It was a beautiful weekend for racing as Dacotah Speedway hosted the Mandan Meltdown, two full days of dirt track racing Friday, May 2nd and Saturday, May 3rd.
When the green flag waved in the Slingshot feature Friday night, Caiden Davenport quickly grabbed the lead and pulled away. Easton Olson, who started eight, stormed his way through the field and passed second place Libby Martin. Olson started to reel in Davenport but got too high off corner four. Caiden Davenport went wire to wire to park his Slingshot in victory lane. Easton Olson had to settle for second while Landon Hallgren made a last race charge to the front to finish third. Libby Martin finished fourth ahead of Otto Reuer.
Young Brody Michaelsohn led early in the Hobby Stock feature. Veteran driver, Jeremy Engelhardt, passed Michaelsohn for the lead, bringing Josh Roehrich with him. Engelhardt and Roehrich raced hard for the lead but a wreck in front of the leaders regrouped the field with two laps to go. On the final restart, Michaelsohn got back around Roehrich. When the checkered flag waved, Jeremy Engelhardt crossed the finish line first. Brody Michaelsohn finished second ahead of Josh Roehrich and Kelly Hoerner. Trenton Kohler rounded out the top five.
Moorhead’s Kody Machart led when the green flag waved in the INEX Legends feature. An early caution regrouped the field and on the restart, Preston Martin flew on the outside to take the lead. Hugging the guardrail, Gage Madler kept pace with Martin. A mid-race caution allowed Gage Madler the opportunity to dive low under Martin and take the lead. However, the momentum from the high side allowed Martin to retake the lead. When the checkered flag waved, Preston Martin held off Gage Madler and Noah Madler for the victory. Donavin Wiest finished fourth ahead of Austin Wiest.
Jason Berg and Todd Carter battled for the lead in the IMCA Stock Car feature. Carter grabbed the lead before an early caution regrouped the field. On the restart, Berg passed Carter for the lead. A series of mid-race cautions allowed Carter to retake the lead with seven laps to go. Berg then fell into the clutches of third place Matt Dosch. Minot’s Brock Better made it a three car battle for second. In the closing laps, Todd Carter pulled away to win his first ever IMCA Stock Car feature victory. Matt Dosch finished second while Brock Beeter made a last lap pass to finish third over Jason Berg. Rounding out the top five was Andrew Jochim.
Rookie Dayton Olheiser quickly pulled away in the IMCA Modified feature. Olheiser quickly pulled away but an early caution erased his lead. On the restart, Mark Dahl grabbed the lead and distanced himself from the field. Olheiser started feeling heat from veteran drivers, Jeremy Keller and Jason Wolla. Late in the race, Olheiser got too high in corner one which resulted in Wolla taking evasive action to miss the young driver and spun out. Olheiser was sent to the rear and on the restart, Keller passed Dahl for the lead. Jeremy Keller pulled away to pick up his first victory of the season. Jason Wolla made a late race pass on Mark Dahl to finish second. Logan finished fourth while Zach Dockter just narrowly edged Marcus Tomlinson for fifth place at the finish line.
Racing continued Saturday, May 3rd for Night 2 of the Mandan Meltdown.
When the green flag waved in the Slingshot feature, Landen Hallgren passed the entire field by hugging the guardrail. Hallgren led the first two laps before an early caution regrouped the field. On the restart, Caiden Davenport passed Hallgren for the lead and brought Weston Uranker with him. As the laps wound down, Uranker challenged Davenport for the lead. Uranker took the lead with four laps to go and pulled away from the field. Weston Uranker crossed the finish line first picking up his first Slingshot feature victory. Caiden Davenport finished second ahead of third place Landen Hallgren and Libby Keller. Rounding out the top five was Libby Martin.
Alex Thompson and Bill Hultberg led the field to the green flag in the Hobby Stock feature. Nathan Mundahl grabbed the early lead before young Brody Michaelsohn took the lead on lap four. Michaelsohn had his hands full with a speedy Josh Roehrich and Joseph Feist. They raced three wide for the lead before Feist and Roehrich split Michaelsohn for the lead. Michaelsohn fell into the clutches of fourth place Kelly Hoerner. Meanwhile, the race for the win was between Feist and Roehrich as they raced side by side, door to door in the closing laps. While Fiest hugged the guardrail, Roehrich found speed along the highside of the track. Josh Roehrich just narrowly edged Joseph Feist for the win. Kelly Hoerner made a last lap pass to grab third place from Brody Michaelsohn. Nathan Mundahl crossed the finish line in fifth place.
When the green flag waved in the INEX Legends feature, Bryce Barnhardt quickly grabbed the lead from pole sitter Dustin Herz. Using the low line around the track, Andrew Bargmann caught Barnhardt for the lead. On lap nine, Bargmann dove low under Barnhardt to take the top spot. Barnhardt then started to fade through the field, losing positions to Noah Madler and Donavin Wiest. A late race caution reset the field and on the restart, Madler passed Bargman for the lead. However, Preston Martin found speed along the highside of the track and was quickly moving to the front. Unfortunately, Preston Martin ran out of time and finished fourth, ahead of fifth place Bryce Barnhardt. Andrew Bargmann, who led a majority of the laps, settled for third place behind runner-up Donavin Wiest. Noah Madler led the final five laps to pick up his first victory of the season.
Pole sitter Shawn Strand and Geoff Hellman raced side by side for the lead in the IMCA Stock Car feature. They raced door to door until a caution regrouped the field on lap eight. On the restart, Strand cleared Hellman for the lead and it was a four car battle for second between Hellman, Kalvin Kesselberg, Matt Dosch and Andrew Jochim. While racing hard for second, contact was made which resulted in Jochim shuffling into the runner-up position. Jochin then set his sights on Strand. They briefly battled for the lead before Jochim took the top spot with 10 laps to go. Strand stayed with Jochim but he was searching for a new racing line that would help close the gap. Unfortunately, Strand came up short and settled for second place. Kalvin Kesselberg finished third ahead Brock Beeter and Geoff Hellman. Andrew Jochim saw the checkered flag first and won his second feature of the season.
In the final feature of the night, Scott Gartner and Shawn Strand battled for the lead in the IMCA Modified feature. It was a thrilling race for the lead until an early caution regrouped the field. On the restart, Strand grabbed the lead but had his hands full with a speedy John Corell. They raced side by side for the lead until Corell passed Strand for the lead on lap nine. As the racing veteran started to pull away from the field, Jeremy Keller was flying through the field. Keller, who started eleventh, passed Strand for second and set his sights on Corell. Keller quickly closed the gap as Corell was battling lapped traffic. With only four laps to go, Jeremy Keller slipped by John Corell and cruised to victory to sweep the racing weekend. Defending track champion, Shawn Strand, finished third while Zach Frederick held off Logan Schmitz for fourth place.
For complete Night 1 race results, go to: https://www.myracepass.com/events/565371/races
For complete Night 2 race results, go to: https://www.myracepass.com/events/565374/races
The season continues this Friday, May 9th for the Mandan Dirt Series. Green flag waves at 7:00pm.