COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. — Matt Sanders earned the biggest Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified victory of his career, winning the third round of the 2026 IMCA Wild West Speedweek on Monday night at Cottage Grove Speedway.
Reigning National Rookie of the Year and Southern Oregon Speedway track champion Ethan Killingsworth, from California, grabbed the lead at the start and established himself as the driver to beat. He encountered lapped traffic on lap seven but maintained command as Sanders gradually closed the gap.
By lap 14, Sanders was within striking distance and began challenging for the lead. A trio of cautions around the halfway mark repeatedly interrupted the battle, with Sanders unable to complete a pass before each yellow flag flew.
The Brookings driver finally broke through on lap 25, edging ahead by .067 seconds at the stripe. Killingsworth attempted to counterattack but made contact with the frontstretch wall, allowing 2017 Cottage Grove Speedway champion and River City Speedway winner Grey Ferrando to move into second. A final caution on lap 29 tightened the field one last time, but Sanders drove away on the restart to secure his first career Speedweek Modified victory after capturing the previous two series championships in the IMCA Northern SportMods.
The win was Sanders’ third DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region triumph of the season at three different racetracks. Ferrando finished second, while Killingsworth held on for third.
Defending DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Western Region, Oregon State, and Cottage Grove Speedway champion Kevin Williamson placed fourth in the Superior Fuel Cells No. 42. Two-time Imperial Valley Speedway champion Steve McCollough charged from 15th to fifth. Steven Sturdevant also impressed, advancing from 19th to seventh.
Wild Dominates Cottage Grove Stock Car Feature
B.J. Wild put together a commanding performance in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars to earn his second Wild West Speedweek victory of the season.
The defending series champion from Colville, Washington, by way of Redmond, immediately put the Dwayne Klein-owned No. 22K out front and never looked back. A caution on lap two briefly slowed his progress, but Wild was flawless on every restart and consistently rebuilt his advantage.
Despite several additional cautions throughout the race, nobody could mount a serious challenge as Wild cruised to victory. The win was his fifth career Wild West Speedweek Stock Car triumph, first series victory at Cottage Grove Speedway, and second EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region score of the season. It also continued a remarkable trend, making Wild the fifth different Speedweek Stock Car winner in the five series races contested at CGS.
Cody Humphrey mounted a late charge to finish second. Tyler Pagel recovered from losing positions on a restart to claim third. Three-time series champion Chase Berkeley finished fourth, while 18-year-old Tallon Dubisar advanced from 14th to complete the top five aboard the Matt Smith-owned No. 14.
Bloom Returns to Victory Lane in SportMods
Aaron Bloom raced to his first victory of the season in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods.
Kody Greer led the opening laps before the defending Cottage Grove Speedway track champion tracked him down and took over the top spot on lap three. Once in command, the Creswell driver steadily stretched his advantage.
Bloom encountered lapped traffic on lap 13 and later navigated heavy congestion while fending off any potential challengers. Two late cautions erased his lead, but he executed both restarts flawlessly and remained in control to the finish.
The victory was Bloom’s third win of the 2026 season, all coming at Cottage Grove Speedway, and his third career Wild West Speedweek triumph, with each series victory earned at a different racetrack.
Ricky Ashley worked his way to second in the T.R. Points Trucking-owned No. 8511. Two-time defending Oregon State champion Trevor Points, already a two-time winner during this year’s Speedweek, finished third. 2023 track champion Jordan Henry placed fourth, while Greer rounded out the top five.
The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV.
