blackhillsspeedway Archives

Nielsen, Garrigan dominate IMCA features at Black Hills

By Ben Deatherage RAPID CITY, S.D. (Aug. 9, 2024) – Friday had Black Hills Speedway fire things up again at the South Dakota 1/2-mile oval. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks filled the pit area as the two sanctioned divisions on the card. Jack Hubbard Jr. sprinted to the early lead in the Modified ranks. However, Brent Nielsen closed the gap between himself and the leader to contest for first place. Nielsen successfully obtained the position by moving inside Hubbard at the line on lap three. From there, the new pacesetter had no issues. He extended his lead to a sizable advantage and took care of business the rest of the distance to win by 6.551 seconds after starting last in the lineup. The race for second was a thrilling battle that kept the audience on the edge of their seats. Nate Hand made a daring move to secure the runner-up spot, with Hubbard and Adam Boggs following closely behind. Brent Nielsen was nothing short of dominant in winning Friday’s Friesen [Read More]

Mass fires on all cylinders at .38 Special

By Ben Deatherage RAPID CITY, S.D. (July 12, 2024) – The final checkers thrown Dakota Classic Modified Tour powered by Industrial Electric, Eric Mass made a beeline for his home turf and the .38 Special for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds at Black Hills Speedway. Then he made a beeline for victory lane to collect the $1,000 payday and accompanying Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. Mass led from lap 14 to the green, white, checkered finish, the win his ninth of 2024. Brent Nielsen and Travis Tooley were next across the stripe. Nielsen had grabbed the initial race lead going into the first set of corners and held on to first place while a melee for second occurred. Tooley stayed ahead of Connor Friske and Mass on the second circuit, with Mass in close proximity. On lap three, Friske ripped the top to get around Mass and then worked on Tooley. With four circuits complete, Friske got a little too close to the outside wall, which killed his momentum, resulting in Mass getting around him [Read More]

Friske, Garrigan race back to Black Hills victory lane

By Ben Deatherage RAPID CITY, S.D. – Connor Friske and John Garrigan Jr. were back in victory lane after Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars were back in action Friday at Black Hills Speedway. When the green flag was released to the Modifieds, Adam Boggs won the battle going into turn one, but the yellow would come out, so they would have to try it again. On the second attempt, Mike Dimond got control of the lead, only to be overtaken on the outside of turn two by Brent Nielsen. Boggs, Friske and Darran Conrad all had a great race for second, with Friske grabbing the runner-up position before the caution waved once again. When the green light turned back on, Friske was master class on the restart and motored his way around Nielsen and became the new leader. Nielsen was under fire around the sixth circuit when Conrad tried to make a move around Nielsen, but Nielsen did a great job holding on to second. Friske dominated the rest of the [Read More]

Konst hits Hobby Stock pay dirt at Black Hills

By Ben Deatherage RAPID CITY, S.D. (May 31, 2024) – Black Hills Speedway returned to action Friday, featuring Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. The Hobby Stock finale fired off with Tracy Konst leading the first lap, only for Sean Weber to take over on the following circuit. However, a caution came out before the whole field could cross the wire, which meant the pass was negated and the race was reset with Konst back in the top spot. She tried to build a lead, but Weber again threaded the needle on the inside line on the back straightaway. Weber then engaged in a drag race with Brett Konst out of the fourth turn, with Weber barely edging his challenger out. Another yellow flag gave Tracy Konst the lead back but when the race resumed, Weber again overtook the frontrunner, finally officially leading a lap. However, Brett Konst had other plans and made a daring move around the outside line, beating Weber to the line on the following circuit. John Garrigan Jr., a [Read More]

Garrigan does it again while Mass dominates at Black Hills

By Ben Deatherage RAPID CITY, S. D. – The high-horsepower half-mile clay oval of Black Hills Speedway roared to life again on Friday, for the third race of the 2024 campaign. Competitors in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Modified Hobby Stocks were in action. At the drop of the green flag in the Modified main, Eric Mass immediately went to work and took the race lead from starting third going into the first corner. The Rapid City driver was looking for redemption from the week before when mechanical woes forced him to retire early. Whether out in the open or dealing with a bit of lapped traffic, Mass dominated the field to the checkers. It was his second victory of the season. Brent Nielsen and Nate Hand were second and third, respectively. Sean Weber seized the lead in turn three from the initial pacesetter Lori Konst, setting the stage for an intense battle later on in the Hobby Stock show. Things intensified on the sixth circuit when John Garrigan Jr., Weber and Brett Konst [Read More]

