May 11, 2026 | By Dean Reichel

Samuel Wagner shines at Double-X Speedway

CALIFORNIA, Mo.—Mother Nature and horsepower shared center stage this Sunday night as Double X Speedway hosted Week #2 of the 2026 “Sunday Night Thunder” season with a special Mother’s Day celebration at the historic quarter-mile clay oval.

Fans were treated to a full night of dirt track excitement featuring the fire-breathing Winged 360 Sprint Cars, the always competitive Super Stocks, and the hard-charging B Modified division as drivers from across Missouri and neighboring states battled for early season momentum.

The annual Mother’s Day program has long been one of the most cherished traditions at Double X Speedway, combining family memories with side-by-side racing action in a setting where generations gather beneath the Missouri sunset.

“This event always means a little more,” said track owner Carol Wirts. “Racing has always been about family, and Mother’s Day at Double X gives us a chance to celebrate the moms and grandmothers who support this sport week after week.”

In the Winged 360 Sprint Car competition, fans were treated to high-speed drama as drivers wrestled the powerful open-wheel machines around the tight confines of the legendary bullring. The Sprint Cars opened the season in spectacular fashion and more exciting action was delivered this past Sunday night.

The Super Stock division continued to showcase some of the toughest weekly racers in the region, delivering fender-to-fender battles where patience and aggression often collide in the corners.

Meanwhile, the B Modified class brings a blend of veteran savvy and young talent to the speedway, creating one of the most unpredictable divisions on the card each week.

The very competitive Super Stock Class was the first on the card with two heat races being staged to set the feature lineup. The first heat saw Ryan Shikles take the win over James Nighswonger and Alcoa Harris. Second heat action saw the top three come across the line in this order, John Clancy, Jr. first, Zack Smith in second and Darin Porter, third. The third and final Super Stock heat was completed with the top three being Cragar Harris, Steve Beach and Dale Berry. The B Modifieds were next on tap with two heats. Heat race one saw this finishing order after the eight lap contest, Terry Schultz in first, Alex Schultz in second and Waylon Dimmitt in third. The second heat was claimed by Tyler Potter with Ryan Oerly in second and Shawn Davis in third. With a short field of 360 Winged Sprint Cars the drivers made a group decision to contest two heat races, inverting the finish of the first heat to line up the second heat and then taking the average finishes of the two to set the feature line up. Heat one finished like this, Blake Bowers with the win, Jack Wagner second, Paul Solomon third, Samuel Wagner fourth and Ben Brown fifth. The inverted second heat closed the heat race action with the following tally, Samuel Wagner holding off hard charging Jack Wagner, Ben Brown in third, Paul Solomon in fourth and Blake Bowers in fifth.

After a brief intermission to give away some attendance prizes and acknowledge the “Race Kids” of the week it was time to get the feature races on the track. After some track farming during the intermission the track widened out just a bit but the low line proved to be the way to go as Cragar Harris led 14 laps to take the win. John Clancy Jr. stayed right on the leaders rear bumper for the whole event to take second, Zack Smith finished a strong third, James Nighswonger had run as high as second but slipped back to fourth at the checkered and Alcoa Harris completed the top five. Steve Beach, Darin Porter, Dale Berry, Jody Romig and Hayden Dowell rounded out the top ten.

In the B Modified feature it was cagey veteran Terry Schultz on the pole and hard charging youngster Tyler Potter bringing the field to green. The two ran side by side for lap one with Potter edging Schultz at the line. The running order would remain this way the remainder of the event with Potter claiming victory number two at Double X on the season. Terry Schultz would finish second with Alex Schultz in third, Waylon Dimmitt in fourth and Chad Staus rounding out the top five at the line.

The 360 Winged Sprint Car feature, though small in numbers, had some quality in the field. With the Wagner Boys on the front row excitement was in the air. It was Samuel Wagner taking the lead over brother Jack and showing the way around the oval. Jack would try to mount a charge on the leader only to come up just short lap after lap. On lap 23 Jack would bite the cushion in turn 4 and take a roll bringing out the red. A green, white checkered awaited the remaining field. Samuel Wagner was able to hold off the challengers to pick up the victory. Ben Brown would finish second and Paul Solomon was third. Jack Wagner and Blake Bowers completed the field.

When the sun drops behind the trees and the clay starts flying, there’s only one place to be on a Sunday night in Mid-Missouri. Double X Speedway continues its 2026 season next week with another exciting edition of Sunday Night Thunder. You want to be sure to put Sunday May 24 on your calendar as it is the annual “Tribute to Jesse” Jesse Hockett Memorial being presented by Wagner Boys Racing. Featuring 360 Winged Sprint Cars, Non Wing Sprint Cars and Super Stocks. The Non Wing Sprints already have added money to the purse so stay tuned as more details become available.

Fans are encouraged to bring the whole family and continue the long-standing tradition of Sunday night dirt track racing at Double X Speedway. Grandstand gates open at 5PM with racing set to begin at 7:30PM, each and every Sunday Night until August 2.


Double X Speedway
California, MO

May 20, 2026

360 Winged Sprint Cars-

Feature Event: 1. 73-Samuel Wagner, Lone Jack; 2. 7B-Ben Brown, Marshall; 3. 7-Paul Solomon, Land Down Under; 4. 77-Jack Wagner, Lone Jack; 5. 52- Blake Bowers, Knob Noster.

Heat 1- 1. Bowers, 2. J. Wagner, 3. Solomon, 4. S. Wagner; 5. Brown

Heat 2- 1. S. Wagner, 2. J. Wagner; 3. Brown; 4. Solomon; 5. Bowers


Super Stocks-

Feature Event: 1. 41-Cragar Harris, Conway; 2. 87C-John Clancy, Jr., California; 3. 116-Zack Smith, Centertown; 4. 44-James Nighswonger, Osawatomie; 5. 40-Alcoa Harris, Conway; 6. 10-Steve Beach, Eldon; 7. 21-Darin Porter, California; 8. 05-Dale Berry, Tuscumbia; 9. 12-Jody Romig, Syracuse; 10. 29-Hayden Dowell, Tipton; 11. 43-Ryan Shikles, Enon; 12. 19J-Tyler Crocker, Holt Summit; 13. 21C-Shawn Clair, Eldon; 14. 33-Kyle Miller, California; 15. 87-Ethan Daniels, California; 16. 10R-Chris Romig, Syracuse.

Heat 1- 1. Shikles, 2. Nighswonger, 3. A. Harris, 4. J. Romig, 5. Clair, 6. Dowell

Heat 2- 1. Clancy,Jr., 2. Smith, 3. Porter, 4. Crocker, 5. Daniels

Heat 3- 1. C. Harris, 2. Beach, 3. Berry, 4. Miller, 5. C. Romig


B Modifieds-

Feature Event: 1.

Heat 1- 1. T. Schultz, 2. A. Schultz, 3. Dimmitt, 4. Staus, 5. Brotherton

Heat 2- 1. Potter, 2. Oerly, 3. Davis, 4. Leicher, 5. Coo