MANDAN, N.D. (July 11, 2024) – Tom Berry Jr.’s second win of the week was one for the record book.
Ethan Braaksma’s third runner-up finish was good for a championship.
Berry led every lap of Thursday’s Dakota Classic Modified Tour powered by Industrial Electric main event at Dacotah Speedway, his career 10th Friesen Performance IMCA Modified victory breaking the previous record held by Ricky Thornton Jr. and dating from 2006, when IMCA resumed sanctioning the tour.
“It’s pretty incredible, to know what Ricky has done in his career and to pass a record like that,” Berry said. “I know he holds a lot of ‘em and we’re trying to break them. I’m kind of like his little brother, I guess. We’re just trying to do the best we can and make it somewhere in life.”
Also first to the checkers Monday at Estevan and the only repeat winner in either division following the tour, Berry led Braaksma the first four times around the track before the only caution of the night – just the second in 200 Modified main event laps run during the week and also for debris – before Tim Ward moved into the runner-up spot.
Berry was into lapped traffic just after midway of the 30-lapper, his advantage growing to nearly three seconds as Ward and Braaksma dueled behind him.
Braaksma finally got the second spot back but couldn’t catch up, clinching the tour title as Ward, Kyle Strickler and Justin O’Brien completed the top five.
“We just kept our head down and kept plugging,” Berry said after the $2,000 win, his Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying 11th. “We tried to be smooth through lapped traffic and we did what we could.”
Braaksma also did what he could, with a win, those three second-place finishes and a third in taking the crown over defending champion Ward.
“We were a little snug at the beginning but the car got better. We’d definitely liked to have seen a caution there,” said Braaksma, who will get the biggest share of the $6,500 point fund from IMCA and Hoosier Tire. “I definitely didn’t expect this (the championship) coming up here.”
Shawn Strand got his first career tour win and $1,000 while young Texan Cameron Starry topped point standings on the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car half of the tour.
Racing at his hometown track, Strand lassoed another Texan, Shelby Williams for the lead on the seventh of 25 laps. The light stayed green and Strand took the checkers four seconds ahead of 2023 tour champ Rob Van Mil.
Austin Brands, the 12th starting Starry and Andrew Jochim were next across the stripe.
“I was just trying to be patient, not use up my equipment or anybody else’s. As soon as I could get going on the throttle, the car just got better and better,” said Strand, already eligible to qualify for the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational. “Shelby challenged me on the bottom there. I found a fast line and set sail.”
Once he got to the front there was no keeping up with hometown driver Shawn Strand in Thursday’s Dakota Tour main event for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. (Photo by Layn Mudder)
Starry had brought a four point lead over Williams into the night. He’ll take home the champion’s share of a $3,500 point fund provided by IMCA and Hoosier.
“I had faith in my team and faith in my car. Eventually the car came to the track,” said the 18-year-old, giving a shout out to the folks attending the watch party back home. “It’s definitely cool when a small town kid from Robstown can come up here and win this tour.”
Fifty-six Modified drivers from 13 states and Canada, and 46 Stock Car drivers from six states and Canada raced one or more nights of the 35th annual tour.
All five race programs were broadcast by IMCA.TV.
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