dawsoncountyraceway Archives

Sunday Governor’s Cup show starts 31st IMCA season at Dawson County

LEXINGTON, Neb. (May 3, 2024) – It’s two days before the 31st opening night event under the IMCA banner and things are understandably a little hectic … in a good way … at Dawson County Raceway. The first green flag flies at approximately 6 p.m. Sunday for the first of five race programs this season at the Lexington oval. The Governor’s Cup Show sees IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars in their $2,000 to win, minimum $200 to start Dirt Crown show, plus Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods in a $1,000 to win feature. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds run for $500 to win, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $300 to win. “We’re excited. People in Lexington are excited,” said first-year promoter Rob Marsh of Dirt Crown Promotions, “and we’ve got a lot of wonderful people helping put this event on.” Pit gates open at 2 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 4 p.m. for the May 5 lidlifter. Hot laps are at 5:30 p.m. Entry fee for the Stock Cars is $50 and pit passes are $30. Spectator [Read More]

Olmstead keeps grinding for 100th IMCA Hobby Stock win

OVERTON, Neb. (Aug. 19, 2023) – Not that many years ago, Zach Olmstead was just happy to be at the track. Now the defending IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s champion and a 2023 national championship contender, he won for the 100th time in his IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock career Friday night at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction. “Everything is just going right for us. We’ve raced more this year and we’ve had some good luck,” said Olmstead, who has totaled 27 wins at 10 different tracks in Kansas and Nebraska this season. “I don’t think I’m faster than I was last year, I’ve just learned to be patient.” “Super Nationals has been my biggest win so far and you have to have some luck to do that,” added the Overton, Neb., driver, also the two-time defending Stephenville Starter Race of Champions winner. “But that’s more like a sprint. One hundred wins is a marathon. You have to keep your nose to the grindstone.” He’s been grinding out the wins since 2016 after [Read More]

Vanover holds off Woken for IMCA Stock Car Crown triumph at Dawson County

By Anthony Ainslie LEXINGTON, Neb. (June 12, 2022) – Kyle Vanover became the latest winner on the inaugural IMCA Sunoco Stock Car Crown Summer Series after the tour headed out west. The third round for the series made the Sunday trip to the Sandhills where Lexington, Neb.’s Dawson County Raceway played host. A stout field of 40 stock cars from Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas packed the pit area with the track’s four other IMCA weekly racing classes also in action. The $2,000 to win main event saw Robert Leonard lead the 21-car field down to the green flag. His lead was short lived as Kyle Vanover jumped from his outside front row starting spot to lead. Vanover led while Casey Woken was right behind in second followed closely by third-running Jeff Ware. Those three would be the top three for the majority of the race. The race’s only caution came out with just six laps remaining and bunched the field up. Woken tried a move to the inside of turn one with three laps to [Read More]

Lincolns take promotional helm at Dawson County Raceway

LEXINGTON, Neb. – Bobby and Janelle Lincoln take charge at a second Nebraska race track this season, promoting Sunday night shows at Dawson County Raceway. The IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, IMCA Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts at Lexington starts May 8 with season championship night set for Aug. 28. “We are good friends with (former promoter) Chad Dolan and wanted to make sure this track stayed open,” Bobby said. “So we talked to the fair board and got the deal done.” The Lincolns anticipate sharing a lot of cars with other IMCA tracks, including their own Abe’s US 30 Speedway in Columbus. “Chad had Dawson County for three years. We helped the first half of the first season and when needed after that,” said Bobby. “Any changes we make will be very minor. Chad did everything right and we’re going to keep doing it that way.” Expected additions to the upcoming schedule include a pair of tour events. “Dawson County [Read More]

Osborn drives to Dawson County checkers

By Kelly Ninas LEXINGTON, Neb. (June 20) – Honoring a former racer and die-hard fan, competitors at Dawson County Raceway challenged tooth and nail to earn the privilege of driving into the winners circle on Fred Beardsley Memorial Night Sunday evening. Working through traffic, Colton Osborn was able to walk away with the victory in the IMCA Modified feature. Osborn started on the outside of the second row and was fifth overall at the end of the first lap when he started his climb to the front. It was on lap eight that Osborn was able to power his way into the lead and never look back to earn the victory. Chaz Baca of Mesa, Ariz., the current IMCA national points leader, was able to move up from his third row start and earn second place accolades. Early leader Dillon Schultz was third. Being in the right spot at the right time paid off for Brandon Spanjer, who rode the cushion for all it was worth to gain an early lead and cruise to the [Read More]

