March 12, 2026

Fettinger is fastest at Southern Oregon

Zach Fettinger bounced back from an early crash to win Saturday’s IMCA Modified feature at Southern Oregon Speedway. (Photo by Carole Bryan, Shadows of Light Photography)

By Don Martin II

WHITE CITY, Ore. (June 16) – Making a nice comeback from an early race crash, Zach Fettinger scored the 25-lap IMCA Modified main event victory Saturday night at Southern Oregon Speedway.

Fettinger held off C.J. Putnam down the stretch for what would be his first win of the season despite restarting at the back of the field following the lap eight fracas.

The frontrunners had come up on a slower car and while Andy Freeman got by, Mark Wauge and Fettinger both got caught up. Wauge suffered enough damage to end his race while Fettinger made a pit stop and was able to rejoin the back of the pack for the restart.

Fettinger quickly found the fastest line and charged to the lead, and eventual win ahead of Putnam and Albert Gill.

Braxton Possinger was flawless in leading start to finish of the 20-lap feature for Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods.

southernoregonspeedway

New promotional team sets the bar high at Southern Oregon

WHITE CITY, Ore. – The bar will be set high at Southern Oregon Speedway. Idle for all of 2020, the 3/8-mile dirt oval at White City re-opens with a new promotional team in place and both IMCA Modifieds and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods on race night programs. Just seven weeks will separate Travis Hoppes and the Southern Oregon Motorsports team from being having been selected to operate the track to opening night on May 29. IMCA Modifieds and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods will run on select Friday and regular Saturday race programs through Sept. 18. “We want this to be the number one facility on the West Coast,” Hoppes said, in the midst of extensive facility-wide improvements. “We want to make everything here look good and we want to show our drivers and fans that we care.” Built as a 3/8-mile oval, the track has been extended and reshaped to its original configuration. Renovations, largely focused on safety, include additional lighting, replacement of concrete walls and upgrading of catch fences. Pitside grandstands have been moved [Read More]

Winebarger dominates Wild West Shootout at Southern Oregon

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (June 23) – Collen Winebarger brought his ‘A’ game to Southern Oregon Speedway Saturday night and as a result, the rest of the Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout field was in the race for second. The Corbett chauffeur went unchallenged nearly the entire distance after the early laps were interrupted by multiple cautions. Winebarger held the point through six restarts and felt some pressure in the closing laps from Ethan Dotson, but the California challenger was unable to complete the pass for the lead. Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, Winebarger picked up the $1,000 victory, the second of his Shootout career, ahead of Dotson, Grey Ferrando, ‘B’ feature winner Darrell Hughes and Bricen James. Thirty-six drivers from Oregon, California, Washington, Nevada and British Columbia vied on night two of the tour. Feature results – 1. Collen Winebarger; 2. Ethan Dotson; 3. Grey Ferrando; 4. Darrell Hughes; 5. Bricen James; 6. John Campos; 7. Danny Lauer; 8. Nick Trenchard; 9. Jesse Williamson; 10. Curtis Towns; 11. Aaron [Read More]

Haudenshild Tribute IMCA Modified win is ‘something special’ for DeBenedetti

By Stephanie Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (June 12) – An IMCA Modified driver who’s won a lot of big races in his career won one he described as “something special” Saturday night. Jon DeBenedetti was in and out of the lead before taking the $2,000 checkers at Southern Oregon Speedway’s eighth annual Roger Haudenshild Tribute. The new Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier had put an engine purchased out of a car that Haudenshild had sponsored into his own ride just the day before. “We put it in Friday and won with it on Saturday. That was pretty cool,” DeBenedetti said. “I told (the previous owner) I’d buy it and win with it and that’s exactly what I did.” He’d started third in the 30-lapper and fell back to fifth before running the inside line back to second, behind Zach Fettinger. DeBenedetti’s first pass to the front was negated by caution but he moved ahead following the next restart, on lap 13. Californian Darrell Hughes II saw his bold move rewarded with the front spot [Read More]

Feature

Joel Magee: Collecting Toys and Checkered Flags

By Ben Deatherage PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (Mar. 9, 2026) — Inside hotel ballrooms and convention halls across America, Joel Magee can often be found leaning over a folding table with a magnifying glass in hand, carefully studying a toy that might be decades old. A faded lunchbox, a worn toy car, or a well-loved action figure could all hold stories — and sometimes surprising value. For the past several decades, collectors have brought their treasures to Magee hoping to learn what they’re worth. To many in the collecting world, he’s known simply as “The Toy Scout.” But when the appraisal tables close and the lights go down, Magee trades vintage toys for something much louder — the rumble of a race car engine. The Sioux City, Iowa native is also the driver of a Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock, and at 64 years old, he’s chasing checkered flags with the same enthusiasm he brings to tracking down rare collectibles. And in 2026, he’s already off to a strong start. Winter Champion, Summer Contender Magee opened the [Read More]

News

Al Buschelman: A Life Remembered

By Ben Deatherage GREEN RIVER, Wyo. (Mar. 10, 2026) — Dirt-track racing in southwestern Wyoming didn’t simply appear overnight. Tracks were carved from open ground, racecars were built in home garages, and entire racing programs grew from the efforts of volunteers who believed in the sport. Few individuals embodied that spirit more than Allen “Al” Buschelman — racer, builder, community servant, and longtime IMCA official whose influence helped shape generations of racing across the region. Buschelman passed away Sunday, March 8, at age 88 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. For decades he was a familiar figure at Wyoming racetracks, whether behind the wheel of a racecar, operating heavy equipment, or helping guide the sport as an IMCA regional director. Those who knew him remember a man who loved fast cars, valued hard work, and cared deeply about the people around him. From Nebraska Roots to a Life in Wyoming Al Buschelman was born in Crofton, Nebraska. He attended high school in Crofton and grew up in a rural environment that emphasized hard work and [Read More]

Divisions

Johnson Avenges Opening Night Flip with Round Two SportMod Victory in Bakersfield

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Mar. 7, 2026) — Following a prolific 2025 season at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway across various Stock Car classes, Nicholas Johnson took on the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods in 2026. His season opener in February ended on his lid, but he quickly regained his form at the one-third-mile dirt track on Saturday during March Madness with a coveted comeback victory. Johnson dominated his heat race, then lined up third for the 25-lap feature alongside his brother Ethan. Ethan jumped ahead at the start with Nicholas sliding into second. Following a crash in turn one on the opening lap, Nicholas Johnson used the restart to take over the lead on the second lap. Johnson dominated the rest of the feature to score his first Bakersfield SportMod win. Tate Lofts drove from eighth to second, with Chris McKellar, 2024 champion Jason Bannister, and Alyssa Smith rounding out the top five. 2023 and 2024 Bakersfield Speedway Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified champion Gavyn Manning returned to the top step of the podium, winning the [Read More]

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