dacotahspeedway Archives

Ulmer Wins Photo Finish in Dacotah Stock Car Feature

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (June 12, 2026) — Travis Ulmer charged from ninth starting position and edged Jason Berg by inches at the checkered flag to win the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature Friday night at Dacotah Speedway. Bismarck’s Brandon Honrud led the field to green before outside front-row starter Berg quickly assumed command. Berg and Matt Dosch spent much of the race battling for the lead while Ulmer steadily worked his way through traffic. A caution with four laps remaining erased Berg’s advantage and set up a dramatic finish. Ulmer moved past Dosch on the restart and immediately challenged Berg. Berg excelled in turns one and two while Ulmer found speed in turns three and four, setting the stage for a thrilling final lap. At the stripe, Ulmer narrowly defeated Berg to score his first Dacotah Speedway victory since June of 2013 and his first EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region win of the season. Berg settled for second, followed by Dosch, Jason Meidinger and Casey Binstock. Kinzley Captures First Modified Win of Season Quentin [Read More]

Tomlinson Ends Dacotah Drought in Modified Main

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (May 29, 2026) — Dacotah Speedway was back in action on Friday night after weather forced the cancellation of the previous week’s program. Chris “The Crowbar” Tuchscherer started on the pole for the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified feature, but it was Marcus Tomlinson who quickly established himself as the driver to beat. The Turtle Lake racer grabbed the lead in the early stages before defending track champion Jeremy Keller reeled him in. The pair raced side by side for several laps in one of the night’s most entertaining battles. Contact between the leaders allowed Shawn Strand to close the gap, and with six laps remaining, Strand moved past Keller for second and began chasing down Tomlinson. Despite the pressure, Tomlinson remained composed and drove to victory, collecting his second Razor Chassis North Central Region win of the season and first Dacotah Speedway triumph of 2026. The victory was also his first feature win at the Mandan oval since August of 2020. Strand finished second ahead of Keller. Tuchscherer crossed the stripe [Read More]

Berg Goes Flag-to-Flag for First Dacotah Speedway Stock Car Victory

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (May 15, 2026) — When the green flag waved for the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature at Dacotah Speedway, pole sitter Jason Berg quickly pulled away from the field. As Berg’s lead continued to grow, the battle raged behind him for second place between Brennor Grinstead and Travis Ulmer. They raced door-to-door and side-by-side for several laps. A caution with seven laps to go erased Berg’s large advantage over the field. On the restart, Andrew Jochim quickly moved into the second position and challenged for the lead. Mechanical failure on Jochim’s car resulted in contact between the leaders, but Berg held onto the top spot while Jochim took his car to the pits. Berg, from Fargo, pulled away once more to lead all 20 laps and cruise to his first Dacotah Speedway win and first EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the 2026 season. Travis Ulmer finished second ahead of points leader Geoff Hellman, who charged from 18th to third. Brennor Grinstead slipped to fourth while Todd Carter rounded out [Read More]

Hellman Goes Back-to-Back After Wild Stock Car Battle at Mandan

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (May 8, 2026) — Fans were on their feet during a wild Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature that saw Geoff Hellman emerge victorious after a chaotic and action-packed Friday night battle at Dacotah Speedway. Travis Ulmer and Brennor Grinstead fought fiercely for the lead in the early stages while defending track champion Hellman carved his way through the field from 12th starting position. The trio eventually raced three-wide for the top spot, occasionally making contact while thrilling the crowd with an intense battle for supremacy. A caution with seven laps remaining tightened the field, and more drama unfolded on the restart when contact between Hellman and Grinstead sent Grinstead spinning in front of the pack, collecting Andrew Jochim. Grinstead was sent to the rear following the incident. On the final restart, Jochim, who had started 10th, mounted one last challenge for the lead, but Mandan’s Hellman held him off at the stripe to collect his second straight feature win and second EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the season. Jochim [Read More]

Pavlicek Finally Breaks Through in SportMods at Dacotah’s Oktoberfest

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (Sept. 27, 2025) — Casselton’s Rich Pavlicek quickly pulled away in the Karl Chevrolet IMCA SportMod feature on the final night of Oktoberfest at Dacotah Speedway. The real battle was for second as Keenan Glasser, Troy Speten and Nathan Speten fought it out. A series of mid-race cautions regrouped the field, with Nathan Speten slipping past Glasser for second. Glasser rallied, however, and retook the spot with six laps remaining. After coming up short the past two years, Pavlicek finally broke through and parked in Dacotah Speedway victory lane. Glasser held off Nathan Speten for second, with Chris VanMil fourth and Jayden Pavlicek rounding out the top five. Satran Survives Caution-Filled Hobby Stock Main When the green flag waved in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature, it was an early duel between Diezel Raynard and Kyler Satran. Satran grabbed the lead before a caution reset the field, the first of several that slowed the pace. The restarts worked to the advantage of former Oktoberfest champion Brandon Beeter, who sliced his way [Read More]

