Saturday, August 30, 2025 Prelude Archives

Gage Raines: Racing with Angels and Dancing in the Dirt

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 [Read More]

Events

$10,000-To-Win Legends of Dirt Modified Shootout Headlines at Southern Oregon Speedway

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (Aug. 5, 2025) — Southern Oregon Speedway will roar to life on August 15–16 with the Legends of Dirt Modified Shootout, a marquee event for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds that boasts a $10,000 top prize and an additional $10,000 in contingencies up for grabs. The weekend combines some of the track’s most storied traditions — the R. Charles Snyder Salute and the Rayburn Classic — into a single blockbuster program. This is the highest-paying IMCA Modified race in the state of Oregon and ranks among the richest events in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region. In addition to the five-figure payday, a special one-of-a-kind gift will be presented to the winner in victory lane. On Friday, the field will be split into two groups. Group A will contest heat races 1 through 3, while Group B runs heats 4 through 6. Qualifying — determined by pill draw — will set the heat race lineups, and results from those heats will shape the night’s feature lineups. The top seven finishers in [Read More]

Hobby Stock

Johnson Outduels Fletcher in Modifieds at Brainerd

By Chris Kolstad BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 2, 2025) — Friesen Performance IMCA Modified fans at North Central Speedway were treated to a thriller as Erick Thiesse took the early lead before Shawn Fletcher worked his way from the fifth starting spot to the point. A lap four caution reset the field and put Aaron Johnson into second, setting the stage for a 13-lap duel that had fans on the edge of their seats. The pair ran inches apart, door-to-door, swapping lines cleanly and showcasing elite driving. With three to go, Johnson threw a massive slider in turns one and two to briefly take the lead, but Fletcher crossed him back over and they stayed side-by-side down the backstretch. Johnson finally cleared him and powered away for the win — his eighth of the season in the Razor Chassis North Central Region, all earned at Brainerd. Fletcher finished a strong second, with A.J. Viehauser third. Johnston Rallies from 10th for Compact Victory Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact action saw Ritchie DeLeon take the early lead while a tight [Read More]

Hobby Stock

Stock Car Slugfest at Marshalltown Goes to Murty in Photo Finish

By Kaden Krebs MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (Aug. 1, 2025) — $1,000 was on the line for the Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars at Marshalltown Speedway thanks to Midwest Liquid Systems. Braden Richards and Damon Murty led the 24-car field to green for 20 laps of hard-hitting action. Richards and Murty swapped the top spot over the first few circuits, with Richards gaining a slight advantage. A caution with 13 to go bunched up the pack, but Richards stayed strong up front. Jeff Mueller closed fast and took over with four laps remaining, but it was Dallon Murty who stole the show, surging forward in the final laps and nipping Mueller at the line by just .247 seconds. Richards settled for third. The win marked Murty’s fifth of the season, four of which have come in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region. SportMod Ace Carter Adds to MoTown Tally The Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods brought 16 laps of intensity to the track. Thomas Lathrop and Austin Kemp brought the field to green, but it was Brayton Carter throwing [Read More]