ALGER, Wash. — The fourth running of the Survive the 55 may go down as the best ever, with Bricen James rallying to make a late race pass for the big trophy and a $10,260 check to go with it.
Joey Price set off to the early lead in the IMCA Modified Survive the 55 main event, bringing Collen Winebarger and Bricen James with him as the race finally got into traffic around lap 20.
With a scheduled break coming after lap 27, Price held Winebarger and James at bay until the 27th lap when Winebarger and James both snuck past Price, just in time to takeover first and second place before the yellow flag flew for the break. Coming back out of the 10-minute timeout, where drivers could make any adjustment including tire changes,
Winebarger set out into clean air with James keeping him in striking distance. A yellow on lap 45 brought the pair out of slower traffic and set up a 10 lap sprint to the end that would keep the race out of slower traffic.
On the restart, James set sail to the extreme high side of the speedway, banging his right rear corner panel off the outside wall numerous times. With the low groove slowing down, James found himself closing the gap rapidly on Winebarger and coming to the conclusion of lap 53, he had enough momentum to pull even with Winebarger by the apex of turns one and two.
Rocketing down the back straight, James overtook Winebarger for the lead, rolling into the top spot and never looking back as he crossed the line first for the Survive the 55 win. Winebarger collected second with Kevin Williamson taking third place.
360 sprint cars ran as the companion class to the IMCA Modifieds on the night and Jason Solwold closed out the year with his third 360 win and fourth overall of 2025. Solwold scored $3,000 for his efforts, leading every lap but one of the A Main event. Levi Hillier set quick time and ran second, while Robbie Price took third.
