Feature

Tougher Than Dirt Tour Roars Back June 3-7 Across North Dakota and Saskatchewan

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 21, 2026) — The Tougher Than Dirt Tour is set to roar back to life this June with five straight nights of Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing competition across North Dakota and Saskatchewan, featuring strong point funds, unique awards, and some of the top Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock drivers in the region. The 2026 tour schedule opens Wednesday, June 3 at McLean County Speedway in Underwood, North Dakota before heading west to Williston Basin Speedway on Thursday, June 4. The tour then crosses into Canada on Friday, June 5 for a stop at Estevan Motor Speedway in Estevan, Saskatchewan. Thunder Mountain Speedway in Bottineau hosts the Robbie Conway Memorial on Saturday, June 6 before the tour wraps up Sunday, June 7 at Nodak Speedway in Minot. Tour director Brandon Beeter expects another strong field of competitors from across the Upper Midwest and Canada. “We’ve had some outsiders already sign up like Payce Herrera and Nathan DeRagon,” Beeter said. “But we’ve got a really strong [Read More]

Hobby Stock

Frederick Wins Wild Wednesday Hobby Stock Thriller at Buena Vista Raceway Opener

By Ryan Duggan ALTA, Iowa (May 20, 2026) — Justin Frederick emerged victorious in a dramatic Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature Wednesday night at Buena Vista Raceway after a thrilling late-race duel during the season opener. Chaos erupted on the initial start, quickly bringing out a caution flag before a lengthy green-flag stretch allowed the race to settle in. Will Smith and Drew Barglof battled early before Brandon Nielsen worked his way to the lead and controlled much of the feature. As the laps wound down, Nielsen found himself under pressure from Smith while Frederick steadily closed in on the lead battle. A late caution bunched the field and set up a frantic finish. On the restart, Frederick made a bold double pass to briefly take the lead before Nielsen answered back. Frederick regained the top spot moments later as Smith re-entered the fight. The leaders drag-raced off the final corner with Frederick edging Smith at the line for the victory. The Cleghorn driver started 10th and earned his first B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region win [Read More]

Feature

Trenchard Charges from 10th for Southern Oregon Modified Triumph

By Jason Allen WHITE CITY, Ore. (May 16, 2026) — Brett Provost and Albert Gill Jr. led the field to green in the $1,000-to-win Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature Saturday night at Southern Oregon Speedway. Gill jumped out to the early lead and paced the opening five laps before Ethan Killingsworth took over the top spot with a slider in turn two. A caution one lap later for debris slowed the field, but Killingsworth quickly rebuilt his advantage on the restart. Behind him, an intense three-wide battle for second unfolded between Matt Sanders, Nick Trenchard, and Ryan Peery. Trenchard eventually worked past Sanders and Peery to move into the runner-up position. Killingsworth held a commanding lead until Hudson Shoemaker spun on the backstretch exiting turn two, bringing out another caution with 10 laps remaining. On the restart, Killingsworth drifted into the loose cushion in turn two, opening the door for Trenchard and Sanders to capitalize. Trenchard took over the lead while Sanders and Killingsworth traded sliders over the next several circuits. Out front, Trenchard pulled away [Read More]

Feature

Stephanie Dodson: Finding Her Voice in the Tower

By Ben Deatherage MIDDLETOWN, Pa. (May 20, 2026) — In the heart of Central Pennsylvania sprint car country — where engines echo through the Susquehanna Valley and some of the biggest names in the sport compete — Stephanie Dodson has found her place. For nearly three decades, she competed behind the wheel, starting in go-karts before eventually moving into Midgets and RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars. Today, it’s high above the track, in the announcer’s tower. A former driver turned play-by-play voice of the PA Sprint Series, Dodson is part of a growing wave of women in motorsports — but still one of the few regularly calling races corner to corner. It’s a role she never planned. And a path that, like most of her life in racing, found her along the way. Built Into Racing “I don’t think I even had a choice to get involved in racing,” Dodson joked. Her father, George Stevens, raced Stock Cars. Her uncle, Gary Stevens, competed across Pennsylvania, New York, and Canada in Small Block Modifieds. When her uncle stepped [Read More]

Feature

2026 Dakota Classic Mod Tour Dates Announced and Pre-registration Now Open

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa. (May 20, 2026) — Pre-registration is now officially open for the 2026 Dakota Classic Mod Tour, as one of the premier stretches of Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing competition prepares to return to the Upper Midwest and Canada this July. The six-race tour will once again feature some of the best Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified and Sunoco IMCA Stock Car competitors from across the country competing in North Dakota and Saskatchewan from July 5-10. The 2026 schedule opens Sunday, July 5 at Nodak Speedway before heading north to Estevan Motor Speedway on Monday, July 6. Williston Basin Speedway hosts round three on Tuesday, July 7, followed by Southwest Speedway on Wednesday, July 8. Dacotah Speedway welcomes the tour on Thursday, July 9, before the finale at Jamestown Speedway on Friday, July 10. Every night of the tour will serve as a Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational and B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational qualifier for the 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. North Dakota State, regional, and [Read More]

