rpmspeedway Archives

Burkhart Doubles Down for Dramatic Stock Car Win at Hays’ Fall Nationals

By Sheldon Wickwar HAYS, Kan. (Oct. 4, 2025) — The Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars stole the show at the 19th Annual Fall Nationals at RPM Speedway with a classic Hays slugfest. Angel Munoz grabbed the early lead from the pole before Jeff Ware and Tathan Burkhart traded furious slide jobs for second. A caution bunched the field and turned the track into three-wide chaos. Burkhart powered to the high side and never flinched, taking command with eighteen laps remaining. A multi-car incident on the ensuing restart reshuffled the field, but Burkhart held strong on the final green to secure back-to-back Fall Nationals crowns. Jeff Ware chased him to the line in second, followed by Brock Beeter, Tyler Frye, and Johnny Yutterman, who stormed from deep in the pack to earn hard charger honors after gaining 18 positions. Thome Tops the Field for Modified Fall Nationals Crown The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds capped the weekend with a high-intensity 30-lapper, where Robbie Thome prevailed after a duel of heavyweights. Polesitter Eddie Belec led the opening circuit before Thome powered [Read More]

19th Annual Fall Nationals Set for Oct. 2–4 at RPM Speedway

By Ben Deatherage HAYS, Kan. (Sept. 18, 2025) — The 19th Annual Fall Nationals are set to take center stage at RPM Speedway in Hays, Kansas, on Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 2–4, 2025, bringing three days of racing action to close out the season in style. The event kicks off Thursday, Oct. 2, with a test and tune for all classes. Friday, Oct. 3, features heats and qualifiers for all divisions, while Saturday, Oct. 4, will be headlined by last chance races and championship features. No hot laps are scheduled on Saturday, with the green flag waving at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday and at 5:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Five Speedway Motors IMCA-sanctioned divisions will be in action: Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods, Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. The Modified main event pays $5,000 to win, with $2,500 going to second and $1,500 for third. The Stock Car finale will award $3,000 to the winner, while the Northern SportMods chase a $2,000 top prize. [Read More]

Maughlin Grabs Household Victory at RPM

By Sheldon Wickwar HAYS, Kan. (Aug. 9, 2025) — The Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod feature at RPM Speedway had a little extra on the line besides a trip to victory lane — household bragging rights. Polesitter Brianna Maughlin jumped out front from the get-go and quickly had company from her boyfriend, Kamren Gruber, who shot into second. The two traded close-quarters laps with Gruber peeking low a few times but unable to get alongside. A mid-race caution for spins by Jack Kirchoff and Justin Meserve bunched the field, but Maughlin stayed poised and powered away on the restart. She scored her second win of the season and third of her career, with Gruber settling for second and Chad Dolan in third. Schwien Outduels Compact Field for Sixth Win The Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact main event saw Jacob Kappel and Kyle Mortensen lead the early charge, but the heavy hitters soon arrived. Connor Schwien, Gage Porter, and Kiowa Higdon muscled their way into contention, swapping positions in a fierce three-way fight. Contact and close calls were [Read More]

Olmstead, Watts,and Sproul Sweep Ellis County Fair Races at RPM Speedway

By Sheldon Wickwar HAYS, Kan. (Jul. 12, 2025) — The Ellis County Fair featured two nights of intense IMCA racing at RPM Speedway, and the stars came out to shine as Zach Olmstead, Tyler Watts, and Dakota Sproul all pulled off weekend sweeps in their respective divisions. Saturday’s program was particularly special, featuring a multi-groove track and the emotional season debut of Brooke Russell, who honored her late uncle Danny with a tribute wrap on her car. Olmstead Sweeps the Hobby Stocks Zach Olmstead was simply untouchable in the Hobby Stock ranks. Starting up front in Saturday night’s 20-lap main event, he set the pace and never looked back. Early challenges from Cole Schulte and Randie McRoberts faded as cautions bunched up the field. That only seemed to fuel Olmstead, who kept firing off perfect restarts notching his 14th win in the B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region. Behind him, Mitchell Fischer and James Phelps put on a show of their own, slicing through the field in a caution-filled contest. Watts Wins in SportMods Tyler Watts continued his [Read More]

Olmstead Cashes in at RPM with Hobby Stock Victory

By Sheldon Wickwar HAYS, Kan. (May 10, 2025) — The Sunoco Hobby Stocks closed out the show at RPM Speedway with Zach Olmstead completing a weekend sweep after winning at Colby the previous night. The B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region standout secured his seventh victory of the season in ten starts, taking command late in the 20-lap main event after a bobble by Dylan Bell opened the door. Olmstead charged from deep in the field to grab the lead and never looked back. Bell, who led for a good portion of the race, settled for second but maintained his stellar season streak of top three finishes in all seven of his starts. Mitchell Fischer completed the podium in third. Tathan Burkhart Grabs First Win as a Dad The Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars also ran a 20-lap main event which started with Brett Berry and Tathan Burkhart on the front row. Tathan took an early race lead and started pulling away from the double-duty driver of Berry. Berry made several attempts to close in on Tathan in [Read More]

