Despite finishing in victory lane of Sunday's IMCA Hobby Stocks feature race at Nodak Speedway, Minot driver Dana Brandt's No. 9D machine finished in far from perfect shape.
Brandt made a pit stop with six laps remaining and his crew quickly changed out his flat front left tire while the race was under caution. After Brandt made his move from the rear to near the front of the pack, Jason Olsen ran off the edge of the track for the second time.
Brandt didn't see Olsen until too late. Brandt destroyed most of his hood as he rammed into Olsen.
Article Photos
Tim Chapman/MDN
Minot driver Dana Brandt (9D) distances himself from Gary Goudy during a heat race Sunday at Nodak Speedway. Brandt won the IMCA Hobby Stocks feature.
"He decided he was going to pull off the track right on the green flag," Brandt said. "He didn't give no hand motions or nothing and I had nowhere to go,"
Brandt fought through the damage, eventually passing Minot's Brandon Beeter - who led for most of the 15-lap feature - on the final straightaway to earn the checkered flag.
Beeter, who entered the race trailing Brandt by a point in the standings, had an added burden. His mother, Bonnie Beeter, was diagnosed with a life-threatening health issue earlier in the week. He declined to elaborate on his mother's condition.
Fact Box
Unofficial Results
IMCA Hobby Stock
Heat 1: 1. Dana Brandt, Minot; 2. Brad King, Fairbanks, Alaska; 3. Michael Vennes, Minot.
Heat 2: 1. Brandon Beeter, Minot; 2. Scott Joern, Minot; 3. Kevin Eklund, Sawyer.
Feature: 1. Brandt; 2. Beeter; 3. Eric Sinness, Williston; 4. Eklund; 5. Kadi Vondal, Minot.
IMCA Sport Mods
Heat 1: 1. Jordan Huettl, Minot; 2. Robbie Conway, Westhope; 3. Erik Laudenschlager, Minot.
Heat 2: 1. Kelly Henderson, Minot; 2. Wyatt Olson, Des Lacs; 3. Ryan Wolla, Williston.
Feature: 1. Henderson; 2. Olson; 3. Laudenschlager; 4. Ryan Sebo, Minot; 5. Jeff Hooker, Minot.
INEX Legends
Heat 1: 1. Drew Papke, Bismarck; 2. Steve Pankowski, Minot; 3. Paul Huettl, Bismarck.
Heat 2: 1. Donavin Wiest, Wishek; 2. Tom Wagner, Mercer; 3. John Huettl, Minot.
Feature: 1. Wiest; 2. P. Huettl; 3. J. Huettl; 4. Pankowski; 5. Wagner
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1: 1. Ed Turnbull, Estevan, Sask.; 2. Steven Pfeifer, Minot; 3. Tyler Wagner, Mercer.
Heat 2: 1. Robert Hellebust, Kenmare; 2. Drew Christianson, Minot; 3. Travis Hagen, Williston.
Heat 3: 1.Mike Hagen, Williston; 2. Wayne Johnson, Minot; 3. Bryce Beck, Minot.
Feature: 1. Turnbull; 2. Hellebust; 3. M. Hagen; 4. Allen Kent, Minot; 5. T. Hagen.
The caution flags piled up - there were eight in the 15-lap race - and Beeter's once comfortable lead evaporated in the final moments.
"There was a ton of emotion," Beeter said. "I wanted the race to get over sooner. There was way too many cautions. I was ready for the race to end."
Robert Hellebust seemed to have the IMCA Modifieds feature race in hand.
Hellbust's healthy lead disappeared when his father, Gene Hellebust, spun out with 19 laps to go, drawing a caution flag in the process.
"It did (derail my chances)," Robert Hellebust said. "My tires glazed over. They were hot and then they cooled down a bit. They glazed up a bit and I lost my tires.
"I haven't been over there (to talk to him yet). I don't know, he'll probably apologize, but whatever. It is what it is."
Estevan, Sask., driver Ed Turnbull took the lead with 13 laps remaining and immediately built an insurmountable lead that was aided by caution-free racing for the final 19 laps.
Turnbull was victorious on Canada Day, finishing more than four seconds in front of second-place finisher Robert Hellebust.
"I couldn't hear any engines behind me," Turnbull said.
Kelly Henderson coasted to victory in the IMCA Sport Modifieds race, finishing almost four seconds in front of Wyatt Olsen and nearly five seconds ahead of third-place finisher Erik Laudenschlager. The 20-lap race was caution-free.
Wishek driver Donavin Wiest passed Minot's John Huettl with seven laps to go in the INEX Legends race.
Wiest held on, edging Bismarck's Paul Huettl and John Huettl to win the feature.