Northern SportMod Archives

Mackenthun Capitalizes Late for Arlington Stock Car Victory

By Susan Allen ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 30, 2026) — Dan Mackenthun used a late restart to his advantage and charged from the 11th starting position to win the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature at Arlington Raceway. Ryan Bjerkeset led the majority of the race while drivers behind him battled two and three wide throughout the field. Dave Moriarty spent much of the event trying to track down the leader while Mackenthun steadily worked his way through traffic. A late caution changed everything when Garrett Uecker made contact with the retaining wall in turn three, ending his night and setting up a crucial restart. Mackenthun capitalized on the opportunity, taking over the lead and driving away for his fourth EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the season. The Hamburg veteran has now won at three different tracks in 2026 and scored his first Arlington Raceway triumph of the year. Matthew Looft advanced from ninth to finish second while Bjerkeset settled for third. Trent Loverude charged from 15th to fourth and Matt Speckman completed the top five. [Read More]

Harris Goes Back-to-Back in Park Jefferson Stock Cars

By Chance Riley JEFFERSON, S.D. (May 29, 2026) — Ryan Harris continued his winning ways Friday night at Park Jefferson Speedway, racing from the 10th starting position to capture the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature. The Homer, Nebraska driver earned his second EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the season, with both wins coming at Park Jefferson Speedway. Lowell Roeber finished second while Dayton Mosher completed the podium in third. Jason Ward advanced from 14th to fourth. Wyatt Luke rounded out the top five, while Devin Tripp charged from 21st to sixth. The Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature belonged to South Sioux City’s R.J. Merchant. Starting third, Merchant worked his way to the front and held off a late challenge from Duke Erickson to secure his third Razor Chassis North Central Region victory of the season. All three wins have come at Park Jefferson Speedway. Erickson advanced from ninth to finish second while Bob Moore crossed the stripe third. Brian Mahlstedt rallied from eighth to fourth and Ricky Stephan completed the top five. Willy Kirk [Read More]

Hobby Stock

Avila Wins Third of Season While Taylor Notches First Career Victory at Boone

By Jane Burd BOONE, Iowa (May 30, 2026) — The Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods produced a pair of memorable features Saturday night at Boone Speedway as Matt Avila collected his third win of the season while Jessiah Taylor celebrated the first victory of his racing career. The Boone driver advanced eight positions to secure his third victory of the season at three different tracks. Mike Smith also gained eight spots and finished second. Burke settled for third while Trevor Noonan and Dayton Swatek completed the top five. Colby Grady charged from 17th to finish sixth. Joe Doran led lap two while Jessiah Taylor paced laps one and three in the second SportMod feature of the evening. Jake Sachau worked his way to the front after starting ninth and took over the lead on lap four, but in the end Taylor would be claim the victory. The Boone driver was credited with the win ahead of Camden Vincent, who advanced six positions to finish second. Kyle Free crossed the stripe third, followed by Jonathan Jensen and [Read More]

Clash at the Creek XVIII Returns June 12-13 with $10,000-to-Win Modified Feature

By Ben Deatherage FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (June 1, 2026) — One of Wisconsin’s premier dirt track events returns to 141 Speedway on June 12-13 as Clash at the Creek XVIII brings two nights of Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing action highlighted by a $10,000-to-win Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified finale, one of the richest payouts for the division anywhere in the country. The biggest change for 2026 is a move to a weekend format. Traditionally held during the middle of the week, event organizers shifted the Clash to Friday and Saturday to make it easier for teams and fans to attend without needing to take additional vacation time after spending much of the week at the racetrack. Activities begin Thursday, June 11, with an open test and tune session starting at 6:00 p.m. Racing follows on Friday and Saturday, June 12-13. Friday’s program will feature split qualifying features for the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, with each qualifier capped at 24 starters. Heat race lineups will be determined by draw, and heat race results will set the qualifying [Read More]

Tafoya Captures Modified Victory at J.D. Minor Memorial in Cortez

By Suzan McCoy CORTEZ, Colo. (May 30, 2026) — The season-opening J.D. Minor Memorial at Cortez Fairgrounds Speedway featured six Speedway Motors IMCA divisions, and in the night’s premier division, the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Farmington, New Mexico’s Regan Tafoya drove to victory in the 20-lap feature. Tafoya started second and outran a strong field to secure his second DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region victory of the season and first Cortez Fairgrounds Speedway win of 2026. Dove Creek’s Camron Spangler finished second while Ryder Green advanced from seventh to complete the podium in third. Brian Carey crossed the stripe fourth and Tyrone Yazzie charged from 11th to fifth. Fisher Scores First Stock Car Win of Season The Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars saw Dove Creek’s Race Fisher work his way to the front from a fourth-place starting position to claim the feature victory. The win was Fisher’s first EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region triumph of the season. Jeramy Hughes advanced from sixth to finish second while Ron Brewer turned in one of the division’s strongest runs, charging [Read More]

