ArlingtonRaceway Archives

Feature

Todd Stinehart: Thirty Years Down the Road

By Ben Deatherage WASECA, Minn. (May 14, 2026) — The highways out of southern Minnesota run long and flat, cutting through fields that seem to stretch forever. On summer weekends, those roads lead in every direction. North toward Arlington. West toward Worthington. South into Iowa. And more often than not, somewhere along those roads, Todd Stinehart is hauling a race car. Not because he has to. Because he loves it. The No. 7S Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified has become a familiar sight across the Upper Midwest, rolling into pit areas at places like Kossuth County Speedway, Hancock County Speedway, Arlington Raceway, and Worthington Speedway, where in 2025 Stinehart finally achieved something that had eluded him for three decades. A track championship. Thirty years after climbing into a race car for the first time. “Thirty years and that was my first track championship,” Stinehart said. “It’s something I never really thought I would do.” For a driver who has spent most of his racing life doing things his own way — loading the trailer himself, working on [Read More]

Looft Charges From Ninth To Win Arlington Stock Car Feature

By Susan Allen ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 9, 2026) — The air was chilly, but the racing was hot at Arlington Raceway, and there were three different leaders in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature. Ryan Grochow led the first two laps before Ken Tietz, who started in the second row, got around him to take over the race. By lap seven, Matthew Looft had the lead in his No. 6-7 machine after starting ninth. Behind him, there was a battle royale between Dave Moriarty, Dan Mackenthun, Curt Lund, and Trent Loverude. In the end, the Swea City, Iowa driver earned his first feature win of the season in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region. Moriarty took second, while Mackenthun made a last-lap pass to gain third ahead of Lund. Loverude advanced from 11th to finish fifth. The Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods saw Ben Reierson lead the opening five laps before Brody Enter charged from sixth to take over the top spot. Soon Eric Larson joined the battle as the three drivers raced side-by-side for several [Read More]

Volk Dominates Hobby Stock Arlington Opener

By Susan Allen ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 2, 2026) — The 46th season at Arlington Raceway got underway with a standout Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature. Chad Volk of Lake Crystal, who started third, had his car dialed in early and led the entire distance to score his first win of the year in the B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region. Cory Probst, who started 10th, appeared to be a contender before a caution sent him to the back on a restart. Volk held steady out front while Taylor Manderfield tried to reel him in but settled for second. Austin Jahnz finished third, followed by Brad Becker, while Brad Jones made an impressive charge from 19th to complete the top five. Becker also won the best appearing car contest. A strong field of 25 Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars took the green, with only one early caution slowing the pace. Josh Larsen of Glencoe took command from the outset and led all 20 laps to earn his first EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the season. Dan Mackenthun [Read More]

Matt Speckman: Taking Flight into IMCA’s Stock Car Century Club

By Ben Deatherage SLEEPY EYE, Minn. (Oct. 10, 2025) — The prairie around Sleepy Eye stretches in all directions, a patchwork of green and gold divided by gravel roads and the steady rhythm of farm life. The town itself rises gently beside its namesake lake — small, hard-working, and steeped in stories older than the state itself. For Matt Speckman, it’s the perfect place to build, fly, and race — a life shaped by machinery, family, and perseverance. That combination came full circle this fall when Speckman captured his 100th career IMCA-sanctioned feature win on Sept. 27 at Arlington Raceway, driving from eighth on the grid to victory. The milestone made him the sixth driver from Minnesota to reach the Century Club in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car division. Matt Speckman races his no. 81 Sunoco IMCA Stock Car at speed at Arlington Raceway earlier this summer. (Photo by Sarah Moriarty) A Town with Deep Roots Sleepy Eye’s history is as enduring as the fields that surround it. The town took its name from Chief Sleepy [Read More]

Goos Sweeps 45th Anniversary Sprint Special at Arlington

By Susan Allen ARLINGTON, Minn. (Sept. 27, 2025) — Lee Goos Jr. had a clean sweep in the 45th anniversary Sprint Car race at Arlington Raceway, winning the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars feature on Saturday night. Starting on the pole, he never looked back over the 25-lap distance to capture the $4,500 prize. A first-lap caution for Nate Thelen’s spin brought a quick restart. Zach Glaser passed Gunner Pike to run second until lapped traffic opened the door for Bill Johnson to take the spot, with Trevor Serbus in close pursuit. The top three sliced through traffic until lap 18, when Glaser spun off turn four and exited the race. Goos maintained command on the restart, with Serbus in second and Johnson in third. Another caution flew when Hannah Graf’s steering broke entering turn two, ending her night. On the final restart, Pike slipped past Johnson for third while Goos and Serbus pulled away in traffic. At the finish, Goos claimed the win, Serbus was second, Pike third, Johnson fourth, and Matt Johnson fifth. Brett Allen [Read More]

