dacotahspeedway Archives

Seidler, Sandberg keep winning at Mandan

By Becca Rattei MANDAN, N.D. (May 21) – Marlyn Seidler and Ken Sandberg continued their winning ways Friday at Dacotah Speedway. Scott Gartner led from the pole in the IMCA Modified feature. As Gartner stretched his lead over second place Crist Pittenger, Seidler cracked the top five after starting eighth. Seidler passed Chris Welk for fourth and when Michael Hartigan got loose, Seidler slipped by for third place as well. Wasting no time, Seidler quickly caught and passed Pittenger for second and set his sights on the leader. Once Seidler caught Gartner, he struggled to get around the young driver. Switching his line to the high side, Seidler found some extra speed to get around Gartner and take the lead on lap 10. Seidler pulled away as Gartner had his hands full with a speedy Zach Frederick and Jeremy Keller. It was a three-car battle before Keller slipped by to take second. As the laps wound down, Seidler started to catch lapped traffic but it didn’t slow him down any as he pulled away to [Read More]

Restart opens door for Strand at Mandan

By Rebecca Rattei MANDAN, N.D. (May 7) – Shawn Strand took advantage of a restart in winning the IMCA Modified feature on a chilly Friday night at Dacotah Speedway. Fans packed the grandstands and saw veteran Marlyn Seidler, coming back from a rollover the previous week, in the lead early. He pulled away early before a caution erased his large lead over second place Strand. On the restart, Strand flew by on the highside, leaving Seidler to fend off third place Quentin Kinzley. It didn’t take long for the leaders to start catching lapped traffic. Using the slower cars to his advantage, Kinzley slipped by Seidler for second. A late-race caution erased Strand’s large lead over the field. On the final restart of the race, Jeremy Keller slipped by Seidler for third as Mark Dahl had his hands full with a speedy Spencer Wilson. Coming to the checkered flag, Spencer Wilson made a last lap pass over Mark Dahl to finish fifth. Tanner Hofer led the field to the green flag in the Mach-1 Sport [Read More]

Keller, Sandberg score opening night wins at Dacotah Speedway

By Rebecca Rattei MANDAN, N.D. (April 30) – Dacotah Speedway kicked off its 2021 racing season with more than 110 cars from all over the Midwest checked in to officially kick off dirt track racing in North Dakota. Jeremy Keller was the IMCA Modified winner and Ken Sandberg scored the Mach-1 Sport Compact main event victory. After a complete restart in the Modified feature, pole sitter Mark Dahl and Quentin Kinzley battled for the lead. Kinzley grabbed the lead before an early caution regrouped the field. On the restart, Kinzley pulled away while Mark Dahl, Marlyn Seidler and Shawn Strand raced hard for second. Dahl got loose off turn four which resulted in Dahl turning into Seidler and sent him rolling down the front stretch. Seidler was OK but his night was cut short On the restart, Kinzley and Strand made contact racing for the lead. The contact broke Strand’s right front tie rod which drew a caution. On the final restart of the night, Keller dove low under Kinzley. They raced side-by-side until Keller [Read More]

Seidler, Sandberg celebrate on Anniversary Night at Mandan

MANDAN, N.D. (Aug. 14) – Dacotah Speedway celebrated its 30th anniversary and Marlyn Seidler and Ken Sandberg celebrated IMCA feature wins Friday night. Crist Pittenger passed pole sitter Tony Marsh for the lead in the IMCA Modified feature, then was pressured by Scott Gartner and Seidler. Gartner briefly took the lead on lap seven but that was short-lived as Seidler slipped by to take the lead on lap 11. Gartner then started to fade through the field, losing positions to Spencer Wilson, Shawn Strand and Travis Olheiser. Strand passed Wilson who then fell into the clutches of Olheiser. Making a late-race pass, Rusty Kollman finished fifth behind Wilson. Ohleiser finished third while Strand finished a distant second. Seidler was in another zip code as he cruised to victory lane to his 97th career IMCA Modified feature victory. JayDe Satcho and Levi Ensz battled for the initial lead in the Mach-1 Sport Compact feature. Satcho led in front of a four-car battle for second between Ensz, Sandberg, Paul Schuh and Alex Thompson. Sandberg shuffled into the second [Read More]

Gaylord finds glory at Dacotah, Zevenbergen wins 5th

MANDAN, N.D. (July 15) – When Tripp Gaylord drew the pole position for the IMCA Modified “A” feature on the Moritz Sport & Marine Dakota Classic Tour presented by Bismarck Motor Company at Dacotah Speedway, the real test began. A week with many frustrations for the Colorado racer finished out with a feeling of euphoria. Gaylord did double duty in the Modified and Stock Car all week long until Dacotah Speedway, handing the reins over to brother Ryan in order to focus on the Modified. He had made every feature in both classes until that point. Gaylord was a rocket from the drop of the green flag in Mandan, leading by over three seconds at one point and maneuvering lapped traffic to grab the $2,400 win. Already on the Fast Shafts Al-Star Invitational ballot, Gaylord was followed across the stripe by Jake O’Neil, Robert Hellebust, Shawn Strand and Alex Stanford. Consistent Austin Arneson captured the tour championship. Elijah Zevenbergen is the best accomplished IMCA Sunoco Stock Car driver the tour has seen, winning for the [Read More]

