cottagegrovespeedway Archives

Whisler Wires IMCA Wild West Speedweek Modified Field at Cottage Grove

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (Jun. 19, 2025) — Eston Whisler wasted no time establishing control of the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event at Cottage Grove Speedway on Thursday night during IMCA Wild West Speedweek. The 20-year-old racer from Otis, took the lead at the drop of the green and never looked back. A caution on lap two bunched the field early, but Whisler mastered the lone restart and quickly rebuilt his advantage. As the race stayed green, he encountered lapped traffic by lap 13 and spent the remainder of the 35-lap contest slicing through slower cars. Behind him, a spirited battle for second unfolded between Kevin Williamson, piloting the Superior Fuel Cell-owned No. 42, and Bricen James in the Schram Motorsports No. 13. James finally cleared Williamson on lap 26, but the 2019 Shaw Race Cars Western Region champion and 2022 Speedweek king was too far back to mount a charge. Whisler went unchallenged to score his first career Speedweek victory, and his third Shaw Race Cars Western Region triumph of 2025 — [Read More]

Curtis and Tiffany Towns: Together in Victory on a Fairytale Night

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (Jun. 6, 2025) — May 17 was more than just a night of racing at Cottage Grove Speedway. For Curtis and Tiffany Towns, it was magic — a shared dream realized. Racing in front of their hometown crowd, both husband and wife picked up wins in their respective IMCA divisions: Curtis in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, and Tiffany in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. It marked Tiffany’s first career feature win, and for the Towns family, it was unforgettable. As she climbed out of her car and pumped her fists into the air, the crowd roared. Within seconds, Curtis sprinted into victory lane, wrapped her in a hug, and raised her arm in triumph. “I said once that my biggest dream was to win on the same night as Curtis,” she said. “To have it actually happen still doesn’t feel real.” A Journey From Skybox to Speedway Curtis began his racing career in 2006, following in the tire tracks of his uncle Don Muth — a local legend at [Read More]

2025 IMCA Wild West Speedweek Set for Seven Races in Eight Nights Across Oregon

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 22, 2025) — The best of the West will once again converge in the Pacific Northwest as the 2025 edition of IMCA Wild West Speedweek returns for a thrilling stretch of racing from June 14 through June 21, featuring seven races at six tracks over eight nights, all within the borders of Oregon for the first time in several years. The tour opens Saturday, June 14 at Southern Oregon Speedway, then heads northwest to Coos Bay Speedway for a two-night stay on June 15 and 16. The action continues Tuesday, June 17 at the Douglas County Dirt Track, followed by a midweek break on Wednesday, June 18, for a Pit Party at Cottage Grove Speedway. The engines fire back up on Thursday, June 19, at Cottage Grove, then roll into Willamette Speedway on Friday, June 20, before the grand finale at Sunset Speedway Park on Saturday, June 21. This year’s tour features Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, and Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods. Speedweek has been sanctioned [Read More]

Matt Sanders Surges from Ninth to Score SportMod Victory at CGS

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (May 10, 2025) — Matt Sanders charged from ninth to take command of the 25-lap Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod main event at Cottage Grove Speedway. The 2022 Oregon State and track champion steadily worked his way through the pack, eventually slipping past Garrett Craig for the lead on the backstretch of lap 10. Once in front, Sanders set a blistering pace and opened up a comfortable gap over the field. Craig, who led the opening laps, maintained a strong run in second, fending off multiple challengers as Sanders pulled away. The race for third became the focal point in the closing laps, with Aaron Bloom and Isaac Sanders battling door-to-door until Bloom secured the spot in the final circuits. For the Brookings native, the victory was his second of the season — both coming at the historic ¼-mile oval. Craig and Bloom completed the podium in an exciting SportMod feature. Henderson Hustles to First Sport Compact Win of 2025 Dusten Henderson delivered a determined drive to win the 20-lap [Read More]

Mayden Wins Modified Main At Cottage Grove

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (May 3, 2025) — The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified 25-lap main event at Cottage Grove Speedway was full of fierce action and multiple lead changes before Springfield’s Jake Mayden emerged as the winner. Brett Muth led the opening circuits before three-time track champ Curtis Towns slipped by on lap 6, only for the Superior Fuel Cells owned no. 42 entry driven by Kevin Williamson to charge to the front via the high side two laps later. Williamson maintained a narrow advantage until late in the race when Bricen James, aboard the Schram Motorsports fielded no. 13, closed the gap. James, a former Shaw Race Cars Western Region and two-time Oregon State champion, seized the lead on lap 20. When the checkered flag flew James and Williamson were first and second at the line. Unfortunately, some deck height infractions in post-race tech would change the finishing order. Five-time reigning track titlist Jake Mayden ultimately claimed his first Shaw Race Cars Western Region win of 2025. California’s Ethan Killingsworth was second, with [Read More]

