Williams Returns to Winning Ways in $2,500 Stock Car Showdown at McClean County

Feature, Hobby Stock, Modified, News, Northern SportMod, Stock Car

Shelby Williams races down the front stretch en route to a $2,500 feature victory in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars during the Tony Kniffen Memoria/Coal County Classic at McLean County Speedway on Aug. 2. (Photo by Tyler Hagen Photography)

By Ben Deatherage

UNDERWOOD, N.D. (Aug. 2, 2025) — Championship Night of the Coal County Classic at McLean County Speedway doubled as the Tony Kniffen Memorial, showcasing top-tier talent in front of a packed house. In the 25-lap, $2,500-to-win main event for the Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Shelby Williams of Bonham, Texas took control early and never wavered. The 2025 IMCA.TV Winter Nationals champion held strong through three early cautions within the first 10 circuits.

A lap 10 restart brought Friday night winner Jake Nelson and past Coal County Classic and Tony Kniffen Memorial champion Dalton Flory into the mix. On lap 22, Williams and Flory went side-by-side, with Flory briefly grabbing the lead on lap 23.

But Flory drifted high in turn two, allowing Williams to capitalize and reclaim the top spot. Sporting his Salute To Veterans Tour wrap Williams led the final circuits to earn his first EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region win of the season, his sixth overall victory in 2025, and first win since May.

Flory fended off Nelson to finish second.

Pfeifer Powers to First Coal County Classic Modified Win

In the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds feature, Bowbells’ Steven Pfeifer led from the get-go in the 25-lap, $1,200-to-win contest.

2017 National and Razor Chassis North Central Region champion Jason Wolla closed in by lap eight, and the pair battled in lapped traffic before a yellow on lap 16 reset the field.

Travis Hagen, Friday night’s winner, joined the fight on the restart and turned the race into a thrilling three-car duel. Despite the pressure, Pfeifer never faltered and scored his fifth Razor Chassis North Central Region victory of the year, but his first at McLean County Speedway.

Pfeifer, a three-time Nodak Speedway champion including the past two seasons, also earned his first career Coal County Classic Modified triumph. Hagen was second, followed by his brother-in-law Wolla.

Deschamp Dazzles in SportMod Finale

Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod action saw 2018 track champion Stan Tomlinson lead early until a lap nine caution bunched the field.

On the restart, newly crowned 2025 McLean County Speedway champion and two-time Tougher Than Dirt Tour titlist Gabriel Deschamp rocketed around the top groove to grab the lead and never look back.

Deschamp, from Westhope, started third and cruised to his 16th SportMod win of the season, including six victories at McLean County Speedway. It marked his first Coal County Classic win in the division.

Robby Rosselli, a three-time McLean and four-time Nodak Speedway track champion, was runner-up. Tomlinson rounded out the podium.

Appelt Earns Elusive Coal County Classic Hobby Stock Crown

In the 15-lap Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock main, Saskatchewan’s Diezel Raynard set the early pace. Multiple cautions kept the field tight until Caden Appelt, the defending track champion, soared to the lead on lap eight via the high line.

The finish came down to a dramatic final lap. 2022 track champion Trever Haas made a bold move into turn three, briefly passing Appelt, but Appelt executed a perfect crossover in turn four to steal back the win.

It was Appelt’s first-ever Coal County Classic victory, and he now boasts 10 wins in 12 starts in the B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region, including three wins at Underwood.

Haas finished second with Raynard third.

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

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