RED RIVER VALLEY RACING HALL OF FAME ESTABLISHED TO HONOR COMPETITORS & CONTRIBUTORS OF RED RIVER VALLEY SPEEDWAY & BUFFALO RIVER RACE PARK

Click here to submit your nomination!

WEST FARGO, N.D. – Weekly auto racing has been a part of the landscape of the Fargo-Moorhead sports scene since the mid-1950s. For nearly 70 years, some of the most talented and daring drivers in the upper Midwest have battled the high-banks of our local dirt tracks. The Fargo-Moorhead area has produced some of the country’s top talent and local legends who will be remembered and talked about for years to come.

The Red River Valley Racing Hall of Fame was established to honor the drivers, promoters, car owners, track staff, crew members, and fans of Buffalo River Race Park in Glyndon, Minn. and Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D., as well as Fargo Speedway Park, which was in operation during the late-1960s to early-1970s.
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Organized by RRVS & BRRP photographer and publicist, Mike Spieker, a committee with diverse backgrounds and involvement, rooted in local racing, has been formed.

Committee members include:
Jon Bachmeier – Five-time RRVS Modified Track Champion
Ernie & Gail Brookins – Founders of Minn-Kota Racing Association
Tom Cummings – 40-plus year racing veteran
Mitch Johnson – Holder of most Late Model track championships at RRVS
Dev Malmlov – Multi-time BRRP Modified Track Champion
Steve Pavlicek – Veteran Modified driver at RRVS & BRRP
Duane Peterson – Long-time crew member and track worker at BRRP and now car owner
Chuck Thompson – former driver, car owner, and engine builder

Advisors: Corey Litton (RRVS & BRRP announcer) and Josh Johnson (local racing historian and Late Model competitor)

The Red River Valley Racing Hall of Fame committee will announce their inaugural Class of 2020 this summer. Fans are encouraged to submit their nominees. For more information, visit redrivervalleyspeedway.com/nomination-form

About Buffalo River Race Park:
Established in 1955, Buffalo River Race Park was one of the earliest dirt tracks in the upper Midwest to offer weekly racing. The Buffalo River Race Park opened as the Fargo-Moorhead Speedway in 1955 as a quarter-mile dirt track. From 1964 to 1967, the quarter-mile track was paved. Since 1968, the track has maintained a dirt surface. Over the years, the track has also operated under the names F-M Speedway, Fargo Motor Speedway, Glyndon Speedway, and Buffalo River Speedway. In 2007, it was renamed Buffalo River Race Park when current general manager Kevin Nathe took the helm.

About Red River Valley Speedway:
The first auto race in Fargo was held at the original Red River Valley Fairgrounds in 1906 on the flat, half-mile horse track in north Fargo. Auto racing was regularly held at the track until the fairgrounds moved to its current location in West Fargo in 1967. The new, highly touted high-banked half-mile was inaugurated with a series of fair races in 1967 before weekly racing began in 1968. The World of Outlaws Sprint Cars made their first of many visits to the speedway in 1981 and brought a live, national television audience to the speedway in the late 1990s.

In 2010, Danny Schatz took over the reins of the speedway and reconfigured the speedway to a high-banked, racy three-eighths mile. Today, the speedway is operated by Nick Skalicky and Jake and Sharnel Bitker. The 2020 season will mark the 50th season of weekly racing at Red River Valley Speedway.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR HALL OF FAME NOMINEE

By Mike Spieker

WEST FARGO – The Red River Valley Speedway pit area was packed with 92 race teams among six racing divisions for the speedway’s only Wednesday night program of the year. The 2019 season concludes with season championship night on Friday, August 30th.

The evening kicked off with an IMCA modified feature that was a make-up from last Friday night’s program. Rich Pavlicek of Casselton, N.D. and Jamie Schulz of Harwood, N.D. led the 20-car field to green with Pavlicek taking the early advantage.

Austin Arneson charged from the 13th starting position to win the first of two modified features Wednesday at Red River Valley Speedway.

Pavlicek held that position until 13th place starter, Austin Arneson of Fargo, came tearing through the pack to take the point on lap 12 of 20. Once out front, Arneson couldn’t be touched as he cruised to his second win at the speedway in just four starts. Finishing in second was Austin’s younger brother, Casey Arneson. Pavlicek held on to round out the podium.

