The Estevan Motor Speedway opened its 20th season Saturday by having races in all five of its classes.
Travis Hagen of Williston, N.D., took top spot in the A modifieds division, Darren Medler of Minot, N.D., won the sport mod class, Joren Boyce of Minot captured the stock car feature, Brock Beeter of Minot won the hobby stock class and Ryder Raynard of Lampman was the sling shot feature winner.
Hagen edged several local drivers for top spot. Tyson Turnbull was second, Kody Scholpp was third, Ed Turnbull was fourth and Gregg Mann came in fifth.
In the post-race interviews in victory lane, Hagen said he was trying to catch Scholpp early on, but opportunity didn’t come until Scholpp encountered lapped traffic, and eventually became tangled with a slower vehicle.
“I don’t think I would have got around him if it wasn’t for that,” said Hagen.
Hagen said he likes to come to Estevan, and he is looking forward to driving in Williston and Estevan this season.
“They have a good schedule, alternating Saturdays with Estevan here, so we’ll try to be there and we’ll try to be here as much as we can,” said Hagen.
Medler led a sweep of the top three by drivers from Minot in the sport mod division. Robby Rosselli was second and Erik Laudenschlager was third. Rylan Raynard of Lampman was the top local driver in fifth place.
Medler said he was nervous starting up front, since he’s in his first year in the division. He kept waiting for Rosselli and Laudenschlager to challenge him, but it didn’t happen.
“I’ll be coming up here every weekend now,” said Medler, who is a third generation driver.
Boyce, who is one of the veteran drivers at the track, won the stock car feature. Chris Hortness of Estevan was second and Michael Swallers of Minot finished third.
Boyce pointed out that it was some misfortune for frontrunner Jeremy Swanson that allowed him to win the feature.
“He’s just a tough competitor,” said Boyce. “He already had a gap on us, and he was really setting himself up nice on the top.”
The stock car feature came after some water was applied to a dry track. Drivers then packed the track down before the green flag waved to start the feature.
Boyce, who has been coming to race in Estevan since the track opened in 2000, said he believes this is the first time he has won a season-opening program here.
“It took 20 years, so I’m excited about that. I have a lot of people here who have become good friends.”
In the hobby stocks, Brock Beeter of Minot was first, followed by Leevi Runge of Lampman in second and Riese Dignan of Kenmare, N.D., in third.
Beeter pointed out that he and his father have a two-man operation.
“If it wasn’t for him, I couldn’t have done it,” said Beeter.
Raynard, age 11, picked up the win in the sling shot feature. It marked the first time the sling shots have raced on the high-banked, oval racing surface instead of the track’s infield.
He was pleased to be racing on the track itself instead of the infield, and it allows him to build up more speed.
The speedway’s next program will be May 17, starting at 7 p.m.
