Race fans in Estevan got the chance to witness a chase down classic during the final lap of the Dakota Classic Modified Tour last Monday night at the Estevan Motor Speedway.
On the last straightaway in the 30 and final lap of the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) modified class feature Jeff Taylor overtook Estevan local and pole position racer Aaron Turnbull to win. Through the first 29 laps Turnbull and fourth-seed Spencer Wilson battled in out for the top spot in the 26-car race, with the 13-seeded Taylor steadily climbing to the front.
In the IMCA stock car class feature held earlier in the night, Elijah Zevenbergen seemed to have a bit of an easier time holding onto the lead. The 11-seeded Zevenbergen took the checkered flag in front of 23 other feature drivers after moving into the top position on the 18 lap of the 25-lap race.
Estevan’s Austin Daae, who finished in the top-10 of the stock car class A main after starting 24, said he is pretty happy with the headway he made through the heat and B main at the Estevan stop. He said now the goal for the rest of the week was to just stay out of the trouble that cost him on the first night of the tour, while trying to build up enough points to finish near the top.
Sunday night “I started deep in the field too,” said Daae. “I think I started 18 and I got up to seventh and a couple guys in front of me got together and took me out. I bent my steering and I had to come off, so I think I was 20 or something last night, which doesn’t help, but it was better tonight. I started deep in the field again and actually finished, so it was definitely better.”
The race in Estevan was the second date of six in the Dakota Classic Modified Tour, which brings together the best stock car and modified class drivers from North America for better competition and a bigger purse.
“Just like we run here on a weekly basis, those guys run down in Iowa and Nebraska on a weekly basis,” said Daae. “This just brings them up to make that drive to race six nights in a row and try to make some money and just be able to race against the best for a week.”
