northcentralspeedway Archives

Johnson Outduels Fletcher in Modifieds at Brainerd

By Chris Kolstad BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 2, 2025) — Friesen Performance IMCA Modified fans at North Central Speedway were treated to a thriller as Erick Thiesse took the early lead before Shawn Fletcher worked his way from the fifth starting spot to the point. A lap four caution reset the field and put Aaron Johnson into second, setting the stage for a 13-lap duel that had fans on the edge of their seats. The pair ran inches apart, door-to-door, swapping lines cleanly and showcasing elite driving. With three to go, Johnson threw a massive slider in turns one and two to briefly take the lead, but Fletcher crossed him back over and they stayed side-by-side down the backstretch. Johnson finally cleared him and powered away for the win — his eighth of the season in the Razor Chassis North Central Region, all earned at Brainerd. Fletcher finished a strong second, with A.J. Viehauser third. Johnston Rallies from 10th for Compact Victory Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact action saw Ritchie DeLeon take the early lead while a tight [Read More]

Bombardo Outduels Maleski in Wild North Central Hobby Stock Finish

By Chris Kolstad BRAINERD, Minn. (Jul. 12, 2025) – The Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature was hands down the race of the night at North Central Speedway. Josh Maleski jumped to the lead from the drop of the green and stretched out a sizable advantage over the field. Former track champions Mark Johnson and Brandon Bombardo methodically worked their way through traffic and settled into the top three in a caution-free 15-lap affair. Lapped traffic came into play with two laps to go, allowing Bombardo to close the gap to Maleski’s rear bumper. The two went at it hard in the final corners, slicing through traffic and getting together in turns three and four. Both cars slid sideways as they raced to the line in what looked like a near dead heat. Bombardo was scored the winner by inches, with Maleski second and Johnson third—until a minor post-race tech infraction cost Maleski the runner-up position, handing second to Johnson and third to Nick Dillenburg. The victory was Bombardo’s first of the season in the B&B Racing [Read More]

Rooker Steals the Show in Thrilling Sport Compact Finish

By Chris Kolstad BRAINERD, Minn. (May 31, 2025) — Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact action at North Central Speedway delivered the finish of the night. Colton Lodermeier jumped to the early lead and looked to have things in hand during the 15-lap main event. With four laps remaining, Hunter Carlson broke a right rear axle and nearly rolled, but safely landed the car and brought out a caution. On the restart, defending track champion Baylen Rooker moved around Gabe Ridlon into second, then quickly challenged Lodermeier on the outside. The two raced side-by-side for the final four laps — Lodermeier glued to the bottom, Rooker right against the cushion. Coming out of turn four on the final lap, Rooker got just enough grip to edge ahead by mere inches at the line for his second win of the season. Ridlon, continuing a strong sophomore year, finished third. Anderson Claims Second Hobby Stock Win by a Bumper Veteran Mike Nelson and rookie Andrew Malinowski led the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock field to green in their feature, with Nelson [Read More]

Kohl Finds Top Gear Late To Win in Hobby Stocks at North Central

By Chris Kolstad BRAINERD, Minn. (May 24, 2025) — Rookie Andrew Malinowski wasted no time jumping to the lead in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock main event and held the top spot through the halfway mark at North Central Speedway. But once Fort Ripley’s Nathan Kohl found his rhythm, the race was all his. Kohl took the lead and never gave it back, scoring his third B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region win of the season and second at the Brainerd facility. Junior Kohl followed his brother across the line in second, while 10th-starting Mark Johnson steadily worked his way through the field to complete the podium in third. Fort Ripley’s Nathan Kohl poses in North Central Speedway’s victory lane after scoring his second local win of the season in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock division. (Photo by Stephanie Frederick) Johnson Unchallenged in Flag-to-Flag Stock Car Victory Tim Johnson left no doubt in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature, leading all 25 laps in a dominant drive to the checkers. Brody Carlsrud and Tim Gonska pursued throughout, [Read More]

Kierstad Powers to Redemption Win in SportMods at North Central

By Chris Kolstad BRAINERD, Minn. (May 10, 2025) — North Central Speedway witnessed a dominant performance in the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods as Jake Kierstad of Sartell finally turned his luck around. After leading the most laps in each feature this year only to suffer mechanical DNFs, Kierstad led from the start and never looked back, cruising to his first win of the season. Devon Charpenter and Dave Siercks rounded out the podium. An early caution for Corey Hill Jr.’s mechanical failure and another for a tangle between Anthony Sabinash and Jacob Jordan did little to slow Kierstad’s march to victory as he drove away to a commanding win. Johnson Dominates Caution-Free Stock Car Main Tim Johnson of Brainerd left no doubt in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature, pulling away to a near half-lap advantage in a caution-free 20-lapper to earn his first EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region win of the season. Fellow Brainerd drivers Tim Gonska and Aaron Johnson completed the top three. Tim Johnson powered his way to a commanding Sunoco IMCA Stock [Read More]