Killingsworth Continues Hot Start With Cottage Grove Victory

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (Apr. 26, 2025) — Ethan Killingsworth made it two straight wins to start the season in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region, putting on a dominant performance Saturday night at Cottage Grove Speedway’s 25-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature. The Yreka, California, driver secured the lead on the opening lap after a fierce battle with Kevin Williamson, who pilots the Paul and Maria Culp-owned entry. Killingsworth, in his rookie IMCA Modified campaign after winning Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod titles at both Southern Oregon and Yreka in 2024, was flawless on the restart after an early caution on lap 3. As Killingsworth pulled away, five-time defending track champion Jake Mayden worked past Paul Rea into second. The battle behind the leader intensified when 17-year-old Ian Whisler pressured Mayden until the reigning champ had to contend with Ian’s older brother Eston. Killingsworth navigated lapped traffic with ease and never looked back, winning his second consecutive feature at a second different track to open the season. Eston Whisler claimed the runner-up spot [Read More]

Whisler wins Wednesday bout at Cottage Grove

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (Aug. 21, 2024) – Eston Whisler, who was on the verge of victory at Cottage Grove Speedway earlier this month, was granted redemption in the fifth leg of the prestigious Midweek Mayhem Series. He earned his first win of the season in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds after making the pass for the lead around the midway point and holding on to the coveted top spot after a late-race restart. The main event was a showcase of intense competition. Kevin Williamson set a rapid pace in the early stages but the race was far from decided. The pack remained close due to two cautions, and the tension escalated when Whisler began his impressive run on the bottom after a restart with eight complete. Whisler made the appropriate pass for the lead on lap 12 and took off from there. His hard work would be washed away due to a caution on the 22nd circuit. When things got back to full speed, Whisler, [Read More]

Winebarger wows Cottage Grove crowd

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (Aug. 14, 2024) – Collen Winebarger brought a thrilling finish to the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event, to win on the last lap in the latest round of the Midweek Mayhem Series at Cottage Grove Speedway. The outside pole starter seized the initial race lead in the 25-lap finale but that reign was short-lived as reigning track champion Jake Mayden powered around him the next time around the 1/4-mile clay oval. When things slowed down due to a caution, things heated right back up on the restart as Winebarger was back into the trailblazing role and scored the leader on lap 12. The race stayed green for a couple more trips past the flag stand before the final yellow flag came out with six to go. This restart would set up an exciting finish. When the race resumed, Winebarger was under threat from Carter Patterson. The competition was intense, with Patterson making several attempts to overtake the leader. After several laps, Patterson finally got in an excellent rhythm [Read More]

Points, Kennerly collect Cottage Grove checkers

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (Aug. 10, 2024) – Checkers flew Saturday for Trevor Points and Michael Kennerly following their respective IMCA feature wins on Wallbanger Cup Night at Cottage Grove Speedway. Don Moore began the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main event as the race leader. Shortly after securing the lead, Todd Shandy put him under fire, coming to challenge and make a pass underneath Moore to become the new leader on lap three. Shandy took off, but before he could get too far ahead, a caution came out with six complete. Dalton Bloom powered his way into second on the restart. He tried to reel in the leader but experienced a severe tire rub that flattened his right rear tire, resulting in another yellow on lap nine. Jordan Henry inherited the position. Henry was under a heavy barrage when the field returned to speed from Points. Points finally got into second on the 14th circuit, just before the final caution came out. On the restart, Points got around Shandy for the race [Read More]

Whisler wheels to Loggers’ Cup win

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (July 27, 2024) – Ian Whisler wheeled, and willed, himself to a dominating Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature win during Cottage Grove Speedway’s Virgil Hanson Memorial Loggers’ Cup. Carter Patterson powered to the front on the opening lap. Behind him, Eston Whisler duked it out with Bricen James for second. James secured the runner-up position only to have his night end when mechanical problems ended his night early and brought out a caution. John Campos and Whisler inherited second and third, respectively. When the restart got the field back up to speed, Ian Whisler, the younger of the Whisler brothers, blitzed toward the front and captured the race lead by the completion of the third circuit. While he tried to establish a sizable gap, a fierce competition for second occurred with Patterson, Eston Whisler and Campos all going at it. Campos moved into second place on a restart. Ian Whisler again got out to a healthy lead but was slowed down with eight laps remaining due to the event’s [Read More]