Newswire

Luinenburg Powers from Eighth for Hobby Stock Win in Summer Nationals Opener at Spencer

By Ben Deatherage SPENCER, Iowa (Jun. 1, 2025) — Blake Luinenburg made the most of a green-white-checkered restart to capture the first night of the 2025 IMCA Summer Nationals at Clay County Fair Speedway in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks. The 20-lap, $1,000-to-win main event saw Jay DeVries take command early before bobbling on the backstretch on lap four. That allowed Nick Schilling to sneak by for the lead just before a yellow flag slowed the field. On the ensuing restart, Schilling and Luinenburg waged a fierce battle down the backstretch before Schilling suffered a flat tire. Jimmy Johnson took evasive action and briefly inherited the lead, but amid the scramble, DeVries found himself back out front. Luinenburg, the reigning track champion at both Murray County and Worthington Speedways, was on a mission. The Reading, Minnesota driver chased down the two-time Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact track champ, DeVries, and took over on lap eight. A caution with seven laps to go tightened things up, but Luinenburg nailed the restart and never looked back. A late caution [Read More]

Bittner and Kepner Take PA Sprint Series Checkers at Port Royal

By Frank Buhrman PORT ROYAL, Pa. (My 31, 2025) — Timmy Bittner kept the streak alive, then Kruz Kepner smashed it. On a cold night, Port Royal Speedway officials heated up the action by dividing the 50-car River Valley Builders PA Sprint Series field in half and running two complete features. Bittner extended the series’ run of new 2025 winners to eight with an impressive 2.694-second win over Mike Melair in the first feature. Kepner then became the season’s first repeat winner in the second feature, finishing 1.279 seconds ahead of Logan Spahr. For Bittner, from Beech Creek in Clinton County, it also was his first career PASS victory, although he has won elsewhere and is a former RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car Pennsylvania State champion. It was his second win in about 48 hours, coming after he took the checkers Thursday night at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway in an Allegheny Sprint Tour event. Kepner’s win was his eighth with PASS – again, augmented by victories in other IMCA events – and it strengthened his hold on [Read More]

Rasmussen Rules Antioch for Third RaceSaver Win of 2025

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (May 31, 2025) — Kyle Rasmussen of Clovis won the 25 lap California RaceSaver Sprint Series main event. The two-time State champion turned in a rather dominant performance in collecting his third win of the season. Rasmussen led from the outset ahead of reigning California State champion Phil Heynen and current point leader Davey Pombo Jr. Following a lap five yellow flag for Rino Feliciano, Rasmussen resumed command. Pombo slipped past Heynen for second at that point, but Rasmussen started pulling away again. The race had one more slowdown, but that did not deter Rasmussen as he scored an impressive victory ahead of Davey Pombo Jr. and Heynen.

Strand Edges Dahl in Modified Main Before Rainstorm Rolls In

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (May 30, 2025) — In the final feature of the evening at Dacotah Speedway, it was not only a race for the win in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, but a race against the weather as rain in the distance was starting to settle in. Pole sitter Caden Roberts led early before defending track champion Shawn Strand took the lead on lap two. Strand quickly distanced himself from the field but as the laps wound down, Mark Dahl started to cut into Strand’s lead. By lap 10, Dahl was challenging Strand for the lead. They raced side by side, door to door for several laps. However, lapped traffic made it an exciting race for the win as the leaders sliced and diced their way around the slower cars. Coming to the white flag, Dahl cleared Strand for the top position. However, as they raced back to the checkered flag, Shawn Strand just narrowly edged Mark Dahl for the win — his first of 2025 in the Razor Chassis North Central Region. [Read More]

Rooker Steals the Show in Thrilling Sport Compact Finish

By Chris Kolstad BRAINERD, Minn. (May 31, 2025) — Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact action at North Central Speedway delivered the finish of the night. Colton Lodermeier jumped to the early lead and looked to have things in hand during the 15-lap main event. With four laps remaining, Hunter Carlson broke a right rear axle and nearly rolled, but safely landed the car and brought out a caution. On the restart, defending track champion Baylen Rooker moved around Gabe Ridlon into second, then quickly challenged Lodermeier on the outside. The two raced side-by-side for the final four laps — Lodermeier glued to the bottom, Rooker right against the cushion. Coming out of turn four on the final lap, Rooker got just enough grip to edge ahead by mere inches at the line for his second win of the season. Ridlon, continuing a strong sophomore year, finished third. Anderson Claims Second Hobby Stock Win by a Bumper Veteran Mike Nelson and rookie Andrew Malinowski led the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock field to green in their feature, with Nelson [Read More]