Kniss Captures $3,069 SportMod Smackdown Crown at Southern Oregon

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (May 30, 2026) — Oakley, California’s Buddy Kniss held off a furious late-race challenge to win the 40-lap, $3,069-to-win Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod Smackdown feature at Southern Oregon Speedway, earning his first victory of the 2026 season and his first career triumph in the prestigious event. Kniss jumped to the early lead and remained at the point through a lap one caution. As the race settled into a lengthy green-flag run, the battle for the lead intensified when Cory Biggs, driving the Ethan Killingsworth-owned No. 7M, mounted a charge. Biggs took over the lead on lap 15, but Kniss answered one lap later to reclaim the top spot as the leaders entered lapped traffic. While Kniss maintained command, a fierce battle for second developed between Biggs, Bo Crebs, and Isaac Sanders. Crebs, who won Friday night’s preliminary feature in the Jerry Movrich-owned No. 168, emerged as a serious contender after cautions on laps 24 and 25 tightened the field. Biggs used the bottom groove to reel in Kniss during [Read More]

Ellithorpe Tops Tough Stock Car Field at Maquoketa

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (May 30, 2026) — Maquoketa Speedway hosted racing Saturday night as drivers contended with a slick and challenging racing surface that offered multiple racing grooves throughout the evening. The Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars produced one of the night’s best races as Maquoketa native Jacob Ellithorpe scored his first hometown victory of the season. Ellithorpe started on the front row and found himself locked in a race-long duel with fifth-starting Gage Neal. The lead changed hands several times as the two accomplished drivers put on a show for the fans before Ellithorpe edged Neal by a narrow margin at the checkers. The victory was Ellithorpe’s third EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region win of 2026, his first at Maquoketa Speedway this season, and came one night after winning at Davenport Speedway. Neal finished second ahead of Casey Shelliam. Kodey Miles advanced from 10th to fourth while Joe Bonney rounded out the top five. The feature was red-flagged early following a hard rollover involving Mitch Current. Fortunately, Current was not injured. Jewell Breaks Through [Read More]

Morris Holds Off Birkhofer for Davenport Late Model Victory

By Mike McGuire DAVENPORT, Iowa (May 29, 2026) — Mitch Morris captured his first Davenport Speedway victory of the season Friday night in the Sunoco IMCA Late Models, but it didn’t come easy. Morris found himself in an early battle with Blaise Lewis before Lewis became tangled with a lapped car, bringing out a caution and sending him to the rear of the field. Morris then had to fend off challenges from Andy Nezworski during the middle stages of the race and Cruz Birkhofer over the closing laps. The McCausland driver held strong to earn his second victory of the season. Birkhofer charged from 10th to finish second while Nezworski advanced from eighth to third. Jesse Bodin crossed the stripe fourth and Matt Ryan rallied from 12th to fifth. Dustin Smith posted one of the night’s most impressive drives, advancing from 21st to sixth. Morris, Lewis and Logan Veloz claimed heat race victories. Diercks Charges from 12th for Modified Triumph Spencer Diercks finally broke through for a victory in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified division. Jason [Read More]

Baca Charges from Ninth for Marshalltown Modified Victory

By Mia Cox MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (May 29, 2026) — The Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds closed out Friday night’s racing card with one of the evening’s most entertaining features as Chaz Baca Jr. charged from ninth to victory at Marshalltown Speedway. Chase Weimer and Kevin Sather led the field to green before an early caution slowed the pace. As the race developed, Joel Rust and Baca emerged as the primary contenders while Jake McBirnie joined the fight near the front. Following the final restart, Rust, Baca and McBirnie raced three-wide in a thrilling battle for the lead. Baca finally cleared Rust with four laps remaining and pulled away over the closing circuits. Originally from Mesa, Arizona and now residing in Jewell, Baca earned his fifth win of the season at four different tracks. The victory was his first of the year at Marshalltown Speedway and his second Razor Chassis North Central Region triumph of 2026. Rust advanced from seventh to finish second while Todd Shute charged from 10th to third. McBirnie finished fourth and Ronn Lauritzen completed [Read More]

Porter Earns First Career Hobby Stock Victory Friday Night at CJ Speedway

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (May 29, 2026) — Getting that first feature win is always special, and Garrett Porter accomplished exactly that Friday night in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature at CJ Speedway. The Libertyville racer started fifth and methodically worked his way forward before taking command just past the midway point of the race. Porter then had to withstand a furious late challenge from Zach McNeese as the pair raced side-by-side off the final corner. Porter prevailed by less than a car length to secure his place among the winners in the B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region in 2026. McNeese, who started seventh, finished second. Dalton Weepie crossed the stripe third while Brayden Wood advanced from ninth to fourth. Spencer Hopwood completed a strong drive from 10th to fifth. Wood Continues Columbus Junction Mastery in Stock Car Feature Nathan Wood once again proved to be the driver to beat in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars. Starting 10th, the Sigourney driver steadily worked his way through the field while Dustin Griffiths followed his [Read More]