Northern SportMod Archives

Bigfoot finale checkers fly for Sanders

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (June 29, 2024) – Always consistent at Southern Oregon Speedway, Matt Sanders sped to his first Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature win at White City this season on night two of the Bigfoot Weekend presented by Toyota. The Brookings hotshoe brought three top five’s and had finished no worse than sixth in four previous Southern Oregon starts during the current campaign, drew the ninth starting spot on Saturday and got the win ahead of Jorddon Braaten. Jeffrey Hudson led on the first trip past the finish line before a caution came out with two laps complete. On the restart, Andy Freeman moved up to third just before the yellow flag returned for the second stoppage of the main event. When things got underway again, Braaten took over third while Ethan Killingsworth was all over Freeman for fourth. Shields and Braaten battled for the runner-up position before Shields had to bow out early due to mechanical issues on lap seven. Sanders continued an impressive run, obtaining third on lap [Read More]

Henderson flies to finish at Froggy 44

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (June 29, 2024) – Cottage Grove Speedway paid tribute to the late Melvin Walker and Dusten Henderson went home with the $444 payday from Saturday’s Froggy 44 special for Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. Henderson made his way to the front from sixth starting, taking the double checkers ahead of Burnie Bryant. The Froggy 44 finale started with Kerry Cooper building a big lead as Michael Kennerly and Melissa Bryant battled over second. As the race stayed green, Burnie Bryant got around daughter Melissa for second on lap eight and tried to catch up with Cooper while Henderson started to knock on the door for third. The caution waved on lap 10 and on the restart, Kennerly bounced back to fourth and obtained third with a pass around Melissa Bryant. Henderson rebounded to third with 32 laps to go. While all this happened, Cooper and Burnie Bryant were a close first and second. After a multi-car pile-up in turn two, the yellow flag returned on the 14th circuit. On the [Read More]

Four IMCA features pay $1,000 to win, fans get in free Saturday at 34 Raceway

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (July 2, 2024) – IMCA drivers in four divisions race for $1,000 to win while race fans get free admission, a chance to check out the wiener mobile and great seats for the fireworks on LaVeine Sanitation Night this Saturday, July 6 at 34 Raceway. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Late Models, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods all chase $1,000 top checks and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts run for $200 to win. Modified and Stock Car winners become eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational and B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational, respectively. There is no entry fee and money has been added to purses for each division at the draw/redraw show. Prize drawings for drivers and fans will be held during the evening. The Oscar Meyer wiener mobile will be on site and fireworks by J & M Displays follow the race program. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. with racing to [Read More]

Rodgers is good as gold at Silver Dollar

By Ben Deatherage CHICO, Calif. (June 28, 2024) – Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods returned to Silver Dollar Speedway for their third visit of the 2024 campaign and Tyler Rodgers returned to victory lane following their Friday night feature. Rodgers took control when the green flag was unleashed. The Chico chauffeur beat Shaun Merritt from the front row. Before too long, Ray Lindeman got around Merritt for second. The caution came out for the first time with two laps scored complete, which tightened up the field. Lindeman secured second as Rodgers again took off. Mike Ficklin Sr. tried to chase down Lindeman for second but that battle came to a halt with five circuits complete due to another yellow. However, on the restart, as Rodgers and Lindeman checked out, Ficklin was under fire for third as Scott Savell made it around him with seven laps complete. As the race remained green, the field began to spread out. The race was interrupted one last time with eight trips past the flag stand remaining, after the [Read More]

Third time is a (rainless) charm at Arlington

ARLINGTON, Minn. (June 29, 2024) – After a two week hiatus in events due to rain, Arlington Raceway managed to get an event in even though an inch and a half of rain fell the night before. Drivers were eager to get back to the track and compete and Bode Collision & Glass and K&R Towing put up an extra $100 to each feature winner so every feature was pretty intense. The IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks saw two different leaders. Jonathan Schroeder was the early leader but a yellow was thrown for Mac Tollefson on lap seven when he lost a tire and landed in the infield pond area. The following lap after the restart, Schroeder had troubles which sent him to the work area and later the pit, ending his night. That gave both Brett McConnell and Cory Probst an opportunity to gain positions on the restart. McConnell had the edge but he, too, ended up in the pit while Probst went on to lead the remainder of the race. Jordan Robinson had a [Read More]

