Championship Night No.1 Held Friday at Birch Run Speedway

Two Championships being decided and the World Series of Compacts tackling the four-tenths mile highlighted the action at Birch Run Speedway.  It was a night filled with cautions, hard hits, and drama as the season nears completion.Fast times were set by:

Legends - Camden Swartz 15.397

Backroad Beaute’Salon Sport Trucks - Brad Reseigh 16.957

Limited Late Models - Bob Farley 16.726, a new track record

National Compact Touring Series World Series of Compacts - Dan Rigoni 17.681, a new track record

Heat race wins were garnered by:

Todd Tolton - Legends Heat One

Camden Swartz - Legends Heat Two 

Ricky Gillett - Backroad Beaute’ Salon  Sport Trucks Heat One

Matt Wilcox - Backroad Beaute’ Salon Sport Trucks Heat Two

The Tommy Maier Memorial for the Limited Late Models was broken into two 36-lap segments.  The first segment, led to green by Kevin Strong and Trent Fenner, was to be the deciding race for the point Championship.  Fenner took the lead at the start, with point leader Joe Hodgeson Jr moving into second around Strong a lap later.  A caution 14 laps in put Hodgeson to the outside of Fenner, and he grabbed the lead one lap later on the high side exiting turn four.  Another caution set the stage for Fenner to resume the lead from the outside on the ensuing restart.  Shawn Edmonds moved by Bob Farley into third in his quest to stay within striking distance of Hodgeson.  Hodgeson would line up outside Fenner for a restart with 12 to go, only to have his new lead nixed for another caution.  Hodgeson took full advantage of the high side being the preferred line on restarts to power ahead of Fenner to claim the checkers and be crowned the 2026 Limited Late Model Champion!  Fenner finished second with Edmonds in third, Bob Farley fourth, and Dalton Worthy fifth.

The Legends class that normally races at Whittemore Speedway made its debut at Birch Run Speedway with a stout field of 13 drivers.  Bill Fortier held the early lead until Ellis Mendoza made his way by to take the point.  Fast qualifier Camden Swartz got by Fortier to take over the second spot six laps in.  Mendoza pushed up the track in turn four, opening the door for Swartz to get to the inside and take the lead.  A late-race caution bunched the field back up, but the 13-year-old Swartz was up to the challenge and took the win ahead of Derik Gacom, Greg Rudzik, Mendoza, and Nick Baker.

The second segment for the Tommy Maier Memorial was up next, and Bob Farley and Trent Fenner led the field to green only to go caution a lap later as something broke on Farley’s car, sending him into the backstretch wall.  Fenner and Shawn Edmonds took the green on the restart, and Edmonds moved inside the 27 to take the lead.  Five laps in, Edmonds, Fenner, and Josh Hahn were the top three.  Denny Anderson battled with Dalton Worthy to take over the fourth spot.  Seven laps to go, and the caution would wave, putting Edmonds on the inside on the restart.  Fenner valiantly fought side-by-side with Edmonds for a lap before Edmonds powered ahead.  Edmonds didn’t falter in the final laps, securing the Tommy Maier Memorial $4,200 payday and his third win of the season.  Trent Fenner, Denny Anderson, Josh Hahn, and Dalton Worthy completed the top five.  A big thank you to Joey Brooks for helping put on this event!

50 laps was the distance for the National Compact Touring Series World Series of Compacts, with Corbin Kelley and Chris Elwell on the front row for the start.  Kelley led lap one before Corey Woods took over, only for Kelley to retake the lead.  Four laps later, Dan Rigoni, who started ninth, got around Kelley to take over the lead.  The caution flew two laps later, and Rigoni again resumed the lead on the restart.  David Simpson took over the second spot eight laps in.  Non-qualifier Will Slaughter, a two-time winner at Birch Run, moved into third 11 laps in.  A caution flying 17 laps in put Simpson alongside Rigoni for the restart, but Rigoni charged ahead to the lead.  The duo sliced their way through traffic at a torrid pace.  At times, Rigoni went three-wide with slower traffic to maintain his lead over Simpson.  Rigoni would go on to pick up his first-ever National Compact Touring Series main event and pocket $2,000 for his efforts!  Finishing behind Simpson were Dalton Irish, Don Vroman, and Josh Harmon.

The Backroad Beaute’ Salon Sport Truck point battle between Ricky Gillett and Greg Long Jr came down to a two-point difference at the start of their 20-lap feature.  John Harris and Jason Dvorscak brought the field to green, with Dvorscak taking over the lead at the green.  Gillett moved into second while Long was mired back in the pack.  Scott Arden took second away from Gillett six laps in while the rest of the field scrambled for position.  A flurry of cautions led to multiple restarts trying to get to the halfway point before Arden was finally able to get by Dvorscak for the lead.  The drama for the points battle was keeping everyone watching the 51 and 21 as Gillett faltered on a few of the restarts and Long was picking up spots.  Long, who had gotten caught up in two of the cautions, tried to get around Gillett, only to lose the momentum and the back end of the truck after getting passed by Josh Shaw.  A late-race caution had Arden as the leader, but coming to green, something broke on the 58 machine.  That gave the lead to Anthony Richardson, who held off Matt Wilcox to pick up the win.  Michael Dvorscak finished third ahead of Brad Reseigh and Jason Dvorscak.  With his 9th place finish, Ricky Gilett secured the 2026 Backroad Beaute’ Salon Sport Trucks Championship!

The Outlaw Figure 8s finished off the night, and in a battle that came right down to the last laps, Andrew Burton bested teammate Nick Cooper.  John Hitsman Jr, Anthony Williams, and Dustin Hitsman finished third through fifth.

This Friday will be Championship night round two, as the O’Guinn Family Funeral Homes Modifieds, Showcase Auto Sales Street Stocks, Finish Line Seamless Gutters Pure Stocks, and Sport Compacts will decide their 2026 season Champions.  The night will close out with the Outlaw Figure 8s.  Advanced tickets can be purchased at www.birchrunevents.com