ArlingtonRaceway Archives

Loverude races to Rucks Memorial checkers

ARLINGTON, Minn. (Sept. 18) – Trent Loverude had a $1,000 payday for his win in the IMCA Modified Jeff Rucks Memorial Night Saturday at Arlington Raceway. Dan Menk jumped to the lead at the drop of the first green flag but soon was contending with Clint Hatlestad. For eight laps, the two raced almost side by side with Hatlestad just ahead. Then a caution came out, Menk was able to get around Hatlestad on the restart and led for the next five laps. Loverude was moving through the field and also got around Hatlestad. With only a few laps left, lapped traffic became a factor and Menk took the wrong line as Loverude took over the race and went on to win and earn Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility as well with Menk taking second and Matt Gilbertson finishing ahead of Hatlestad at the line. Shaun Bruns won the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car nail biter ahead of Dan Mackenthun. Bill Johnson collected the checkers in the final Minnesota IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car Series event [Read More]

Rookie Graf gets first RaceSaver Sprint win at Arlington

ARLINGTON, Minn. (Aug. 14) – Rookie Hannah Graf put her IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car in victory lane for her first career win Saturday at Arlington Raceway. Graf led from start to finish from her front row start. A first lap yellow flag came out when Bruce Allen spun off the track in turn three. The cars realigned and Graf took off again, this time with her uncle Chris following her around the track. Halfway through the race another caution was thrown when Justin Allen spun out. On this restart, Brett Allen took the high side while others were taking the bottom of the track and passed five cars to compete with the leader. The following lap, coming out of turn two, Graf had control of the front spot and Allen ran out of room, causing him to spin out putting him to the back of the field. With four laps to go, Hannah Graf led the rest of the way to take the victory. Chris Graf took second and Trevor Serbus started 13th and finished third. [Read More]

Big payday for Beckendorf at Sibley County Fair Shootout

ARLINGTON, Minn. (Aug. 4) – Brandon Beckendorf picked up the win in his first time ever competing in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature during the Sibley County Fair Shootout special Wednesday night. Beckendorf earned $2,500 for his checkered flag finish plus $2,415 for leading 15 laps, making for a $4,915 payday. Thirty-seven Stock Cars signed in for the Arlington Raceway midweek special and Dean Cornelius and Chanse Hollatz drew front row starts. Both had their work cut out as there was a stout field cars behind them. Hollatz and Cornelius swapped the lead over the first four laps before Cornelius settled into the front spot. Beckendorf appeared on Cornelius’ tail and the two raced side-by-side until lap 11, when Beckendorf took charge. He had a commanding lead over Cornelius, Zane DeVilbiss and Tim Pessek in fourth with five laps later. Cornelius had troubles on lap 23 and pulled into the pit area – and still banked $1,288 in lap money – before Pessek and Larson traded third. In the end, Beckendorf stayed out front [Read More]

Close racing the rule at Arlington

ARLINGTON, Minn. (July 24) – Hot racing action on the track made for some very close tight racing in all the divisions for the Mankato Motorsports and Northland Drying Night Saturday at Arlington Raceway. There was a lot of slicing and dicing in the IMCA Modified feature with three different leaders. Rick Nelson led the first three laps from the pole until Trent Loverude invaded his territory coming from eighth place to battle him. Alongside Loverude was Chad Porter. Loverude took over the lead but only for two laps as Porter led the next three laps. Then the two were driving around lapped traffic and a yellow came out for a spinning car in turn one. On the restart, Dan Menk got the jump on Porter and was now in second behind Loverude … but that didn’t last long as Porter rejoined the two driving from the top of the track to the bottom to gain positions. With two laps to go, Clint Hatlestad was also in the mix and another caution came out. With [Read More]

Erickson takes tall trophy at Arlington Raceway

ARLINGTON, Minn. (June 19) – Drivers raced hard and furiously for the big trophies Farmer Brown Motorsports provided for the evening Saturday at Arlington Raceway. Joshua Winsky led the first lap from his front row start but there was a first lap caution flag which restacked the Mach-1 Sport Compact field and when the race finally got going, Jaedon Erickson led the pack for nine laps to win the race. Brett McConnell gained several positions on a restart and tried to catch Erickson but settled for second ahead of J.R. Esqueda. The IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature had two different leaders with Brandon Allen and Brandon Buysse on the front row. Allen got a commanding lead but a couple of yellow flags were thrown when cars spun on lap seven and Buysse took full advantage as he got the edge on Allen and pulled away from him. Allen then had to contend with Bill Johnson and Trevor Serbus, holding them off from advancing. In the end, Buysse won, Allen took second and Serbus crossed the [Read More]

