Dysart’s Brady Hilmer back in familiar territory on racetrack

VINTON — It is a familiar formula.

Last summer, Brady Hilmer of Dysart converted eight top-5 finishes without a victory into his first season points championship in the IMCA Northern SportMod division at Benton County Speedway.

On the opening night of IMCA weekly racing Sunday at “The Bullring,” Hilmer began his 2025 campaign in similar fashion with a runner-up finish in the Northern SportMod feature race.

“It’s nice to be back,” said Hilmer, 21. “Obviously, we all enjoy racing. It is kind of our thing. I have been out a couple of times this year. I kind of struggled a little last night (a 12th-place finish Saturday night at Independence Motor Speedway), but we went back to the shop today and worked. Worked on it all day and it showed tonight.

“Feels good to get back to ‘The Bullring.’”

Hilmer fought through the 15-lap feature replete with caution stoppages before placing just behind Daniel Harris of Excelsior Springs, Mo. As a defending season champion, Hilmer plans to be at BCS each Sunday, but his Friday and Saturday race destinations likely will change from week to week.

“We got an RV last year to stay the night at racetracks,” Hilmer said. “Try to just hit a couple weekend shows, bounce around and go wherever we feel like we want to go.”

A 2021 Union Community graduate, Hilmer grew up attending races at BCS with his father, Curt Hilmer and grandfather Bob Hilmer. Now in his eighth year of racing, last season’s points title was the culmination of incremental improvement. Hilmer went from 13th place in 2021 to fourth in 2022 and second two years ago.

“It helped my confidence more than anything,” Hilmer said. “You have your bad nights and you get kind of down, but then you come out on top at the end of the year. It raises your confidence enough to know that you are good enough to run with these guys and that you can run with these guys.

“Of all the racetracks around here, we have got the best SportMods maybe in the U.S.”

With improved confidence and a season championship already on his resume, Hilmer hopes to produce more victories this season. He collected one feature win at BCS in both 2021 and 2022.

“Putting the time in, taking notes, keep on top of your maintenance,” Hilmer said. “Really stay on top of everything, make sure your car is ready to go each week. Can’t cut any corners, don’t slack off. You just have to come prepared and ready to go.”

Sunday’s feature winners included another Dysart resident in Blake Driscoll (Sport Compact), Newton’s Ethan Braaksma (Modified), Johnathon Logue of Logansport (Stock Car), Marengo’s Nathan Ballard (Hobby Stock) and Eric Blumer of Sun Prairie, Wis. (Legend).

The Pro Late Model feature was won by Marshalltown’s Tom Berry, Jr.