Alex Eisen/MDN IMCA Modified drivers Grey Ferrando (13), Alex Stanford (98) and Justin Medler (75) compete in a "B" feature for the Dakota Classic Modified Tour Sunday evening at Nodak Speedway in Minot.

The third straight night of racing in the 2020 Dakota Classic Modified Tour came roaring through Minot Sunday evening. Nodak Speedway was the playground for 61 IMCA Modifieds in attendance.

A recap of the high-speed action is below.

IMCA Modifieds

The evening started with eight caution-free heat races featuring seven or eight cars each. The winner automatically advanced to the “A” main feature. Taking the checkered flag in front was Austin Arneson (Fargo), Ricky Thornton Jr. (Iowa), Travis Tooley (Dickinson), Travis Olheiser (Dickinson), Spencer Wilson (Minot), Marcus Tomlinson (Turtle Lake), John Corell (Jamestown) and Jason Wolla (Ray).

The Dakota Classic points leader coming into the night with 76 points, Jake O’Neil from Arizona, finished fifth in the second heat race. Arneson entered second in points (72), and Thornton Jr. was tied for third (70) with Alex Stanford (California) and Billy Kendall (Minnesota).

Thornton Jr. drew the pole position with Wolla alongside him.

Before getting to the main event, four “B” features followed to qualify the remaining field. The Top 3 advanced with fourth and fifth place moving into a last-chance qualifier race.

O’Neil won the second “B” main but failed to go to technical inspection after the race and was subsequently disqualified.

Jeff Taylor (Arizona), Stanford and Tanner Black (Kansas) won the other “B” mains. The six-car last-chance qualifier race was won by David Brown (Iowa).

Thorton Jr. was unmatched upfront in the “A” main. Wolla and Arneson also formed a gap over the rest of the field in the battle for second place.

Thorton Jr. was coming up on lap traffic with 18 laps remaining, but a caution brought out by Taylor saved him the trouble.

The front five pulled apart on the restart and didn’t look back. Another yellow flag didn’t come to save the rest of the field.

Thorton Jr. went wire-to-wire for the win after getting through lap traffic in the final five laps. Wolla lost out on a second place to a hard-charging Arneson, who finally made the pass with three laps left.

Eddie Belec and Spencer Wilson capped the Top 5.

The IMCA Modifieds continue the Dakota Classic Modified Tour at the Williston Basin Speedway at 7 p.m. this evening.

IMCA Stock Cars

The opening three heat races went to Elijah Zevenbergen (Iowa), Chanse Hollatz (Iowa) and Matt Speckman (Minnesota).

The 25-lap main feature saw Hollatz led the first five laps before oversteering turn No. 4 and giving the lead to Williston native and Nodak Speedway regular Dalton Flory, who started sixth and quickly got to the front.

The first caution flag flew two laps later when a handful of cars collided in the middle of turns No. 1 and No. 2.

Zevenbergen took the lead back from Flory with 15 laps left.

A four-car wreck on the front stretch involving Chris Ellis, Dave Swallers, Eric Mahlik and Mike Hagen reset the field with 13 laps remaining. Cody St. Croix was also banged up, but stayed in the race with his bumper barely hanging onto the back of his car.

Zevenbergen and Flory separated from the rest of the pack on the restart. But they were brought back with six laps left when lone Canadian Austin Daae went around.

Hollatz jumped into second briefly, but Flory recovered to take his spot back with three laps left. A caution with two laps left gave Flory one last shot at Zevenbergen.

Flory was side-by-side with Zevenbergen when taking the white flag, as spectators in the grandstand rose to their feet, but Flory lost his momentum in the first corner of the final lap.

Zevenbergen, riding around on basically three wheels with a faulty right front tire for the last 10 laps, managed to hold on for the victory.

Flory, Hollatz, Speckman and Joe Flory rounded out the Top 5.

The weekly Magic City Dirt Series at Nodak Speedway resumes next Sunday, July 19, with IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Mods and IMCA Stock Cars. Racing is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

Alex Eisen covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @AEisen13.