Pounds Prevails in Emotional McGowan Memorial Win at Bakersfield

Feature, Modified, News, Northern SportMod, Stock Car

Brad Pounds (15B) races ahead of Jake Pike (223) during the Richie McGowan Memorial Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway. (Photo by Tom Macht)

By Steven Blakesley

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Jun. 28, 2025) — Brad Pounds delivered an emotional victory in Saturday’s 30-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature, capturing the $1,032-to-win Richie McGowan Memorial at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway. The win marked Pounds’ second of the season at Bakersfield Speedway and in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region, coming in tribute to his late father-in-law.

Pounds and Bryan Clark shared the front row for the main event, with a four-wide battle on the opening lap quickly sorting out in Pounds’ favor. He took command of the race while Jake Pike gave chase using the high line through lapped traffic. Two late-race restarts inside the final 10 laps gave Pike opportunities, but Pounds held on by a car length for the special win. Rob Sanders rounded out the podium.

Brad Pounds celebrates his Richie McGowan Memorial victory with wife Tina after winning the $1,032-to-win Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway on June 28. The race is run annually in honor of Tina’s late father. (Photo by Tom Macht)

In the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods, the family rivalry added another chapter as Jason Bannister outdueled his son Tyler in the 25-lap feature. Jason, a past champion, started eighth while Tyler came from 11th. Paul Brown led early, but the Bannisters worked their way through the field and into contention.

Jason took the lead on lap 20 using the low groove and brought Tyler with him. The duo went head-to-head in a green-white-checkered finish, with Jason coming out on top for his third win of the season—each of them at Bakersfield. Brown settled for third.

Roger Holder led wire-to-wire in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature, scoring his second EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region victory of 2025. Nicholas Johnson finished second with Justin Schweitzer third.

The night’s action aired live on IMCA.TV affiliate TrackVision TV powered by Low Budget TV. Catch every lap again with an IMCA.TV Replay Subscription for just $24.99/month. Plus, stream Season 2 of the Boone Docuseries now exclusively on IMCA.TV.

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