By Ben Deatherage
SEARCY, Ark. (Aug. 4, 2025) — Gage Raines has always known two things—family and racing. And in his world, they’ve never been separate.
The pilot of the No. 31 Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite has made a name for himself across Arkansas and beyond, especially at Boone Speedway — home of the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Now 34, Raines has qualified for the Big Dance three years in a row, with a career-best sixth-place finish last year after runs of 20th and 16th the two years prior. He’ll be back again in 2025, looking to climb even higher.
“Last year was an up-and-down ride,” Raines said. “We didn’t start the week strong, but we finished strong — and that gave us something to be proud of. It’s a one-shot-a-year kind of deal. The field keeps getting deeper, the cars keep getting better. Every time we go back, we know we’ve got to bring our best.”
It’s a 9½-hour haul from Searcy to Boone, and it’s not just about competition. For Raines and his wife Amy, it’s a pilgrimage — part racing, part remembrance.
In 2021, the couple’s daughter Ariella Oakley was born with anencephaly, a rare birth defect where the brain and skull do not fully form, meaning she would not survive long outside the womb. The family was given just moments. What they received was 20 minutes — a heartbeat’s worth of eternity — before she passed in their arms.
“We knew going in that we’d likely lose her,” Raines said. “We chose to carry her full term. It was the hardest thing we’ve ever done — but also the most beautiful. We were able to hold her, love her, say goodbye.”
Her birth came on September 2, 2021 — during the heart of Super Nationals week. Raines wasn’t able to race that year, but after attending to family, he and Amy drove up and caught the final night. They pitted with close friends Andrea and Caleb, whose support helped carry them through.
Tragically, Andrea and Caleb were killed in a car crash just a month later.
Since Ariella’s passing, Boone has become sacred ground for the Raines family — not just a racetrack, but a place of remembrance and healing. Gage often says the Super Nationals are the closest he’ll ever come to dancing with his daughter again — a sentiment he shared after last year’s run to a career-best sixth-place finish, when he felt her riding along with him every step of the way.
A decal honoring Ariella Oakley Raines and raising awareness for anencephaly — a condition in which parts of the brain and skull do not fully form — is displayed on the front deck cover of Gage Raines’ Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite. (Courtesy Photo)
Deep Roots, Fast Family
Gage Raines is Arkansas to the core. Raised in Forrest City, about 30 minutes west of the Memphis area, and now living in Searcy (pronounced Sir-see), his family’s roots run deep in dirt racing. His grandfather raced at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis in the 1980s. His cousin Bryce Vowan and uncle Mike have turned laps. His dad dabbled too.
“Between my grandpa, Bryce, my uncle, my dad — racing’s always been a family thing,” Raines said. “I’ve been going to the track since I was three weeks old. It’s all I’ve ever known.”
He started racing in high school in 2006 and never looked back. He chose No. 31 in honor of his grandfather, and to this day, his grandfather still joins him at the track when he can.
Raines became a father himself in 2012 with the birth of his daughter Kami. That same year, he bought his first Mod Lite and started competing at I-30 Speedway. He later made the jump into Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, followed by a stint in local classes.
Fate brought him back to Mod Lites thanks to a unique opportunity. Robbie Lawson had a car for his daughter, Sam Rogers — who also took one of Raines’ favorite racing photos — but Sam and her husband Cody were expecting a baby, so Raines filled in. That season lit a fire.
“I finished the year for them — and it just clicked. I’ve been back in the Mod Lites ever since.”
Since then, Raines has become a staple in the Mod Lites of Arkansas — a division that’s only getting tougher. He won the IMCA track points championship at Two Dollar Motor Speedway in 2022.
“We’ve got a really strong group of guys here. Our weekly shows — it’s a toss-up in the Top 10 of who’s going to win,” he said.
Life in Searcy
Raines moved to Searcy in junior high after his father’s job transfer. His dad commuted back and forth from Forrest City for a year before the family finally relocated.
Founded in 1838 and named after pioneer judge and legislator Richard Searcy, the town has become the heart of his family life — a place he and his wife Amy are proud to raise their kids: Donovan Day (16), Sadie Golden (15), Kami Raines (13), Braxton Golden (11), and Rixby Raines, who just turned 2.
Searcy is nestled along the Little Red River where Arkansas’s farm lowlands meet the highlands. It’s a charming college town with a population just under 24,000. Harding University, a prominent Christian college established in 1924, anchors the community, while ASU-Searcy operates as a branch of Arkansas State University.
A downtown view of Searcy, Arkansas, with the historic White County Courthouse prominently in the frame. (Photo by www.CityofSearcy.org)
“We’re not far from Greers Ferry Lake. There’s tons to do — boating, camping, just relaxing,” Raines said. “And if you’re ever in town, you’ve got to eat at Chit Chat and Chew on the square across from the courthouse. We take a lot of our out-of-town Mod Lite friends there. It’s a little diner, and it’s phenomenal.”
He’s also a proud baseball and softball dad, coaching his kids’ teams when he’s not working on the car.
“My wife is my no. 1 supporter. I couldn’t do this without her — keeping up with five kids, getting them where they need to go. She’s incredible.”
Racing the Right Way
Raines has built a strong support network in the racing world as well. Jason Wilkey of One Seven Motorsports has been instrumental in improving his program. He’s also developed a close relationship with Logan Rittenberry and Ronnie Choate of Precision Bulldog Chassis. Although they didn’t build his car, they’ve become key allies since buying the company a few years ago. Choate, notably, won the 2023 Super Nationals.
On the graphics side, Shane Ford of Signs by Ford keeps things old-school — no wraps, just layered vinyl, applied one color at a time. It takes nearly a week to get the car done, but it’s worth it.
“Shane’s dad — I call him ‘Pop’ — is in his 80s and still making decals and lays them all by hand.”
Gage Raines gets strapped in for an upcoming race while his wife Amy holds their son Rixby as friend Will Kilby stands by. (Roger Pully Photo)
Raines also thanks AutoZone of Searcy, Parks Tool and Die, American Container Repair, and Mobile RV Repair of Heber Springs. His longtime friend Will Kilby is a regular presence in the shop, helping keep everything moving.
“At the end of the day, we’re all family,” Raines said. “That’s what I love about racing — especially Mod Lites. If someone needs something, we rally. We make it happen.”
Through triumph and tragedy, Gage Raines keeps turning laps — chasing victory, chasing memories, and carrying the spirit of those who still ride with him.