Dave Shipley picked up his first modified win of the season on Wednesday night at Red River Valley Speedway.

In the second modified feature of the evening, Austin Arneson looked poised to duplicate his effort from earlier in the night. Arneson started 12th on the grid and found himself in second at the halfway point. A few cautions allowed Arneson to restart on the rear bumper of race leader Dave Shipley of Argusville, N.D. But Shipley, who started fourth and took the lead on lap two, proved he was the class of the field in the final stages. Arneson gave Shipley all he could handle on each and every restart, but Shipley flawlessly ran the low side of the speedway and drove to his first win of the season. Arneson came home in second, followed by Jesse Skalicky of Fargo.

Ryan Restad of West Fargo raced to his second win at Red River Valley Speedway by besting a stout field of IMCA SportMods. It looked as though Ryan Veralrud of Ottertail, Minn. was destined for victory lane less than a week after his brother Austin claimed his first career SportMod win at the speedway. Veralrud led early while a three-car battle for second ensued behind him. That battle for second quickly became the battle for the lead at the halfway point of the 20-lap event, but Veralrud fended off the challenge. Restad finally struck with eight laps to go and checked out, but a late-race caution put point leader Luke Johnson of Moorhead, Minn. right on Restad’s bumper for the restart.

Johnson pulled alongside of Restad down the back straightaway on the final lap and looked to steal the win away, but Restad held on to claim his first career win on the three-eighths-mile configuration at the speedway.

The NLSA lightning sprint series made their third and final appearance of the season to Red River Valley Speedway. Jason Berg of Fargo jumped to the lead on the opening lap and picked up a convincing win. The win was the first-ever at the West Fargo speedway and the second of his career for Berg, who had spent countless years working at the speedway in various capacities until getting behind the wheel a couple of years ago.

Rob VanMil of Barnesville, Minn. took the lead on lap five of 15 in the IMCA Stock Car and dominated en route to his division-leading fifth win of the season.

In what was one of the most competitive features of the season at Red River Valley Speedway, Andrew Jochim of Glyndon, Minn. emerged as the INEX Legend winner. Jochim charged from the 10th starting position to claim the lead on lap eight of 15. Once out front, Jochim led the rest of the way, holding off Tye Wilke of Detroit Lakes, Minn. and Alex Braseth of Ulen, Minn. in the final laps. Before Jochim took the point, the lead officially changed hands four times at the start/finish line, but the top spot was traded on several more occasions among a handful of drivers at both ends of the speedway in the first half of the race.

An excited Brad Orvedal of Fargo pulled his IMCA hobby stock into victory lane for the first time in his career. Orvedal led all 12 trips around the track, but nearly lost it on the final corner. Orvedal’s car pushed in turn four coming to the checkers, which allowed seven-time hobby stock winner Matt Olson to peak underneath. In a drag race to the line, Orvedal won it by a half car length.

RESULTS:

IMCA Modifieds:
Feature – 1. 72-Dave Shipley, Argusville, N.D. 2. 10-Austin Arneson, Fargo, N.D.; 3. 3S-Jesse Skalicky, Fargo, N.D.; 4. 6D-Dylan Goplen, Fargo, N.D.; 5. 17-Rich Pavlicek, Casselton, N.D.

Feature (Make-up from Aug. 16) – 1. 10-Austin Arneson; 2. 2A-Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D.; 3. 17-Rich Pavlicek; 4. 6D-Dylan Goplen; 5. 84-Michael Johnson, Moorehead, Minn.

IMCA SportMods:
Feature – 1. 7R-Ryan Restad, West Fargo, N.D.; 2. 8J-Luke Johnson, Moorhead, Minn.; 3. 51-Kelly Jacobson, Fargo, N.D.; 4. 41-Doug Gardner, Glyndon, Minn.; 5. 5-Scott Jacobson, Fargo, N.D.

IMCA Stock Cars:
Feature – 1. 40-Rob VanMil, Barnesville, Minn.; 2. 10-Travis Robertson, Moorhead, Minn.; 3. 1-Tyler McDougall, Hawley, Minn.; 4. 38-Todd Heinrich, Fargo, N.D.; 5. 52-Brennan Borg, Harwood, N.D.

