northcentralspeedway Archives

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]

Land of Ten Thousand Lakes 10K top prizes are $10,000 for IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars

BRAINERD, Minn. – IMCA drivers from across the country are already making plans for a June vacation to the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes 10K. The richest week in history for IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car drivers in Minnesota 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 All-Star event for that division 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 Stock feature. All four nights [Read More]

Mighty Axe Nationals set Sept. 5, 6 at North Central Speedway

BRAINERD, Minn. – The Mighty Axe Nationals bring IMCA drivers in five divisions to North Central Speedway over the Labor Day Weekend. IMCA Modifieds run for $1,100 and a minimum of $100 to start their Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 5 and 6 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifiers. Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods race for $500 to win, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $400 to win and Mach-1 Sport Compacts for $300 to win both nights. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for $650 to win on Sunday. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and KMJ Performance State points will be awarded. There is no entry fee. Pit passes are $40 for one day or $75 for both days. Students ages 5-17 are $25 for one day or $40 for both. General admission for adults is $15 for one day or $25 for both; students get in for $10 for one day or $17 for both. Adult backstretch admission is $20 for one day or $35 for both while students get in for $15 for one [Read More]

North Central Speedway opener drawing entries from across Upper Midwest

BRAINERD, Minn. – Five IMCA divisions will go three, four and five-wide when they open the season this Saturday, May 9 at North Central Speedway. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts are on the card on the fast 1/3-mile dirt oval at Brainerd. Promoter Holly Orpen has already fielded a barrage of phone calls from drivers in all of those divisions. “We have been getting a lot of calls from all over, North Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota of course. There are a lot of people excited about starting the season,” Orpen said of the first race of 2020 in Minnesota. “We’ve been doing track prep, calling the governor’s office and working with the county to follow recommended guidelines.” The grandstands will be closed and all drivers and pit crew members must be pre-registered by 5 p.m. on Friday. Social distancing rules will be in effect and are posted the track’s racencs.net website and Facebook. Except for drivers when they are in their cars, masks [Read More]

Northstar IMCA Mod Tour set for Aug. 10-12

PRINCETON, Minn. – IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000 to win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berths each night of the Aug. 10-12 Northstar IMCA Mod Tour. Both the Modifieds and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods are at Princeton Speedway on Friday, Aug. 10 and at North Central Speedway in Brainerd on Saturday, Aug. 11. On Saturday, Aug. 12, Modifieds are at Sheyenne Speedway in Lisbon, N.D. while the Northern SportMods are at Buffalo River Race Park in Glyndon. Modified features pay a minimum of $100 to start. Top prize for the Northern SportMods each night is $600 with $70 paid to start. Point funds are in place for both divisions with $1,000 going to the top drivers in the standings. Out-Pace Racing Products gives $100 hard charger awards each night. There are no entry fees and all events are draw/redraw. Pre-registration is encouraged. More information is available on the Northstar IMCA Mod Tour page on Facebook, or by emailing northstarracepromo@gmail.com. Racing starts at 7 p.m. Friday, at 6:45 p.m. Saturday and at 6 p.m. on [Read More]