145 race teams pack Maquoketa Speedway

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (June 29, 2024) – Maquoketa Speedway returned to weekly racing action following a rain out the previous week. A whopping 145 race teams took part in the action-packed Saturday night of racing. The IMCA Sunoco Late Model feature was one of several main events that ran flag to flag. Dave Wadsager led lap number one before Steve Johnson took over the top spot. Travis Denning started eighth and quickly worked to the front, taking the lead from Johnson before 10 laps were completed. Denning went on to build a comfortable lead while the second spot was up for grabs. Matt Ryan held off a fast-closing Evan Miller at the checkers with Johnson rounding out the top four. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds also ran their race clean and green as the 20-lap main saw Jeff Larson add another win to his 2024 resume. Larson raced past early leader Patrick Moore and went on to record the win by holding off Jason Schueller and Scott Lemke. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars [Read More]

Eagle celebrates Freedom Fest, Stan Cisar

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (June 29, 2024) – It was standing room only Saturday at Eagle Raceway for Freedom Fest 2024, and a special night celebrating the life of Stan Cisar. Stan was a long-time car owner and supporter of dirt track racing as well as the voice of several area dirt tracks. The opening prayer was a recording of the prayer that Stan gave every night that he announced, bringing a tug at the heart strings. Then, when the Star Spangled Banner was a recording of Stan’s magnificent voice I’m sure there were few dry eyes in the house. Knowing that it was the final time that I would hear that song, sung by The Voice of the Speedway teared me up also. As a special tribute to Stan, the purse for the IMCA Racesaver Sprint Car main event featured a $1,047 to win top prize and $347 to start referencing Stan’s Sprint no. 47. The additional purse money and the memory of Stan brought a total of 137 cars to America’s Home Track, including several visiting [Read More]

Mix of new, repeat winners highlight action at Benton County Speedway

VINTON, Iowa (June 30, 2024) – A pair of first-time winners were joined by four return visitors to victory lane Sunday night at Benton County Speedway. Nearly 130 cars signed in to compete on a full night of racing at The Bullring. Ethan Braaksma earned his first Vinton win in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main. From a fourth row start, Braaksma ran the high side into the lead at around midway of the Wright Way Trailers 20-lapper. He then survived a couple late stoppages and pressure from Troy Cordes and Owen Barnhill to score the win. Braaksma, who won a SportMod feature in Vinton in 2017, became the 98th Modified winner in track history. Briar Kriegel earned his first win of the season in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks presented by iHeart Radio. From his outside front row start, Kriegel took command at the drop of the green and held off late charges from Shane Richardson and Matt Brown to secure the victory. John Oliver Jr. became a four-time winner in the IMCA Sunoco Stock [Read More]

Mueller, Burg are best at Boone

By Joyce Eisele BOONE, Iowa (June 29, 2024) – It was a full night of racing entertainment for the fans at Boone Speedway on Saturday night, with 183 cars packing the pits. Repeat wins went to Jake McBirnie in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Matt Avila in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, and Travis Stensland in the Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites. First-time winners were Jeff Mueller in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Andrew Burg in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Things got off to a great start with the flag-to-flag running of the 15 lap feature for Mod Lites. Polesitter Jamie Bailey led the opening lap but Cliff Barber took over when lap two went into the books. By lap eight, it was eighth place starter Stensland who was captain of the ship. When Stensland got the lead, he drove off from the rest of the field and scored the easy win. Barber was a distant runner up, followed by Austin Gray in third. It was 18 laps of Northern Sport Mod [Read More]

Barnhart, Bencken win first features of season Friday at Thomas County

By Sheldon Wickwar COLBY, Kan. (June 28, 2024) – Josh Barnhart and Brady Bencken both won first IMCA features of the season Friday at Thomas County Speedway. The Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod 15-lap feature started with a front row of Barnhart and Monty Nordyke. Barnhart grabbed the early race and by lap five had pulled away. The race single filed out with Carson Lang and Blaine Walt making runs to third and fourth place but not being able to advance further. Barnhart ran away with the victory, ahead of Nordyke, Lang, Walt and Bencken. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks ran a 15-lap feature of their own with a front row of Mike Kennedy and Austin Janousek. Kennedy got the early jump, but quickly Bencken found himself passing for the lead in turn four. The race stayed green until lap 10. Bencken led the restart and despite trying multiple lines, Trent Matson could not run him down. Bencken picked up win number one of the season with Matson, Bret Conness, Mitchell Fischer and Austin Janousek in [Read More]