NLSA Lightning Sprints:
Feature – 1. 100-Jason Berg, Fargo, N.D.; 2. 13-Alan Truscinski, Greenbush, Minn.; 3. 2-Presley Truedson, Kennedy, Minn.; 4. 10A-Alex Truscinski, Greenbush, Minn.; 5. 93-Kelsi Pederson, East Grand Forks, Minn.

INEX Legends:
Feature – 1. 21-Andrew Jochim, Glyndon, Minn.; 2. 72-Tye Wilke, Detroit Lakes, Minn.; 3. 20-Alex Braseth, Ulen, Minn.; 4. 8JR-Kaitlyn Skalicky, Fargo, N.D.; 5. B1-Brody Carlsrud, Moorhead, Minn.

IMCA Hobby Stocks:
Feature – 1. 3XL-Brad Orvedal, Fargo, N.D.; 2. 56M-Mathew Olson, Morton, Minn.; 3. 14-Alyssa White, West Fargo, N.D.; 4. 31X-Tim Shiek, Fargo, N.D.; 5. 106-Eric Novacek, West Fargo, N.D.

By Mike Spieker

WEST FARGO – Former late model racer, Matt Aukland, proved once again that he can wheel any type of car on dirt. Aukland drove to the IMCA modified feature win on Friday night at Red River Valley Speedway. The Fargo driver started 10th on the grid for the 21-car, 20-lap IMCA Modified feature and methodically moved his way forward, eventually taking the lead with three laps remaining.

The race began with Jamestown’s Jason Grimes grabbing the early race lead. Grimes led without challenge until Michael Johnson of Harwood and Aukland reeled him in. The lead trio raced three wide with three laps remaining. Aukland was the big mover in that battle, advancing from third to first using the high side of the speedway.

Matt Aukland of Fargo picked up the IMCA modified feature win Friday night at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo.

From there, Aukland had to contend with lapped traffic, but he was able to hold on and take the win – his second of the season.

The IMCA SportMods had a wild and controversial finish. Any of the three cars had a shot at the win in the closing stages as Matt Talley of Sabin, Minn., Luke Johnson of Moorhead, Minn., and Ryan Restad of West Fargo raced hard for the top spot. Talley started third on the field but worked his way into the lead on lap six. Talley and Johnson, who started 13th on the grid, traded the lead back and forth with six to go. Johnson held the lead as they crossed under the flag stand with two laps to go.

Things got dicey on the final trip around the high-banked three-eighths-mile oval.

Talley slid up the track out of turn four and Johnson got into the back of Talley, spinning Johnson into the front stretch wall. Talley scrambled to the finish line and crossed under the checkers just ahead of Restad. However, the yellow flag was simultaneously waved with the checkers. The call for the yellow flag was charged to Talley. By IMCA rules, when there is a yellow flag, the field is reset to the running order of the previous completed lap. That was led by Johnson, which gave him his second SportMod win of the season at the West Fargo speedway. Talley was credited with a DNF (did not finish) and was scored in the 19th position.

Tim Estenson of Fargo, who scored an INEX legend feature win at Red River Valley Speedway last week, was competing with the NLSA lightning sprints on Friday. Estenson and fellow front row starter, Alex Truscinski of Greenbush, Minn., engaged in a hard-fought battle for the win. Truscinski, who scored the win Thursday night at Norman County Raceway in Ada, Minn., looked to take the lead away from Estenson on the final lap. Truscinski had the slim advantage going into the final set of corners on the last lap, but Estenson dove underneath him into the final set of turns to steal the win at the finish line.

Rick Schulz of Horace raced to the IMCA stock car feature win from the seventh starting position. Schulz took the point on lap two after a three-wide pass for the lead over Tim Church of Dilworth, Minn. and Ernest Geist of West Fargo. After a mid-race challenge from stock car point leader, Rob VanMil of Barnesville, Minn., Schulz broke away from the pack to collect his first win of the season.

Ryan Braseth jumped out to a big lead to start the INEX legend main event. However, the youngster from Ulen, Minn. was surpassed by brothers Sean and Dylan Johnson. Dylan, of Durbin, N.D., and Sean, of Kindred, broke away from the rest of the field. Sean took the lead with five laps to go and brought Tye Wilke of Detroit Lakes, Minn. with him. Sean Johnson and Wilke battled for the lead in the final stages. In a drag race to the finish line, Johnson narrowly held off Wilke at the checkers.

Mathew Olson of Fargo cruised to his fourth IMCA hobby stock feature win of the season.

