eagleraceway Archives

Andersen Scores First Stock Car Victory at Eagle Raceway

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (Apr. 26, 2025) — A longtime competitor in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Chad Andersen broke through in a big way Saturday night at Eagle Raceway, scoring his first career win in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car division. Andersen took over the top spot on lap 10 after a thrilling, multi-lap battle with John Anderson, then held off late pressure to secure the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory. Anderson, who led early, remained a threat throughout the 20-lap contest, while Mason Richards raced his way into third. A caution with just three laps to go bunched the field, but Andersen kept his composure to seal the milestone win in front of an enthusiastic Eagle crowd. Teen Star Jack Thomas Captures Sprint Car Victory Brandon Bosma was first back to the flag stand on the opening lap of the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car feature. Bosma already started picking off lapped cars on lap 6 before a caution came out. Jack Thomas took advantage of a bobble by Bosma with ten circuits [Read More]

Nerud Nets Bonus Cash With Last-Lap Pass at Eagle’s Ice Breaker Challenge

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (Apr. 19, 2025) — Tyler Nerud had his work cut out for him if he hoped to double up at Eagle Raceway’s Ice Breaker Challenge and collect the extra $1,000 bonus offered for a repeat win in the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods, as he was starting deeper in the field from inside the sixth row. The first official lap saw Adam Vrbka showing the way. Vrbka continued to show the way, but Nerud effectively moved his way forward getting into third after a triple overtake on lap 7 and got into second around the midway mark. Nerud closed the gap steadily until he flew high and wide through turns 3 and 4 on the final lap and passed Vrbka just before the flag stand. Despite having to begin the race eleventh it did not deter the Dorchester driver’s path to the winner’s circle for his second feature win of 2025. Vrbka was second while Cole Wayman finished third. Vanover Fends Off Grabouski in Intense Stock Car Feature In the main [Read More]

Mallicoat Outduels Grabouski in Modified Photo Finish At Eagle

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (Apr. 18, 2025) — The 2025 first night of the Ice Breaker Challenge kicked off in spectacular fashion at Eagle Raceway, and the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event delivered one of the closest finishes the track has seen in recent memory, as Izac Mallicoat battled to the very last corner with his chassis builder, Jordan Grabouski. Jaxon Saathoff led the initial circuit but would soon be doing battle with Mallicoat. Mallicoat took over the top spot from Saathoff on lap 3 but Grabouski continued to march his way to the front on lap 12, moving to second and then taking the lead from Mallicoat two laps later. The stage was set for one of the most intense battles I’ve seen in a long time. Grabouski barely held off Mallicoat for the lead until five to go when Mallicoat took the top spot. Despite a furious challenge by Grabouski, including a last-ditch effort slide job out of turn four on the last lap Mallicoat held him off, winning by a scant [Read More]

His string of even numbered year triumphs continued Sunday night as Jake Bubak followed 2020 and 2022 victories with the plush 2024 RaceSaver Nationals checkers. (Photo by Joe Orth)

Latest RaceSaver Nationals crown is career third for Bubak

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (Sept. 1, 2024) – The 2024 IMCA Racesaver Nationals is in the books, and what a story it was as Jake Bubak’s career third crown came with an event record $12,000 check. Bubak led Joey Danley across the Sunday night stripe at Eagle Raceway to add another trophy and custom made belt to his collection from 2020 and 2022 triumphs. Third in the Saturday qualifier and winner of the BlueMax Pay Race of Champions the same night, Bubak passed John Carney and then Danley following the scheduled stoppage on the 30th of 50 laps. “It took us a little while to get going. I’m actually glad that it was a long race because it benefited the way our car was,” Bubak said, during the combined victory celebration and birthday party for car owner Ben Aufill that followed the 12th annual event. “I think the biggest part of the win was getting up to third and being able to choose our line on the restarts during the two-wide restarts in the second stage.” [Read More]

Ethan Barrow wheeled his way to the qualifying feature checkers during the Saturday IMCA RaceSaver Nationals show at Eagle Raceway. (Photo by Joe Orth)

Back to basics, Barrow is best in RaceSaver Nationals qualifier

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (Aug. 31, 2023) – A typical late summer day greeted the fans that streamed through the front gates of Eagle Raceway Saturday for the Saturday portion of the 2024 IMCA Racesaver Nationals. All but the nine teams who qualified for Sunday’s Big Dance the night before strapped back in to compete for the coveted first nine spots in the outside row for the “A” Main on Sunday. With 97 racers battling you can bet that the action was hot and heavy. Ethan Barrow used his pole position spot to grab the lead on lap one with Cole Vanderheiden, John Carney II and Jake Bubak rounding out the top four. Dan Nekolite spun coming out of turn four on lap two and collected Tyler Drueke, who made the long walk back to his pit as his car was towed back to his trailer. Nekolite’s racer was likewise hooked up and taken to his pit. Clint Benson passed Bubak on lap four to put the no. 100 into the fourth spot. Benson [Read More]

Trevor Grossenbacher was first to the checkers in the Friday night qualifying feature at the IMCA RaceSaver Nationals. (Photo by Joe Orth)

