southwestspeedway Archives

IMCA Dakota Tour checkers at Dickinson are first for Braaksma

DICKINSON, N.D. (July 10, 2024) – That great big sigh of relief you heard in victory lane at Southwest Speedway Wednesday night came from Ethan Braaksma. The Newton, Iowa pilot chased Kyle Strickler the first 20 laps, finally found his way to the front and led the last 10 times around the 3/8-mile clay oval at Dickinson for his career first Dakota Classic Modified Tour powered by Industrial Electric feature win. “It definitely takes a lot of weight off my shoulders,” said Braaksma, who had run second, second and then third in the three previous Friesen Performance IMCA Modified tour outings. “We’ve been itching to get this win. We finally got it and now we’re ready to get another one.” Strickler had won the Tuesday night main event with a last-lap pass at Williston Basin Speedway and looked like he had the car to go back-to-back with, leading Travis Hagen and then Braaksma through a fast-paced opening 12 circuits. Braaksma peeked inside a couple times before the front pair encountered a five-car pack running at [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]

IMCA.TV bonuses paid to Dakota Tour Modified drivers defending home tracks

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (July 7, 2023) – Modified drivers defending their home track(s) earn almost $2,000 in bonuses during the upcoming IMCA.TV Dakota Classic Modified Tour. The top three finishing drivers appearing in local track standings coming into the night at July 8-13 tour events each receive $110 IMCA.TV DCMT Defender Awards. Where they finish in the feature doesn’t matter: The sole requirement is that they have competed and earned weekly points at that track/or tracks this season. Bonuses totaling $330 will be paid each night. Checks will be mailed from the IMCA office when results are official. The 34th annual Dakota Classic Tour for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars opens July 8 at Jamestown Speedway and travels to Nodak Speedway in Minot on July 9, Estevan Motor Speedway on July 10, Williston Basin Speedway on July 11, Southwest Speedway in Dickinson on July 12 and Dacotah Speedway in Mandan July 13. IMCA.TV broadcasts each of those race programs. Modifieds race for $2,000 to win along with Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility [Read More]

34th IMCA.TV Dakota Classic Modified Tour starts Saturday in Jamestown

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (July 6, 2023) – Online entries continue to come in for the 34th annual IMCA.TV Dakota Classic Modified Tour. The six consecutive night tour for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stocks Cars is again an international series with Estevan Motor Speedway in Saskatchewan back after a three-year absence due to the Covid pandemic. At this point, drivers have pre-registered from 15 US states and a healthy contingent from Canada. Modifieds will be running for $2,000 to win and $300 to start their 26-car features, along with Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. Stock Cars will be paid $1,000 to win their 24-car feature events with B & B Racing Chassis All-Star qualifying eligibility awarded as well. More than $140,000 in payout for the series will be paid and there is a $10,000 point fund between the two divisions for the top 10 in tour points. In addition, over $25,000 in contingency prizes will be awarded to the top 25 in Modified and top 20 in Stock Car tour points. All six race [Read More]

IMCA Dakota Classic Tour will be ‘back to normal’

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (June 1, 2023) – For the first time in what’s been years, the guy who’s been around for all the years of the Dakota Classic Tour powered by Industrial Electric believes things will be back to normal. And normal is good. The 34th annual tour takes Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars to six different tracks in North Dakota and Saskatchewan over the course of its July 8-13 run. Modifieds run for $2,000 to win, Stock Cars for $1,000 to win each night. “Finally, it seems like we’re getting back to what feels normal,” said John Gartner, director of the tour since day one. “We haven’t had to deal with tornadoes, or flooding, and there’s no pandemic, which means we’re back to being an international series.” After dates July 8 at Jamestown Speedway and July 9 at Minot’s Nodak Speedway, the tour returns to Canada and Estevan Motor Speedway on July 10. “The tour hasn’t been north of the border since 2019, the year before COVID,” Gartner said. “I made the [Read More]

Estevan is back on schedule for 2023 IMCA Dakota Tour

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (Dec. 19, 2022) – History teacher turned tour director John Gartner channeled his inner Douglas MacArthur when he promised a return to Estevan Motor Speedway. And like the general who made good on his promise to return to the Philippines, Gartner and the IMCA Dakota Classic Modified Tour will return to the Saskatchewan track in 2023. “I’m a history major and always talked to kids about MacArthur’s promise,” he explained. “The tour hasn’t been to Canada since 2019, the year before COVID, and I told people we would go back as soon as we could.” “We made that promise and we’re going to keep it,” he continued. “We will be back in Estevan on July 10.” Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds run for $2,000 to win, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $1,000 to win each night of the July 8-13 tour. Opening night is Saturday, July 8 at Jamestown Speedway. The tour is at Nodak Speedway in Minot on July 9 and Estevan the next night. Williston Basin Speedway hosts the July 11 show. [Read More]

Berry makes run at IMCA Dakota Tour record book tonight

By Becca Pelkey DICKINSON, N.D. (July 12, 2022) – Tom Berry Jr. will make his run at the Corral Sales IMCA Dakota Classic Tour record book Wednesday night in Mandan. Berry won a fourth consecutive Friesen Performance IMCA Modified tour feature Tuesday at Southwest Speedway. Those checkers, good for $2,000, put him in position to match Steve Arpin’s perfect 5-for-5 tour campaign in 2007. Ricky Alvarado led the Modified field to green, but yellows came early and often and helped Berry move quickly through the field from his 10th starting spot. While battling to stay in the top spot, Alvarado had a mechanical failure and handed the lead over to Berry. Although cautions continued to slow the pace, Berry pulled away on each restart to win in front of the 11th starting Dakota Sproul, former national champion Jason Wolla, Eddie Belec and Tanner Black. Four different drivers, the most recent of them Ricky Thornton Jr. in both 2019 and 2020, had won three Modified features on tour since 2009. While Berry continued his string of perfection, consistent [Read More]

It’ll be a classic: 33rd IMCA Dakota Tour starts Saturday at Jamestown

MANDAN, N.D. (July 6, 2022) – Guaranteed to be a classic, the 33rd annual Corral Sales IMCA Dakota Classic Modified Tour powered by Industrial Electric opens this Saturday at Jamestown Speedway. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds race for $2,000 to win, $300 to start and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility each night July 9 at Jamestown, July 10 at Nodak Speedway in Minot, July 11 at Williston Basin Speedway, July 12 at Southwest Speedway in Dickinson, and July 13 and 14 at Dacotah Speedway in Mandan. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for a top check of $1,200 at Jamestown and $1,000 to win the next five nights, plus $100 to start and B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. IMCA and Hoosier Race Tire provide the $10,000 tour point fund, paying $6,500 to top 10 Modified drivers and $3,500 to top 10 Stock Car drivers. “The tour is just about ready to go,” noted Director John Gartner. “More than a dozen states and two Canadian provinces are now represented by the Modified entries and [Read More]