RESULTS

IMCA Stock Cars:
Feature – 1. 4-Rick Schulz, West Fargo, N.D.; 2. 40-Rob VanMil, Barnesville, Minn.; 3. 18-Mike Anderson, Walcott, N.D.; 4. 52-Brennan Borg, Harwood, N.D.[14]; 5. 49-Tim Compson, Valley City, N.D.

IMCA SportMods:
Feature – 1. Luke Johnson, Moorhead, MN; 2. 7R-Ryan Restad, West Fargo, ND; 3. 219-Brandon Schmidt, Kindred, ND; 4. 40-Chris VanMil, Barnesville, MN; 5. 3X-Andy Wagner, Ada, MN

NLSA Lightning Sprints:
Feature – 1. 14T-Tim Estenson, Fargo, ND; 2. 10-Alex Truscinski, Greenbush, MN; 3. 16-Josh Abrahamson, Moorhead, MN; 4. 11-Dexter Dvergsten, Greenbush, MN; 5. 100-Jason Berg, Fargo, ND.

INEX Legends:
Feature 1: 1. 58-Sean Johnson, Kindred, ND; 2. 72-Tye Wilke, Detroit Lakes, MN; 3. 8JR-Kaitlyn Skalicky, Fargo, ND; 4. 5D8-Dylan Johnson, Durbin, ND; 5. 20-Alex Braseth, Ulen, MN.

IMCA Hobby Stocks:
Feature – 1. 56M-Mathew Olson, 04:45.831[4]; 2. 30A-Adam Goff, 04:48.581[5]; 3. 14-Alyssa White, 04:51.833[2]; 4. 31X-Tim Shiek, 04:52.271[7]; 5. 3XL-Brad Orvedal,

Modifieds:
Feature – 1. 12-Matt Aukland, Glyndon, MN; 2. 99-Jason Grimes, Jamestown, ND; 3. 84-Michael Johnson, Moorhead, MN; 4. 40-Rob VanMil, Barnesville, MN; 5. 6D-Dylan Goplen, Fargo, ND.

By Mike Spieker

WEST FARGO – Brandon Schmidt is no stranger to victory lane at Red River Valley Speedway. The Hillsboro driver has collected wins in several classes, including the IMCA stock car and hobby stock ranks. Schmidt competed in the stock car division last season but made the move to the IMCA SportMods in 2019 with high expectations.

So far, those expectations have been met.

Schmidt took the lead with just four laps remaining in Friday’s 16-lap IMCA SportMod main event. Once out front, he drove unchallenged to the checkered flag.

Photo: Brandon Schmidt raced to his first career IMCA SportMod feature win Friday at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo. Photo by Mike Spieker.

Charlie Jensen of Pelican Rapids, Minn. looked to have the race in hand for the majority of the event. At one point, Jensen held a full straightaway lead. In the late stages of the race, Schmidt found his groove in the middle of the track and began reeling in Jensen and cut his lead down to a few car lengths.

With four laps to go, Jensen’s strong run came to an end after he made heavy contact with the outside retaining wall on the back straightaway, which allowed Schmidt to take command.

Kelly Henderson of Minot charged his way from 12th to finish second while Austin Veralrud rounded out the podium. Jensen was credited with a disappointing 16th-place finish.

The lightning sprints made their first of three scheduled appearances to the high-banked three-eighths-mile oval this season. The lightning sprints are a three-quarter scale winged sprint car with a 1000cc motorcycle engine under the hood. Moorhead’s Josh Abrahamson led the opening lap before Alan Truscinski of Greenbush, Minn. took the lead on lap two. Once out front, Truscinski checked out. Abrahamson tried to mount a late-race charge, but Truscinski was able to hold him off and collect the win.

Tye Wilke of Detroit Lakes, Minn. looked poised to back up his Thursday night win at Norman County Raceway in Ada, Minn. The young up-and-comer in the INEX legend division stormed out to a big lead in the early going. However, that advantage began to shrink as Wilke began to encounter lapped traffic. Kindred’s Sean Johnson came up from the sixth starting position to take the lead with four laps to go after Wilke bobbled in turn two. Wilke came back at Johnson on the final lap, but Johnson held on to take his second win of the season.

