Texas Showdown II @ I-37 Speedway 1/6-10/26
By JM Hallas
Pleasanton, TX.,(Jan. 9Th, 2026)
On to night number three of the Texas Showdown II at I-37 Speedway just outside of the city of Pleasanton. The weekend car count jumped up in all classes with racers/teams that couldn't get the time off mid-week, plus the nightly payouts versus the qualifying race format before a big show final night.
Thursday night action saw Izac Mallicoat(IMCA Modifieds), Shelby Williams(IMCA Stock Cars) and Allen Torres(Factory Stocks) take the wins. With the different winners in IMCA Modified and IMCA Stock Cars the “sweep bonus” bubble was broken.
Thursday nights track was one of the best I've in several years with three distinct grooves from a lane off the bottom up to the top. Racers, being racers, found and used about every inch of track with no one trying to knock down the new front stretch wall. Just a few scrapes throughout the night. It was a whole different track Friday with some tack for the heat races but going black early and pretty much one lane around the bottom for the features.
Grabo Grabs More South Texas Money
The 25-lap IMCA Modified came to green with Jordan Grabouski and Dean Abbey staying wheel to wheel into turn 1. Steven Whiteaker jr. had big run coming off the very top but it was Grabouski leading lap 1 chased by Whiteaker, Abbey, Cody Laney and Jeff Taylor in the top five. Abbey used the bottom to get second from Whiteaker on lap 2 with Taylor getting third from Whiteaker a lap later.
Yellow waved on lap 6 when Chris Smith had trouble in turns 3-4. Back under green Grabouski got away with Laney trying high and falling back and GW Egbert IV moving into the top five. At halfway Grabouski had built a half straight advantage over Abbey, Taylor, Whiteaker and Egbert. Coming from dead last, Jared Maupin was making his way forward to the top ten after having to switch cars.
With five to go Abbey was closing slightly while Grabouski was into traffic. Every lap Abbey would pick up a car length or so as Grabouski worked through cars, all running the bottom. With two to go Abbey was on Grabouski's bumper as they both got hung behind a slower car. Grabouski(Beatrice, Nebr.) was able to hold off Abbey for the victory in the Johnny Torres owned, Mike Terry Motorsports, 8T1 Construction, One-Eight Transportation, All in Designs, Rush Gear by Austin Witt, CPD Shocks, Brand X Chassis.
The win was Grabouski's second win at I-37 Speedway after taking the $10,000 to win inaugural Texas Showdown last January.
“It's a cool deal,” said Grabouski. “I love this race track, it always races so good. It helped to start up front. I've got to thank Johnny Torres for his hospitality and setting this car up for me. The track was slick but it started cleaning off toward the end. We wish the Modifieds could have raced a little earlier. This place is a lot of fun. It helps when you start on the front row.
It's always better when the track is more than one lane. Hopefully they'll shoot for a track more like Thursday night.”
“I don't even have my own racecar right now. We're behind in the shop right now and getting cars ready for customers. Johnny brought the car to us last week and we put some stuff on it to get the car ready for this week, but he was too busy to race it. Hat's off to the guys that build these. I've got a lot of laps in an IMCA Modified and that helps, too. I've got twenty-two years experience.”
“I was sitting having a drink Thursday night and told Johnny if you want me to come down there, I can bring my helmet and come tomorrow, and he said 'Do it.' So we booked at trip, left and 2:00am and flew out at 5:00 and here we are. If Johnny will let me, I'll be running it again tomorrow.”