Walt Prevails on Final SportMod Restart at WaKeeney For Late Race Win

By Sheldon Wickwar WaKEENEY, Kan. (May 30, 2025) — The Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods had a busy night at WaKeeney Speedway, capped by an exciting feature that saw Blaine Walt emerge victorious after a late restart. Ryan Kirchoff stormed out to an early lead and looked unstoppable, leading the first sixteen laps before contact between a lapped car and Jack Kirchoff brought out the caution. That restart placed Walt on the inside of the front row. Kirchoff got a strong jump and led for a few more laps, but Walt slipped underneath to take the lead. Kirchoff made one last attempt, but Walt held on to claim his fourth win of the season and third at WaKeeney, adding to his sweep of the John Fose Memorial. Kirchoff settled for second, with Cody Gearhart completing the podium. Sproul Dominant in Mod Action Dakota Sproul led every lap of the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature, commanding the race from start to finish. Late-race contact between Mike Bainter and Kyle Rohleder, who was nursing a soft right rear [Read More]

Conner Edges Heath for First Career Win in Maquoketa SportMod Thriller

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (May 31, 2025) — A beautiful night greeted race fans at Maquoketa Speedway, where the ¼-mile oval produced thrilling action across all five IMCA-sanctioned divisions — including tight finishes and a memorable first-time winner in the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods. Patric Conner led early in what turned out to be the race of the night, but multiple challengers kept him in striking distance throughout the 17-car main event. The closing laps featured a three-way scrap with Levi Heath and Jarrett Franzen, building to a dramatic, near-dead heat at the white flag. Conner stuck to the high line, Heath rolled the bottom, and at the stripe it was Conner — by just .061 seconds — scoring his long-awaited first career feature win. Heath settled for a narrow second, with Franzen right behind in third. Graduation Day Glory for Late Model Pilot Bodin It was a day to remember for Jesse Bodin of Silvis, Illinois. After walking the stage for his high school graduation earlier in the day, Bodin led all 25 [Read More]

Braaten Banks $6,069 in SportMod Smackdown Win at Southern Oregon

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (May 31, 2025) — Central Point’s Jorddon Braaten showcased his prowess by leading all 69 laps of the rebranded SportMod Smackdown at Southern Oregon Speedway, securing a commanding victory and a $6,069 prize in one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier IMCA SportMod events. Formerly known as the Dwayne Melvin Clash, the 69-lap feature attracted top competitors, with Braaten — a four-time Oregon State and Southern Oregon Speedway track champion — asserting dominance from the outset. The race’s first half was marked by intermittent cautions, but as the event passed lap 31, Braaten encountered lapped traffic. Navigating through it masterfully, he extended his advantage and began to check out from the field. In the second half, 2022 Oregon State and 2021 track champion Matt Sanders tried to mount a high-side charge, but Braaten’s low-line rhythm and ability to work traffic kept him firmly in control. Around lap 50, Braaten sliced through another wave of traffic to create a sizable lead that he never surrendered. The race for second came down to the [Read More]

LaCrosse Doubles Down With Modified and Stock Wins at 141

By Joe Verdegan FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (May 31, 2025) — Casco veteran Benji LaCrosse once again showed why his name is often mentioned among the G.O.A.T.s of local and regional dirt track racing during Saturday night’s program at 141 Speedway. LaCrosse pulled double duty and emerged triumphant in both the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified and Sunoco IMCA Stock Car divisions, respectively. LaCrosse ran the IMCA Stock Car feature first, where he started 12th on the grid of the 25 lap contest. Lacrosse marched through the field, reaching second place by lap eight. LaCrosse slowly chopped away at Collin Skindzelewski’s lead. LaCrosse motored past Skindzelewski on the high side at the race’s halfway point. LaCrosse was never headed and led the rest of the way to earn the win — his second in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region this season and first at 141 Speedway in 2025. The Stock Car feature provided plenty of side-by-side racing and passing was plentiful on the clay oval, with Kyle Resch claiming second. Former track champion Josh Mroczkowski rounded out the [Read More]

Looft’s 300th Win Secures SportMod Nationals Crown at Britt

By Chad Meyer BRITT, Iowa (May 30, 2025) — Swea City, Iowa’s Mattew Looft started the 25-lap Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod Nationals presented by Gold-Eagle Cooperative on the inside of the second row. Using the low side of the speedway, Looft was in command early until Cole Suckow snuck around the top to lead lap 15. Looft, determined not to let a chance at victory slip away, pressed on and ultimately moved his groove to the top and led the rest of the event. The win was Looft’s 300th victory in SportMod competition and his second SportMod Nationals crown, winning his first in 2021. For 2025, it is his fourth win at four different tracks. Jake Sachau’s tremendous late-race surge had him closing on Looft and earning second place, finishing ahead of Suckow. Meyer in Total Control of Modified Feature Nick Meyer started the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature on the pole and left little doubt he had enough speed to stay there. On the heels of a recent win at Kossuth County Speedway, Meyer [Read More]