Adam Goff made the long tow from Minot to compete in the IMCA hobby stock division. Goff started fifth on the grid but quickly took the lead. Goff, who picked up one win at the speedway last season, was the class of the field in the feature as he cruised to the feature win to end Mathew Olson’s two-race win streak.

Rob VanMil of Barnesville, Minn., Rick Schulz of Horace, and Tim Compson of Valley City put on a show during the IMCA stock car feature. The three veteran drivers battled back and forth for the race lead nearly all race long, but at the checkers, VanMil was able to take the win. With the win, VanMil remains undefeated at the speedway in the stock car division with a perfect three wins in three races. VanMil also picked up the win Thursday night at Norman County Raceway.

Racing returns to Red River Valley Speedway next Friday night, featuring non-wing sprint cars. The green flag drops at 7 pm.

RESULTS (Top Five Finishers):

IMCA SportMods:
Feature: 1. 219-Brandon Schmidt, Hillsboro, N.D.; 2. 24-Kelly Henderson, Minot, N.D.; 3. 6-Austin Veralrud, Barnesville, Minn.; 4. 8J-Luke Johnson, Moorhead, Minn.; 5. 5-Scott Jacobson, Fargo, N.D.

NLSA Lightning Sprints:
Feature: 1. 13-Alan Truscinski, Greenbush, Minn.; 2. 16-Josh Abrahamson, Moorhead, Minn.; 3. 11-Dexter Dvergsten, Greenbush, Minn.; 4. 10-Alex Truscinski, Greenbush, Minn.; 5. 93-Kelsi Pederson, East Grand Forks, Minn.

IMCA Stock Cars:
Feature: 1. 40-Rob VanMil, Barnesville, Minn.; 2. 4-Rick Schulz, Horace, N.D.; 3. 49-Tim Compson, Valley City, N.D.; 4. 18-Mike Anderson, Walcott, N.D.; 5. 52-Brennan Borg, Harwood, N.D.

INEX Legends:
Feature: 1. 58-Sean Johnson, Kindred, N.D.; 2. 72-Tye Wilke, Detroit Lakes, Minn.; 3. 21-Andrew Jochim, Glyndon, Minn.; 4. 29B-Ryan Braseth, Ulen, Minn.; 5. 5D8-Dylan Johnson, Durbin, N.D.

IMCA Hobby Stocks:
Feature: 1. 30A-Adam Goff, Minot, N.D.; 2. 56M-Mathew Olson, Morton, Minn.; 3. 31X-Tim Shiek, Fargo, N.D.; 4. 701-Kyle Hallgren, Hankinson, N.D.; 5. 14-Alyssa White, West Fargo, N.D.

By: Mike Spieker

WEST FARGO — Before last week’s season opener, it had been three years since Matt Aukland has turned a lap at Red River Valley Speedway. But Friday night, the Glyndon (Minn.) driver was in a league of his own.

Aukland dominated the IMCA modified main event, which boasted a stout 16-car starting grid. Aukland took the lead from Dave Shipley on lap two of 20 and never looked back.

Matt Aukland makes a turn at West Fargo’s Red River Valley Speedway Friday night (Speedway-Shots.com)

By the late stages of the race, Aukland had built up a comfortable five-second lead over the rest of the field, equating to over a full straightaway around the three-eighths-mile oval.

Aukland cruised to the win over Shipley, Jesse Skalicky, last week’s winner Austin Arneson, and Billy Kendall.

“It’s been so long since I’ve driven one of these, I almost forgot how to do it,” Aukland said. “It’s been a few years since I’ve been behind the wheel and Michael Greseth (a Harwood, N.D. modified standout) offered me this car and I figured I better give it one more shot.”

Second-year IMCA SportMod driver Doug Gardner of Glyndon raced to his first career Red River Valley Speedway win. Gardner took the lead at the halfway point of the 15-lap feature. A late race caution with three laps to go put the 21-car field right on the rear bumper of Gardner for the restart, but Gardner was able to hold on for the win. Scott Jacobson and last week’s winner, Luke Johnson rounded out the top three.

Rob VanMil of Barnesville, Minn., went back to go back in the IMCA stock cars. The defending stock car track champion took control of the lead after a three-wide battle with Travis Robertson and Aaron Olson resulted in Robertson and Olson making contact. Robertson suffered a flat tire, while the caution was called on Olson which sent him to the back of the field. VanMil went on to cruise to the win.