IMCA Modifieds by Sundowner Performance Diesel
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 66-Jordan Grabouski[1]; 2. 26-Dean Abbey[2]; 3. 5-Jeff Taylor[7]; 4. 89-Steven Whiteaker Jr[4]; 5. 717-GW Egbert IV[6]; 6. 5K-Cody Laney[3]; 7. 9S-Jared Maupin[22]; 8. 07X-Troy Morris III[13]; 9. 17-Cody Tidwell[21]; 10. 94-Chris Morris[12]; 11. 5R-Ryan Doyon[16]; 12. 9JR-Spencer Hartwick[14]; 13. B24-Owen Barnhill[17]; 14. 2T-Talon Minten[5]; 15. 11-Izac Mallicoat[11]; 16. (DNF) 7A-Steve Askew[18]; 17. (DNF) 82-Rick Green[9]; 18. (DNF) 5B-Brenda Kirby Morris[8]; 19. (DNF) 1B-Jason Barnhill[19]; 20. (DNF) 88-Chris Smith[20]; 21. (DNF) 60-William Gould[10]; 22. (DNS) 96-Bobby Smith
IMCA Modified B-main(top 5 to A-main)
B Feature (10 Laps): 1. 07X-Troy Morris III[1]; 2. 96-Jared Maupin[2]; 3. B24-Owen Barnhill[3]; 4. 1B-Jason Barnhill[5]; 5. 17-Cody Tidwell[7]; 6. 77-Robert Liese Jr[8]; 7. 15-John Owens[6]; 8. (DNF) 5RM-Robby Minten[4]; 9. (DNS) X77-Gilbert Amezquita
B Feature (10 Laps): 1. 9JR-Spencer Hartwick[1]; 2. 5R-Ryan Doyon[2]; 3. 7A-Steve Askew[3]; 4. 88-Chris Smith[4]; 5. 9S-Bobby Smith[5]; 6. (DNS) X-Doug Cameron; 7. (DNS) 9M-Lawrence Mikulencak; 8. (DNS) 41-Rick Talley; 9. (DNS) 118-Cameron Wilson
IMCA Modified heats(top 12 in passing points to A-main)
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 66-Jordan Grabouski[5]; 2. 82-Rick Green[2]; 3. 94-Chris Morris[4]; 4. 60-William Gould[8]; 5. 5RM-Robby Minten[3]; 6. 9S-Bobby Smith[1]; 7. 9M-Lawrence Mikulencak[6]; 8. (DNF) X77-Gilbert Amezquita[7]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 2T-Talon Minten[1]; 2. 717-GW Egbert IV[3]; 3. 07X-Troy Morris III[4]; 4. 11-Izac Mallicoat[8]; 5. 7A-Steve Askew[2]; 6. 1B-Jason Barnhill[7]; 7. 17-Cody Tidwell[5]; 8. 77-Robert Liese Jr[6]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 26-Dean Abbey[3]; 2. 89-Steven Whiteaker Jr[5]; 3. 5-Jeff Taylor[6]; 4. 96-Jared Maupin[7]; 5. 88-Chris Smith[4]; 6. 15-John Owens[2]; 7. (DNS) 118-Cameron Wilson; 8. (DNS) 90-Earl Alsobrook
Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 5K-Cody Laney[2]; 2. 5B-Brenda Kirby Morris[1]; 3. 9JR-Spencer Hartwick[4]; 4. 5R-Ryan Doyon[3]; 5. B24-Owen Barnhill[6]; 6. X-Doug Cameron[5]; 7. (DNF) 41-Rick Talley[7]
Another Win for Williams
The two previous nights winners, Shelby Williams and Cameron Starry started on the front row for the 20-lap IMCA Stock Car feature. Williams was first to turn 1 grabbing the point ahead of Starry, with Dan Mackenthun, Cody Leonard and Mason Martin three wide for third. As Williams quickly crept away, Leonard trying the top, was battling with Mackenthun and Johnny Torres for fourth.
At the crossed flags it was Williams, Starry, Martin, Leonard and Mackenthun in the top five. Mackenthun was able to retake fourth from Leonard with Torres following along into fifth. Williams caught the back of the field on lap 15 still holding a good lead. That would go away when a late caution for a Jeramey Bradley spin set up a green, white, checkered finish. The single file restart was clean with everyone hugging the bottom and Williams(Bonham) in his Stealth Oilfield Services, Team 9 Designs, Bashum Cattle Cove, Briarwood Longhorn, The Rock Yard, Wehrs Machine, Ikon, Central Cedar, Crystal Race Club Race Engines, BHE Chassis.
“We've been trying a few things here and there,” replied Williams. “Last two nights it was pretty good, the first night didn't go so well. I think we'd have been alright. We've been tweaking on it here and there. We've got it pretty much where it likes the track.”
