Fans packed the stands for the 2nd Annual Night of the Legends, presented by Lignite Energy Council. Plus fans enjoyed the inaugural Mama Vetter Hobby Stock Challenge on Friday, July 7th.
Read the full race recap below.
YOST EXTENDS POINTS LEAD WITH VICTORY
The IMCA Sport Compacts feature took to the track first. When the green flag waved, they raced three wide for the lead between Alex Thompson, Couy Snyder and Krys Yost. As the leaders raced side by side by side, there was contact for fourth between Jacob Saunders and Zach Hughbanks. Caution regrouped the field and on the restart, Yost grabbed the lead bringing Hughbanks with him. As the laps wound down, Thompson gained some momentum and made a late race pass for second. Alex Thompson ran out of time however, as Krys Yost crossed the finish line first. Zach Hughbanks finished third ahead of Jacob Saunders and Couy Snyder.
WILLIAMS PICKS UP FIRST CAREER VICTORY
The Mama Vetter Hobby Stock Challenge invaded the Dacotah Speedway for its second stop on tour. Asher Williams drew the pole position but when the green flag waved, outside pole sitter Jeremy Herr quickly grabbed the lead. Josh Roehrich was all over Herr’s rear bumper. The leaders raced side by side in lapped traffic until a mid-race caution reset the field. On the restart, Williams, who fell back to sixth, raced four wide for second place with Derrick Appert, Jayden Michaelsohn and Roehrich. Caution halted the exciting racing at the front once more. On the following restart, Herr and Appert raced side by side for the lead as Williams lurked in third. Using the low line, Williams dove low under the Herr and Appert and took the top spot. A caution with two laps to go set up a thrilling green white checkered finish. On the final restart Asher Williams held off Derrick Appert and Jeremy Herr to win his very first Hobby Stock feature race. Bill Hultberg finished fourth while Kelly Hoerner made a last lap pass to finish fifth ahead of Jayden Michaelsohn.
MADLER BROTHERS FINISH 1-2 ON NIGHT OF THE LEGENDS
Pole sitter Casey Martin led the field to the green flag in the Young Lions/ Semi-Pro feature event during the second annual Night of the Legends. Martin led early but the youngsters of Gage and Noah Madler were all over his rear bumper. Martin struggled to keep his car on the low line which allowed the Madler boys to slip by, bringing Collin Compson with them.
A series of mid-race cautions bunched the field back up. On the final restart with five laps to go, the Madler boys and Compson pulled away from the field. When the checkered flag waved, Gage held off his brother Noah to win $1500. Collin Compson finished third while Casey Martin held off Ryan Erdahl for fourth.
Ty Olson was the highest finishing Young Lions driver.
WIEST WINS BIGGEST WIN OF HIS CAREER
Wishek’s Donavin Wiest started on the pole for the Pro/Masters feature event during the second annual Night of the Legends. Wiest pulled away as Preston Martin, Alex Kukowski and Dauntae Martin raced three wide for second. An early caution regrouped the field and on the restart, Wiest pulled away once more. It was a battle for second between Preston Martin, Kukowski and Austin Wiest. As the laps wound down, Austin Wiest was picking them off one by one.
With only seven laps to go, Austin Wiest was second and running Donavin Wiest down. Unfortunately, Austin ran out of time. Donavin Wiest crossed the finish line first ahead of Austin Wiest. Preston Martin held off Alex Kukowski at the finish line while Nate Keena rounded out the top five.
HELLMAN FINALLY BREAKS INTO VICTORY LANE
Shawn Volk and John Feist started on the front row for the WISSOTA Street Stock feature. Former track champion Kelly Hagel grabbed the early lead but he had his hands full with a speedy Chris Welk Jr.
They raced side by side for the lead for several laps before Welk took the lead with 10 laps to go. As they continued to race hard for the lead, it allowed third place Geoff Hellman to reel in the leaders. With six laps to go, Hagel spun while running second and was charged with the caution. On the final restart, Welk and Hellman raced side by side for the win. When the checkered flag waved, Geoff Hellman crossed the finish line first, ending his streak of three runner-up finishes. Chris Welk had to settle for second while Jason Meidinger finished third. Kasey Ussatis finished fourth while Shawn Volk held off Hunter Domagala for fifth.
DAHL DENIES STRAND OF DACOTAH SPEEDWAY VICTORY
In the final feature of the evening, Elijah Puckett started on the pole for the IMCA Modified feature. Outside pole sitter Caden Roberts grabbed the lead when the green flag waved. Shawn Strand, who started eighth, quickly drove through the field and took the lead on lap six. Strand started to pull away as Roberts then fell into the clutches of Spencer Wilson and Mark Dahl. Wilson wasted no time getting around Roberts and bringing Dahl with him. Strand’s lead started to quickly shrink as Wilson and Dahl reeled him in.
It was a thrilling three car battle for the lead as Wilson and Dahl challenged for the lead. With only a few laps remaining, Dahl slipped into the lead and pulled away. Mark Dahl went on to win his first feature victory since 2020 at Dacotah Speedway. Despite leading most of the race, Shawn Strand settled for second place ahead of Spencer Wilson. Zach Frederick made a late race pass on Ricky Alvarado for fourth place.
OPEN WATER MARINE HARD CHARGER
IMCA Modifieds
#11K Jeremy Keller, Mandan, ND
- Started 16th
- Finished 6th
- Positions +10
WISSOTA Street Stocks
#54G Geoff Hellman, Mandan, ND
- Started 8th
- Finished 1st
- Positions +7
Young Lions/Semi-Pro Legends
#0 Ryan Erdahl, Jamestown, ND
- Started 9th
- Finished 5th
- Positions +4
Hobby Stocks
#E85 Derrick Appert, Hazelton, ND
- Started 12th
- Finished 2nd
- Positions +10
Pro/Masters Legends
#1K Nate Keena, Lincoln ND
- Started 13th
- Finished 5th
- Positions +8
IMCA Sport Compacts
#81 Krys Yost, Balfour, ND
- Started 3th
- Finished 1st
- Positions +2
REDLINE MOTORSPORTS FASTEST LAP TIMES
IMCA Modifieds
#1 Mark Dahl, Bismarck, ND
19.281 seconds
WISSOTA Street Stocks
#12W Chris Welk Jr, Mandan, ND
21.434 seconds
Young Lions/Semi-Pro Legends
#700 Gage Madler, New England, ND
20.733 seconds
Hobby Stocks
#E85 Derrick Appert, Hazelton, ND
20.778 seconds
Pro/Masters Legends
#19 Donavin Wiest, Wishek, ND
21.152 seconds
IMCA Sport Compacts
#81 Krys Yost, Balfour, ND
22.271 seconds