estevanmotorspeedway Archives

Dakota Classic Mod Tour Set to Bring Six Nights of Intense Racing Action to the Northern Plains

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 16, 2025) — The 2025 Dakota Classic Mod Tour is set to bring six straight nights of high-octane competition across North Dakota and Saskatchewan, featuring the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars. The tour kicks off at J-Town on Saturday, July 5 at Jamestown Speedway, where fans will get their first look at this year’s competitors. From there, the tour heads to the Playground of Power at Nodak Speedway in Minot on Sunday, where the stakes intensify on the fast 3/8-mile oval. On Monday, the series crosses the border into the Land of the Living Skies in Saskatchewan, stopping at Estevan Motor Speedway for what is always a fan-favorite event. Following the Canadian leg, the tour returns to North Dakota on Tuesday for a stop at Williston Basin Speedway, where drivers will go Racin’ at the Basin on the tight and demanding bullring. The penultimate night of the tour takes the field to Southwest Speedway in Dickinson on Wednesday, with the grand finale set for Dacotah Speedway [Read More]

Turnbull Steals the Show in Home Track Thriller

By Ben Deatherage ESTEVAN, SK (May 3, 2025) — The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds delivered an intense showdown for the 2025 opener at Estevan Motor Speedway. Five-time defending track champion Kody Scholpp set the tone early, bolting to a big lead before multiple cautions brought the field back to him. Aaron Turnbull and Steven Pfeifer—both decorated veterans—traded the second spot behind Scholpp, with Turnbull eventually getting the edge by lap 7. A caution on lap 9 tightened the pack again, and a final yellow with just eight laps remaining set up the feature’s pivotal moment. Turnbull, making the high side work to perfection, slipped past Scholpp for the lead on lap 18. The Estevan native began to pull away as Pfeifer and Scholpp resumed their fight for second. Turnbull, a two-time track champion and the 2013 Dakota Classic Mod Tour champ, earned his first Razor Chassis North Central Region win of the season. His son Eli had earlier won his first-ever Slingshot race, making it a special night for the Turnbull family. Scholpp settled for second, with [Read More]

Austin Daae: From Ice to Dirt, the Final Shift

By Ben Deatherage ESTEVAN, SK (Apr. 21, 2025) — For most, playing professional hockey would be enough. For Austin Daae, it’s just one half of the story. The Estevan, Saskatchewan native is just as comfortable skating across frozen rinks as he is sliding through the corners of dirt ovals. And in 2024, he added a big milestone to his résumé—Sunoco IMCA Stock Car champion at Estevan Motor Speedway. “It was a good season,” said Daae. “I haven’t gotten to run for points in 7 or 8 years at least. Per usual, I got home late from playing hockey down south. I was still down there when the first night got rained out. I would’ve liked to race more, but I had hockey things going on. I was able to race every night at home and finally get a points championship.” He picked up four wins at Estevan and added another at Nodak Speedway in Minot, North Dakota. The competition in the region is never easy. “Anywhere you go in North Dakota, you know you’ve got your [Read More]

Scholpp brothers visit Estevan victory lane on championship night

By Ben Deatherage ESTEVAN, Sask. (Aug. 23, 2024) – Kyle Scholpp had the entire crowd at Estevan Motor Speedway on its feet when the checkered flag waved to bring the IMCA Sunoco IMCA Stock Car main event to a close. The Lampman driver, who started on the inside pole, held on by a margin to win his third victory of the season at his home track on championship night. Austin Daae led at the line on the first lap after a spirited battle with Scholpp. Still, Scholpp countered with a terrific run on the backstretch to obtain the lead on the second corner. Gabe Deschamp would scoot past Daae for second on lap seven. Daae tried to stay on the podium as his hands were full with Chase Davidson chasing for third. Daae tried to reclaim second, but Deschamp kept him in check. Things got interesting late when the lone caution came out with three trips around remaining. Daae went to work on his trademark high line while Deschamp rolled the bottom, both in pursuit [Read More]

Daae does it at Estevan Stock Car special

By Ben Deatherage ESTEVAN, Sask. (Aug. 10, 2024) – Austin Daae had himself quite a night at Estevan Motor Speedway’s $1,000 to win IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, presented by The Floor Store, special. The hometown hotshoe motored to his fifth win of the season, fourth of 2024 at Estevan and became B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible as well with the Saturday checkers. Daae and Mike Hagen battled for the early lead in the 20-lpper. Daae, starting from the inside pole, quickly gained momentum while Hagen focused on keeping Troy Heupel at bay. As the race developed and stayed green, Hagen reeled in Daae while still holding off Heupel. Hagen put up a formal but unsuccessful challenge for the lead around midway. Chase Davidson launched a challenge of his own, contesting Heupel for third. His persistence paid off when he finally got around on lap 14. Meanwhile, Daae pulled away to secure the win. Hagen was second, with Davidson completing the podium in third. Three other Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing divisions [Read More]

