By Greg Soukup
EAGLE, Neb. (May 23, 2026) — Eagle Raceway delivered another wild night of racing action on Saturday, highlighted by a dramatic Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature that saw Chad Andersen charge from 11th starting position to steal the victory on the final lap.
The feature opened with chaos as a massive pileup erupted at the initial green flag when Sean Manning spun in turns one and two, collecting multiple cars. Once racing officially got underway, Shawn Harker paced the early laps ahead of Clint Homan, Jaxon Saathoff, and Riley Ruisinger. Saathoff moved into second on lap two while Andersen steadily carved his way through the field.
Several cautions kept the field tight, including a stoppage for Nate Thompson on lap eight and Lance Most with a flat tire late in the race. Andersen used each restart to his advantage, climbing into third with nine laps remaining before advancing to second in the closing laps.
With three laps to go, the final caution set up a dramatic sprint to the finish. Andersen slipped past Saathoff on the restart, then made the winning move on Harker exiting turn four on the final lap to score the victory by a razor-thin .056 seconds.
The Ft. Calhoun driver earned his first Jet Racing Central Region victory of the season. Saathoff rallied from 12th to finish third while Cameron Thompson came home fourth. Adam Wasserman turned in one of the race’s best drives, charging from 18th to finish fifth.
Danley Holds Off Hard-Charging Pike for Sprint Car Victory
The RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars produced another exciting feature as Dylan Waxdahl led the opening lap before Shayle Bade grabbed the top spot on lap two. Jason Danley quickly charged forward and vaulted into second on lap three before eventually taking command. Multiple cautions kept the field bunched up, allowing Gunnar Pike to storm through the pack from 10th starting position into contention.
Pike moved into second with seven laps remaining and made one final charge off the final corner, but Danley held on for the victory. The Lincoln driver earned his first win of the season after advancing from the eighth starting spot. Pike finished second while Bade crossed the line third ahead of Waxdahl. Dominic White turned in an impressive run from 17th to finish fifth.
Macku Breaks Through for First Eagle Stock Car Win Since 2014
The Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars saw Dan Jackson lead the early circuits before Adam Vrbka took command on lap two. R.J. Macku methodically worked his way forward from sixth starting position and moved into second by lap five.
A series of cautions and intense restarts shuffled the running order throughout the feature. Chad Andersen briefly challenged for the lead while Dillon Richards also entered the mix before contact between Andersen and Richards late in the race sent both to the rear.
That opened the door for Macku, who used the low groove in turns three and four to power past Vrbka for the lead in the closing laps. The Lincoln driver collected his second EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the season and first Eagle Raceway win of 2026. Vrbka settled for second while Kyle Vanover charged from 17th to third. Jackson finished fourth ahead of Thomas Etherton.
Hein Capitalizes Late for First Hobby Stock Win of 2026
The Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks featured constant position changes and plenty of late-race drama. Zach Gimpel led the early laps while Tyler Ramsey, Neil Pella, Colin Hein, and James Doehl all battled near the front. Hein steadily worked his way forward from ninth starting position and moved into second with five laps remaining.
The race took a frightening turn when Doehl suffered a broken axle and barrel rolled several times in turns one and two. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured.
After another late caution, Gimpel suffered a flat tire with three laps remaining, handing the lead to Hein. The Columbus driver capitalized and raced to his first B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region victory of the season. Pella stormed from 13th to finish second while Trenton Dowty advanced from 11th to third. Eric Chab charged from 10th to fourth and Brandon Fischer completed the top five.
Wayman Cruises to Fifth SportMod Victory of the Season
The Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods closed out the evening with the three-time and defending track champion Cole Wayman putting together another dominant performance. Wayman led from the outset while surviving multiple cautions and restarts during the opening laps. Corey Madden pressured him early, but Wayman consistently pulled away following each restart.
The Lincoln driver cruised to his fifth victory of the season, with two of those wins coming at Eagle Raceway. Madden finished second while Jacob Swanson crossed the line third. Noah Williams was fourth and Mary Hahn rounded out the top five.
The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV affiliate Advantage TV. Catch every lap again with the IMCA TV Replay Subscription, available for just $25.99/month. And don’t miss Season 2 of the Boone Docuseries, streaming exclusively on IMCA TV.
