A RaceChaser blog thank you for 2025

Most likely, barring a change of heart, the RaceChaser blog race reports and feature stories are done for 2025. I may do a few editorials here and there but for the most part I am done for the year. I am thankful for a lot of things this year and instead of writing  a bunch of Facebook posts, I decided to include all of these in one blog.

Since April 1, I have written 109 blogs, mainly race reports, 35 driver feature stories, a few editorials. It’s been busy.

Fifteen different tracks were covered with race reports in 2025 as well, covering four different states.

Early on, I was a bit worried as the traffic for the site was slower than the past. But I also knew it was going to take time to rebuild the following. Over the last 2-3 months the traffic picked up well.  For the year there have been more than 18,300 page views, which is solid. So thank you to people who not only read the blog but share the posts as well.

I’m not going to decide about 2026 until after the first of the year.

I am thankful for several things so let’s list them:

I must give a big shout out to the five presenting sponsors:

CJW Trucking, Inc.: A family-owned trucking business in Hector, and the Washburn family I’ve known since I was a kid. A big thanks to Natalie, Chuck and Austin Werner for being behind the blog.

Dirt Race Central: Ben Kruchten and his crew do a great job streaming racing action in the region. It allowed me to cover events remotely which greatly reduced travel and the burnout factor.  DRC has been a consistent blog supporter for years.

Skalicky’s Auto Repair: Jesse and his team have a thriving business in Fargo (and are my family’s mechanic of choice) and has been a sponsor since I added them in 2020 but became a presenting sponsor in 2025.

Viking Speedway: The big half-mile is a track I grew up going to and has been a sponsor every year I’ve had tracks sponsor but moved into a presenting sponsor slot in 2025. I appreciate their backing over the years.

DRC Street Stock Tour: Thanks to Benji Froemke and the tour for its support. Weather wrecked some of my chances to cover the tour this year but when I was able to, the racing was top notch, as usual.

“RaceChaser.net”

Thank you to the VanEps racing team, consisting of Midwest Modified driver Kailey VanEps and her brother,  Modified  driver Justin VanEps, the Pederson family, consisting of late model drivers Joey and his children Tucker and Kelsi, and Cole Greseth for carrying the “RaceChaser.net” sponsorships in 2025. They put the addresses on there for a tiny amount of money and all are excellent ambassadors of racing.

More sponsor thanks.

 Thank you to the following businesses for sponsoring RaceChaser blog in 2025:

Neset Land Surveys (Cole Neset)

Beverly Anne Assisted Living (Neil Walton)

Trisha Satter – Realtor

Lancer Fabrication (Aaron Blacklance)

Grain Dryer Systems (Corey Svor)

MDS Services (Matt Schow)

Graphic Creations, supplied RaceChaser blog stickers (Chad Spieker)

Thank you to the racetracks and race teams that sponsored in 2025, which included several returners from previous years but also some new race teams:

Race Tracks

Red River Valley Speedway and Norman County Raceway

I-94 EMR Speedway

Sheyenne Speedway

Race Teams

Brody Carlsrud Racing

Pavlicek Racing

Brandon Ferris Racing

Ussatis Racing

Seth Klostreich Racing

Johnson Brothers Racing (Sean and Dylan Johnson)

Todd Heinrich/Rick Schulz  Racing

Justin Vogel Racing

Kyle Anderson Racing

Cole Schill Racing

M and J Racing (Andrew Jochim)

Photographers

Racing in this region is blessed with many excellent photographers who work very hard to take outstanding photos.  They are listed as sponsors on the RaceChaser site because they have helped provide action photos, particularly on remote coverage and often right from the track itself. My camera and smaller lens are functional but do not do the quality of work these folks do. Their work and their support of the blog is invaluable.

Superior Customs/Speedway Shots (Mike Spieker and his team, helping all across the region)

AOK Photography (Alex and Krystal Ostenson, been a big help at the southern tracks)

Cody Papke Photos  (At any track he is at, Cody is always willing to help with a great photo).

Outlaw Action Photography (Collin Nelson, my Viking go-to photographer)

Lisa Jean Designs (Lisa Rhen, my go-to Bemidji photographer)

I also want to thank Mason Eisenzimmer and Kayla Koth for helping get Street Stock Tour feature winners’ photos from those events.

