April 21, 2026

The Midnight Rider Strikes Again as McLain Holds Off Miller in CST Thriller at Friendship

SP Jake McLain VL PB Cari Mueller — Jake McLain celebrates in victory lane with his team after winning the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car feature on Apr. 18 at Friendship Motor Speedway during Carolina Sprint Tour competition. (Photo by Cari Mueller)

By Evan McCrory

ELKIN, N.C. (Apr. 18, 2026) — A scorching April afternoon set the stage in the valleys of North Carolina as 16 RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars rolled into Friendship Motor Speedway for the Carolina Sprint Tour’s first appearance at the facility since 2021.

The night opened with Radical Race Gear hot laps, where Pennsylvania’s Trevor Gach continued his early-season speed streak. Piloting the Carber Racing entry, Gach topped the charts for the second consecutive event with a blistering lap of 15.186 seconds.

Heat race action proved eventful. Matthew Wall went for a tumble in turn three, bringing a collective pause from the crowd—fortunately, he emerged unharmed. In another incident, Robert Tyler and Ben McCall made contact entering turn one, collecting Gach in the process. When the dust settled, George Loux and Greg Smyre claimed heat race victories.

Following a redraw of the top eight, Jake McLain and Robert Tyler led the field to green for the 25-lap, $1,000-to-win main event. McLain wasted no time asserting control, charging to the lead through the opening corners and never looking back.

Attrition played a role early, as Tyler Lewis and Wall retired from the event, followed by Aiden Snead pulling off on lap 10. Up front, however, it was all McLain—though not without pressure. C.J. Miller mounted a late-race charge, closing to within half a second, but McLain remained composed to secure his 23rd career Carolina Sprint Tour victory and his second at Friendship, adding to his previous triumph in 2013.

In victory lane, McLain was joined by crew chief Chad Hatcher, along with supporters including Cari Mueller of Veterans for the Win, celebrating a hard-earned return to the top step.

Miller finished second, followed by Tyler. Benjamin McCall and Loux rounded out the top five.

Loux Dominates Carolina Sprint Tour Return to Lancaster

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Bowling Claims Second Win of 2025 Season at Lavonia

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Oliver Ties All-Time Wins Record with Clutch Victory in his Home State

By Evan McCrory TOCCOA, Ga. (Jun. 21, 2025) — The Carolina Sprint Tour presented by GSR Chassis wrapped up a sizzling doubleheader weekend under the summer sun on Saturday, June 21st, at the high-banked Toccoa Speedway in Northeast Georgia. With temperatures soaring and competition heating up, a dozen RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars signed in to do battle on the lightning-fast red clay oval. Following a redraw, Jeff Oliver and Jake McLain shared the front row for the main event. Oliver jumped to the early lead and controlled the pace for most of the race, expertly navigating traffic and fending off challenges from a hungry field behind him. Drama struck on lap 20 when Matthew Wall slowed with mechanical issues, drawing a caution and bunching up the field for a final dash to the checkered flag. On the restart, the Pendergrass pilot held off heavy pressure from Jadan Bowling from North Carolina and South Carolina’s John Frutchey to score his second win of the season and 21st career victory, tying him with Jake McLain for the all-time [Read More]

Feature

Jim ‘Cowboy’ Kennedy: A Life Remembered

By Ben Deatherage EVERETT, Pa. (Apr. 21, 2026) — RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car racer Jim “Cowboy” Kennedy never needed much to go racing — just a car, a wrench, and a reason to keep going. For nearly seven decades, the Pennsylvania native carved out a place in sprint car racing that few could ever match, continuing to compete well into his 90s before his passing on April 2 at the age of 91. But long before the tributes, the Hall of Famer had already told his story — in conversations with reporters, at racetracks, and in the quiet, in-between moments that defined a life spent chasing the next green flag. A Life That Spanned Generations Kennedy was born on August 7, 1934, into a world far different than the one he would come to know behind the wheel of a Sprint Car. The United States was deep in the Great Depression, with President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the early years of his first term, working to steady a nation searching for its footing as parts of [Read More]

News

The Midnight Rider Strikes Again as McLain Holds Off Miller in CST Thriller at Friendship

By Evan McCrory ELKIN, N.C. (Apr. 18, 2026) — A scorching April afternoon set the stage in the valleys of North Carolina as 16 RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars rolled into Friendship Motor Speedway for the Carolina Sprint Tour’s first appearance at the facility since 2021. The night opened with Radical Race Gear hot laps, where Pennsylvania’s Trevor Gach continued his early-season speed streak. Piloting the Carber Racing entry, Gach topped the charts for the second consecutive event with a blistering lap of 15.186 seconds. Heat race action proved eventful. Matthew Wall went for a tumble in turn three, bringing a collective pause from the crowd—fortunately, he emerged unharmed. In another incident, Robert Tyler and Ben McCall made contact entering turn one, collecting Gach in the process. When the dust settled, George Loux and Greg Smyre claimed heat race victories. Following a redraw of the top eight, Jake McLain and Robert Tyler led the field to green for the 25-lap, $1,000-to-win main event. McLain wasted no time asserting control, charging to the lead through the opening corners [Read More]

News

Cooper Cruises to First SportMod Win of Season at Marysville

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