Dacotah Speedway hosted Hall of Fame Night on Friday, July 18th. Retired race car drivers got free admission into the races. Plus, during intermission, the 2025 Hall of Fame class was announce. The following individuals will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Awards Banquet on Saturday, November 1st.
PIONEER CLASS
– Johnny Werner, Bismarck, ND
LEGEND CLASS
– Don Hagen, Goodrich, ND
MODERN AREA
– Rick Schuler, Bismarck , ND
– Daryn Schuler, Bismarck, ND
RACING SUPPORTER
– Alan Doffey, Bismarck, ND
Dacotah Speedway saw a season best of 15 Slingshots check in on Friday, July 18th, during Hall of Fame Night. These future stars of dirt track racing took the green flag and raced hard into corner one. Points leader Landon Hallgren took the early lead but an early caution regrouped the field. On the restart, Caiden Davenport passed Hallgren for the lead. Hallgren regrouped himself and reeled Davenport back in. They raced door to door for several laps before Hallgren retook the lead with a few laps to go. As the leaders took the white flag, a caution in the back of the field cut the race short. Landon Hallgren was declared the winner over second place Caiden Davenport. Ellie Ruby, making her Dacotah Speedway debut, finished third while Libby Keller finished fourth. Dickinson’s Jaeger Mahlen rounded out the top five.
Outside pole sitter, Barrett Herr, grabbed the lead from pole sitter Devin Hanson in the Hobby Stock feature. A series of early cautions allowed Derrick Appert to quickly move through the field and take the lead on lap four. However Appert would have his hands full with the young drivers of Ryker Vetter and Brody Michaelsohn. The three drivers raced three wide for the lead until Michaelsohn shuffled into the lead before a late race caution reset the field. On the final restart, Brody Michaelsohn would drive away to his first Dacotah Speedway victory. Derrick Appert would hold off points leader, Josh Roehrich, for second place. While Ryker Vetter finished fourth ahead of fifth place Bill Hultberg.
Jamestown’s Ryan Erdahl led early in the INEX Legends feature. Points leader, Preston Martin, quickly climbed through the field and challenged Erdahl for the lead. They raced hard for the lead which allowed Noah and Gage Madler to close in on the low line. Hugging the guardrail, Noah Madler grabbed the lead before a mid-race caution regrouped the field. On the restart, Noah Madler had a small bobble, which allowed his younger brother, Gage, to slip by with six laps to go. Gage Madler pulled away from the field to win his second Dacotah Speedway feature victory of the season. Noah Madler held on to finish second ahead of third place Andrew Bargmann. Donavin Wiest finished fourth while Preston Martin made a last lap pass to finish fifth over Ryan Erdahl.
When the green flag waved in the IMCA Stock Car feature, Shawn Strand grabbed the lead going into corner one. An early caution regrouped the field and on the restart, Matt Dosch passed Todd Carter for second. Dosch challenged Strand for the lead and the two drivers raced hard for the top spot. As the laps wound down, Jason Meidinger, who started thirteenth, swiftly climbed through the field and passed Dosch for second with four laps to go. Meidinger dove low under Strand and they raced side by side for the win. Meidinger was stronger in corners one and two, while Strand had the advantage in corners three and four. When the checkered flag waved, Jason Meidinger crossed the finish line first for the very first time in his IMCA Stock Car racing career. Shawn Strand settled for second place ahead of Matt Dosch. Shawn Volk finished fourth while Geoff Hellman finished fifth.
In the final feature of the evening, Elijah Puckett led early in the IMCA Modified feature. Puckett pulled away from the field while the battle for second was heating up between Darrell Parsons and Marcus Tomlison. Tomlinson slipped into the second position as Mark Dahl and points leader, Jeremy Keller, were hot on his bumper. Keller, who started eleventh, quickly climbed through the field and passed Tomlinson for second with 11 laps to go. Keller set his sights on Puckett and with the assistance of lapped traffic, reeled in Puckett. Jeremy Keller took the lead with six laps to go and survived a late race restart to win his fourth victory of the season. Marcus Tomlinson finished second ahead of Elijah Puckett. Washburn’s Logan Schmitz finished fourth while Mark Dahl rounded out the top five.
For complete racing results, go to https://www.myracepass.com/events/565407/races
Please join us for the North Dakota Governor’s Cup Auto Races on Friday, July 25th and Saturday, July 26th.