Feature Archives

12th Annual Iron Cup Headlines Two Nights at Park Jefferson Speedway

By Ben Deatherage JEFFERSON S.D. (Sept. 8, 2025) — The 12th annual Iron Cup returns to Park Jefferson Speedway on Friday, Sept. 26 and Saturday, Sept. 27, with two complete shows, IMCA TV coverage, and more than $60,000 in driver payouts on the line. Thursday, Sept. 25, will feature an open practice with $30 pit passes, before racing officially begins with Friday’s program. Opening night will see Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods, Sunoco IMCA Late Models, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, and the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. Saturday’s Iron Cup Championship Night raises the stakes with the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars each racing for $1,500. The Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods compete for $1,250, with Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks at $1,000 and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts at $500. Racing starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, with the best drivers from across the region converging on Park Jefferson to battle for Iron Cup glory and a share of the purse. More [Read More]

29th Annual Abe Lincoln Memorial Runs Sept. 11-13 at US 30 Speedway

By Ben Deatherage COLUMBUS, Neb. (Sept. 8, 2025) — One of Nebraska’s most prestigious IMCA specials returns this fall as US 30 Speedway hosts the 29th Annual Abe Lincoln Memorial, set for Thursday through Saturday, September 11-13. The three-day event begins on Thursday, September 11 with an open practice session from 7 to 8:30 p.m., followed by a mechanics race and powder puff from 8:30 to 9 p.m. A pit crew competition caps the night at 9 p.m. Pits open at 5 p.m. with a $20 pit pass. There will be no grandstand admission on Thursday. Racing action begins Friday, September 12. Hot laps are scheduled for 7 p.m., the pit meeting at 7:30, and the National Anthem at 7:50, with racing to follow at 8 p.m. On the card are RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars, Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks. Saturday, September 13, features the headline program with hot laps at 5 p.m., the pit meeting at 5:30, and the National Anthem at 5:50 before racing begins [Read More]

Dylan Nelson stood in victory lane after winning the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock Big Dance on Sept. 6 at Boone Speedway during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, his second career Super Nationals crown in the division. (Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography)

Nelson Edges Luinenburg in Last-Corner Duel to Become Two-Time Hobby Stock Super Nats Champion

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 6, 2025) — Dylan Nelson of Adell became just the sixth driver in Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s history to win multiple Hobby Stock crowns, edging Blake Luinenburg in a dramatic 30-lap Big Dance at Boone Speedway. Nelson, the 2019 Super Nats champion, paced the field from the opening lap after a complete restart from a crash before the initial trip around the oval and fought through a caution-filled contest that saw several slowdowns. Luinenburg, the 2024 Murray County and Worthington Speedway track champion, challenged late and briefly nosed ahead in the final set of corners. Nelson countered low and won the drag race to the stripe by half a car length. Defending event champion Nathan Ballard improved 16 positions to finish third, Justin Frederick was fourth, and Dylan Bell of Kansas rounded out the top five. Defending Stuart and Shelby County Speedway track champion Skylar Pruitt stormed from 27th to sixth, while Eric Knutson passed the most cars after starting next to dead last and finishing [Read More]

Jake Sachau stood atop his car in victory lane after earning his second career Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod Super Nationals championship in the Big Dance on Sept. 6 at Boone Speedway during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. (Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography)

Sachau Dominates for Second Northern SportMod Super Nationals Crown

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 6, 2025) — Manning motorist Jake Sachau returned to the top step Saturday at Boone Speedway, winning the 30-circuit Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod Big Dance during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The 2023 champion became just the second driver in event history to win more than once in the division. Sachau led the opening trip around the oval before Bakersfield and Merced Speedway champion Jason Bannister wrestled the point away on the third circuit. Sachau quickly answered back on lap four and began to stretch out his advantage while Bannister came under fire from Independence Motor Speedway titlist Cole Suckow. By lap 17, Sachau worked into lapped traffic and handled it flawlessly until a lap 23 caution set up a final dash. 2025 Boone track champion and two-time Hobby Stock Super Nationals winner Mike Smith secured second on the restart, but Sachau pulled away to dominate the distance and cement his place in the history books. Smith crossed the stripe in the runner-up spot, with [Read More]

Jake McBirnie celebrated in victory lane after capturing his first Sunoco IMCA Stock Car Super Nationals crown in the Big Dance on Sept. 6 at Boone Speedway during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. (Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography)

McBirnie Storms to Stock Car Super Nationals Glory

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 6, 2025) — Jake McBirnie of Boone scored the crown jewel of his Sunoco IMCA Stock Car career Saturday at Boone Speedway, winning the 30-circuit Stock Car Big Dance during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. McBirnie, who captured the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod main event here in 2018, added his first Stock Car Super Nationals title to his résumé. The Class Too Tough To Tame lived up to its billing. Two-time champion Dallon Murty shot out front before Doug Smith, the 2020 Northern SportMod National champion and 2016 SportMod Super Nationals winner, paced the opening circuit. McBirnie stormed into contention in the Mike Kennedy-owned no. 822, pulling off a daring double overtake in turn three on lap 12, only for Smith to wrestle the lead back at the flag stand. McBirnie regrouped and powered to the front on lap 15, just before misfortune sidelined both Smith and Murty with separate mechanical issues on lap 17 while they battled for second. A lap 20 caution was [Read More]

Tim Ward celebrated in victory lane after winning the 40-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified Big Dance on Sept. 6 at Boone Speedway during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, his second career Super Nationals Modified crown. (Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography)