“Last night it was on the top, wide open. Tonight it was slow and right around the tires. That just shows how good the car is right now. It worked for both of them pretty good. We didn't really change much from last night to tonight. We've just been fine tuning it a bit, a turn here, a turn there, different stagger. Small stuff. All I really know is slow, around the bottom so that's more like what I'm used to. I struggle with wide open around the top but I've been going up north racing and it helps me a lot figuring out a different driving style”
“Cameron(Starry) and I know each other, but we don't know what each other has on the car. We just our own thing and bounce ideas off each other. If he needs something, or I need something we will kind of talk it out. We pretty much just do our own deal.”
IMCA Stock Cars by Comanche Concrete
A Feature (20 Laps): 1. 82-Shelby Williams[1]; 2. 8JS-Cameron Starry[2]; 3. 31-Mason Martin[5]; 4. 92-Dan Mackenthun[4]; 5. 15T-Johnny Torres[7]; 6. 22-Gregory Muirhead[10]; 7. 12-Cody Leonard[3]; 8. 717-GW Egbert IV[15]; 9. 34H-Doug Holzmeister[14]; 10. 15-Jacob Slough[8]; 11. 18S-Cody Smith[11]; 12. 42-Beau Collins[19]; 13. 70-George Egbert[18]; 14. 26Y-Robert Yearian[12]; 15. 27-Koby Allen[17]; 16. (DNF) 25-Jeramey Bradley[13]; 17. (DNF) 90-Earl Alsobrook[20]; 18. (DNF) XXX-Shawn Graham[9]; 19. (DNF) 4JR-Boone Evans[16]; 20. (DNF) F4-Tommy Fain[6]
I-Stock heats(top 12 in passing points to A-main)
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 82-Shelby Williams[5]; 2. 8JS-Cameron Starry[7]; 3. F4-Tommy Fain[3]; 4. XXX-Shawn Graham[4]; 5. 15T-Johnny Torres[9]; 6. 18S-Cody Smith[8]; 7. 34H-Doug Holzmeister[1]; 8. 717-GW Egbert IV[6]; 9. 27-Koby Allen[10]; 10. (DNF) 42-Beau Collins[2]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 12-Cody Leonard[1]; 2. 92-Dan Mackenthun[3]; 3. 31-Mason Martin[4]; 4. 15-Jacob Slough[2]; 5. 22-Gregory Muirhead[5]; 6. 26Y-Robert Yearian[6]; 7. 25-Jeramey Bradley[9]; 8. 4JR-Boone Evans[7]; 9. 70-George Egbert[8]
Gold for Gaither
On the initial start it was three wide in turn 1 between Mark Cupp jr., Brandon Spreen and Dillon Gaither. A mid -pack stack up brought yellow back out for a complete restart. Cupp got the edge back under green trailed by Gaither, Spreen, Hudson Mikulencak and Anthony Gordon. The red came out when Spreen got sideways collecting, Rusty Head, Devin Moon and Carson Jenkins who ended up on his side.
Cupp and Gaither got away as the race resumed with Gaither looking low in turn 1-2. They were door to door for the lead when Hudson Mikulencak spun on lap 3 for a yellow. As green waved again, Cupp got out with Gaither and Allen Torres side by side for second and Dylan Kowalik alongside Gordon for fourth. Gaither cleared Torres and got under Cupp with Torres trying the top.
Gaither grabbed the lead on lap 5 with Torres following along to second. Cupp continued to lose spots as they came to halfway showing Gaither, Torres, Gordon, Cupp and Kowalik in the top five. Kowalik and Cupp then started battling for fourth while Zane Goff and Boone Evans looked for an opening. Kowalik finally secured fourth with Goff able to take fifth from Cupp.
Torres was trying to make the top work in his pursuit of Gaither. Torres was able to get a good run off, but lose what he gained taking the long way around the corners. Gaither(San Antonio) was able to score the win in the Paul Horelka owned, Opiela Mechanical, SABFI Transpotation, All in Designs, Gaither Motorsports, Medieval Chassis.
