World Footbrake Challenge - 2025 Race Recap
7/8/2025
Blountville, TN
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gage burch 2025 world footbrake challenge

Gage Burch Wins Thursday's $5k

Seemingly faster than the flash of a firework, everyone’s favorite footbrake race has returned to Bristol Dragway for its nineteenth installment. Dialed in with a perfect forecast and fueled by an incredible crowd of racers on just day one, the BTE World Footbrake Challenge XIX launched with both wheels up while dragging the bumper in what is undoubtedly set to be one of the greatest events yet.

Thursday began with a test and tune session, where racers lined up nearly to the creek, eagerly awaiting their turn to make a pass down Thunder Valley. Laris Motorsports Insurance stepped up to sponsor Thursday’s livestream and weekend videography produced by Caufield Media. The original $3,000-to-win gamblers race was increased to $5,000 before the event, in appreciation of the expected crowd. A hefty 333 entries made the first round call, which quickly halved without the luxury of buybacks. Round seven featured six remaining drivers: David Bell, Steve Wagner, Cobi Toliver, Devin Dudley, Gage Burch, and Nick Scheckelhoff.

Only eight-thousandths separate the first pair on the starting line and both drivers run dead-on their respective dials as Burch takes the .007 margin of victory over Toliver. Dudley launches with a .014 red light beside Bell, who is .005 total to advance into the semifinal. The last pair each run dead-on with a two, but Scheckelhoff has the better reaction time to take the win over Wagner.

Scheckelhoff earns the bye into the final as the two Mustangs battle for the opposing spot. Burch is .012 on the tree and runs dead-on with a six to seal the deal over Bell, who breaks out nine thousandths at the stripe.

Five-time finalist Burch carefully inches into the stage beam beside Scheckelhoff, who prepares for his first Coalburg Racing Promotions final round. Burch has a nine-thousandths advantage on the starting line and takes the win over Scheckelhoff, who drops out at the finish line.

In response to Pennington’s question regarding two tempting events on the same weekend, Burch says, “You guys put on an awesome race and even though we probably aren’t racing for the most money this weekend, I think we’re definitely having the most fun...I’m really glad to be back in it [his Mustang], this car makes you look better than you are, and I really appreciate everyone that helps us out.”


Winner's circle photos provided by Chris Simmons Event Photos.

mason fix 2025 wfc race winner

Mason Fix Wins Saturday over 586 Entries

The inescapable obstacle of the BTE World Footbrake Challenge XIX is undoubtedly a “good” problem to face – the overwhelming support of racers from across the country. Both Friday and Saturday’s $20,000 feature races ballooned into record-breaking main event car counts with engines roaring into the early morning curfew. Following the only time trial session on Friday, three rounds of eliminations were completed before the race was put on hold temporarily.

Saturday began with one-time trial for new entrants before diving into the first round of competition, where 586 entries staged on the mountain. Superb coordination between the Coalburg Racing Promotions staff, Bristol Dragway track crew, and racers resulted in an efficient program, considering an untimely oil-down.

The eighth round featured seven remaining drivers with their eyes on the $20,000 prize: Jordan Martin, Seth Lancaster, Mason Fix, Jake Ball, Steve Wagner, Gary Blankenship, and Edmond Ellison. In the first quarterfinal pairing, Martin has the advantage with a .006 reaction time but finds himself behind at the finish line as Blankenship runs dead-on with a three for the win. Only five thousandths separate the drivers at the tree as Fix runs dead on his 7.41 dial-in to take the win over the breakout pass of Ellison. Wagner turns a .013 starting line advantage into a win light as Lancaster breaks out on the top end. Ball held onto the bye run courtesy of his prior perfect reaction time and was able to cash in on the last solo pass of the race.

Fix is the first driver to earn his spot in the final round as his .030 package leaves Blankenship mathematically ineligible. Wagner is five thousandths better on the tree, and the double-breakout win light illuminates in his lane while Ball bows out at four cars.

It’s an all-Mopar matchup with two first-time finalists as the burnout smoke settles between the lanes. Fix launches with a .021 light followed by the green glow atop his scoreboard as Wagner turns on the red bulb.

When asked about this accomplishment Fix says, “It feels really good man, the car honestly just makes me look good. I’m out there hitting twenty lights the last four or five rounds and it’s just bailing me out. I gotta give BTE a shoutout for the best converter out there and APD carburetors, it’ll make anything run the number.”

