By Ben Deatherage
WILLISTON, N.D. (July 3, 2026) — A pair of teenage stars put on a show Friday night at Williston Basin Speedway as 18-year-old Keenan Glasser and 17-year-old Payce Herrera traded sliders and crossed the stripe separated by mere hundredths of a second before Glasser emerged victorious in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod feature.
Fifteen-year-old Sladen Pfeifer won a thrilling side-by-side battle with Tanner Conlin to lead the opening lap. Conlin briefly took the top spot exiting turn two on the next circuit before Pfeifer crossed back underneath entering turn three to reclaim the lead.
A caution on lap four bunched the field and allowed 2024 Williston track champion and North Dakota state champion Glasser to move into second on the restart. Pfeifer maintained command while Glasser and 2026 Tougher Than Dirt Tour champ, Herrera, battled for the runner-up spot before another caution slowed the pace on lap nine.
Herrera charged around the cushion and nipped Pfeifer at the line to lead lap 10 before Glasser reclaimed second three circuits later. Another caution with six laps remaining set up a thrilling finish.
Glasser and Herrera traded sliders in the closing laps before Glasser surged ahead at the stripe by just 0.049 seconds on lap 18. The Estevan, Saskatchewan, racer went on to score his second Williston Basin Speedway victory of the season and 11th triumph of 2026 after starting fifth.
Herrera crossed the line second after starting seventh, while Pfeifer completed the podium. Ed Conlin finished fourth, followed by Dustyn Mayer.
Heupel Earns First Williston Stock Car Victory of 2026
The Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature was filled with lead changes before Troy Heupel was credited with his first EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the season.
Justin Bachmeier paced the opening lap before suddenly losing speed, allowing Will Matejovic to inherit the lead. Matejovic appeared poised to pull away until he was forced to retire on lap four with mechanical issues, handing the top spot to Troy Heupel.
A caution on lap five reset the field, and 2009 track champion Jason Storbakken blasted around the outside to edge Heupel by a slim margin for the lead on lap six. Heupel stayed glued to Storbakken’s bumper before reclaiming the lead on lap 10.
Jake Nelson charged into contention and grabbed the lead on lap 13 before pulling away to take the checkered flag. Following post-race tech, however, Nelson was disqualified for being light at the scales, elevating Heupel to the victory.
The Williston driver, who won the track’s Modified championship in 2011, started fifth. Storbakken was credited with second, while three-time defending track champion Dalton Flory completed the podium. Defending Central Arizona Raceway champion Trevor Hidalgo finished fourth in the Mike Shea-owned No. A5, followed by Montana’s Ethan Neu.
Hagen Charges to First Williston Modified Victory of Season
Travis Hagen powered to his sixth Razor Chassis North Central Region victory of the season and his first at Williston Basin Speedway in 2026 after taking command in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified main event.
Kyler Jeffrey and Austin Caruthers battled side by side for the lead on the opening lap before Jeffrey narrowly won the race to the stripe. Caruthers seized the advantage one circuit later and quickly began to pull away.
Nine-time defending track champion Hagen, of McGregor, climbed to second on lap four and tracked down Caruthers before completing the winning pass in turn two on lap nine.
Hagen built a comfortable advantage and reached lapped traffic before the race’s lone caution erased his lead with 14 laps completed. On the restart, 2021 SportMod track champion Brady Bjella advanced to second before defending SportMod track champion and reigning North Dakota state champion Gabriel Deschamp took over the runner-up spot on lap 17.
Hagen was never challenged over the closing laps, taking the checkered flag after starting third. Bjella outdueled Deschamp for second at the finish after the pair battled throughout the closing circuits. Jeffrey finished fourth, while seven-time defending North Dakota state champion Marcus Tomlinson recovered from an early-race incident to complete the top five.
Aiden Paul Pulls Away for Williston Hobby Stock Triumph
Aiden Paul raced to his third B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region victory of the season and first at Williston Basin Speedway in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock finale.
Teenagers Levi Paul, 16, and Sage Borud, 17, thrilled the crowd with an early side-by-side duel. Levi Paul edged Borud at the wire to lead the opening lap before Borud answered on lap two. Levi Paul reclaimed the lead on lap three, only to have Borud move back in front one lap later.
Aiden Paul, the defending McLean County Speedway champion, worked his way to the front on lap six before a caution on lap eight erased his advantage.
The Dickinson driver pulled away following the restart while Colby Patterson emerged from a spirited battle with Levi Paul to secure second on lap 10.
Starting fifth, the 19-year-old Aiden Paul drove away over the closing laps for the victory. Patterson finished second, Levi Paul completed the podium, five-time defending North Dakota state champion Kyler Satran was fourth, and Borud rounded out the top five.
The entire event was broadcast live on IMCA TV affiliate DARN TV. Full replays are available with the IMCA TV Replay Subscription for $25.99/month. Don’t miss Season 2 of the Boone Docuseries, streaming exclusively on IMCA TV.
