Strickler Wins Dakota Tour Finale at Mandan; Braaksma Repeats as Tour Champion

Feature, Modified, News, Stock Car

Kyle Strickler earned his second career tour victory during the Wolla Trucking Dakota Classic Modified Tour finale on July 10 at Dacotah Speedway in Mandan, N.D. (Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography)

By Ben Deatherage

MANDAN, N.D. (Jul. 10, 2025) — Two-time Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s champion Kyle Strickler of Mooresville, North Carolina, scored a dramatic win in the final Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature of the 2025 Wolla Trucking Dakota Classic Modified Tour powered by Industrial Electric. Driving the Cade Dillard-owned no. 8, Strickler secured his first win of the season in the Razor Chassis North Central Region and second career tour victory in the Dacotah Speedway finale.

Defending tour champion Ethan Braaksma of Newton, Iowa, overcame a last-lap engine failure to coast across the line in seventh and lock up his second consecutive Dakota Classic Modified Tour title.

Wisconsin’s Brandon Schmitt led early in the Jack Jones-owned no. 20, fending off pressure from 10-time Dacotah Speedway track champion Shawn Strand. Schmitt regained the lead after briefly losing it and began pulling away, but a caution with a dozen laps left stacked the field.

Braaksma, who restarted eighth, methodically rolled the bottom groove in the Danny Meier and Trent Guest-owned no. 111 and took command on lap 21. He built a sizeable advantage but suffered engine failure on the white flag lap.

Strickler made the most of the opportunity, charging to the win in a photo finish over Schmitt. California’s Cody Laney, the 2021 Super Nationals champion, drove from 16th to finish third.

Carter Captures Career First Tour Win; Munoz Takes Stock Car Title

Fairmont’s Jonny Carter earned his first-ever tour victory with a thrilling performance in the 25-lap Sunoco IMCA Stock Car main event at Dacotah Speedway. Carter drove from seventh to score the win—his first in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region. Angel Munoz of Lamar, Colorado, clinched the overall tour championship, edging 2023 champion Rob Van Mil by just four points.

Track regular Geoff Hellman led the early going before Shawn Strand reeled him in and took the lead on lap 17. A caution soon followed, and Hellman regained the top spot as Strand slipped over the cushion.

As the two raced side-by-side, Carter hugged the bottom line and passed both to grab the lead. Braden Richards mounted a final charge before a late yellow with three to go set up one last restart. Carter drove away unchallenged, finally claiming a long-awaited tour win after a post-race DQ heartbreak in Jamestown earlier in the week.

Dan Mackenthun, the 10-time Minnesota State and 13-time Arlington Raceway track champion, finished second, with Van Mil third.

Jonny Carter celebrates his first career tour win and first EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory on July 10 at Dacotah Speedway in Mandan, N.D. (Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography)

The event was broadcast live on IMCA.TV. Replay every lap with the IMCA.TV Replay Subscription, available now for just $24.99/month. And don’t miss Season 2 of the Boone Docuseries, now streaming exclusively on IMCA.TV.

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