Drivers interviewed

A total of 35 drivers were interviewed for feature stories in 2025, bringing the eight-year total to 275, unofficially. Here is a list

Brandon Tendeland

Andy Rossow

Morgan Nyquist

Davey Kruchten

MaKenna Romuld

Scott Hansen

Chase Pourrier

Kody Machart

Bryce Borgen

Brennon Weight

Weston Ramsrud

Allan Cleveland

Taylor Jacobson

Brad Orvedal

Ryan Corbett

Dexton Koch

Josh Rieck

Austin Chyba

Ashley Wampler

Tyler Klugman

Dusty Mund

Trevor Anderson

Travis Engebretson

Cylen Vargason

Mason Bogart

Andrea McCain

Joe Martin

Mike Anderson

Nate Heinrich

Brandon Rekow

Dustin Strand

Cody Jawaski

Craig Gardner

Aaron Michel

Zach Flickinger

RaceChaser blog stickers

Thank you to the drivers who put RaceChaser stickers on their cars in 2025, the total was 121 by my count.

IMCA Stock Car: Jonny Carter, Brody Carlsrud, Rick Schulz, Todd Heinrich, Kalvin Kesselberg, Andrew Jochim, Dan Aberle,

IMCA Sprint: Tye Wilke, Evan Hendrickson

IMCA Sport Mod: Torey Fischer, Reile Sailer, Ryan Restad, Carter Restad, Brennan Urbach (2 cars), Jayden Pavlicek (2), Austin Veralrud, Brandon Tendeland, Paul Colvin,

Hobby Stock/Bomber: Brad Orvedal

IMCA Modified: Tyler Hall, Jesse Skalicky, Jeff Odden, Lindsey Hansen, Jordan Sours,

Legend: Sean Johnson, Dylan Johnson, Regan Reinke, Kody Machart (2 cars), Bo Gregor, Scott Richardson, Levi Lease,

Wissota Street Stocks: Maria Broksieck, Andy Rossow, Jason Marko, Trey Hess, Greg Jose, Weston Ramsrud, Seth Klostreich, Cory Dykhoff, Kyle Dykhoff, Eric Riley, Tyler Klugman, Craig Gardner, JJ Nieuwbeerta, Hunter Carter, Davey Kruchten, Kasey Ussatis, Ashley Wampler, Justin Vogel,

Wissota Modified: Tony Konold, Mike Stearns, Bryce Borgen, Dusty Bitzan, Austin Chyba, Avery Anderson, Bryce Sward, Tanner Williamson,

Wissota Midwest Modified: Scott Hansen, Matt Schow, Ryan Schow, Hunter Hougard, Jamie Dietzler, Reise Stenberg, Jory Berg, MaKenna Romuld, Haley Dykhoff, Jamie Norman, Maddie Swenson, Travis Engebretson, Shawn Olson, Alex Langland, Kyle Langland, Kyle Anderson, Cole Neset (2 cars), Buzz  Muzik, Nic  Hiles, Sophie Anderson, Michelle Hutt

Hornet/Mini Stock: Bradley Rossow, Nathan Kelley, Hunter Goulet, Chase Pourrier, Mason Bogart, Kevin Wahl, Christian Kast

Gen X Late Model: Kevin Youngquist, Shawn Beto, Larry Samuelson, Jeff Nelson, Zander Compson,

Wissota Super Stock: Tim Compson, Ryan Satter, Jeff Crouse, Travis Scott, Karter Reents, Allan Cleveland, William Lund,

Wissota Late Model: Cole Schill, Brody Troftgruben, Nate Reynolds, Tom Corcoran, Jason Strand (2 cars), Ryan Corbett, Travis Robertson, Collin Compson, Laine Schwehr, Erik Robertson, Clarence Washburn

Crown Vic: Dan Harstad

The Scooter: Collin Nelson

One last thought...

I also want to mention the Red Clay Classic, which I attended this weekend. The amount of time and work volunteers put into an event of that magnitude amazes me. There was a record 260 cars and a massive crowd. It was a couple of long nights, and things didn’t run perfectly smooth (they never do at big events) and they fought the track surface with all the cars and laps on it. But for a track that is all run by volunteers to put on an event of that size, which paid $250,000 in purse, deserves praise.