By Ben Deatherage
COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (July 5, 2025) — Matt Sanders came from 18th on the grid to win the fifth annual Ralph Bloom Memorial and clinch his third consecutive Freedom Cup title at Cottage Grove Speedway. The 33-lap Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod feature paid $3,333 to win and served as the finale to the 2025 Freedom Cup.
Hunter Bloom led early before the race was slowed by a couple of quick cautions. Ray Comer moved into the top spot and set the early pace until 2023 Oregon State champion Trevor Points took over on a restart. Points built a comfortable margin as the field shuffled behind him during a caution-heavy middle portion.
Sanders, from Brookings, methodically picked his way through the pack. Just past halfway, he used a restart to drive around Points at the line and never looked back. He became the fifth different winner in as many editions of the Ralph Bloom Memorial and recorded his fifth CG win of the season and 10th overall in 2025.
Points finished second, followed by his teammate Ricky Ashley in the T.R. Points Trucking-owned no. 1185.
Killingsworth Charges to Modified Glory, Wins First Career Freedom Cup Title
Yreka, California’s Ethan Killingsworth surged from 13th to win the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature and claim his first Freedom Cup championship.
Lady Eagle racer Madilynn Ashley led the opening lap before two-time Oregon State champion John Campos took control. Following an early caution, 2013 state champ and three-time track titlist Curtis Towns powered into the lead and looked strong through the first third.
Killingsworth started to climb and eventually passed both Towns and Jake Mayden in a thrilling sequence to take the lead on lap 18. He began to check out but had to fend off the field again following a late caution with five laps to go.
Killingsworth stayed poised on the final restart and drove off for his second Cottage Grove win of the year and seventh overall in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region. Mayden finished second, while Nick Trenchard ran third in the Biehn Racing-fielded no. 54N.
Trissell Tames Sport Compact Field, Henderson Crowned Freedom Cup Champ
Charles Trissell of Springfield captured his third win of the season — all at Cottage Grove — in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact main event.
Matthew Bangle led early before Trissell took command on lap four and began to stretch his lead. Dusten Henderson closed the gap late and reached Trissell’s bumper as they took the white flag.
Henderson challenged hard on the final circuit, but Trissell held on at the stripe. Henderson’s runner-up result was enough to earn him the overall Freedom Cup title — the first of his career. Bangle completed the podium in third.
The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV affiliate Dirt Oval TV. Replay every lap with the IMCA TV Replay Subscription, available now for just $24.99/month. And don’t miss Season 2 of the Boone Docuseries, now streaming exclusively on IMCA TV.