Probst Powers from Eighth to Hobby Stock Victory at Arlington

By Susan Allen ARLINGTON, Minn. (Sept. 20, 2025) — The Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks stole the show with the most dramatic feature of the night at Arlington Raceway. Jonathon Schroeder’s car caught fire down the backstretch, ending his run early after the same issue plagued him in his heat. Once the smoke cleared, Mac Tollefson led the opening laps before Cory Probst charged from eighth to the front. Tollefson’s night unraveled with mechanical woes, and the battle for second fell to Brad Becker and Jordan Robinson. Robinson made the late move to secure runner-up honors behind Probst. Loverude Times It Right in Modifieds The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds saw a clean and fast main event. Jeremy Mills led the first 16 laps, but with three to go, Trent Loverude pounced. A decisive late move gave him the win in a caution-free race that left fans on their feet. Enter Charges from Ninth for SportMod Score The Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods featured three different leaders in a 20-lap shootout. Matthew Schoenke set the early pace, Joey [Read More]

Hatlestad Hustles to Jeff Rucks Memorial Victory at Arlington

By Susan Allen ARLINGTON, Minn. (Sept. 13, 2025) — Clint Hatlestad took full advantage of his front row redraw position as he pulled away from the field on the start of the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at Arlington Raceway. A yellow came out when Mark Noble spun on lap three. On the restart, Jeremy Mills, who had started two rows behind Hatlestad, moved into second ahead of Chad Porter. Soon, Trent Loverude was challenging Mills, but contact on lap eight sent Mills into the infield and ended his night. Loverude kept going but lapped traffic kept him from making a serious bid at the lead, leaving Hatlestad a clear path to victory and the $1,050 Jeff Rucks Memorial win. It was Hatlestad’s sixth win of 2025 in the Razor Chassis North Central Region — all coming at Arlington. Loverude finished second with Porter in third. Probst Extends Hobby Stock Hot Streak with 13th Arlington Win There were five yellow flags and one red flag in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature. A first-lap mishap occurred [Read More]

Sept. 27 Season Championship Grand Finale at Arlington Pays $4,500 to Win for RaceSaver IMCA Sprints

By Ben Deatherage ARLINGTON, Minn. (Sept. 11, 2025) — Arlington Raceway will close out its 2025 campaign in style on Saturday, Sept. 27, with the Season Championship Grand Finale presented by Toppers & Trailers Plus. The event also celebrates 45 years of racing at the Minnesota oval and will feature six Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly classes. Leading the way will be the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars, battling for a $4,500 top prize in one of the richest sprint shows in the region. Joining them on championship night will be the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. Pit gates open at 1 p.m. with the grandstand opening at 2 p.m. and racing beginning at 5 p.m. Grandstand admission is $20 for adults, $5 for kids ages 5-10, and free for children four and under. Pit passes are $35. For those unable to make it to Arlington in person, the entire night of racing can be watched live through IMCA TV affiliate [Read More]

Mackenthun Steals Stock Car Victory in Last-Lap Thriller

By Susan Allen ARLINGTON, Minn. (Aug. 23, 2025) — The Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature at Arlington Raceway produced one of the night’s most dramatic finishes with three different leaders. Chris Neisen paced the field early before A.J. Zimmerman worked underneath him to take command. The pair pulled away from the pack until Matt Speckman charged through the middle of the field, only to fall out with mechanical issues just as he was challenging for the lead. That left Zimmerman to duel with Dan Mackenthun over the final five laps. At the line, Mackenthun edged ahead to take the victory, with Zimmerman second and Josh Larsen third. The triumph was Mackenthun’s eighth win of the season in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region, with five of those coming at Arlington. Richards Makes Nebraska Trip Count With Hobby Stock Win National points contender Dillon Richards made the trip north from Nebraska worthwhile in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks. Multiple cautions early helped him climb through the field, and by lap six he was on the heels of leader [Read More]

Looft Snatches Arlington Stock Car Victory in Last-Lap Thriller

By Susan Allen ARLINGTON, Minn. (Aug. 16, 2025) — The Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature at Arlington Raceway delivered a breathtaking finish in a caution-free main event. Chris Neisen jumped out front from the pole and dominated the early laps before Ken Tietz charged from fifth to seize control by lap 12. Tietz looked strong as Matthew Looft and Dan Mackenthun closed in during the closing circuits. On the final lap, the top three stormed into turn four nearly three-wide. Tietz led into the corner, but Looft dove low while Mackenthun swept high. At the line, it was Looft who emerged first for his second EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region win of the season, both at Arlington. Mackenthun grabbed second with Tietz in third. Johnson Powers Late to Sprint Car Win The RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car main event featured plenty of drama as Zach Glaser led the opening 11 laps while Matt Hasara gave chase. Matt Johnson worked his way forward by lap 10 and began closing rapidly on the leaders. Two laps later, Johnson and [Read More]