Hagen hoists hardware on night two of Coal County Classic

By Ben Deatherage

UNDERWOOD, N.D. (Aug. 3, 2024) – Travis Hagen made like lightning twice, on night two of the Coal County Classic

The McGregor motorist bolted to the front twice in the late stages of Saturday’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event, first to take the lead and again to get it back. Hagen would then lead to the finish of the $1,500 to win feature at McLean County Speedway.

Lap one of the feature saw Jason Grimes beat night one winner Steven Pfeifer for the early lead. Pfeifer became the new trailblazer when they hit the line.

Shortly afterward, Hagen arrived on the scene to try to take second away. The position was exchanged no less than five times in six laps as Grimes and Hagen battled.

Hagen, after securing second place, unleashed a burst of speed on a restart, making a daring crossover move on the front stretch to get ahead of Pfeifer. The race was far from over, however, with the yellow flag bringing a temporary halt to the action and Pfeifer regaining the lead.

With eight circuits remaining, Hagen again got a monster run on the leader, this time on the backstretch. 

Leading the field into turn three, Hagen became the new race leader. Pfeifer tried his best to challenge down low, but Hagen was dialed in on the upper regions of the quarter-mile clay oval.

Hagen, already Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible, dominated the rest of the distance to win ahead of Pfeifer, Brady Bjella, Marcus Tomlinson and Drew Christianson.

Other Saturday winners were Jonny Carter in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Brennor Grinstead in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Cole Hanshew in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods.

Austin Daae showed the way in the early goings of the Stock Car main after he got around Carter via the high side. The two front runners began to check out before a lap four caution.

On the restart, Carter was pitted in a battle with Adam Goff. Carter held on, and Goff was under fire from Brock Beeter for third. Beeter secured the position on lap five only to be overtaken two circuits later by Dalton Flory.

As the race for third cooled down, the race for the lead heated up. 

Daae, got to lapped traffic on the ninth time around the track but, in turns three and four, got into a lapped car. That slowed him down just enough for Carter to pounce, passing both and becoming the new race leader.

Things slowed down one last time with nine to go. Flory was excellent on the restart, moving his mount to second and even making Carter sweat as he got alongside him. However, Carter hung tough, got in a good rhythm on the high side and went on to score the $1,000 victory. He was already B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible.

Flory secured second with three to go. Daae completed the podium in third.

Jonny Carter was the $1,000 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car winner on Saturday, night two of McLean County Speedway’s Coal County Clash. (Courtesy Photo)

Justin Fichter started the Northern SportMod party, taking control at the start. After a brief skirmish with Hanshew, Fichter tried to pull away.

But Hanshew kept things close, worked the high side strategically and, on the third circuit, captured the lead out of turn four.

In the next handful of laps, the field had to deal with three cautions, keeping each other close and eliminating lapped traffic from the equation. Fichter and Keenan Glasser battled for the runner-up position. Glasser eventually secured the spot on lap seven.

The final caution occurred on lap 11 and on the restart, Glasser pressured Hanshew for the lead.

Hanshew was just a little bit better and managed to drive away. As that fight calmed down, the struggle for third erupted between Fichter and Tim Goodwin. Goodwin made the bottom work and took over third on the 13th trip around the track.

In the closing laps, Glasser mounted one last unsuccessful charge. Hanshew withstood the pressure to win his first race of 2024. Glasser was second while Darren Medler rallied late to finish third.

The Hobby Stock main event was a wild one.

Grinstead took the initial lead but would spin out in turn four after a little contact with Trever Haas before the first lap could be completed. Haas was sent to the back and Grinstead retained his front-row starting position.

Grinstead and Kyler Satran then duked it out for the lead. Grinstead secure the lead while a three-car battle for third erupted between Grinstead’s brother Tyson, Alex Tvedt and Friday winner Taylor Heaton. Heaton eventually won that fight before setting his sights on second.

With a dozen circuits completed, the caution came out again. Heaton powered around the top shelf to contest with Brennor Grinstead for the lead. The last yellow flag waved with 14 complete.

Again, Heaton was fast on the restart, but this time he would grab the lead going into turn three and become the new pacesetter on lap 15. While that happened, Haas was on the comeback track and up to third. While Haas tried to go after second, he got out of shape and fell out of the top five.

Heaton faced intense pressure from Brennor Grinstead in the final laps. Grinstead finally managed to overtake him at the line on the 18th circuit. Heaton, not one to give up easily, tried to recover the top spot but spun on the final circuit.

Satran was second while Tyson Grinstead ended up third. 

The event was broadcast on IMCA TV affiliate DARN TV.