Burkhart Steals One at The Line at RPM’s Sunflower Classic Finale

By Sheldon Wickwar HAYS, Kan. (Mar. 29, 2025) — The 20-lap Sunoco IMCA Stock Car main was one of the most stellar races on the final night of the 13th Annual Sunflower Classic at RPM Speedway. The feature began with Johnny Yutterman and Kolby Stegman on the front row, but it didn’t take long for Jason Rogers and Troy Burkhart to charge to the front. The veteran duo battled tightly and cleanly throughout the race. In the final corner, Burkhart surged past Rogers in a thrilling drag race to the finish — winning by less than eight hundredths of a second. Burkhart earned his first win of the season in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region. David Murray Jr. grabbed second, followed by Bobby Eubanks in third, Rogers in fourth, and Yutterman in fifth. Money Brings New Car to RPM Victory Lane The 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature started with Greg Gustus and Tim Hamilton led the field to green, with Gustus getting the early jump as Hamilton tried to keep pace. A few laps in, [Read More]

Sproul Fastest in Friday Night Modified Action At RPM

By Sheldon Wickwar HAYS, Kan. (Mar. 28, 2025) — The 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature marked the headlining event of the opening night of the 13th Annual Sunflower Classic at RPM Speedway. Dakota Sproul and Cole Czarneski led the field to green, with Sproul jumping out to an early lead and never looking back. Not even lapped traffic slowed the locked-in racer, who claimed his first victory of the season in the Jet Racing Central Region in dominant fashion. Cole Czarneski finished second, followed by Tanner Black in third, Clay Sellard in fourth, and Brett Berry in fifth. Pfeifer Holds Off Wisconsin Star in Stock Car Battle! Austin Carter and Tyler Tipton started on the front row of the 20-lap Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature, but it didn’t take long for Kyle Pfeifer and double duty runner Czarneski to charge to the front. The duo battled closely and cleanly for much of the event. In the end, Pfeifer came out on top, earning his first win of the season in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern [Read More]

13th Annual Sunflower Classic Returns to RPM Speedway

HAYS, Kansas (Mar. 19, 2025) – The Sunflower Classic is back at RPM Speedway on March 28-29, bringing two nights of action-packed racing. With a draw/redraw format, drivers will battle it out for big payouts, and fans can expect plenty of excitement on the track. IMCA Modifieds will race for $1,000 to win each night, while IMCA Stock Cars have a $750 top prize. IMCA SportMods and IMCA Hobby Stocks each offer $500 to the winner, and IMCA Sport Compacts will race for $200. The weekend kicks off Thursday with a Test & Tune session at 5 p.m. Racing gets underway Friday and Saturday, with gates opening at 3 p.m., hot laps at 5 p.m., and the first green flag at 6 p.m. Entry fees are set at $100 for Modifieds, $75 for Stock Cars, $50 for SportMods and Hobby Stocks, and $35 for Sport Compacts. Pit passes are $25 on Thursday and $30 on race nights. Presented by Nutrien Ag Solutions, the Sunflower Classic is a must-see event, awarding state, regional, national, and track [Read More]

It’s big money for IMCA Modified winner Clay Money at Fall Nationals

HAYS, Kan. (Oct. 5, 2024) – Clay Money put the demons of 2024 behind him Saturday night at Hays. After going winless in 14 sanctioned starts during the IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season, Money motored to a career-best $5,000 payday in topping the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event at RPM Speedway’s Fall Nationals. He passed Jeremy Frenier for the lead midway through the 30-lapper, earning Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility in addition to the big check. “Hays is my home track and we’ve run this event since at least 2012,” said Money, who had started at the back of Saturday night ‘B’ SportMod qualifiers after playing high school football on Friday night early in his career. “We been running a Modified here since 2016 (he was fourth in 2020 after starting 16th) but were just never able to get it done until this year.” Tanner Black, Clay Sellard, Frenier and John Hansen rounded out the top five. “They did track prep right before the feature and that probably helped us,” Money [Read More]

IMCA champions are crowned at RPM

By Sheldon Wickwar HAYS, Kan. (Sept. 15, 2024) – Eighty-two race teams checked into the legendary RPM Speedway for championship night racing on Sunday. Taking home feature wins were Gage Porter in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts and track champions Blaine Walt in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, Zach Olmstead in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Kyle Pfeifer in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Daniel Gottschalk in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. Rileigh Flohrs was the Sport Compact track champion. The 15-lap feature for the 4-cylinder class started with a front row of Kaishen Brack and Alison Jeske. Brack led early while Kyle Mortensen and Porter fought for second, with Porter grabbing the lead after a few laps. Jake Schwien broke and that would open the championship door for Flohrs. Meanwhile, nobody could catch Porter as he ran away with the feature win. Second was Flohrs and third was Connor Schwien. Hobby Stocks were second on the program. Their 20-lap feature started with a front row of Blake Holmes and Danny Schulte. Holmes [Read More]