Todd Dart picked up an opportunistic win on the opening night of the 23rd annual Dakota Classic Modified Tour.
Fortune struck the Algoma, Wisc., native during the IMCA Modifieds feature in the form of fellow driver Aaron Turnbull's blown engine.
Turnbull, from Estevan, Sask., started on the pole Sunday at Nodak Speedway and opened a giant lead on the 26-car field as the race progressed. His car began smoking on lap 13 of 30, but Turnbull extended his lead and began lapping his competitors around lap 20.
Article Photos
Tim Chapman/MDN
Wisconsin driver Todd Dart (3) pulls ahead of the field Sunday at Nodak Speedway. The race was the first of a six-night series throughout North Dakota and Saskatchewan, Canada.
After a caution with five laps remaining, Turnbull's engine could only handle one full-speed lap before giving way.
Dart moved to the first position on the restart and held off Hank Berry of Sidney, Mont., by two tenths of a second in an exciting finish. The two drivers were nearly even for much of the final two laps and the estimated crowd of 2,000 rose to its feet as the leaders rounded the final turn.
Will Brack of Mead, Colo., finished third, followed by Aaron Turnbull's father Ed Turnbull.
Fact Box
Unofficial results
IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1: Greg Wichman, Bonduel, Wisc.; 2. Austin Daae, Estevan, Sask.; 3. Ryan Atkings, Tisdale, Sask.
Heat 2: 1. Gregg Mann, Estevan; 2. Randy Conway, Minot; 3. Stefan Klym, Moose Jaw, Sask.
Heat 3: 1. Nathan Burke, Minot; 2. Rodney Wadel, Garden City, Kan.; 3. Kelly Henderson, Minot.
Heat 4: 1. Steven Pfeifer, Minot; 2. Joe Flory, Williston; 3. Bob Fuegmann, Minot.
B-Main: 1. Brett Woznicki, Minot; 2. Shawn Havel, Algoma, Wisc.; 3. Josh Wolla, Minot; 4. Sterling Labatte, Weyburn, Sask.; 5. Perry Misner, Garden City.
Feature: 1. Mann; 2. Havel; 3. Conway; 4. Burke; 5. Henderson.
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1: 1. Pfeifer; 2. Wayne Johnson, Minot; 3. Mike Hagen, Williston.
Heat 2: 1. Will Brack, Mead, Colo.; 2. Joey Galloway, Manor, Sask.; 3. Dallas Rice, Minot.
Heat 3: 1. Matt Brack, Mead; 2. Brian Mullen, Seymour, Wisc.; 3. Shawn Strand, Mandan.
Heat 4: 1. Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa; 2. Jay Noteboom, Hinton, Iowa; 3. Ed Turnbull, Estevan.
Heat 5: 1. Aaron Turnbull, Estevan; 2. Robert Hellebust, Kenmare; 3. Hank Berry, Sidney, Mont.
Heat 6: 1. Jeff Taylor, Cave City, Ark.; 2. John Hansen, Brush, Colo.; 3. Jerad Thelen, Bismarck.
Heat 7: 1. Todd Dart, Algoma; 2. Kody Scholpp, Lampman, Sask.; 3. Jeff Decker, Dickinson.
Heat 8: 1. Tyson Turnbull, Estevan; 2. Nick Fuchs, Williston; 3. Corey Mohr, Moose Jaw, Sask.
B-Main 1: 1. Berry; 2. Hellebust; 3. Johnson; 4. Hagen; 5. Tyler Wagner, Weyburn, Sask.
B-Main 2: 1. Hansen; 2. Mark Dahl, Bismarck; 3. Marlyn Seidler, Underwood; 4. Kevin Stoa, Albert, Minn.; 5. Thelen.
B-Main 3: 1. Mullen; 2. Strand; 3. Decker; 4. Les McLenehan, Estevan; 5. Scholpp.
B-Main 4: 1. Noteboom; 2. Ed Turnbull; 3. Spencer Wilson, Minot; 4. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton, Iowa; 5. John Flory, Williston.
Last-chance qualifier (top two advance to feature): 1. Scholpp; 2. Allen Kent, Minot.
Feature: 1. Dart; 2. Berry; 3. Will Brack; 4. Ed Turnbull; 5. Matt Brack.
Dart claimed $1,300 of the $9,925 total purse with the victory.
Greg Mann of Estevan, Sask., started the IMCA Stock Car feature on the pole and won after wresting the lead from Minot's Nathan Burke with eight laps remaining.
Mann earned $550 in prize money for his first feature victory of the season, which also came on his 30th birthday.
Burke led throughout the middle of the 25-lap race, but was passed by Mann and Shawn Havel after a caution with 10 laps remaining.
Havel finished second, followed by Minot's Randy Conway and Burke. Minoter Kelly Henderson finished fifth and Steven Pfeifer took sixth despite going to the back of the 20-car field after a yellow flag on the eighth lap.
The tour continues tonight at 6 at Nodak Speedway. The tour will make stops this week in Estevan, Williston, Dickinson and Mandan.