April 22, 2025

Blood Clinches First Grays Harbor Checkers of 2025

MOD Tyson Blood OT CWhite Media — Photo by CWhite Media

By Shaun Hulbert

ELMA, Wash. (Apr. 19, 2025) — Tyson Blood proved unstoppable Saturday night at Grays Harbor Raceway, charging from sixth to score a dominant win in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature. The Tumwater driver, a three-time defending track champion and four-time reigning Washington State titleholder, took the lead on a lap two restart and never looked back, surviving a green-white-checkered finish to secure his first Shaw Race Cars Western Region win of the season.

Kevin Smith led the opening circuit of the 25-lap main event before Blood powered around him on a restart after an early caution. Smith then engaged in a fierce battle for second with Craig Moore and Brenton Schnitzer, but slipped out of shape on lap 10, triggering a caution and moving Moore into the runner-up spot.

Blood showed no signs of slowing down, handling multiple restarts with precision and maintaining his advantage throughout. The final restart set up a green-white-checkered shootout, but Blood was flawless to the finish. Jeff Hunt made some key late moves and took second, while Kyler Moore rallied from 14th to complete the podium.

The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV affiliate Grays Harbor Raceway TV. Missed the action? Full replays are available now with the IMCA TV Replay Subscription for just $24.99/month. Already subscribed? Don’t miss Season 2 of the Boone Docuseries, now streaming exclusively on the IMCA TV Replay platform.

graysharborraceway

Williamson is captain of IMCA Shipwreck Beads Nationals

By Aaron Reed ELMA, Wash. (July 15, 2023) – Jesse Williamson made another trip to victory lane at Grays Harbor Raceway Saturday night, this one worth $7,500. One night after topping the race of champions at Elma, Williamson outran and outlasted the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified field at Grays Harbor Raceway, topping the 24th annual Shipwreck Beads Nationals main event ahead of 2022 race winner Collen Winebarger. The Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational eligibility qualifying victory was Williamson’s fifth. Grey Ferrando, Geoff Morris and Robert Jenner rounded out the top five. A who’s who of Modified drivers from the Pacific Northwest and Canada vied for starting spots on the 24-car grid and Bricen James took the early lead with Jon DeBenedetti in second and Williamson third. Lap two saw a multi-car incident on the front stretch and Williamson moved to second following the restart ahead of DeBenedetti, Winebarger and Ferrando. James put some distance on his challengers, making the most of the bottom of the raceway, but slowed and exited on lap nine with a flat tire. [Read More]

Jesse Williamson Wins 2021 Shipwreck Beads Northwest Modified Nationals

By Aaron Reed ELMA, Wash. (July 24) – He was “OK” in finishing fifth in Friday’s race of champions. Jesse Williamson was better than that in the Saturday Shipwreck Beads IMCA Modified Nationals main event at Grays Harbor Raceway. Williamson worked his way up from ninth starting and led the last 15 circuits of the 40-lapper headliner at Elma, earning $2,500 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. “I started working the top line to the middle and kind of passed everybody on top,” said Williamson, also the 2009 Shipwreck Beads winner. “It feels pretty good to have this kind of success with a new car (a recently built SDMF Chassis). Every time we go out we keep making adjustments and the car gets even better.” Race of Champions winner Collen Winebarger, Grey Ferrando, John Campos and Brad Martin rounded out the top five finishers. Campos and Winebarger had set the front row of the main event. Campos took the early lead with Winebarger losing a few positions after going three wide with Ferrando and [Read More]

Williamson wins IMCA Modified battle at Grays Harbor, Winebarger wins Wild West Shootout war

By Ben Deatherage ELMA, Wash. (Aug. 14) – Jesse Williamson won the battle while Collen Winebarger won the war Saturday at Grays Harbors Raceway. Williamson raced to his third $1,000 Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout victory of the week in the series’ sole Washington State stop of the week. Winebarger, a three-time Shootout winner as well, ended in third, good enough to clinch his first ever Shootout title. After leading the field the first lap, Winebarger set an ever quicker pace before he was caught and overtaken on lap 17 by Grey Ferrando. Ferrando was the trailblazer for a bit of time until he had some fast company with the likes of Jesse Williamson. Williamson seized the top-place position on lap 26 only to see Ferrando take the coveted top spot back on the 30th circuit. Williamson kept his composure, got back around Ferrando on lap 38 and led to the end of the 40-lapper. The win was Williamson’s career 15th on the tour and eighth in IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing action this season. Ferrando [Read More]

Feature

Deatherage Named New IMCA Publicist

VINTON, Iowa — Ben Deatherage, a familiar face and voice to IMCA fans through IMCA.TV, has been named the new publicist for the International Motor Contest Association. He steps into the role following the retirement of longtime IMCA public relations director Bill Martin. Deatherage will be responsible for compiling race reports, press releases, and human-interest features on the drivers and events that comprise the Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing program. He will also continue his work with IMCA.TV. “I’m excited to meet the challenges of this new opportunity,” said Deatherage. “Bill was such a major influence on me and an incredible help in my career. He left some big boots to fill.” A native of Cottage Grove, Oregon, Deatherage’s love for racing began early—he attended his first race at just seven days old. Since then, his passion for motorsports has continued to grow. “I’ve loved IMCA racing since I was a kid in the 1990s, watching drivers like David Gould, Robert Hand, Bruce Ray, and many others in the IMCA Modifieds race at Cottage Grove. It’s [Read More]

Modified

Blood Clinches First Grays Harbor Checkers of 2025

By Shaun Hulbert ELMA, Wash. (Apr. 19, 2025) — Tyson Blood proved unstoppable Saturday night at Grays Harbor Raceway, charging from sixth to score a dominant win in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature. The Tumwater driver, a three-time defending track champion and four-time reigning Washington State titleholder, took the lead on a lap two restart and never looked back, surviving a green-white-checkered finish to secure his first Shaw Race Cars Western Region win of the season. Kevin Smith led the opening circuit of the 25-lap main event before Blood powered around him on a restart after an early caution. Smith then engaged in a fierce battle for second with Craig Moore and Brenton Schnitzer, but slipped out of shape on lap 10, triggering a caution and moving Moore into the runner-up spot. Blood showed no signs of slowing down, handling multiple restarts with precision and maintaining his advantage throughout. The final restart set up a green-white-checkered shootout, but Blood was flawless to the finish. Jeff Hunt made some key late moves and took second, while [Read More]

Modified

Ryland Outduels Ryan in Sensational SportMod Photo Finish at Antioch

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (Apr. 19, 2025) — Brentwood’s Fred Ryland won the 20-lap Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod main event in a near photo finish victory over Jason Ryan Jr at Antioch Speedway. This was the 40th career SportMod win for the three-time track champion, but first of 2025. Ryland led the field to the green flag ahead of Al Johnson and Jeff Bentancourt. A yellow flag waved after three laps for Scott Savell. Ryland continued to lead Johnson on the restart with Danny Wagner settling into third. An inside pass on the front stretch of the sixth lap put Danny Wagner into second with Kenny Shrader settling into third. Ryland had a big lead erased when Alfred Johnson spun in turn three for a lap 10 yellow flag. Ryland led Wagner on the restart with Ryan moving into third, but a multi-car tangle in turn four brought out another yellow flag on lap 11. When it was all sorted out, Ryland continued to lead Wagner and Ryan. Ryan slipped past Wagner for second [Read More]

Related Articles