James Banks $7,500 Payday with First Modified Nationals Win at Grays Harbor

Feature, Modified, News

Bricen James celebrates a $7,500 payday and his first Modified Nationals victory following Saturday’s 40-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at Grays Harbor Raceway. (Photo by 4-Ever Moments Photography)

By Ben Deatherage

ELMA, Wash. (July 19, 2025) —  Bricen James added another major milestone to his growing resume Saturday night at Grays Harbor Raceway, capturing his first Modified Nationals victory in the 40-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature. The $7,500 triumph marked his seventh win of the season in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region and his first at GHR in 2025.

Oregon’s Grey Ferrando, a past track champion at both Cottage Grove and Willamette Speedways and last year the Cocopah Speedway champion in Somerton, Arizona, set the early pace in the Geoff Morris-owned no. 52. Ethan Killingsworth, a Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod standout in his first Modified season, ran second early and kept Ferrando honest through the first half. Behind them, two-time defending IMCA Wild West Speedweek champ and 2019 Western Region titlist James worked his way through the top five, eventually clearing Eston Whisler for third.

By lap 21, Killingsworth made a serious bid for the lead, but Ferrando held strong on the bottom. The move opened the door for James, who slipped by Killingsworth and then began pressuring Ferrando. A caution on lap 22 halted the battle, with Ferrando getting a strong restart—but yellow flags on laps 24 and 26 continued to slow the pace.

James stuck to the high side as Ferrando hugged the bottom, and on lap 31, the Albany, Oregon driver surged around Ferrando down the backstretch to take over the top spot. Ferrando tried to answer back, but James maintained the advantage. A late caution with six to go, followed by a green-white-checkered finish, gave Ferrando two more chances, but James powered away on the restart to seal the deal.

Ferrando finished second, holding off Jesse Williamson, the multi-time IMCA Wild West Speedweek champion, who completed the all-Oregon podium.

The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV affiliate Grays Harbor Raceway TV. Catch every lap again with the IMCA TV Replay Subscription, available for just $24.99/month. And don’t miss Season 2 of the Boone Docuseries, now streaming exclusively on IMCA TV.

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