WHITE CITY, Ore. — Matt Sanders capped off a breakthrough week by winning the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature and securing his first IMCA Wild West Speedweek championship during the eighth and final round of the tour at Southern Oregon Speedway.
Sanders, winner of the previous two Wild West Speedweek IMCA Northern SportMod titles, jumped to the lead at the start and quickly established himself as the driver to beat.
The Brookings racer and 2022 Southern Oregon Speedway SportMod champion Ryan Peery separated themselves from the field early and began encountering lapped traffic on lap 10. Although Sanders was briefly boxed in by slower cars, he expertly sliced through traffic and rebuilt his advantage.
Behind him, a spirited battle for second developed on lap 16 between Peery and two-time defending Speedweek champion Bricen James. While they battled, Sanders remained firmly in command and cruised to his third victory of the week and fifth DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region triumph of the season.
The race served as a Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational qualifier. Sanders was already on the eligibility list to attempt to qualify for the event at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s.
Peery finished second, followed by 2019 Western Region champion and two-time Oregon State champion James. Defending Western Region and Oregon State champion Kevin Williamson was fourth, while Grey Ferrando, the 2017 Cottage Grove Speedway and 2024 Cocopah Speedway champion, rounded out the top five.
Brother-in-laws B.J. Wild and Chase Berkeley raced away from the field at the start of the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature.
Wild, the defending series champion, set the pace in the Dwayne Klein-owned No. 22K and encountered lapped traffic on lap 13 before a caution slowed the field on lap 16.
Following the restart, Tyler Pagel, winner of the previous night’s feature, rolled the bottom groove and mounted several challenges for the lead. Pagel briefly nosed ahead down the backstretch on lap 23, but Wild fought back and maintained control to score the victory.
The triumph was Wild’s fourth win of the 2026 Wild West Speedweek, all in EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region competition. It was also his eighth career series victory and second Speedweek win at Southern Oregon Speedway.
The Colville, Washington driver’s strong week earned him his second consecutive Wild West Speedweek Stock Car championship.
Pagel finished second, while Berkeley was third. Jesse McIntyre rallied from the rear of the field following an early-race incident to finish fourth after originally starting 10th. 2024 Arizona State champion Mitchell Ferguson completed the top five.
Five-time defending Southern Oregon Speedway champion Jordon Braaten wasted little time asserting control of the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod feature.
Braaten opened a commanding lead before a caution on lap five interrupted his momentum. He quickly reestablished his advantage, reached lapped traffic on lap 10, and survived another caution on lap 12.
Seventeen-year-old Vinny DeBenedetti emerged as Braaten’s closest challenger after the restart, but could never quite position himself for a serious bid at the lead. A final caution on lap 17 once again erased Braaten’s advantage, yet he responded by driving away from the field.
The four-time Oregon State champion from Central Point went on to score his second victory of the season, both coming at Southern Oregon Speedway.
DeBenedetti finished second, while California’s Buddy Kniss charged late to claim third. Isaac Sanders was fourth.
The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV.