Grossenbacher is first in Friday RaceSaver qualifier

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (Aug. 30, 2024) – Thursday was to have been a practice night to allow time for participants in the IMCA Racesaver Nationals to get acclimated to the high banks of Eagle Raceway, but that evil deity Mother Nature decided to gift us with her liquid sunshine. That caused the Eagle officials to call off the night’s events. But Friday saw a beautiful day with lots of sunshine and lots of race teams in the pits just waiting to put on a show for the fans and attempt to lock themselves into the inside nine rows of Sunday’s Big Dance. In all, 106 IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars filled the pits. Lap one of the Sprint Car feature saw Billy Alley and Shayle Bade make contact with Alley spinning and causing the cars behind him to bunch up. Zach Rhodes then made contact with Koby Werkmeister, sending Rhodes flipping. Rhodes’ car was pushed to the pits while Alley drove to the pits for repair and rejoined the field. The restart saw Stu [Read More]

15 states represented, early entries top 100 for $12,000 to win IMCA RaceSaver Nationals

EAGLE, Neb. (Aug. 21, 2024) – Announce your plans to host the top-paying event in IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car history and drivers from coast to coast and border to border will be quick to make their plans to be there. Early entries from more than 100 drivers, who will make the tow from 15 states, are already in hand for the 12th annual, $12,000 to win RaceSaver Nationals Aug. 29-Sept. 1 at Eagle Raceway. The winner’s record share of the purse comes courtesy of RaceSaver and IMCA; taking the green flag in the Sunday night pays a minimum of $1,600 with numerous contingencies to be given throughout the event. Pre-entered drivers and their hometowns now include: Gene Ackland, Martell; Bayley Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; Shayle Bade, Raymond; Nick Barger, Madison, S.D.; Dean Barnes, Zionsville, Ind.; Ethan Barrow, Bloomington, Ind.; Clint Benson, Papillion; Zach Blurton, Quinter, Kan.; Carson Bolden, Quinlan, Texas; Justin Bolte, Fremont; Daren Bolac, Moyock, N.C.; Brandon Bosma, Rock Rapids, Iowa; Mike Boston, Lincoln; Chase Brewer, Waxahachie, Texas; Brody Brown, Lawton, Okla.; [Read More]

Eagle win is career first for Cook

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (Aug. 3, 2024) – Score a career-first Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature win at Eagle Raceway for Lauren Cook. The third-year hotshoe out of Lincoln led the distance of the Saturday show, and while competition for third through fifth places behind her was hot and heavy, Cook was in control green to checkers. “It does help starting on the front row. The track was really slick in (turns) three and four and really good in one and two,” she said. “I could get the car to turn and hit some good moisture but I was a little slow in three and four because it was so slick. I felt like I was going really slow like somebody should have been passing me, but they didn’t”. McLain Reed, Josh Pfeifer, Cole Wayman and Adam Vrbka completed the top five on the Stumpy’s Custom Creations and A1 Iron-presented Conquer the High Banks program. Chad Andersen topped the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Jason Danley took the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car checkers [Read More]

Big Wings, Big Excitement, Big Money: $12,000 is record payday for IMCA RaceSaver Nationals winner

EAGLE, Neb. (July 31, 2024) – The team at Eagle Raceway could add to the Big Wings, Big Excitement slogan used to promote the IMCA RaceSaver Nationals. The new slogan for the 12th annual event, scheduled Aug. 29-Sept. 1 at the Nebraska speed factory, would better be Big Wings, Big Excitement, Big Money. A record $12,000 will be paid to the winner of the Sunday night main event for IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, courtesy of RaceSaver and IMCA. The big dance now pays a minimum of $1,600 to start with numerous contingency awards to be given as well. “This is the biggest event for the biggest class of Sprint Cars in the country and those numbers more than justify a $12,000 winner’s share and record-setting purse like this,” stated track operator and co-promoter Racine Hadan, noting that early entries are already in hand from more than 70 drivers coming everywhere from California to North Carolina. Qualifying heats for the BlueMax Pay-sponsored Race of Champions is on Thursday with that $1,000 to win, $300 to start race on Friday. Nine cars advance [Read More]

Saathoff makes it two straight at Eagle

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (July 27, 2024) – Johnny Saathoff went old school and took his Friesen Performance IMCA Modified foes to class Saturday at Eagle Raceway. Saathoff led from lap two to the checkers, outrunning Clint Homan, Shawn Harker and Dustin Andersen following a caution with seven laps to go, for his second straight Eagle checkers. The win was also his career 361st in the division. “I’ve gone old school. I put in an open motor and got away from the crate engine. I’m just having a good time at Eagle Raceway with the track that Roger (Hadan) preps for all of us,” said Saathoff, who counts four crowns at Eagle among his record 26 track titles. “That cushion was nasty tonight and it got so slick in the middle that my crate engine would have been better, but we broke ours and I don’t feel like buying another one this year. I’m on my way out and trying to use up what I have.” “I know (I’m only 61) but I keep saying [Read More]