Bjerkeset up to challenge at Arlington

ARLINGTON, Minn. (June 5) – The highlight of the Saturday night show at Arlington Raceway was the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature, when Ryan Bjerkeset took a back row challenge along with Brent Uecker and Chad Schroeder for an extra $750 from the sponsors for winning the race. Seventeen cars started and there were three different leaders. Matt Schauer led for the first 13 laps with a hefty advantage on the field but pulled off due to his car overheating. Schroeder encountered a flat tire and pulled off on lap seven, ending his own night. Alex Dostal took advantage of Schauer’s misfortune and inherited the lead but a yellow was thrown when Andrea McCain spun. That opened the door for Bjerkeset on the restart as he had been picking cars off lap by lap. He got around Dostal and remained the leader for the next four laps to win the race and $1,100 while becoming eligible to qualify for the B & B Chassis All-Star Race. Dostal was so close but so far and settled [Read More]

Stien knows way to winner’s circle in Minnesota Sprint Series opener

ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 29) – Michael Stien’s latest Arlington Raceway feature win came on Saturday, opening night of the Minnesota IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Series. Nineteen cars were entered and Stien survived multiple cautions in the victory. Trevor Serbus, who had started 12th, moved up to challenge Stien but had to settle for second ahead of Neil Stevens. Justin Allen and Troy Manteufel completed the top five. Trent Loverude drove to his first local IMCA Modified win of the year ahead of Clint Hatlestad and Brandon Beckendorf. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature had 24 cars on the grid and three different leaders in the race. Matt Schauer led the first nine laps of the race from his front row start before the first caution was thrown. On the restart, A.J. Zimmerman got around Schauer and led the following three laps. Cars were three-wide at times and extremely close. By lap 13, Chad Schroeder took over the lead with Ryan Bjerkeset racing him side-by-side. Zimmerman wasn’t giving up as he took the second place spot once [Read More]

Dialed in, Speckman scores at Arlington

ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 22) – Matt Speckman was dialed in for the IMCA Stock Sunoco Car feature as he led the entire race to win his first feature of the year Saturday at Arlington Raceway. The Ford-powered no. 87 of Brent Uecker, who had started 15th, was fast on the track as he was contending with Speckman by lap 14 but had to settle for second and Dan Mackenthun took third ahead of Josh Larsen. The IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature saw Mike Stien lead the entire race to win his second trophy of the season. Trevor Serbus was wheeling his car quickly around the track to gain on Stien but on lap 11 going into the turn two he wheelhopped a lapped car and ended up rolling up against the wall and ending his night. On the restart, Stien again took the lead with Bill Johnson holding off Justin Allen to take second. Three different leaders and close racing throughout highlighted a caution-free IMCA Modified feature. Josh Ruby held the lead for two laps [Read More]

Luinenburg is awesome at Arlington

ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 15) – Blake Luinenburg had an awesome first night racing at Arlington Raceway, starting eighth in his heat and finishing second, then starting 11th in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature and contending for the lead by the fourth lap of the race. Chad Volk took the lead from his front row start but soon Cory Probst was on his tail and by the third lap, the three drivers were racing side-by-side. Two laps later, Luinenburg was commanding the race and despite several yellow flags was able to hold onto the lead to win the race. Matt Olson moved up from his 10th place starting spot to take second ahead of Ben Reierson. Brandon Beckendorf added another “W” to his impressive early season total in the IMCA Modifieds and the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature saw Michael Stien of lead the entire 15 lap distance. Jr. Esqueda of Granada won his first feature of the year in the Mach-1 Sport Compacts, topping a field of 24 cars and Matt Looft was the [Read More]

Olson aces opener at Arlington

ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 8) – Opening night at Arlington Raceway saw 128 cars in action and Matt Olson in victory lane after the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock lidlifter. Mason Goettl led the first few laps from his front row starting spot before defending national and track champion Cory Probst, who had started 12th, came calling. Olson had been picking off cars and got around Probst following a restart to take over the lead and led the remaining laps to win the race. Probst took second and Goettl took third. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature did not disappoint. Jeff Larson started in the third row and going into turn two got around five cars to take the lead. He and Brent Uecker then raced side-by-side for several laps. Larson maintained his spot out front while he led the field around the track but defending and 11-time track champion Dan Mackenthun, who had started 11th, was seeing the front clearly and wanted the win. He made a last-lap pass and got around Uecker but couldn’t get [Read More]