ESTEVAN - Hobby stock and sport modified drivers from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the northern mid-west U.S. were in Estevan on Friday night for the Estevan Motor Speedway’s stop on the Tougher than Dirt Tour.
The event attracted 93 racers in total, including 29 hobby stocks and 21 sport mods. Stock cars, slingshots and modifieds also raced on Friday, entertaining the crowd that gathered at the track.
The number of hobby stocks entered forced the speedway to have a B-main qualifier for the first time in four years. The top six finishers from each of the three hobby stock qualifying heats advanced directly to the feature, while the remaining 11 drivers went to the B main, with the top six finishers from that race moving onto the feature.
In the hobby stock final race, Bradon Bombardo of New Prague, Minn., held off Landon Runge of Lampman and Tanner Clough of Wallace, Neb., to win. Barbardo held the lead early in the feature, but was passed by Clough, who held the lead for a few laps. Bombardo regained the lead late in the race.
Runge was in contention throughout the feature, and made a charge late in the race by taking the track’s high line, but couldn’t pass Bombardo.
The Minnesota driver is nicknamed Mr. Excitement, and once he reached victory lane, he jumped on the roof of his car to celebrate while wearing a unicorn mask.
Kyler Satran of Minot, N.D., was fourth and Connor Hansen of Torquay was fifth. Eight southeast Saskatchewan drivers qualified for the 24-car feature.
Garbriel Deschamp of Bottineau, N.D., dominated to win the sport mod feature. The first half of the race was close, and a couple of cautions midway through the feature ensured the drivers would be close together. Darren Medler of Minot held the lead early, with challenges coming from Deschamp and Lampman’s Leevi Runge.
But Deschamp pulled away after the final caution, and wound up winning by several seconds, with the biggest challenge being weaving through lapped traffic. He has now won all three of his appearances in Estevan.
Medler was second, Runge was third and Brock Beeter of Minot was fourth. Eight drivers from the southeast were in the feature.
The Tougher than Dirt Tour has six programs in six days, with five in North Dakota. The drivers with the most points in each division at the end are crowned the series champions. This year marked the first time since 2019 that Tougher than Dirt has been in Estevan.
As for the other classes on Friday, Kyle Scholpp of Lampman won his first-ever stock car feature in Estevan, making a pass on the first lap of the feature to take top spot and never relinquishing the lead. Adam Goff of Minot proved to be the toughest challenger, as he was second for most of the race and finished in the runner-up position.
Chris Hortness of Estevan was third and Stefan Klym of Swift Current came in fourth.
Aaron Turnbull of Estevan won the modified feature in a thrilling duel with fellow Estevan driver Kody Scholpp. Turnbull passed Manor’s Joey Galloway for the lead early on, while Scholpp mounted a challenge after he worked his way into second spot.
Turnbull nearly went off the track at one point while fending off Scholpp.
Travis Hagen of Williston, N.D., was third and Marcus Tomlinson of Turtle Lake, N.D., was fourth.
Brogan Wagner of Weyburn won the slingshot feature, his third win in four race programs this year. Sladen Pfeifer of Minot was second, Eli Turnbull of Estevan was third and Gunner Raynard of Lampman came in fourth.
The stock cars, modifieds and slingshots were racing for points in the championship standings.
Goff leads the stock car class with 152 points, one more than Hortness. Scholpp is third with 147 and Joren Boyce of Minot is fourth with 146.
Hagen leads the modified standings with 146, two better than Scholpp. Isaiah Geisel of Torquay sits third with 141 and Steven Pfeifer of Minot is fourth with 140.
Sladen Pfeifer is tops in the slingshot class with 152 points, seven clear of Jack Ashworth of Weyburn. Wagner is third with 144, and Gunner Raynard and Hudson Mann are tied for fourth with 143.
The next program at the track will be a Canada Day event on July 1.