A hard-charging Andrew Jochim nearly stole the INEX legends feature win away from Tye Wilke in the closing stages. Jochim started 13th on the grid but took the second position just before a caution came out, which put him right behind Wilke. On the restart, Jochim held a narrow advantage at the start/finish line with two circuits to go, but Wilke drove underneath Jochim coming to the checkers to take the win.

Mathew Olson made the long haul from Morton, Minn., to Red River Valley Speedway last week and left town with the IMCA hobby stock trophy and the big check. Friday night, he did it again. Olson took the lead from Tim Shiek with four laps to go to pick up his second consecutive win.

IMCA Modifieds
FEATURE: 1. 12-Matt Aukland, Glyndon, Minn. 2. 72-Dave Shipley, Argusville, N.D. 3. 3S-Jesse Skalicky, Fargo. 4. 10-Austin Arneson, Fargo. 5. 9-Billy Kendall, Baxter, Minn.

IMCA SportMods
FEATURE: 1. 41-Doug Gardner, Glyndon, Minn. 2. 5-Scott Jacobson, Fargo. 3. 8J-Luke Johnson, Moorhead. 4. 6-Austin Veralrud, Barnesville, Minn. 5. 55-Kenneth Bye, Moorhead.

IMCA Stock Cars
FEATURE: 1. 40-Rob VanMil, Barnesville, Minn. 2. 18-Mike Anderson, Walcott, N.D. 3. 52-Brennan Borg, Harwood, N.D. 4. 21-Tim Church, Moorhead. 5. 1-Tyler McDougall, Hawley, Minn.

INEX Legends
FEATURE: 1. 72-Tye Wilke, Detroit Lakes, Minn. 2. 21-Andrew Jochim, Glyndon, Minn. 3. 58-Sean Johnson, Kindred, N.D. 4. 69X-Josh Julsrud, Barnesville, Minn. 5. B1-Brody Carlsrud, Moorhead.

IMCA Hobby Stocks
FEATURE: 1. 56M-Mathew Olson, Franklin, Minn. 2. 31X-Tim Shiek, Fargo. 3. 3XL-Brad Orvedal, Farg. 4. 44T-Tanner Engen, Detroit Lakes, Minn. 5. 14-Alyssa White, Fargo.

WEST FARGO, N.D. — May 13, 2019 — Tickets are now on sale for the “Duel in the Dakotas” on Saturday, August 17 at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D., featuring the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and NLRA Late Model Series. Tickets can be purchased online at slspromotions.ticketforce.com or by calling SLS Promotions at 815-344-2023.

Donny Schatz was victorious last year at Red River Valley Speedway, which marked his third win of the season in his home state with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series. The victory was the fifth overall for Schatz at the track in Outlaws competition. Schatz recently picked up his second victory of the season, which vaulted him into the series points lead as he chases his 11^th title.

(Speedway-Shots.com)

The late Jason Johnson won at Red River Valley Speedway in 2017 in his first-ever race at the track as the Outlaws returned to the now-three-eights-mile after a nearly five-year hiatus. Daryn Pittman scored a win at Red River Valley Speedway in 2008, on the former half-mile configuration.

Battling Schatz and Pittman this season is a talented group of full-time competitors, including Brad Sweet, who is second in points, David Gravel, who drives for Jason Johnson Racing, Shane Stewart, who joined the CJB Motorsports team for 2019, Sheldon Haudenschild, Kraig Kinser, Jason Sides, and Ian Madsen.

Pennsylvania natives Brent Marks, Logan Schuchart, Jacob Allen are all back on the road again in 2019. Carson Macedo is the leading contender for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award this season, driving the No. 2 for Kyle Larson Racing.

Tickets for the “Duel in the Dakotas,” featuring the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, North Dakota, on Saturday, August 17 can be purchased online atslspromotions.ticketforce.com or by phone at 815-344-2023.

Twitter: @SLS_Promotions

Facebook: SLS Promotions LLC

By Jackson Braun

WEST FARGO-The Red River Valley Speedway got their season underway Friday night as 83 race teams filled the pits and kicked off the 2019 racing season for the Red River Valley region.

21 IMCA Modifieds graced the dirt of the three-eighths-mile oval for the main event of the night. West Fargo racers Darren Pfau and Allen Kent started shotgun on the field, with Kent claiming the lead after one lap.

