Sport Compact Archives

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]

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]

5th Annual Dave Riley Memorial Returns June 14 to Park Jefferson Speedway

By Ben Deatherage JEFFERSON, S.D. (May 19, 2026) — One of the most anticipated special events of the summer at Park Jefferson Speedway returns on Sunday, June 14, as the 5th Annual Dave Riley Memorial Race honors the longtime Siouxland racer with a loaded night of Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing action. The event celebrates the legacy of Dave Riley, who spent most of his racing career competing in the IMCA Hobby Stock division before racing an IMCA Northern SportMod during his final season in 2017. Over the past four years, the memorial has grown into one of the marquee events at the high-banked South Dakota oval. “This race has been a huge success the last four years commemorating dad,” said Dave’s son, Chance Riley. “It brings the community together and everyone has a great night of celebration in honor of Dave.” A massive purse awaits competitors across all five IMCA divisions. Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks headline the event with a $3,056 winner’s share, while Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds race for $2,056 to win. Sunoco IMCA [Read More]

Christensen Capitalizes Late for Shelby County Stock Car Victory

By Don Hawkins HARLAN, Iowa (May 16, 2026) — Once again with rain and storms in the forecast, the Shelby County Speedway staff met the challenge by completing a quick and efficient program. The Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars once again put on one of the night’s best races. Mike Albertsen looked poised to capture the victory while being heavily pressured by Riley Christensen and Miciah Hidlebaugh. An incident in the closing laps involving Albertsen and Hidlebaugh opened the door for Christensen, who slipped into the lead and never looked back. The Audubon driver started seventh and picked up his first EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the season. Dayton Ullrich finished second while Dusty Van Horn advanced from 10th to third. Braden Richards charged from 12th to fourth and Austin Meiners completed the top five. The Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts had a stout field of 24 entries battling for the $1,000-to-win feature. A special thank you went to Jim Cahill, who added $550 to the already impressive winner’s purse. After several incidents throughout the feature, [Read More]

Oliver Charges to Benton County Stock Car Victory

By Christine Rublack VINTON, Iowa (May 17, 2026) — John Oliver Jr. topped a stellar Sunoco IMCA Stock Car field at Benton County Speedway. Riley Hanson took command early in the event while Tony Olson, Dave McCalla, and Oliver battled for second as Hanson stretched his advantage. Kyle Olson worked the high side and joined the fight for the runner-up spot. Oliver, the West Burlington driver, dove to the bottom groove and worked his way into second before eventually taking over the lead. Olson and Tony Olson continued to battle behind him as Oliver drove away for his seventh EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region win of the season and first score of 2026 at Benton County. Oliver started ninth on the grid. Kyle Olson charged from 10th to finish second while Tony Olson crossed the line third. Hanson held on for fourth and McCalla completed the top five. Olson Holds Off Thomas in SportMods Kyle Olson returned to victory lane in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods after holding off a hard-charging Brett Thomas. Aiden Gelner [Read More]

Shute Outduels Field in Marshalltown Modified Feature

By Mia Cox MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (May 15, 2026) — The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature capped an action-packed night at Marshalltown Speedway with a thrilling finish. Greg Elliott and Owen Barnhill led the field to green, but trouble struck early when Barnhill rolled over in turn three with 17 laps remaining. Multiple cautions and spins kept the field tightly packed while lightning flashed in the distance, adding to the drama. Through all the interruptions, Norwalk’s Todd Shute stayed poised at the front. Shute and Ronn Lauritzen put on one of the best battles of the night before Chaz Baca Jr. stormed into contention late. Baca, who started 10th, sliced low exiting turn four in the closing laps, but Shute held him off at the line for his sixth Razor Chassis North Central Region victory of the season, with three of those wins coming at Marshalltown. Lauritzen finished third while Joel Rust charged from 14th to fourth. Tripp Gaylord rounded out the top five. Wolf Wins Wild SportMod Feature The Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods delivered one [Read More]