Five find formula for IMCA success at Dawson County

By Kelly Ninas LEXINGTON, Neb. (May 3) – Being faster than lightning was the formula for success at Dawson County Raceway Sunday evening. Starting the season off on the right foot by punching their tickets to the winner’s circle were Jeremy Frenier, Brandon Spanjer, Cale Osborn, Zach Olmstead and Justin Schmidt. Frenier started on the third row of the IMCA Modified grid, worked his way into the lead on the third lap and never trailed again on his way to the victory. Colton Osborn started in the third row as well and did his best to try and run the cushion and scored a runner-up finish. Dillon Schultz raced his way onto the podium late in the contest. Leading from the beginning until the end, Spanjer was on a fast-paced walk in the park it seemed as he cruised to the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod checkers. Spanjer started in the second row and took advantage of driving in clean air to score the win. Robbie Thome was second and Spencer Galaway third. Getting off to [Read More]

Schrader, Nichols star at Connie Jewett Memorial

By Kelly Ninas LEXINGTON, Neb. (Aug. 30) – Ken Schrader raced his way onto the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot while Mike Nichols raced into another chapter in the IMCA record book at Dawson County Raceway’s Connie Jewett Memorial Championship Night. Schrader topped Sunday’s $1,000 to win, Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying main event for IMCA Modifieds, holding off Daniel Gottschalk as the 20-lapper wound down while hard charger Clay Money raced from the seventh row to finish third. Nichols, meanwhile, hustled to the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car checkers, equaling the all-time IMCA career wins record with his 557th victory. The Harlan Hustler later joined David Murray Jr., owner of 557 IMCA Modified wins, Schrader and promoter Chad Dolan for a post-race photo; the four own more than 1,200 combined IMCA wins. Casey Woken stayed with striking distance for much of the feature before settling for second behind Nichols. When the smoke cleared, Blaine Walt was declared the victor in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature. Walt was able to earn the victory despite being involved [Read More]

Connie Jewett Memorial Championship show Sunday at Dawson County Raceway

LEXINGTON, Neb. – Dawson County Raceway’s fifth annual Connie Jewett Memorial Championship Night this Sunday features $1,000 to win main events for both IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Ken Schrader joins the Modified field for the Aug. 30 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier. Money has been added to the purse in all divisions. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods both race for $750 to win, Mach-1 Sport Compacts for $250 at the draw/redraw show. There is no registration fee. Pit gates open at 3 p.m., the draw closes at 5:30 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. Prizes to be given away during the evening include three flat screen TVs. The Dawson County Cattlemen will give away 150 all-beef hot dogs and complimentary Coca Colas. Pit meeting prizes will be given and there’s a candy toss for kids as well.

Five are Back to School Night IMCA winners at Dawson County

By Kelly Ninas LEXINGTON, Neb. (Aug. 16) – Five IMCA feature winners taught their competition a thing or two on Back to School Night at Dawson County Raceway. Anthony Roth wasted no time in running away and hiding from the rest of the field in an IMCA Modified feature that ran caution-free. Young gun Jacob Olmstead took advantage of a second lap opportunity to leap into the lead and never looked back in cruising to the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod victory. After starting in the fifth row, Mike Nichols was first to the finish line in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Bo Egge was second while Casey Woken took third after starting 22nd. Leading the final five laps, Zach Olmstead also raced from row five and captured another IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock win. Just one short of leading every lap, Rileigh Flohrs was the victor in the Mach-1 Sport Compact feature. Flohrs started on the outside of the fourth row, hit the loud pedal the best to rocket into the lead and drive off [Read More]

Full house for Dawson County opener

By Kelly Ninas LEXINGTON, Neb. (Aug. 2) – Hitting the dirt running was an understatement when describing the outstanding show seen by the jam-packed house of avid racing fans at Dawson County Raceway Sunday evening. Getting their season started off on the right foot by punching their ticket to the Chesterman’s Coca-Cola Winners Circle were the quintet of Dakota Sproul, Robbie Thome, Mike Nichols, Zach Olmstead and Rileigh Flohrs. Showing his cards early paid off for Sproul as he scored the IMCA Modified victory. Sproul started the on the inside of the second row, made the move into the lead on the fourth lap and never looked back. Leading the laps that mattered the most, Thome was the victor in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature. Thome got to third early on and was up to second when leader Brett Berry slowed and relinquished the lead. Thome led the final laps to claim the victory. No stranger to the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car winner’s circle, Nichols was able to drive where the leaders weren’t for [Read More]