Seidel Steals It Late in Hobby Stock Thriller at North Central

By Chris Kolstad BRAINERD, Minn. (May 3, 2025) — The race of the night at North Central Speedway came from the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, as veteran Chris Seidel delivered a dramatic last-lap pass to steal the win and his first of the season in the B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region. Seidel jumped to the early lead before a caution on lap three bunched up the field. Josh Maleski, a second-year driver, quickly moved into contention. Maleski slipped past Seidel on lap 7 with a bold move to the inside down the backstretch, taking over the top spot before another yellow reset the field. Multiple cautions on laps 7 and 8 kept the pack tight, but Maleski held strong as Seidel regrouped behind him. With two laps to go, Maleski pushed high in turn two, opening the door for Seidel to charge back to the inside. On lap 14, Seidel completed the pass and then held off a determined Maleski over the final circuit to win in front of a cheering hometown crowd. Mark Johnson rounded [Read More]

Martini Charges to SportMod Victory in North Central Speedway Season Opener

By Chris Kolstad BRAINERD, Minn. (Apr. 26, 2025) — North Central Speedway launched its 2025 season with a thrilling night of Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly racing, headlined by Bud Martini’s remarkable comeback in the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods feature. Starting from the 10th position, Martini swiftly moved into the top three by lap four. However, contact with second-place T.J. Wyman in turn one brought out a caution and sent Martini to the rear of the field. Undeterred, he methodically worked his way back through the pack. A pivotal moment occurred with six laps remaining when leader Tim Bergerson spun, collecting Wyman and Jake Kierstad. This incident allowed Martini to re-enter the top five. On the ensuing restart, the Avon veteran surged past the front runners, seizing the lead with four laps to go and holding off a hard-charging Wyman to secure his first North Central Speedway win of the season and third overall in 2025. Bergerson managed to finish third. In the Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars feature, Tim Johnson started on the front row alongside [Read More]

Dotson, LaCrosse take home $10,000 from IMCA Land of Ten Thousand Lakes 10K at North Central

BRAINERD, Minn. (June 26) – IMCA drivers with a history of coming up big at big events made some history again Saturday night. Ethan Dotson led all 30 laps of the IMCA Modified feature that brought out the final checkers of the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes 10K show at North Central Speedway while Benji LaCrosse outran home state foe Luke Lemmens in an IMCA Sunoco Stock Car barnburner that ended green, white, checkers. Modified and Stock Car features paid $10,000 to win, while Jake Sachau earned $5,000 for his Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod victory. Night three of the richest week of IMCA racing in Minnesota brought 224 cars, from 17 states, to Brainerd. Already a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier multiple times over, Dotson started outside Jordan Grabouski on the front row and ran away from everybody, catching up with the back of the Modified field just after midway. The event ran caution-free and Dotson had lapped cars as a cushion before taking the victory almost five seconds ahead of Grabouski, who’d won [Read More]

Black stays smart, Grabouski stays fast for IMCA ‘Lakes’ feature wins at North Central

BRAINERD, Minn. (June 25) – Tanner Black stayed smart and led every lap of North Central Speedway’s $5,000 to win Land of Ten Thousand Lakes 10K IMCA Modified feature. Jordan Grabouski stayed fast and doubled his winning margin to almost a full car length, earning a second $5,000 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car victory in as many nights during a Friday show that brought 220 IMCA entries from across the U.S. and Canada to Brainerd. Making his first visit to North Central, Black led all 30 laps from the pole in a Modified headliner that ran green to checkers, staying patient while working through traffic and beating runner-up Tim Ward to the stripe by more than four seconds. “I tried to be smart, stay on the rubber and make things happen,” Black said after his IMCA career-best paying win. “I had never raced there before and it took a couple laps in my heat to figure out (turns) three and four because they’re just shaped a little different.” “We had to guess a little on the [Read More]

Land of Ten Thousand Lakes 10K guarantees rich week of IMCA racing in Minnesota

BRAINERD, Minn. – Nearly 200 drivers from close to home and from across the country are already planning to be part of the richest week in history for IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car drivers in Minnesota. The Land of Ten Thousand Lakes 10K starts with $5,000 to win features Thursday, June 24 at Princeton Speedway’s fourth annual Bill Siercks Memorial and Friday, June 25 at North Central Speedway in Brainerd. Winners of features Saturday, June 26 at North Central and Sunday, June 27 at Granite City Motor Park in Sauk Rapids earn $10,000. Races all four nights are qualifying events for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot for Modifieds while Stock Car winners will be guaranteed starting spots in the inaugural B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational at the upcoming IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods chase $2,500 top checks on Thursday and Friday, with $5,000 on the line Saturday and Sunday. The opening night show at Princeton also sports a $750 to win IMCA Sunoco Hobby [Read More]