Garrigan, Nielsen are best at Black Hills

By Ben Deatherage RAPID CITY, S.D. (May 17, 2024) – Black Hills Speedway fired things up with incredible racing Friday night, with IMCA feature wins going to John Garrigan Jr. and Brent Nielsen. When the main event for IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks kicked off, Brett Konst was a force to be reckoned with, shooting ahead of the pack and leaving Garrigan and Alan McNeil to battle it out for the runner-up position. As the caution-free race continued, it seemed like Konst was on a direct path to victory. But Garrigan launched a daring charge, closing the gap between himself and the leader. The final lap was a nail-biting duel, with Garrigan snatching the win from Konst by a mere three one hundreths of a second. Konst was second while McNeil was scored in third. Not to be outdone, the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds began with Eric Mass obtaining the lead on the initial drop of the green flag. After a lap one caution, a restart allowed hometown racer Nielsen to challenge, but Mass drove away once he [Read More]

Black Hills, Gillette host IMCA Hobby Stocks for $1,000 to win

RAPID CITY, S.D. (June 19, 2023) – Taking the checkers at IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks specials this weekend at Black Hills Speedway and at Gillette Thunder Speedway will be good for a grand. Features Friday, June 23 at Black Hills, in Rapid City, S.D., and Saturday, June 24 at Wyoming’s Gillette Thunder both pay $1,000 to win and a minimum of $100 to start. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Big Daddy Race Cars Northern Region, state and track points are at stake each night as well. Entry fee each night is $75 and pit passes are $30. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and veterans, $6 for kids ages 12 years and under and over four feet tall, and free for all kids under four feet. Gates open at 5 p.m. Friday and at 6 p.m. Saturday with racing starting at 7 p.m. both nights.

IMCA Modifieds chase $2,000 checks on July 15-17 Gunslinger Tour

RAPID CITY, S.D. (July 12, 2022) – Friesen Performance IMCA Modified drivers take aim at $2,000 top prizes each night of the July 15-17 Gunslinger Tour. Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility is also at stake Friday, July 15 at Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, S.D.; Saturday, July 16 at Gillette, Wy., Thunder Speedway; and Sunday, July 17 at Casper, Wy., Speedway. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Shaw Race Cars Western Region, KMJ Performance State and track points will be awarded each night and the top driver in overall Gunslinger points receives a championship revolver. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks are also on the card at Black Hills and Gillette. Information about race programs each night is available on Facebook or the track websites.

Black Hills, Gillette host weekend 38 Specials for IMCA Modifieds

RAPID CITY, S.D. – What could be a very special weekend could put more than $2,000 in the pocket of an IMCA Modified driver. Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, S.D., hosts the $1,250 to win, Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying 38 Special on Friday, July 19. Another $800 goes to the winner of the Saturday, July 20 38 Special at Gillette, Wy., Thunder Speedway. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Larry Shaw Race Cars Western Region, E3 Spark Plugs State and track points will be awarded. Entry fee is $75 and pit gates ope and racing starts at 7 p.m. each night. Grandstand admission at Black Hills is $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and veterans, and $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and veterans at Gillette. Kids 12 and over four feet and taller are $6 while those under four feet tall get in free each night. Pit passes are $30. More information is available by calling 307 257-9589.

Black Hills Speedway adding IMCA Modifieds, RaceSaver Sprints

Two more IMCA divisions will be featured this season on Friday race programs at Black Hills Speedway. IMCA Modifieds and IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars join IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks on the half-mile dirt oval at Rapid City. A car show and test ‘n tune session is on the tentative schedule for April 27 with the IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing opener on May 3. The 2019 season will be the fourth for sanctioned Hobby Stocks at Black Hills. “We have had a non-sanctioned sprint car class the last few seasons. A lot of local drivers have expressed an interest in something more concrete, with a point fund and sanctioning body,” promoter Ed Kirchoff said. “Modifieds are a natural progression for us. We had Modifieds at a Gunslinger Tour race and again at the end of the season last year.” Five hundred dollars is the top prize for the Hobby Stocks in their May 31 special at Rapid City while the winner of the 38 Special for Modifieds earns $1,250 and a spot on the Fast [Read More]