Kasey Kleyn Dominates Hall of Fame 150 at Magic Valley Speedway

2024 Northwest Super Late Model Series presented by Knottical Marine (NWSLMS) champion Kasey Kleyn entered the “Magic Valley Motorsports Hall of Fame 150” winless in the series in 2025. But Kleyn put an end to that streak, taking home $5,000 for a day’s work on the 1/3-mile Magic Valley Speedway (ID), garnering his seventh career NWSLMS victory. It was Kleyn’s first visit to the facility located in Twin Falls, ID and came on the heels of multiple near victories this season. He was excited to finally grab a triumph in 2025.

“It feels really good”, Kleyn exclaimed! “We have had a bunch of runner-up finishes this year. There are a couple I wish I could have had back and things I could have done differently to get the win. This one felt really good, and it was a dominant win. And that’s the best way to do it. I just went out there and saved my stuff the best that I could. The last 50 (laps) I just put it down, opened it up, and let it eat.”

Kleyn continued, explaining about his upcoming trip to Owosso Speedway (MI) for the ASA National Tour event, “I was trying to get out of here pretty quick to go over to Michigan to race on Wednesday. It is a 30-hour drive so I wanted to get done with the race as soon as I could, to get headed out on the road. But we just had a really fast car, and Trevor Cristiani brings really fast cars every weekend. I can’t thank all my crew enough. They work so hard on the car. We had to change the rear end during last practice and didn’t get any laps the last session. I’d just like to thank all my sponsors; Thaemert Farms, Farmer Bean & Seed LLC, Friends of Jacklyn, KJ Medelez Trucking, and everyone else on the car. It wouldn’t be possible without them.”

Zach Riehl got the ball rolling by setting a Fast Time of 13.654 seconds, leading Kleyn, Ryan Phipps, Ken Bonney, and Bryce Bezanson. With the top eight redraw, Riehl found himself holding position, with his brother Andrew joining to his outside. Christopher Kalsch, in his brand new Super Late Model, grabbed the number three spot followed by Ryan Phipps, Kleyn, Ken Bonney, Bryce Bezanson, and Johvan Dillon.

Zach got the jump at Troy Blanton’s green flag, but championship leader Ken Bonney ended up in the Turn 3 wall, ending his night, after a fine qualifying effort. The complete restart saw the older Riehl to the front again, as Andrew settled into second. Kleyn was on the move from fifth starting, dispatching Phipps and Kalsch by the end of lap two. He grabbed second from Andrew Riehl on lap three and took up chase of Zach Riehl.

By lap 10, Kleyn had caught the older brother and began to apply pressure, looking to the inside. Riehl fought off Kleyn and the duo ran nose to tail, until Kleyn took advantage of lapped traffic on lap 20. Kleyn was able to trap Riehl behind two battling lapped cars to grab the advantage. The action cooled on lap 23, when track championship leader Shawn Lester spun in Turn 2. The restart saw Kleyn choose the outside line, holding off Riehl after contact. Riehl applied pressure to Kleyn looking to the inside repeatedly. On lap 32, Kleyn slipped up the track, allowing Riehl to grab the lead. But the caution came out on lap 33, negating the pass and reverting to the previous lap.

The restart found Kleyn back to the lead with Riehl second. Johvan Dillon was up to third with Ryan Phipps and Bryce Bezanson the top five. Kalsch’s top 10 run came to an end on lap 52, with a flat right front tire and the ensuing wall contact. Another restart saw the field catch its footing as Kleyn led Riehl, Phipps, Dillon, and Bezanson, with Andrew Riehl sixth. Zach Riehl’s strong run came to an end on lap 76, as a right front flat sent sparks flying through the night air.

Kleyn recalled the battle with the 2023 series Rookie-of-the-Year, who was his biggest threat through the first portion of the event.

“I picked my time to make the pass”, Kleyn stated about the lead swap on lap 20. “I knew it would be harder to do later in the race with worn out tires, because the bottom is definitely not the preferred groove. I used the lapped cars as a pick to get the lead. It was hard racing a little earlier than I would have liked, taking more than we should, but no harm no foul. Unfortunately, he got a right front flat. I wish I could have raced with him at the end of the race, but it was really fun, and I wish it was a little cleaner, but other than that, it was a great race with him, and I always have great things to say about him (Zach).”

Following the caution, Kleyn jumped out to the lead, with Bezanson supplanting both Phipps and Dillon from his outside second row restart position. Andrew Riehl pitted from fifth on lap 91, with a tire going down, as Dillon began to turn up the wick, dispatching Phipps from third on lap 103. A lap later, the action slowed again, as Dillon headed to the pits in a shower of sparks coming from the right front.

Lap 104 was the final restart, as Kleyn battled Bezanson for the top spot for several laps before he was able to slowly pull away. When the checkered flew, Kleyn scored the $5,000 win in front of Bezanson, Phipps, Andrew Palmer and Adam Crow.

Bryce Bezanson was Kleyn’s biggest competition at the end of the event, but it took the Montana driver a pit stop and an adjustment to his driving line to get the car headed in the right direction.

“At the start, I was really tight for the first better half of the race”, Bezanson explained. “We put a turn into the rear and that helped a little bit. I kind of moved my line up to the high line where Kasey was running, and that is where I found the most speed and started making moves. But after lap 75, I just kind of got into a groove. I gave it all I had that last restart, to keep up with Kasey, but there was just no keeping up this time. We have the car in one piece, and are on the podium, so I’m happy.”

With a career best series finish, Bezanson speculated as to what he may have done differently, to get his first NWSLMS victory.

“I think I should have focused our setup to cater to the higher line”, Bezanson mused. “I was running the middle to the low line for this whole weekend. Then during the race, I was so tight that I was just so desperate, so I went up there and tried it. Definitely next time we are here we are going to try to run the highline from the start and take advantage of that aspect of the track.”

The runner-up finish followed a third-place effort in 2021, showing Bezanson’s strength at the facility and his love for the track.

“I really do enjoy this track”, Bezanson stated. “It has changed a decent amount for me since I was here last time. It is a lot smoother and takes power better. I will definitely be back racing here in the future. I love racing here.”

The Northwest Super Late Model Series will now head to the Wenatchee Valley Super-Oval (WA) on September 20^th for the penultimate event on the 2025 schedule. The “Neal Newberry 125” is the longest running event for the series and has been held in all 13 seasons to date. Owen Riddle was the winner in 2024, holding off Jan Evans and Jason O’Neil. A minimum of $5,000 will await the winner in 2025.

Results: 1. Kasey Kleyn, 2. Bryce Bezanson, 3. Ryan Phipps*, 4. Andrew Palmer, 5. Adam Crow, 6. Johvan Dillon*, 7. Andrew Riehl, 8. Zach Riehl, 9. Dan Lowther, 10. Chris Kalsch, 11. Shawn Lester, 12. Colin Anderson, 13. Ken Bonney

ABOUT THE NORTHWEST SUPER LATE MODEL SERIES

The Northwest Super Late Model Series is the premier regional touring Super Late Model series in the Northwest. The series has many valued partners including Knottical Marine, RaceCals, Hoosier Racing Tire, McGunegill Engine Performance, AR Bodies, Penske Racing Shocks, Five Star Bodies, AFCO Racing / Longacre Racing Products, Franks Radio Service, Jefferson Racing, Champion Auto Group, Atomic Screen Printing, Zero Handicap, The Lester Brothers, Joes Racing Products, and The Ti Company. For more information on the series visit www.nwslms.com or on Facebook and Twitter.

Story, PC: K. Peters, NWSLMS Media