Minot resident Dallas Rice has been a familiar face around Nodak Speedway for a number of years.

Rice, in his 10th season of competitive racing, is currently 15th in the season-sports standings in the IMCA Modified classification at the Minot track. Rice, driver of the No. 72 car, was seventh in his heat at Sunday night’s Dakota Classic Modified tour.

The opportunity to face drivers from all around the country was an overwhelming one for Rice.

“Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Chandler, Ariz.) has more feature wins than races I have raced in,” he said. “That puts it in perspective.”

That doesn’t change the Minot resident’s passion for racing.

“I enjoy driving,” Rice said. “But I have to give credit to my dad for working on my car.”

Rice was introduced to the sport by his father.

“Ever since I was out of the hospital (when I was born),” Rice said. “My dad took me to the track, and I started racing at 18.”

Rice started out in the hobby stock, where he raced for the first five years of his career. In 2011, he made the switch to the IMCA Modified and has been there ever since.

“After racing for four years, the competition wasn’t there any more,” Rice said. “Either Dana Brandt or I would win. The competition wasn’t there and it wasn’t as fun.”

Since making the switch to the modifieds, Rice’s expectations have been narrowed.

“My goal had to be to make the feature,” he said of the competitiveness of the modified classification.

He said the highlight of his racing career was making the feature in the 2015 Dakota Classic Modified tour in Jamestown. However, the feature was rained out and Rice never got to see how he would measure up against other drivers from around the country.

His racing career nearly ended on July 4, 2014 as he was in a accident that landed him in the hospital with minor injuries. The accident left Rice without a car as it was totaled in the crash.

“I thought I was finished after that,” he said.

The next day, his dad purchased him a car that he has been racing to this day.

Rice says that if the new car hadn’t been purchased, he likely would have been done racing.

As for his future, Rice says he plans to continue to race as long as his father continues to have interest in helping.

“If one day he said he was retiring, I’d probably retire, too,” Rice said. “It wouldn’t be as fun without him.”

While the demands of racing is much like a full time job, Rice keeps things in perspective. He likes to go hunting in the fall, and enjoys hitting the fishing holes throughout the summer.

“I’m not in there to make a million dollars,” he said.

Rice also offers simple tips to those who may be looking to get started in the sport.

“Surround yourself with guys that know what they are doing,” he said. “Starting out in the pits would be a good way to start out.”

Rice will race this weekend in Mandan, and will return to racing at Nodak Speedway once the fair concludes.

Mark Jones covers high school sports and general assignments. Follow him on Twitter @hoopsfan27-MDN.