IMCA Dakota Classic Tour will be ‘back to normal’

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (June 1, 2023) – For the first time in what’s been years, the guy who’s been around for all the years of the Dakota Classic Tour powered by Industrial Electric believes things will be back to normal.

And normal is good.

The 34th annual tour takes Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars to six different tracks in North Dakota and Saskatchewan over the course of its July 8-13 run. Modifieds run for $2,000 to win, Stock Cars for $1,000 to win each night.

“Finally, it seems like we’re getting back to what feels normal,” said John Gartner, director of the tour since day one. “We haven’t had to deal with tornadoes, or flooding, and there’s no pandemic, which means we’re back to being an international series.”

After dates July 8 at Jamestown Speedway and July 9 at Minot’s Nodak Speedway, the tour returns to Canada and Estevan Motor Speedway on July 10.

“The tour hasn’t been north of the border since 2019, the year before COVID,” Gartner said. “I made the promise that we would return to Canada as soon as possible and that’s a promise that’s been kept.”

The second half of the tour is back in North Dakota July 11 at Williston Basin Speedway, July 12 at Southwest Speedway in Dickinson and July 13 at Dacotah Speedway in Mandan.

Each night will be broadcast by IMCA.TV.

Registration will open on or about June 8 on MyRacePass and drivers will get that $25 back on opening night at Jamestown. Entry fee each night is $35 for Modifieds and $30 for Stock Cars and pit passes are $35.

Modified feature winners become eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational and Stock Car feature winners become B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible.

Along with special series points, IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Razor Chassis North Central and EQ Cylinder Heads Northern region, and state points will be awarded each night.

“A lot of the drivers who follow the Dakota Tour raced in January in Arizona, and a lot of the guys who race weekly down there will be coming up to race with us again this year,’ Gartner said. “We’re all real happy to see gas and diesel prices down, compared to last year when they were at an all-time high.”

Information about the series, and the all-important documentation needed to cross the border is available at dakotamodtour.com.

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