Ward Rules Modified Big Dance for Second Super Nationals Crown

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 6, 2025) — Tim Ward, originally from Mesa, Arizona, and now living in Harcourt, etched his name in Super Nationals history again Saturday night at Boone Speedway by winning the 40-circuit Friesen Performance IMCA Modified Big Dance during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The 2023 event champion became a two-time event winner after fending off heavy pressure from Dakota Sproul in the closing stages. 2025 Midwest Madness Tour champion Sproul showed the way at the start, pulling away from two-time Super Nationals winner Richie Gustin and Tim Ward as the race stayed green through the early going. Ward tracked down Sproul by lap 12 and took command on the 17th circuit, just before a caution reset the field. A string of yellows followed, but Ward was flawless on the restarts and opened up daylight each time. Sproul found his rhythm and closed in as lapped traffic loomed with seven circuits left, but Ward held strong to the stripe. Sproul settled for second, two-time Super Nationals champion [Read More]

Drew Janssen raced the Danny Meier-owned no. 127 machine to victory in Friday’s fifth Friesen Performance IMCA Modified qualifier during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway on Sept. 5. (Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography)

Janssen and Berry Power Into Big Dance With Friday Super Nationals Qualifier Wins

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 5, 2025) – Drew Janssen of Pella raced his way into the outside row of Saturday’s Big Dance with a win in Friday night’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified Qualifier 5 during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway. Janssen, wheeling the Danny Meier-owned no. 127 machine, set the tone from the start of the 25-lapper. Cautions on laps seven and nine slowed the pace, but with 11 circuits to go he checked out while a three-car battle unfolded behind him. He reached lapped traffic on lap 21, giving Zachary Madrid an opportunity to close in, but the Arizona native-turned-Iowan ran out of laps and had to settle for second. 2023 Wisconsin State Modified champion Connor Wilinski crossed the line in third but was disqualified in post-race tech for a spec head infraction. That moved 2023 Midwest Madness Tour champion Jacob Hobscheidt of Nebraska into third in the Timmy and Marsha Current-owned no. 12TC, with 2025 Ernie Mincy Memorial Early Thaw Series champion Kollin Hibdon, a [Read More]

Damon Murty charged from 23rd starting to win Friday’s sixth Sunoco IMCA Stock Car qualifier during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway on Sept. 5. (Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography)

McBirnie Rebounds and Murty Charges From Deep to Win Friday Stock Car Qualifiers at Super Nationals

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 5, 2025) – Boone’s Jake McBirnie rebounded from Thursday’s heartbreak to win Friday’s Sunoco IMCA Stock Car Qualifier 5 at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, locking himself into the outside row of Saturday’s Big Dance at Boone Speedway. Louisiana’s Shawn Graham led the opening circuits before Californian Paul Stone took over on lap 10. Stone, a five-time Merced Speedway track champion including back-to-back Stock Car titles, appeared in control while McBirnie steadily reeled him in aboard the Mike Kennedy-owned no. 822. McBirnie stalked Stone through the middle stages, waiting for a mistake, and got his break on lap 21 when Stone tangled with a lapped car and spun, handing the lead to the Boone driver. Already a winner of both the NAPA Auto Parts Prelude and B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational earlier in the week, McBirnie survived a green-white-checkered finish after a late pileup and pulled away for the victory. 2006 National champion David Smith finished second, while 2024 Wisconsin State Modified champion Cole Czarneski was [Read More]

Braden Richards raced to redemption with his Sunoco IMCA Stock Car Qualifier 3 win on Sept. 4 at Boone Speedway during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, locking himself into the middle row of Saturday’s Big Dance. (Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography)

Richards and Smith Shine in Thursday Super Nationals Stock Car Qualifiers

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 4, 2025) — Braden Richards scored redemption Thursday night at Boone Speedway, topping Sunoco IMCA Stock Car Qualifier 3 during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The 25-lap feature put the top four into the middle row of Saturday’s Big Dance. Richards led from the opening circuit and was never seriously challenged. A pair of cautions in the first four laps and again on lap 18 slowed the pace, but each time Richards was flawless on the restart. The Madrid motorist drove away from the field for the win, with 2013 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified National champion William Gould in second, Chris Pruitt charging from 19th to third, and 2019 IMCA Hobby Stock National champion Jeff Ware sealing the final transfer in fourth. Former IMCA Northern SportMod National and Super Nationals champion Doug Smith captured Sunoco IMCA Stock Car Qualifier 4. The 25-lapper qualified four more drivers for the middle row of Saturday’s Big Dance. Two-time Nebraska State Stock Car champ Austin Brauner led early before a [Read More]

Johnny Whitman drove the Jerovetz Motorsports no. 08 to victory in Friesen Performance IMCA Modified Qualifier 3 on Sept. 4 at Boone Speedway during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, locking himself into the middle row of Saturday’s Big Dance. (Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography)

Whitman and Gustin Deliver Thursday Modified Qualifier Victories at Super Nationals

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 4, 2025) — Johnny Whitman of Suamico, Wisconsin, raced to victory in Friesen Performance IMCA Modified Qualifier 3 Thursday at Boone Speedway during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The 25-lap feature advanced the top four finishers into the middle row of Saturday’s Big Dance. Whitman, an eight-time 141 Speedway champion, including this season, led from the opening lap in the Jerovetz Motorsports no. 08. He fought off repeated challenges from Minnesota’s Jacob Dahle during multiple cautions and long stretches of side-by-side racing. After a lap 17 restart, Whitman was flawless the rest of the way to seal the win. Dahle finished second, Cory Sauerman held off heavy traffic for third, and 19-year-old Izac Mallicoat, the 2025 Dynamic Driveline Dirt Duel winner, claimed the final transfer in fourth. 2010 and 2014 IMCA Modified National champion Zane DeVilbiss had originally crossed the stripe third after driving from 15th but was disqualified in post-race tech for a carburetor infraction. Richie Gustin, a two-time Super Nationals champion, made it three [Read More]