Dettman Breaks Through for First Hobby Stock Victory at El Paso County Raceway

By Suzan McCoy CALHAN, Colo. (May 16, 2026) — Jesse Dettman raced from the sixth starting position to earn his first B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region victory of the season in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature at El Paso County Raceway. Dettman charged to the front in the closing stages to secure the win over Calhan’s Adam Bearman. Colorado Springs racer Stacee Payne completed the podium in third while Melanie Robinson and Austin Sikes rounded out the top five. Daniel Payne put together a dominant performance in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod feature, leading all the way from the pole in the No. 43 machine. The Calhan driver collected his second victory of the season at ECRP in convincing fashion. Travis Palmer crossed the line second while Andrew Fisher completed the top three in the compact but competitive field. Falcon’s Briana Worthington delivered an impressive drive in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature, charging from fifth to score her first victory of the season. James Embree finished second while Sean Frank completed the podium [Read More]

Enter Breaks Through for First Career Stock Car Win at Arlington

By Ben Deatherage ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 16, 2026) — A packed night of Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing action at Arlington Raceway featured exciting battles across all divisions, highlighted by Broddy Enter’s late-race charge in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars. Matt Speckman led early from the pole in the 20-lap Stock Car feature while plenty of action unfolded throughout the stout 24-car field. Luke Sathoff ran second until a lap two caution flew when the No. 96 of Cornelius broke in turn three, ending his evening. On the restart, Speckman resumed command, but Vesta’s Broddy Enter methodically reeled him in after starting eighth. With five laps remaining, Enter dug to the bottom groove and wrestled away the lead. Dan Mackenthun, who started 12th, followed Enter past Speckman in the closing laps. Enter went on to score his first EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the season and the first of his career in the division. Mackenthun crossed the line second while Speckman held on for third. Sathoff finished fourth and Curt Lund charged from 15th [Read More]

Whitman Outduels Schmidt in Wild Outagamie Modified Showdown

By Joe Verdegan SEYMOUR, Wis. (May 15, 2026) — Suamico’s Johnny Whitman snatched the lead on lap 10 and fended off a hard-charging Jayden Schmidt to win the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature Friday night at Outagamie Speedway. Whitman, who started eighth, picked up his third Razor Chassis North Central Region victory of the season and first triumph of 2026 at Outagamie Speedway after surviving a thrilling late-race duel with Schmidt. Hometown driver Konnor Wilinski blasted into a big lead early from his pole position. The second-generation driver quickly built up a full straightaway advantage in the opening four circuits. Wilinski had already begun slicing through lapped traffic by lap eight while Whitman carved his way through the field, grabbing second by lap seven. Following a lap nine caution, Whitman whisked past Wilinski to take the lead at the halfway mark. Meanwhile, Schmidt, who started 19th, stormed through the field and reached second by lap 11 before powering past Whitman for the lead one lap later. The duo raced door-to-door over the next several circuits, exchanging [Read More]

Krug Edges Zeitner in Park Jefferson Late Model Thriller

By Chance Riley JEFFERSON, S.D. (May 15, 2026) — It was another action-packed night of racing at Park Jefferson Speedway, headlined by a thrilling Sunoco IMCA Late Model feature. In the early stages of the blazing-fast 20-lap A-Main, it was a heavily contested three-car battle between Corey Zeitner, Jordan Krug, and Jody Krug. Jordan Krug, who started fourth, eventually worked his way into the lead while Corey and Zach Zeitner battled feverishly for the runner-up spot. On the final lap, Zach Zeitner threw a last-corner slide job at Jordan Krug. The pair drag-raced to the checkers, with the Council Bluffs, Iowa driver hanging on by just .038 seconds for his first win of the season. Corey Zeitner finished third while Drew Baker and Mike Collins completed the top five. Aldape Wins Second Straight Compact Feature The Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts once again put on a spirited battle throughout their 14-lap feature. Sioux City, Iowa driver Gilbert Aldape, who started seventh, fought through a crowded lead pack that included Tyler Thompson and several others battling for the [Read More]