 2022) – Andy Karl survived a caution slowed Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature to score his first-ever feature win at the historic half mile Shawano Speedway Saturday night. Former rookie of the year Adam Jacobson took the lead at the start of the event. Karl went to the inside on lap three to take the lead. Karl survived and used multiple restarts to maintain his advantage at the front of the field. JJ Anderson applied pressure to the leader before mechanical woes ended his night. Late in the race, Karl held off Jayden Schmidt for the win. Schmidt advanced 13 spots for second. Lucas Lamberies finished third. Ageless Jerry Muenster was fourth and Marcus Yarie advanced 11 spots to take fifth. The Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature hit the track with third generation racer JJ Vanderloop leading lap one. Vanderloop quickly began to pull away from the rest of the field as Mike Springborn ran second on the grid. As Vanderloop clicked off lap after lap in the lead, Bryce Clements, [Read More]

Wilinski, Christians win again at Shawano

By Scott Owen SHAWANO, Wis. (June 18) – Saturday was a night of familiar faces in victory lane at Shawano Speedway, as Jerry Wilinski secured his second straight IMCA Modified feature and Jeremy Christians outdueled Travis VanStraten for his second IMCA Sunoco Stock Car victory of the season. Norman Walbruck snagged the lead on lap one of the Modified and held that spot until lap five when Wilinski charged to the front. Wilinski was in control for the duration of the race for his second consecutive win. Kevin Feck eventually prevailed in the battled for second with Brekken Kleinschmidt taking third. Kurt Olson took the lead at the start of the Stock Car main event before giving way to Mike Schmidt on lap four. Behind Schmidt it was Christians, VanStraten and Trent Nolan moving toward the front of the field. Schmidt, Christians, and VanStraten went three-wide for the lead on lap 10. Christians eventually eased ahead of the field, but not for long as VanStraten took the lead on lap 12. Christians and VanStraten battled [Read More]

Shawano Speedway welcomes Ken Schrader for Hall of Fame Night

SHAWANO, Wis. (April 23, 2024) – Shawano Speedway powered by Auto Select proudly announces a thrilling highlight for motorsports enthusiasts as Ken Schrader is set to make a special appearance during Hall of Fame night on Saturday, June 8. Schrader, a familiar figure in the racing world, will not only attend the event but will also take to the track in his Federated Auto Parts IMCA Mod, promising fans an unforgettable experience. Schrader’s career spans decades, marked by numerous victories and a passionate fan base. His participation in Shawano Speedway’s Hall of Fame night adds an extra layer of excitement to an already anticipated event. Spectators can look forward to witnessing Schrader’s skill and expertise firsthand as he navigates the track in pursuit of victory. Sanctioned divisions joining Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds on the program that evening will be the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. This special event is made possible through the generous support of Automotive Supply, whose sponsorship underscores their commitment to promoting and celebrating the thrill of motorsports [Read More]

Feature

Oliver Wins Thrilling Stock Car Race at Independence

By Christine Rublack INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (Apr. 21, 2026) — A Tuesday night full of exciting racing at Independence Motor Speedway saw John Oliver Jr. take home the victory by the smallest margin of the night in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, edging Kodey Miles by just 0.051 seconds. Kodey Miles took the lead early, with Tanner Allen and Tom Schmitt in pursuit. Oliver began working the low groove as the duo in front of him battled for second. Schmitt moved into second while Oliver continued to work underneath him. With a couple laps to go, Oliver closed in on Miles for the top position and, as the checkers waved, took the win. It was the first win of 2026 for the West Burlington veteran in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region after starting fourth. Miles and Schmitt finished second and third, while Gage Neal and Tanner Allen completed the top five. Kolin Hibdon dominated the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds. Hibdon quickly pulled away as Joel Rust moved into second, and the pair began to distance themselves [Read More]

Feature

Christina and Matt Ratzlaff: From Separate Paths to the Same Track

By Ben Deatherage MONTE VISTA, Colo. (Apr. 21, 2026) — Out in southern Colorado, where the land stretches wide beneath towering mountain ranges and the air sits thin at more than 7,500 feet above sea level, racing isn’t just something you do—it’s something you carry with you. The San Luis Valley is one of the most unique places in the country—an expansive, high-altitude basin carved by the Rio Grande and surrounded by peaks. Agriculture drives life here, from cattle to potatoes to barley fields, and the distances between towns are measured in miles, not minutes. Monte Vista sits at the heart of it all, a town established in 1884 along the railroad, its Spanish name meaning simply “mountain view.” It’s here where Christina and Matt Ratzlaff have built both a life—and a race team. Two Drivers, One Team On any given night, the Ratzlaffs roll into the pit area as a two-car operation in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds with Christina in the No. 15 and Matt in the No. 16. Their journeys to this point [Read More]

Feature

Jim ‘Cowboy’ Kennedy: A Life Remembered

By Ben Deatherage EVERETT, Pa. (Apr. 21, 2026) — RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car racer Jim “Cowboy” Kennedy never needed much to go racing — just a car, a wrench, and a reason to keep going. For nearly seven decades, the Pennsylvania native carved out a place in sprint car racing that few could ever match, continuing to compete well into his 90s before his passing on April 2 at the age of 91. But long before the tributes, the Hall of Famer had already told his story — in conversations with reporters, at racetracks, and in the quiet, in-between moments that defined a life spent chasing the next green flag. A Life That Spanned Generations Kennedy was born on August 7, 1934, into a world far different than the one he would come to know behind the wheel of a Sprint Car. The United States was deep in the Great Depression, with President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the early years of his first term, working to steady a nation searching for its footing as parts of [Read More]

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