tougherthandirttour Archives

Glasser Ties Tougher Than Dirt Tour Record; Herrera Claims Crown at Nodak

By Ben Deatherage MINOT, N.D. (June 7, 2026) — Keenan Glasser capped off a remarkable week by winning the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod feature on the final night of the 2026 T&A Tong and Indicator Tougher Than Dirt Tour presented by Schatz Storage at Nodak Speedway. Reigning track champion Chad Stratchen emerged from a three-wide battle on the opening lap with the lead and quickly settled into a duel with Glasser. The pair separated themselves from the field before a caution on lap seven erased their advantage. Lapped traffic came into play on lap 13, and Glasser stayed glued to Stratchen’s rear bumper while searching for an opening. The 2024 North Dakota State champion finally found one on lap 19, completing the pass for the lead just before a caution slowed the pace. The 18-year-old from Estevan, Saskatchewan was flawless on the restart and pulled away to earn his fourth victory of the week and eighth overall triumph of the season. Four of those wins have come at Nodak Speedway. The victory also tied Gabriel [Read More]

Raynard Repeats in $2,000-to-Win Robbie Conway Memorial Hobby Stock Feature at Bottineau

By Ben Deatherage BOTTINEAU, N.D. (June 6, 2026) — Defending series champion Diezel Raynard held off a late-race charge from Caden Appelt to capture the $2,000-to-win Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock feature and earn his second victory of the week on the fourth night of the 2026 T&A Tong and Indicator Tougher Than Dirt Tour presented by Schatz Storage. The Lampman, Saskatchewan driver took command on the opening lap and established himself as the driver to beat. Although several cautions slowed the pace throughout the 20-lap contest, Raynard flawlessly executed each restart to maintain control. Behind him, five-time reigning North Dakota State champion and former two-time track champion Kyler Satran found himself in a spirited battle with 2024 McLean County Speedway champion Caden Appelt for second. Appelt eventually secured the position and set his sights on the leader. The ninth-starting Appelt closed rapidly in the final laps and mounted a serious challenge coming to the checkered flag, but Raynard held on by a narrow margin. The victory was his second of the week, fourth career Tougher Than [Read More]

Raynard Holds Off Late Charge for Estevan Tougher Than Dirt Hobby Stock Victory

By Ben Deatherage ESTEVAN, SK (June 5, 2026) — Defending tour and Estevan Motor Speedway track champion Diezel Raynard returned to victory lane in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, surviving a furious late-race challenge to score his first win of the week on the third night of the 2026 T&A Tong and Indicator Tougher Than Dirt Tour presented by Schatz Storage. The Lampman driver grabbed the lead at the drop of the green and maintained command through a pair of early cautions. Behind him, Nathan DeRagon, winner of the tour’s first two nights, and 16-year-old Cash Saxon battled intensely for second, allowing Raynard to build a comfortable advantage. As the race progressed, Manitoba’s Pat Smith methodically worked the low groove and eventually moved into second. Several restarts kept the field bunched together, but Raynard consistently executed strong launches and remained out front. Smith closed rapidly in the closing laps and pulled alongside the leader, but Raynard was slightly better off the corners. The battle intensified in the final turns as DeRagon joined the fight, creating a [Read More]

Herrera Breaks Through for First Tougher Than Dirt Tour Victory

By Ben Deatherage WILLISTON, N.D. (June 4, 2026) — Seventeen-year-old Payce Herrera raced to his first career T&A Tong and Indicator Tougher Than Dirt Tour presented by Schatz Storage victory in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods at Williston Basin Speedway. The Price, Utah driver led the opening lap before a caution immediately slowed the pace. On the restart, Herrera and reigning Nodak Speedway track champion Chad Stratchen separated themselves from the rest of the field as the 2024 Junior National champion established himself as the driver to beat. A pair of cautions just before the midway point kept the field close. Buffalo River Speedway’s defending track champion Jayden Pavlicek mounted several challenges on the high side, but Herrera remained composed while Stratchen and Pavlicek battled intensely for second. The leaders encountered lapped traffic on lap 18, but Herrera never wavered and drove away in the closing laps. The victory was his first career tour triumph and eighth win of the 2026 season at four different racetracks. Stratchen finished second. Pavlicek narrowly beat Tanner Conlin to [Read More]

Glasser Captures Tougher Than Dirt Tour Opener with Late Pass

By Ben Deatherage UNDERWOOD, N.D. (June 3, 2026) — Keenan Glasser emerged victorious in a thrilling Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod feature on opening night of the T&A Tong and Indicator Tougher Than Dirt Tour presented by Schatz Storage at McLean County Speedway, holding off Payce Herrera in a dramatic late-race duel to earn his first career tour victory. The 25-lap main event began with 2006 Sunoco IMCA Stock Car track champion Chad Stratchen taking command before a lap one caution slowed the pace. On the restart, 2024 Junior National champion Payce Herrera and 2024 North Dakota State champion Glasser immediately went to work on the leader. Glasser used the high side to wrestle away the lead on lap three and began setting the pace. The Utah native repeatedly challenged Glasser as the two teenage racers broke away from the rest of the field. The battle intensified when the leaders encountered lapped traffic on lap nine, and Herrera finally found a way around the leader on lap 12. The two frontrunners remained locked together for the [Read More]

