southwestspeedway Archives

Another Dakota double down for Thornton, this time at Dickinson

By Jackson Braun DICKINSON, N.D. (July 10) – Ricky Thornton Jr. looks absolutely unbeatable right now. The Iowa racer, transplanted from Arizona, found Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Classic Tour victory lane at Southwest Speedway in both the IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Stock Cars for the second event in a row. The last time any other driver found victory lane on tour was all the way back on Sunday when Matt Speckman held off Thornton in the Stock Car portion of the evening. Thornton has won six out of a possible eight features between the two classes. An all-North Dakota front row of Robert Hellebust and Travis Hagen led the 28-car field to the Modified green flag. Hellebust jumped out to the lead early as Thornton loomed behind him from the fourth starting spot. Hellebust was able to make the high line work and get enough momentum to keep his car in the top spot by as little as two-thousandth’s of a second for a few laps in the early running. Several bobbles by Thornton helped Hellebust [Read More]

30th annual Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Classic Tour starts Saturday in Jamestown

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car drivers from 12 states and Canada have already pre-registered for the 30th annual Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Classic Tour. The tour starts its six consecutive day run Saturday, July 6 at Jamestown Speedway. The Tour then goes to Nodak Speedway at Minot on Sunday, July 7. On Monday, July 8, the series travels across the international border to Estevan, Sask., Motor Speedway. Williston Basin Speedway is the next stop on Tuesday, July 9. The series then heads to Southwest Speedway in Dickinson on Wednesday, July 10. Dacotah Speedway in Mandan hosts Championship Night on Thursday, July 11, and the Corral Sales Legendary 50 on Friday, July 12. All Modified features pay $2,400 to win and are qualifying events for the 2019 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, while all Stock Car features pay $800 to win. The Legendary 50 pays a record $10,004 to win the IMCA Modified feature, another 2019 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier. More than $120,000 in payout is offered for the tour [Read More]

Thornton wins Dakota Tour thriller at Dickinson, Zevenbergen cruises to another Stock Car win

By Mike Spieker DICKINSON, N.D. (July 11) – Winning streaks by both inclement weather and Hunter Marriott came to an end Wednesday night at Southwest Speedway. Ricky Thornton Jr. picked up the Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Classic IMCA Modified Tour win at Dickinson, ending both the streak of two straight wins by two-time defending champion Marriott and then back-to-back rainouts. R.C. Whitwell and Shawn Strand made up the front row for the 30-lap main event. Whitwell grabbed the lead before Thornton got a run to go from fourth to second on lap two, getting by both Strand and Ethan Dotson. The top three distanced themselves from the rest of the field at the halfway point. With 14 to go, Whitwell found himself in lapped traffic and had to move away from the preferred bottom groove, which allowed Thornton to reel him in. Thornton dove to the inside with 10 to go to take the lead but Whitwell didn’t go down without a fight. The Arizona driver battled back to go three wide with Thornton along with a [Read More]

Feature

Foulger Scores Third Hetrick Memorial Victory at Antioch

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (Jun. 28, 2025) — Troy Foulger of Oakley won the 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. The $1,000 payday came as part of the 10th annual Jerry Hetrick Memorial and marked Foulger’s third career win in the event. It was also his second IMCA Modified victory of the season at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds track, his fifth Shaw Race Cars Western Region triumph of 2025, and his 80th combined career win at the speedway. Looking to repeat as the winner, Andrew Pearce set the early pace ahead of Foulger, but a yellow flag waved for Tyler Browne of Antioch on lap 2. Pearce maintained the lead on the restart with Foulger and Bobby Hogge IV in pursuit. The front two began to pull away from the pack until Foulger made an outside pass on the frontstretch on lap 6 to take over the top spot. A caution flew on lap 8 for Jacob Mallet Jr., bunching the field again. Foulger resumed the lead with Hogge [Read More]

Hobby Stock

Probst Powers From the Back for Arlington Hobby Stock Win

By Susan Allen ARLINGTON, Minn. (June 28, 2025) — Despite morning rain showers that challenged track prep for Holtmeier Construction Night, fans at Arlington Raceway were treated to a thrilling night of racing filled with dominant drives, dramatic comebacks, and season-first wins. Cory Probst refused to let a second-lap caution define his night. Sent to the back of the pack, the defending champion sliced through the field, passing 15 cars on his way to victory—his 16th B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region win of 2025 and fifth at Arlington. Brad Becker led early, trailed closely by Ben Davis and Chad Volk. Probst took the lead on lap eight, while Volk made a last-lap pass to finish second. Davis was third and Becker settled for fourth. Schumacher Charges to Third Arlington Sport Compact Win Gary Schumacher put together a perfect run in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact main event. Starting in the second row, he jumped to the lead and never looked back, holding off Dale Gatton to earn his fourth win of the season and third at [Read More]

Feature

Pounds Prevails in Emotional McGowan Memorial Win at Bakersfield

By Steven Blakesley BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Jun. 28, 2025) — Brad Pounds delivered an emotional victory in Saturday’s 30-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature, capturing the $1,032-to-win Richie McGowan Memorial at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway. The win marked Pounds’ second of the season at Bakersfield Speedway and in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region, coming in tribute to his late father-in-law. Pounds and Bryan Clark shared the front row for the main event, with a four-wide battle on the opening lap quickly sorting out in Pounds’ favor. He took command of the race while Jake Pike gave chase using the high line through lapped traffic. Two late-race restarts inside the final 10 laps gave Pike opportunities, but Pounds held on by a car length for the special win. Rob Sanders rounded out the podium. Brad Pounds celebrates his Richie McGowan Memorial victory with wife Tina after winning the $1,032-to-win Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway on June 28. The race is run annually in honor of Tina’s late father. (Photo [Read More]