Seidler Scores Stock Car Finale at Mandan; Hellman Clinches Title on Tie-Breaker

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (Aug. 22, 2025) — The points battle in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars at Dacotah Speedway was razor-thin between Geoff Hellman and Matt Dosch, with just one point separating the two entering the final race of the season. Hellman’s night started rough after a heat race incident, putting extra pressure on the feature. Cautions flew early and often, helping both Hellman and Dosch work their way toward the front. Up ahead, Marlyn Seidler — who came up short the week prior — grabbed the early lead. Hellman mounted a charge, racing Seidler side by side while Dosch lurked in third. Hellman took control on lap eight, but Seidler wasn’t finished. The veteran fought back, retaking the lead with five to go and pulling away to his second win of the season in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region, both coming at Dacotah Speedway. The drama wasn’t over. Behind Seidler, Dosch and Hellman waged their own battle — not only for second place but for the track championship. At the line, Dosch [Read More]

Oktoberfest Returns to Dacotah Speedway September 26-27

By Ben Deatherage MANDAN, N.D. (Aug. 21, 2025) – The tradition of fall racing at Dacotah Speedway continues with Oktoberfest presented by TransTrash, set for Friday and Saturday, September 26-27. The two-day special will once again feature the same format as last year, with heats and Dash for Cash races on Friday night and ‘B’ mains and championship features on Saturday night. Four IMCA divisions will headline the program, each racing for a $1,000 top prize: Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet IMCA SportMods, and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks. Friday’s program begins with the pit gate opening at 5:00 p.m. and grandstands at 6:00 p.m. Draw cutoff is 6:15 p.m., with racing beginning at 7:00 p.m. Drivers unable to make it to the track Friday but planning to race Saturday must check in on Friday by messaging the Dacotah Speedway Facebook page or by contacting Becca Pelkey directly. All drivers must check in on Friday to be eligible for Saturday competition – no exceptions. Passing points will determine transfers into the Dash [Read More]

Dosch Steals Dacotah Speedway Stock Car Thriller at the Line

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (Aug. 15, 2025) — The Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature at Dacotah Speedway had fans on their feet from green to checkered. Veteran Marlyn Seidler led the opening circuits, setting a strong pace before an early caution bunched the field. On the restart, Brock Beeter and Matt Dosch went to work on Scott Gartner for second, while Geoff Hellman used the high line to move past both into contention. The race quickly turned into a three-way fight for the win, with Seidler steady through the middle, Dosch working the low side, and Hellman charging upstairs. They ran three wide as the white flag waved, trading the lead back and forth in a thrilling dash to the finish. Out of turn four, it was Dosch by a nose over Hellman at the line, with Seidler settling for third after leading all but the final two laps. The victory was Dosch’s second of the season in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region, both coming at his home track in Mandan. Keller Outduels Wolla [Read More]

Hellman Sweeps Stock Cars to Win Governor’s Cup Title

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (July 26, 2025) — Dacotah Speedway hosted the North Dakota Governor’s Cup Auto Races on July 25 and 26. First held in the early 1990s under the vision of then-Governor George Sinner, the event was designed to be a marquee racing showcase for drivers across North Dakota. Originally rotating between tracks, it found a permanent home at Dacotah Speedway by the mid-1990s. Now more than three decades later, the Governor’s Cup still draws top-tier competition from across the Midwest to the high banks of Mandan. On Friday night, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars took center stage as Andrew Jochim and Jonny Carter led the field to green after scoring the most passing points in their heats. Jonny Carter led the opening laps but faced immediate pressure from Jochim and Geoff Hellman. The three traded positions in an exciting battle while Matt Dosch lurked just behind. Hellman used the high line to clear Jochim for second and then set his sights on Carter. With five laps to go, Hellman pulled a big slider [Read More]

Meidinger Scores First Career Stock Car Win at Dacotah

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (July 18, 2025) – When the green flag waved in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature at Dacotah Speedway, Shawn Strand charged to the lead entering the first corner. An early caution regrouped the field, and on the ensuing restart, Matt Dosch drove past Todd Carter for second. Dosch then set his sights on Strand, and the two raced door-to-door for the top spot. Meanwhile, Jason Meidinger was on the move from the 13th starting position. With just four laps to go, Meidinger powered by Dosch for second and went to work on the leader. He dove low under Strand and the two veterans ran side-by-side in the closing laps. Meidinger held the advantage in turns one and two, while Strand maintained momentum through three and four. At the line, it was Meidinger claiming his first career Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature win in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region. Strand settled for second, with Dosch completing the podium. Keller Charges to Fourth Modified Win of 2025 Elijah Puckett led early [Read More]