“I figured it would be a little different tonight being dry slick,” commented Gaither. “They didn't till it up as much today when I went out and walked the track. So I figured it would get slick. Maybe not that slick, but take some rubber. I just reverted to my asphalt stuff so I was alright with the track tonight.”
“I wasn't planning that three wide on the initial start. I actually got a warning for jumping out of line. It wasn't my initial plan, I just got a good start. There was a little moisture low off turn 2, very slim spot in turn 4. You just had to hug the tires. Allen(Torres) told me he couldn't run the bottom, but he could roll the top. If you could run the tires, hold the bottom, treat it like an asphalt car, you were good.”
“Last night and tonight were two different tracks. I wish I could have run like last night running the high side. We had to change the axle overnight after it got broken. The tube may be bent a bit and the brake caliper.”
Factory Stocks by All in Designs
A Feature (20 Laps): 1. 41-Dillon Gaither[3]; 2. 94-Allen Torres[4]; 3. 5R-Anthony Gordon[7]; 4. 29K-Dylan Kowalik[9]; 5. 20-Zane Goff[10]; 6. 429-Boone Evans[11]; 7. 11X-Johnny Grabouski Jr[8]; 8. 55-Rusty Head[6]; 9. 98-James Ruyle[17]; 10. 25R-Nathan Rachui[16]; 11. 99-Tryton Temple[13]; 12. 7-Johnny Walker Brown[14]; 13. 6-Brandon Spreen[2]; 14. 141-Frank Lackey[22]; 15. 43-Duane Biddle[20]; 16. 44K-Ray Doyon III[19]; 17. 32-Hudson Mikulencak[5]; 18. (DNF) 4C-Mark Cupp Jr[1]; 19. (DNF) 21G-Kiehl Vanblarcum[21]; 20. (DNF) 5-Blaine Markgraf[18]; 21. (DNF) 23M-Devin Moon[12]; 22. (DNF) 1776-Carson Jenkins[15]
Factory Stock B-main
B Feature (10 Laps): 1. 99-Tryton Temple[1]; 2. 7-Johnny Walker Brown[2]; 3. 1776-Carson Jenkins[3]; 4. 25R-Nathan Rachui[13]; 5. 98-James Ruyle[8]; 6. 5-Blaine Markgraf[4]; 7. 44K-Ray Doyon III[5]; 8. 43-Duane Biddle[11]; 9. 21G-Kiehl Vanblarcum[10]; 10. 141-Frank Lackey[14]; 11. 2-Trey Schwartz[15]; 12. (DNF) 64-Danny Dear[6]; 13. (DNS) BD2-Daniel Preston; 14. (DNS) 18M-Darin Blevins; 15. (DNS) 412-Wade Allen Jr
Factory Stock heats
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 94-Allen Torres[1]; 2. 5R-Anthony Gordon[3]; 3. 32-Hudson Mikulencak[8]; 4. 20-Zane Goff[7]; 5. 5-Blaine Markgraf[5]; 6. 1776-Carson Jenkins[9]; 7. 64-Danny Dear[6]; 8. (DQ) 141-Frank Lackey[4]; 9. (DQ) 25R-Nathan Rachui[2]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 4C-Mark Cupp Jr[7]; 2. 55-Rusty Head[4]; 3. 23M-Devin Moon[1]; 4. 11X-Johnny Grabouski Jr[9]; 5. 99-Tryton Temple[8]; 6. 44K-Ray Doyon III[5]; 7. (DNF) BD2-Daniel Preston[3]; 8. (DNF) 18M-Darin Blevins[6]; 9. (DNF) 21G-Kiehl Vanblarcum[2]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 6-Brandon Spreen[5]; 2. 41-Dillon Gaither[6]; 3. 29K-Dylan Kowalik[4]; 4. 429-Boone Evans[7]; 5. 7-Johnny Walker Brown[8]; 6. 2-Trey Schwartz[9]; 7. (DNF) 98-James Ruyle[3]; 8. (DNS) 43-Duane Biddle; 9. (DNS) 412-Wade Allen Jr