 

Day number last of the BTE World Footbrake Challenge XIX was also the liveliest, with two $20,000 winners earning the right to celebrate on Sunday. After an early morning church service led by Jeff Gatlin, Friday’s $20,000 main event was on deck first to chip away at the 107 remaining entries.

andrew lindamood 2025 wfc race winner

Andrew Lindamood Wins Friday's $20k

Eventually, the eighth round consisted of only seven competitors: Jon Siegel, Zach Combs, Devin Dudley, Andrew Lindamood, Brian Adkins, Stevie Dustin, and Noah Pollard.

Lindamood turns on the first win light of the round, utilizing a .006 reaction time to leave Combs locked out of the race. Adkins has a five-thousandths starting line advantage but finds himself behind at the stripe as Pollard wheels his wagon into the next round. A pair of double-zero reaction times wrap up the last pairing as Dustin puts together a .019 package for the win over the breakout run by Siegel. Dudley earned the last bye run of the race and takes the free time shot down to the final four.
In the semifinal, Lindamood is .017 on the tree and runs dead-on with a five, putting together a total package that matches Pollard’s .022 light. Dudley leaves the line seven thousandths too soon beside the green light of Dustin, driving his “cheap heap” Mustang into Friday’s final.
Two first-time Coalburg Racing Promotions finalists square off in the $20,000 Friday main event as the eager crowd awaits the winner. All the anticipation is over on the starting line as Dustin is .004 red while Lindamood is .016 green and motors his Pontiac GTO two thousandths under the dial for a monumental victory that began with 586 entries.

The multi-talented Lindamood is one of the Coalburg Racing Promotions staff members and Jared Pennington’s nephew. The two share a comfortable chat in the winner’s circle discussing race strategies and confidence.

Pennington shares, “This year you told me at home, ‘I’m going to win this race on Friday.’ You didn’t win on Friday, but you won Friday’s race.” Lindamood elaborates by saying, “The talent that is out there in the pits right now is unbelievable. To be able to get this win with the talent of these guys has been on the top of my list to prove that I can hang with them, maybe not all of the time, but at least this time I did.”

chad dotson 2025 world footbrake challenge racer

Chad Dotson Wins Sunday's $20k

The celebrations and competition were far from over as Sunday’s $20,000 main event was cutthroat from the start with no re-entry round to rely on. The 531 entries eventually dwindled to only five in round number eight: Graeme Rufenacht, Gage Burch, Chris Strange, Michael Beard, and Chad Dotson.

In the double breakout race, Beard had a one-hundredth reaction time advantage and is .001 under the dial to take the win over Burch. Dotson is in complete control with a .006 reaction time and takes the win over Rufenacht as both drivers slow to three above their respective dial-ins. Strange earns a stress-free ride into the semifinal courtesy of the bye run.

This time, it’s Dotson who earned the coveted bye run, while Beard and Strange battle each other for an opportunity to face him. Strange is .023 and runs closer to his dial to illuminate his win light while Beard is forced to return to the trailer.

Strange competes in his first final round at the beautiful Bristol Dragway while Dotson is looking to avenge his runner-up finish from eight years ago. The dual-Chevrolet combat closes with a four-thousandths margin of victory with Dotson’s .015 light and one-above run prevailing over Strange, who is .027 and dead-on with a four.

In the winner’s circle celebration, Dotson jokingly replies to Pennington’s praise about his hard-fought win by suggesting no more buybacks in the future. He then continues by saying, “Nah, Jared, I’ve been blessed. Thank you Lord, you’ve blessed me way beyond what I deserve. I’ve been able to win some races, but I’ve been knocking on the door here, kicked on the door, beat on the door, the door has hit me in the rear on the way out, but I’m so thankful I can say I have finally won a WFC event.”


Gage Burch was unanimously named the Mike Mo MVP following his impressive showing by winning Thursday’s $5,000 gamblers race, reaching the seventh round in both Friday and Saturday’s $20K main events, and bowing out in the quarterfinals of Sunday’s $20K. He earned $500 cash and an entry into the 2026 Sean Serra Memorial Race, coincidentally on the somber anniversary of Serra’s passing.

Burch remarks, “Awards like this and this anniversary are not something we expect, but it lets us know there is something bigger than all of us here. If you come to the racetrack and have a bad weekend, it’s always better than someone else who didn’t. I really appreciate you guys, and rest in peace to these two fellas.”

Winner's circle photos provided by Chris Simmons Event Photos

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