News

Oathout Opens Santa Maria’s IMCA SportMod Season with Dominant Victory

By Stephanie Odom SANTA MARIA, Calif. (May 16, 2026) — Santa Maria Speedway opened its gates Saturday night for another evening of racing action, including the first Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod event of the 2026 season at the facility. With strong family ties to Santa Maria Speedway, Bakersfield’s Sunnie Simkins picked up her first career SportMod heat race victory. Local favorite Matthew Frazier secured the second heat race win of the evening. With it being opening night for the division, the top 10 drivers after heat race competition redrew for the 20-lap feature event. Willy Oathout and Paul Brown led the field to green. Oathout, from San Luis Obispo, grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag and never looked back on his way to his first victory of the season. Frazier finished second while Alyssa Smith crossed the line in third. Orion Messina charged from 12th to finish fourth while Rich Denman advanced from 10th to round out the top five.

Modified

Cooper Holds Off Dowty in Cottage Grove Sport Compact Thriller

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (May 16, 2026) — Kerry Cooper survived a late-race challenge and a green-white-checkered restart to capture the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature at Cottage Grove Speedway, scoring his first victory of the season in the 20-lap finale. Lady Eagle racer Tiffany Towns paced the opening laps before Cooper worked his way around her on lap six. The Cottage Grove driver began to stretch his advantage as the race stayed green and encountered lapped traffic on lap 12. Teenager Shane Dowty started reeling Cooper in by lap 14 and edged ahead at the line just before a caution slowed the field. On the restart, Dowty established himself out front and built a comfortable advantage while Cooper regrouped and mounted another charge. Cooper caught Dowty on lap 17 and reclaimed the lead with two circuits remaining, but another caution on lap 18 set up a dramatic green-white-checkered finish. Dowty made one final bid on the last lap, but Cooper held strong at the stripe to secure the win after starting third. Dowty [Read More]

Events

Memorial Weekend Rumble Set for May 24 at Benton County

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 15, 2026) — Benton County Speedway will celebrate Memorial Weekend in a big way on Sunday, May 24, with the inaugural Memorial Weekend Rumble featuring Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing action and special payouts for Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds and Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods. Modifieds will race for $2,047 to win and $247 to start in a draw/redraw format with no track points awarded. The feature will also serve as a Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational qualifier for the 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. SportMods will compete for $1,021 to win and $121 to start, also utilizing a draw/redraw format with no track points awarded. Other divisions on the card include Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. Track, Iowa State, regional, and national points will be awarded in those divisions. Stock Cars will compete for EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region points, while Hobby Stocks race for B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region points. Modifieds will also compete for Razor [Read More]

Feature

Berg Goes Flag-to-Flag for First Dacotah Speedway Stock Car Victory

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (May 15, 2026) — When the green flag waved for the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature at Dacotah Speedway, pole sitter Jason Berg quickly pulled away from the field. As Berg’s lead continued to grow, the battle raged behind him for second place between Brennor Grinstead and Travis Ulmer. They raced door-to-door and side-by-side for several laps. A caution with seven laps to go erased Berg’s large advantage over the field. On the restart, Andrew Jochim quickly moved into the second position and challenged for the lead. Mechanical failure on Jochim’s car resulted in contact between the leaders, but Berg held onto the top spot while Jochim took his car to the pits. Berg, from Fargo, pulled away once more to lead all 20 laps and cruise to his first Dacotah Speedway win and first EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the 2026 season. Travis Ulmer finished second ahead of points leader Geoff Hellman, who charged from 18th to third. Brennor Grinstead slipped to fourth while Todd Carter rounded out [Read More]

Events

Pillar Restaurant Group Stan Cisar Speedweek Set for June 17-20 Across Nebraska

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 19, 2026) — The inaugural Pillar Restaurant Group Stan Cisar Speedweek is set to bring four straight nights of RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car action across Nebraska from June 17-20, honoring one of the region’s longtime supporters of racing while offering strong nightly payouts and a lucrative overall points fund. The tour opens Wednesday, June 17 at Boone County Raceway in Albion before heading to US 30 Speedway in Columbus on Thursday, June 18. Beatrice Speedway hosts round three on Friday, June 19, with the finale scheduled for Saturday, June 20 at Eagle Raceway. Each night will pay $1,547 to win, with a consistent nightly format, support from Four Corners Fire and Safety, a dedicated race director, and a dedicated tech official throughout the week. Drivers who qualify for the feature will earn a minimum of $300 to start, while those unable to transfer to the main event will still receive $200 in tow money. Nightly feature payouts include $1,000 for second, $800 for third, $750 for fourth, and $700 for [Read More]