Submitted Photo Clinton Burgardt, left, and his father, Dennis Burgardt, at Dakota Truck and Farm/Harry’s Tire Service.

Clinton Burgardt, owner of Dakota Truck and Farm/Harry’s Tire Service at 1604 20th Ave SE in Minot, has come a long way from the rural farm home he grew up in north of Garden City, Kansas. His father, Dennis Burgardt, worked for a farmer prior to beginning his career as a tractor mechanic for CASE IH, where he worked for nearly 40 years.

When he grew up, Clinton worked as a diesel mechanic too, but his focus was on construction equipment. That is up until 2010, when he was approached by his father-in-law, Mike Hemphill, to move to Minot to take over the family business.

Harry’s Tire Service was started by Harry Omen in 1943 as a family-owned and operated Goodyear Tire and Service Network Dealer on First Street West in downtown Minot. Harry passed the business down to his son, Jim Omen. When Harry’s outgrew the First Street West location, it moved to 615 South Broadway. Mike bought the business from the Omens after having worked for them since he was a young man.

In 1997 Harry’s moved to its present location when Mike spearheaded a new business, Dakota Truck and Farm, to fill the needs of the truck and farm community in the area by becoming a Goodyear Commercial Tire and Service Network and Titan Goodyear Farm Tire Dealer as well as an International Truck and Cummins Dealer. Several tire lines in sizes from a small garden tractor all the way up to large farm, construction and industrial sizes were added over the years, including Michelin Ag and Trelleborg.

Harry’s Tire Service continues the original mission of good customer service by providing auto repairs, oil changes and consumer tires from Goodyear, Cooper, Kelly, BF Goodrich, Falken, Hankook, Vredestein, Michelin and Kumho. They offer free lifetime rotation and balance when consumers buy a set of four tires. In addition, they have made a name for themselves with the huge selection of aftermarket wheels, lift and leveling kits, pickup bed and floor liners and other specialty auto products.

Harry’s shop was expanded to include a state-of-the-art computerized Hunter Alignment System and additional mechanic’s bays. They perform a comprehensive 32-point inspection with every oil change and with their Oil Change Rewards Card customers get their 10th oil change free.

Clinton spent time learning the business from Mike before purchasing it from him in January 2016. Additional service bays were added, with each bay capable of accommodating semi-trucks with trailers.

To help meet the needs of the area they added Jet Co. side dump and grain hopper trailers, US Cargo enclosed cargo trailers, auto and motorsports carriers, snowmobile trailers and custom trailers built to your specifications and Iron Bull Trailers in dump, equipment, deck over, tilt and utility to the product line up to provide quality trailers at a reasonable price. All three trailer lines are made in the United States.

In 2020 the Versatile dealerships in Kenmare and Washburn both went out of business, leaving a huge gap for the farmers and ranchers in the region who owned Versatile equipment. With no one to service their tractors, Clinton was approached about becoming a Versatile dealer to help fill the gap.

Dakota Truck and Farm mechanics had already become proficient in working on Cummins Engines since many International Trucks are built with Cummins engines. Versatile Tractors are also built with Cummins Engines and the service bays were built large enough to accommodate the largest Versatile Tractors. Combined with the multiple lines of tractor tires serving the farm and ranch community, it was a good fit to incorporate Versatile into the product line-up.

In December 2020 the first Versatile used tractor was on Dakota Truck and Farm’s lot. The first new Versatile tractor arrived in February 2021 and was sold in March, leaving Dakota Truck and Farm with a CASE IH trade-in, bringing Clinton full circle from his early days working with his dad on the farm.

In the subsequent months and years Dakota Truck and Farm has continued to morph to truly fulfill its motto, “From Field to Market – We Keep You On The Go.”

A dedicated Tractor Shop was opened at 4400 E. Burdick Expressway with a team of highly skilled tractor mechanics. The Versatile line includes tractors in DeltaTrack, 4WD, MFWD and Nemesis 175HP-620HP with options like loaders and grapples and Fury tillage equipment. To meet the needs for smaller scale tractors, the McCormick Tractor line in 25Hp-310HP with options like mowers, loaders and skid steer tools were added. Additional service trucks and mechanics were added to ensure the equipment sold could be serviced and maintained. Current employment for Dakota Truck and Farm and Harry’s Tire Service stands at 52.

Numerous implement lines also have been added. There are several tillage tools to prepare for spring planting, such as Versatile Fury 35′ Disc, Kuhn Krause Exhilarator XT and Ripper, Vaderstad Carrier XL, Kinze Mac-Till and Wil-Rich In-line Ripper.

J&M SpeedTender Premium Bulk Seed Tenders made their debut to our lineup in 2023. Vaderstad showcased their new product the Tempo K Planter at a Customer Introduction with factory representatives at the tractor shop in early April 2024. To ensure a timely harvest J&M and Kinze grain carts and Vale Grain Giant Field Bins also were added to the product line.

When work is done, head out with a Team Lodge Toy Hauler for year-round camping comfort within minutes of unloading your favorite side-by-side, snowmobile or four-wheeler. These four-season toy haulers round out the current lineup.

Clinton continues his father-in-law’s legacy of service to the community with Dakota Truck and Farm voted Minot Daily News 2023 Best of the Best Implement Dealer and Harry’s Tire Service voted Best Tire Store and Finalist for Auto Repair and Oil Change Shop. On a national scale Dakota Truck and Farm was recognized in 2023 as a Top 5 Titan Goodyear Farm Tire Associate Dealer, five years running, and a Top 20 Versatile Tractor Dealer in North America for 2023.