Southwest Dakota checkers fly for Thornton, Zevenbergen

Feature

DICKINSON, N.D. (July 14) – Ricky Thornton Jr. returned to the 31st annual Moritz Sport & Marine Dakota Classic IMCA Modified Tour presented by Bismarck Motor Company feature ranks to claim yet another feature win Tuesday at Southwest Speedway.

Starting from the inside of row two, Thornton made quick work of polesitter Ryan Gaylord, claiming the lead early on.

A handful of cautions scattered throughout the race did not deter Thornton on his way to the $2,400 checkers. Jake O’Neil, Tripp Gaylord, Jason Wolla and Austin Arneson rounded out the top five.

Matt Speckman looked like he had the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature handled but became the victim of circumstance when second running Cole Trickle checked up and caught Speckman in the left rear, sending Speckman up and over and ending both of their nights.

The winner in the situation turned out to be tour dominator Elijah Zevenbergen, who took command of the field with 11 to go and only faced a brief challenge from Dalton Flory before motoring to his fourth win of the 2020 tour.

Flory, Chanse Hollatz, Eric Mahlik and Austin Daae rounded out the top five.

Feature Results

Modifieds – 1. Ricky Thornton Jr.; 2. Jake O’Neil; 3. Tripp Gaylord; 4. Jason Wolla; 5. Austin Arneson; 6. Alex Stanford; 7. Ricky Alvarado; 8. Robert Hellebust; 9. Billy Kendall; 10. Brad Hartigan; 11. Travis Hagen; 12. Jacob Bleess; 13. Grey Ferrando; 14. Tanner Black; 15. Casey Skyberg; 16. Eddie Belec; 17. Zachary Madrid; 18. Ryan Gaylord; 19. Shane DeVolder; 20. Scott Gartner; 21. John Corell; 22. Spencer Wilson; 23. Marcus Tomlinson; 24. Kyle Brown; 25. Shawn Strand; 26. Matt Aukland; 27. Mike Hansen; 28. Casey Arneson; 29. David Brown; 30. Marlyn Seidler.

Stock Cars – 1. Elijah Zevenbergen; 2. Dalton Flory; 3. Chanse Hollatz; 4. Eric Mahlik; 5. Austin Daae; 6. Jake Brown; 7. Travis Ulmer; 8. Keith Mattox; 9. Kyle Krogh; 10. Brennan Borg; 11. Alex Braun; 12. Adam Goff; 13. Joe Flory; 14. Tripp Gaylord; 15. Mike Swallers; 16. Matt Speckman; 17. Cole Trickle; 18. Angel Munoz; 19. Beau Deschamp; 20. Hailey Jordan.

Related Articles

Feature

Black’s IMCA Dakota Tour struggles end, Flory continues Stock success at Williston

By Rebecca Rattei  WILLISTON, N.D. (July 13) – Tanner Black saw his string of tough outings end Tuesday night with his career-first Corral Sales Dakota Classic IMCA Modified Tour win at Williston Basin Speedway. He swapped the lead with Tim Ward in the green, white, checkered conclusion to the $2,000 to win main event. “We’ve struggled really bad this week,” said Black, who had 13th, 20th and 26th place finishes to show for three tour starts leading into Williston. “We got a better draw this time, had a good heat race and were able to get into the redraw.  Dominic Ursetta had drawn the pole and quickly pulled away from the field quickly, but Black found the fast line up top and passed Ursetta for lead seven laps in.  Heavy lapped traffic allowed a number of challengers to stay close and a couple late-race cautions helped the eighth starting Ward make his charge to the front. After Ward made his way to the front, Black again used the higher line to get the lead, then drove to [Read More]

Feature

Two of the best in the west are IMCA.TV Dakota Tour winners at Southwest

DICKINSON, N.D. (July 12, 2023) – Drivers from, or with close ties to the West Coast have enjoyed their share of success and then some over the course of recent IMCA.TV Dakota Classic Tours. That trend continued Wednesday night at Dickinson, when Californian Jerry Flippo and Arizonan Zachary Madrid made trips to Southwest Speedway’s victory lane. Flippo caught Drew Janssen for the lead following a restart at midway then led to the end of the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified 30-lapper, dogged to the $2,000 checkers  by Kyle Strickler. 2021 tour champion Madrid, meanwhile, led all but the first circuit in the 25-lap, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main, keeping the handle after inadvertent contact with second running and two-time tour winner Rob VanMil late in their battle for a $1,000 payday. Flippo’s win was his tour career first and second since returning to IMCA action in the Midwest in early May. He’d started fifth and got the best of a four-car battle for second before the fateful lap 15 restart. Janssen and Tanner Black both ran in [Read More]

Events

Registration starts today for IMCA Dakota Classic Tour

MANDAN, N.D. – Online registration starts later today (Wednesday) for the Corral Sales IMCA Dakota Classic Tour. IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car competitors can go to the drivers tab on www.dakotamodtour.com website to complete the registration process and secure their number. New this year is a $25 entry fee that will be refunded in cash the first night drivers race on the 32nd annual tour. All six Modified features pay $2,000 to win and are qualifying events for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. Stock Car features pay $1,000 with winners becoming eligible to qualify for the B & B Chassis All-Star race. Opening night is Saturday, July 10 at Jamestown Speedway. The tour is at Nodak Speedway in Minot on Sunday, July 11 and at Estevan Motor Speedway in Saskatchewan on Monday, July 12 if the border is open. The series will be in Minot that evening if the border is still closed. Williston Basin Speedway is site of the Tuesday, July 13 show and Southwest Speedway at Dickinson hosts the Wednesday, July 14 event. [Read More]