Feature

Tougher Than Dirt Tour Roars Back June 3-7 Across North Dakota and Saskatchewan

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 21, 2026) — The Tougher Than Dirt Tour is set to roar back to life this June with five straight nights of Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing competition across North Dakota and Saskatchewan, featuring strong point funds, unique awards, and some of the top Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock drivers in the region. The 2026 tour schedule opens Wednesday, June 3 at McLean County Speedway in Underwood, North Dakota before heading west to Williston Basin Speedway on Thursday, June 4. The tour then crosses into Canada on Friday, June 5 for a stop at Estevan Motor Speedway in Estevan, Saskatchewan. Thunder Mountain Speedway in Bottineau hosts the Robbie Conway Memorial on Saturday, June 6 before the tour wraps up Sunday, June 7 at Nodak Speedway in Minot. Tour director Brandon Beeter expects another strong field of competitors from across the Upper Midwest and Canada. “We’ve had some outsiders already sign up like Payce Herrera and Nathan DeRagon,” Beeter said. “But we’ve got a really strong [Read More]

Runge, Raynard Crowned 2025 Tougher Than Dirt Tour Champions

By Ben Deatherage MINOT, N.D. (Jun. 12, 2025) — With rain washing out the finale at Nodak Speedway, the 2025 Tougher Than Dirt Tour wrapped up following Saturday night’s action at Thunder Mountain Speedway in Bottineau. The tour saw five nights of racing across North Dakota and one in the province of Saskatchewan. For the first time in the 10-year history of the series, both champions hailed from the “Land of the Living Skies,” making it a landmark year for Canadian competitors. Runge Earns First SportMod Title Leevi Runge from Lampman, Saskatchewan, claimed the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod championship after a consistent and powerful week. He kicked things off with a 10th-place run at McLean County Speedway on June 3, then earned his first-ever Tougher Than Dirt Tour win the following night at Southwest Speedway. Runge followed with back-to-back runner-up finishes at Williston Basin Speedway and Estevan Motor Speedway, before closing the week in triumph by winning the $2,000-to-win Robbie Conway Memorial on June 7 at Thunder Mountain Speedway. Chad Strachen, of Minot, finished second in [Read More]

Deschamp Ties All-Time Tour Win Record With Estevan Triumph

By Ben Deatherage ESTEVAN, SK (Jun. 6, 2025) — Gabe Deschamp handled a string of restarts and major pressure to come out on top in Friday’s 25-lap Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod feature at Estevan Motor Speedway, part of the Tougher Than Dirt Tour. The Westhope, North Dakota, driver adjusted his line following a lap seven caution and mastered the 3/8-mile oval the rest of the way. As the battle for second unfolded behind him, Deschamp pulled away for his third straight win at Estevan with the tour, second at the track in 2025, third victory of this year’s tour, and ninth career tour win – tying him with Erik Laudenschlager for most all-time. Deschamp started second. Three-time Estevan SportMod champion Leevi Runge was the runner-up, while the 2006 McLean County and Geographical Center Speedway Stock Car champion completed the podium. Raynard Awarded First Career Tour Win in Hobby Stocks Diezel Raynard was officially declared the winner of Friday’s 20-lap Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock Tougher Than Dirt Tour main event at Estevan Motor Speedway. Raynard led [Read More]

Deschamp Doubles Up with Tougher Than Dirt Tour at Williston

By Ben Deatherage WILLISTON, N.D. (Jun. 5, 2025) — Gabe Deschamp mastered restarts and lapped traffic at Williston Basin Speedway to win Thursday’s 25-lap Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod feature during the Tougher Than Dirt Tour at the Upper Missouri Valley Fairgrounds. Tanner Conlin paced the field early, only for the previous night’s winner, Leevi Runge, to take command the next lap. Two-time defending tour champion Deschamp got past Runge on lap three, but a caution reverted the lead back to Runge. Runge, the three-time Estevan Motor Speedway track champion, had to deal with multiple restarts. On the final green flag run, which began on lap seven, Deschamp applied heavy pressure and eventually grabbed the lead on lap nine. Despite encountering lapped traffic on lap 13, Deschamp, from Westhope, mastered the conditions to secure his second win of the week, his second straight at Williston, and his eighth career tour victory. It was his sixth overall win of the season in the SportMod ranks. Runge held on for second, edging out the 2006 McLean County and [Read More]

Runge Rules in SportMod Main at Southwest Speedway

By Ben Deatherage DICKINSON, N.D. (Jun. 4, 2025) — Leevi Runge turned in a dominant performance to win the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod feature during the Tougher Than Dirt Tour stop at Southwest Speedway. Ryder Raynard took the initial lead in the 25-lap main event, but reigning Junior National champion Payce Herrera, of Utah, made an early move to the front on lap two. Herrera’s bid for victory came to an end a few laps later when his car came to a stop, handing the lead to Runge. Runge, a three-time Estevan Motor Speedway SportMod champion from Lampman, Saskatchewan, took off from there and only had to withstand a lap 22 caution for debris to seal the win. The triumph marked his first of the season and first career victory with the series. Cole Hanshew recovered from an early-race incident to finish second, with Taylor Stenvold rounding out the podium in third. Heaton Hustles to First Career Tour Win in Hobby Stocks Taylor Heaton made a statement in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock 20-lap feature, [Read More]