Father/Daughter Earns I-96 Track Championships
Lake Odessa, MI - Another big year of racing at I-96 Speedway concluded with familiar names and new faces being crowned track champions across its weekly divisions.
The Late Model division saw Travis Stemler notch five feature wins in 11 starts on his way to the track championship. The 12-time winner in Michigan in 2026 finished ahead of 2025 champion Chase Burda and 2024 champion Bill Bray in the standings.
“The Portland Powerhouse” Casey Smith picked up his first I-96 track championship in 2026. Smith won three features and never finished outside the top-five as he held off Shannon Fisk in a tight points battle down the stretch.
It was sheer dominance in the Street Stock division from Gary Vandermark at I-96, as he won eight of 11 features during the season while never finishing off of the podium. He nearly doubled up with championships in 2026, just missing the IMCA Stock Car championship at Crystal by just one point.
Drew Phillips returned to form in the Compacts and earned his second track championship in the division in the past three years. Four feature wins in 11 races was enough to finish ahead of Blake Huiteme and Brandon Caswell in the final points standings.
Two track champions were crowned in the Mini Wedges. Lola Stemler joined father Travis as an I-96 Speedway track champion in the 6-9 division after winning all eight features. The 10-14 division was much tighter, as Roy Tharp Jr beat Lilly Wood by 14 points for the championship thanks in part to two feature wins during the year.
For more information on I-96 Speedway, visit I-96 Speedway on social media or go to their website at https://www.i96speedway.com/.
Comments