UNDERWOOD, N.D. — Keenan Glasser emerged victorious in a thrilling Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod feature on opening night of the T&A Tong and Indicator Tougher Than Dirt Tour presented by Schatz Storage, holding off Payce Herrera in a dramatic late-race duel to earn his first career tour victory Thursday night.
The 25-lap main event began with 2006 Sunoco IMCA Stock Car track champion Chad Stratchen taking command before a lap one caution slowed the pace.
On the restart, 2024 Junior National champion Payce Herrera and 2024 North Dakota State champion Glasser immediately went to work on the leader. Glasser used the high side to wrestle away the lead on lap three and began setting the pace.
The Utah native repeatedly challenged Glasser as the two teenage racers broke away from the rest of the field. The battle intensified when the leaders encountered lapped traffic on lap nine, and Herrera finally found a way around the leader on lap 12.
The two frontrunners remained locked together for the remainder of the race, trading momentum as they navigated traffic and raced through the closing laps. Glasser mounted one final charge and reclaimed the lead on lap 24 coming to the white flag.
Herrera made one last attempt to retake the position, but the Estevan, Saskatchewan racer held firm to score his first career tour triumph and fifth victory of the season at three different racetracks after starting sixth.
Herrera finished a close second, while 2018 track champion Stan Tomlinson completed the podium in third. Reigning Nodak Speedway track champion Stratchen was fourth, followed by 2024 track title winner Cole Hanshew in fifth.
Nathan DeRagon held off a pair of Saskatchewan challengers in the closing laps of the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature to capture his first career Tougher Than Dirt Tour victory in his first series start.
Five-time reigning North Dakota State champion Kyler Satran led the opening start, but defending series champion Diezel Raynard was scored as the leader at the completion of lap one. Raynard quickly established himself out front before a caution on lap three reset the field.
DeRagon, the 2024 B&B Racing Chassis Southern Region champion, applied heavy pressure on the restart and surged into the lead. The Peoria, Arizona driver maintained command through another caution on lap eight while Raynard remained firmly in contention. As the race entered the closing stages and lapped traffic came into play on lap 15, the battle tightened considerably.
A pair of late cautions on laps 17 and 18 created a dramatic green-white-checkered finish. Cash Saxon moved into second on the final restart and joined Raynard in a furious battle for the lead, but DeRagon stayed composed and held both challengers at bay to score the victory.
The win was his first on the tour and his second of the season in the B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region. DeRagon started fourth.
Raynard edged the 16-year-old Saxon for second at the finish, with the Saskatchewan driver charging from 10th on the starting grid. Tyson Grinstead earned hard charger honors after advancing from 13th to fourth, while 17-year-old Sage Borud rounded out the top five.
The entire event was broadcast live on IMCA TV affiliate DARN TV. Full replays are available with the IMCA TV Replay Subscription for $25.99/month.