A caution reset the field and Fargo’s Austin Arneson was able to make his way around Kent and put a few car lengths between his machine and the 33 machine of Kent.

After another restart, Grand Forks’s Dustin Strand and Fargo’s Dylan Goplen settled into 2nd and 3rd behind Arneson. Arneson started to pull away once again as the field tried to put together a green flag run. Once they did, Arneson checked out on the field until 3 laps remained, when Fargo’s Joe Dietrich looped his machine.

#10 IMCA Modified driver Austin Arneson

Arneson continued his domination and picked up the win on opening night for the third year in a row. Goplen and Casey Arneson were able to pass Strand, with Rob VanMil rounding out the top 5 finishers.

The IMCA Sportmod feature started with Ada, MN’s Andy Wagner, and Dilworth, MN’s Vince Jegtvig leading the field to the green flag. After an early caution, Jegtvig got the advantage by putting his machine on the high line early in the going.

Fargo’s Scott Jacobson started in the 7th spot and moved up into 2nd place early on. Jacobson inched by Jegtvig to grab the lead with 6 laps in the books.

Jegtvig and company did not back down, however, as Glyndon, MN racer Doug Gardner got around Jegtvig and challenged for the lead.

Gardner finally cleared Jacobson coming to the white flag but drove in the corner a bit too deep, looping his 41 machine.

A two-lap shootout commenced when the green flag came back out. 2018 Sportmod track champion Luke Johnson of Moorhead capitalized by getting around Jacobson and made his way into victory lane to open up the season.

Valley City, ND’s Tim Compson grabbed the lead early on in the 15-lap IMCA Stock Car feature. 2018 track champion Rob VanMil of Barnesville, MN took the lead from Compson a few laps into the contest.

VanMil fended off an early challenge from Moorhead’s Travis Robertson, who was making his debut in an IMCA Stock Car and drove away from the field to claim his second straight opening night checkers in the Stock Cars at the three-eighths-mile dirt oval.

Jaden Christ and Brian Hanson, both out of Jamestown, ND, started at the point of the field in the INEX Legend class. Christ claimed the lead in the opening laps as the front group of cars jockeyed for position.

Fargo’s Kaitlyn Skalicky got around Christ and, after a caution that put Christ to the back of the field, Sean Johnson of Kindred, ND pulled up alongside Skalicky to challenge.

After a bobble by Skalicky, Johnson’s younger brother Dylan pulled alongside with 5 laps remaining. Sean ended up holding off Dylan after the two raced side-by-side for the remainder of the contest and grabbed the victory.

It was well worth the trip to the West Fargo speedplant for Matt Olson, who came all the way from Franklin, MN and absolutely dominated the IMCA Hobby Stock feature.

RESULTS

IMCA Modifieds
FEATURE: 1. 10-Austin Arneson, Fargo, ND; 2. 6D-Dylan Goplen, Fargo, ND; 3. 2-Casey Arneson, Fargo, ND; 4. 71-Dustin Strand, Grand Forks, ND; 5. 40-Rob VanMil, Barnesville, MN

IMCA Sportmods
FEATURE: 1. 8J-Luke Johnson, Moorhead, MN; 2. 5-Scott Jacobson, Fargo, ND; 3. 3X-Andy Wagner, Ada, MN; 4. 7R-Ryan Restad, West Fargo, ND; 5. 22 Vince Jegtvig, Dilworth, MN

IMCA Stock Cars
FEATURE: 1. 40-Rob VanMil, Barnesville, MN; 2. 10-Travis Robertson, Moorhead, MN; 3. 52-Brennan Borg, Harwood, ND; 4. 18-Mike Anderson, Walcott, ND; 5. 38-Todd Heinrich, Fargo, ND

INEX Legends
FEATURE: 1. 58-Sean Johnson, Kindred, ND; 2. 5D8-Dylan Johnson, Durbin, ND; 3. 8JR-Kaitlyn Skalicky, Fargo, ND; 4. B1-Brody Carlsrud, Moorhead, MN; 5. 20-Alex Braseth, Ulen, MN

IMCA Hobby Stocks
FEATURE: 1. 56M-Matt Olson, Franklin, MN; 2. 11S-William Smith, Glyndon, MN; 3. 44T-Tanner Engen, Detroit Lakes, MN; 4. 31X-Tim Shiek, Fargo, ND; 5. 3XL-Brad Orvedal, Fargo, ND.