Estevan checkers complete Berry’s collection, he’ll race next for IMCA Dakota Tour record

ESTEVAN, Sask. (July 8, 2024) – Tom Berry Jr. completed his collection Monday night. Next, he’ll race for a Dakota Classic Modified Tour powered by Industrial Electric record. Berry led start to finish of a caution-free and quickly-paced 30-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event at Estevan Motor Speedway. The $2,000 checkers were his tour career ninth, matching the record set by Ricky Thornton Jr. since IMCA resumed sanctioning the tour in 2006. “I haven’t gotten a win here since like five years ago so it was nice to get this one,” Berry said from victory lane. “We didn’t race at Estevan the year I swept the tour (2022, when two events were held at Dacotah Speedway) so it was pretty cool to win here.” “Now I’ve got a win on every track on the Mod tour.” His latest win was never in doubt as Berry started outside the front row and pulled away from the start. Ethan Braaksma took over the second spot 10 laps in and started cutting into Berry’s big lead, but [Read More]

Early entry list is “stacked’ for 35th Dakota Classic IMCA Modified Tour

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (July 1, 2024) – After looking over the names, new co-promoter Byron Fichter could have used any number of words to describe pre-entry lists for the upcoming Dakota Classic IMCA Modified Tour. But it turned out he only needed one: “Stacked.” Fichter and partner Aaron Turnbull take over at the helm of the 35th annual tour, which travels to six tracks in North Dakota and Saskatchewan July 6-11. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds race for $2,000 to win, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $1,000 to win each night Saturday, July 6 at Jamestown Speedway with following dates Sunday, July 7 at Nodak Speedway in Minot; Monday, July 8 at Estevan Motor Speedway; Tuesday, July 9 at Williston Basin Speedway; Wednesday, July 10 at Southwest Speedway in Dickinson; and Thursday, July 11 at Dacotah Speedway in Mandan. “We’ve got former tour champions, former national champions and former Super Nationals champions pre-registered,” said Fichter, listing the likes of four-time tour king Hank Berry, 2023 tour champions Tim Ward – also champion at Super Nationals – and Rob [Read More]

IMCA Dakota Classic Tour history made in 35th season

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (May 31, 2024) – Byron Fichter and Aaron Turnbull have been part of the Dakota Classic Tour for maybe more years than they’d like to admit. This year, they’ll be in charge of it. The two are new co-directors of the tour for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, set to visit six tracks in North Dakota and Saskatchewan from July 6-11. “We have big shoes to fill,” Fichter said, acknowledging the efforts of founder and director John Gartner over the tour’s first 34 years. “People who come on the tour know the tracks in North Dakota and Canada are good hosts. We’re proud of our racing facilities and our racing communities.” “We have a lot of history, including 34 years of history as the best traveling series for Modifieds in North America.” The 35th annual tour opens Saturday, July 6 at Jamestown Speedway with following dates Sunday, July 7 at Nodak Speedway in Minot; Monday, July 8 at Estevan Motor Speedway; Tuesday, July 9 at Williston Basin Speedway; Wednesday, July [Read More]

Sale of Dakota Classic Modified Tour announced

MANDAN, N.D. (Dec. 5, 2023) – Dakota Classic Modified Tour owner John Gartner has agreed to sell the long-time running series to a promoters’ governing group that represents the six tracks currently hosting the tour. The tour for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars will be held during the previously agreed upon dates next July starting with Jamestown Speedway on Saturday, July 6; Nodak Speedway in Minot on Sunday, July 7; Estevan Motor Speedway on Monday, July 8; Williston Basin Speedway on Tuesday, July 9; Southwest Speedway in Dickinson on Wednesday, July 10; and Dacotah Speedway in Mandan on Thursday, July 11. No significant changes are planned to be made with tour payouts, fees or procedures. The governing group will be selecting a tour director/promoter at some point in the future. The new governing board members and promoters of each track state that that “Words cannot do enough to describe our gratitude to John for his commitment to this tour over the years. This tour would not exist without him. As we move [Read More]

North Dakota driver Deschamp soars to new heights

BOTTINEAU, N.D. – His fascination with buttons and gauges and all things mechanical first took Gabriel Deschamp to the dirt track. Then it took him to the skies. The 19-year-old from Bottineau got his private pilot’s license this summer and has already begun studies toward a degree in commercial aviation at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. He’ll drive, or maybe fly, home on the weekends to continue quests for Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod track titles at hometown Thunder Mountain Speedway and at Nodak Speedway in Minot. “Ever since I was younger, I liked buttons and gauges, and race cars and planes both have a lot of them,” explained Deschamp. “It’s just something I’ve always been interested in, and one of the things I like best about flying is the freedom. You can get to other places quickly and easily. And it’s pretty cool when you’re in control of where you’re going.” He’d built and flown his own balsa wood radio controlled planes before following his grandfather and father Beau – now [Read More]