Dacotah checkers fly for Kinzley, Hanson

By Becca Rattei MANDAN, N.D. (June 12) – IMCA winners Friday night at Dacotah Speedway were Quentin Kinzley and Braydee Hanson. Pole sitter Hank Berry quickly pulled away early in the IMCA Modified feature. Berry’s large lead was erased by a lap seven caution, however, and Kinzley passed Mark Dahl for second and challenged Berry for the lead following the restart. They briefly raced side by side until Kinzley took charge on lap eight. Kinzley started to pull away as Marlyn Seidler started to close in on Berry. Kinzley made it look easy as he cruised to victory lane to win his second career feature victory. Berry held off Seidler to finish second while Jeremy Keller finished fourth. Spencer Wilson rounded out the top five. Ken Sandberg grabbed the lead from pole sitter Stan Thompson in the Mach-1 Sport Compact feature. As Sandberg started to distance himself from the field, Thompson and Hanson battled for second. A caution regrouped the field with four laps to go. On the restart, Hanson was all over Sandberg’s bumper. [Read More]

Green flag flies for Dacotah Speedway’s 30th anniversary season

MANDAN, N.D. (June 5) – Shawn Strand was the IMCA Modified winner and Braydee Hanson led the way to the Mach-1 Sport Compact checkers on the 30th annual opening night Friday at Dacotah Speedway. After a complete restart, Travis Olheiser and Strand raced side-by-side for the lead in the Modified feature as Jeremy Keller lurked in third. An early race caution reset the field and on the restart Strand found speed along the high side. He passed Olheiser for the lead and quickly pulled away. As the laps wound down, Jason Wolla passed Keller for third place and started to chase down Olheiser. However, Wolla ran out of time as Strand cruised to victory. After winning the last two Sport Compact season openers, Andy Reed started on the pole. A couple of complete restarts regrouped the field before he pulled away. Brayden Urlacher and Hanson battled hard for second place before Hanson cleared Urlacher and chased down Reed for the lead. They race side-by-side briefly before Hanson took the lead with five laps to go. Hanson [Read More]

Strand ends season with win at Oktoberfest

MANDAN, N.D. (Sept. 27) – Shawn Strand ended September with the IMCA Modified feature win at Dacotah Speedway’s Oktoberfest special. Strand caught Marlyn Seidler late in a 30-lapper that stayed green after two early cautions for the $1,000 checkers and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth. “It was my last race of the year and I had a good car. It was a good way to put her away for the season,” he said. Seidler ended in second. Rounding out the top five were Travis Olheiser, 14th starting Travis Tooley and hard charger Jeremy Keller, who’d started 17th. Seidler had gotten out to a four to five car length advantage over the fourth starting Strand, maintaining that advantage while working lapped traffic. Strand then found the speed he needed on a higher line, catching the leader with six circuits left. The win was his fourth of 2019, his second of the season at Mandan and IMCA career 74th. Oktoberfest doubled as a Tri-City Modified Series event. Zach Frederick beat eighth starting Robby Rosselli and Kelly Jacobson [Read More]

Dacotah Speedway hosts July 26, 27 Governor’s Cup

MANDAN, N.D. – IMCA Modifieds race for $800 to win, Mach-1 Sport Compacts for $250 to win both nights of Dacotah Speedway’s Friday and Saturday, July 26 and 27 Governor’s Cup. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, E3 Spark Plugs North Dakota State and track points will be awarded in both divisions. Modifieds also earn Side Biter Chassis North Central Region points. There is no entry fee and pit passes are $30. Grandstand admission is $20 for adults, with $1 off when advance tickets are purchased at any Red Carpet Car Wash location. Kids 12 and under get in free. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. both days. The grandstand opens at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The grandstand opens at 4 p.m. and the first green flag flies at 6 p.m. on Saturday. More information about the Governor’s Cup is available by calling 701 391-6211.

Arneson makes like lightning in bolt to Legendary IMCA Modified checkers

MANDAN, N.D. (July 12) – Austin Arneson was almost as fast as the lightning on the horizon Friday night at Dacotah Speedway. Arneson led all 40 laps of the fourth Corral Sales Legendary main event, earning a career-best $10,004 payday, a $500 bonus as the leader at midway and a berth on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. He’ll join younger brother Casey, runner-up in both the Legendary and Thursday’s Kupper Chevrolet Dakota Classic Tour finale at Mandan, on the All-Star ballot. “I’ve raced all over the country with the biggest names in the Modified division,” said Arneson, who took the checkers in front of a number of those drivers. “Winning the race was pretty exciting, but what was even more exciting was running 1-2 with my brother.” Ricky Thornton Jr., Hunter Marriott and Lucas Schott rounded out the top five. Dakota Classic Modified Tour champion Tom Berry ran second most of the way before breaking late. After the initial green flag was delayed by a light rain shower and work on the racing surface, [Read More]