Hansen a consistent veteran contender in Wissota Midwest Modifieds

If you are looking for the definition of a “consistent veteran” in racing, Scott Hansen is your driver.

The Garden City, S.D., farmer, in his 37th year of racing  and currently pilots the #31 Wissota Miidwest Modified at Casino Speedway in Watertown and at other tracks in the South Dakota region.

He is a steady veteran indeed:

--This season, in six starts, he has three top fives

--In 2024, he had 26 top fives, including three wins, in 38 starts.

--In 2023, he had 17 top fives, with three wins, in 33 starts.

--In 2022, Hansen had 20 top fives in 31 starts with seven feature wins.

For those keeping track, that’s a top five finish in more than half of his starts since 2023 --  about 67 percent of them, in fact. His theory on why he usually finishes in the top five of late more often than not? It’s simple.

“Races are won at home in the shop, not at the track,” Hansen said. 

That preparation, and experience behind the wheel, make a difference each week for Hansen.  His goal each week – and the numbers since 2022 indicate this – is to “be competitive.”

“It’s not all about winning,” Hansen said of his approach to racing. “It’s to go out and have fun and enjoy life. The older you get, the more the wins aren’t as important.”

Hansen’s racing career started way back in 1989 in the street stock class.

“I had a buddy who built a car, and he raced a little bit,” he said.” I thought I’d build one and it took off from there ever since.”

He’s raced in different classes along his 37 years behind the wheel – street stocks, Midwest modifieds, A modifieds and late models.  But he’s found a home in the Wissota Midwest Modified class, a division run at nearly every Wissota track.

“I can go east, west, north south and pretty much race anywhere I want to,” Hansen said. “it’s been a way of life. I enjoy seeing all my friends here at the track. And I enjoy going to new tracks and seeing different people.”

Hansen has six Wissota Midwest Modified track championships in his career and one Wissota Modified crown. He is approaching 100 career feature wins.

His 2024 season saw him place third in the points at Casino Speedway behind Mike Nichols and Derek Rieck. Hansen finished in the top five at Casino in nine of 11 starts.

“We had a decent year,” Hansen said. “We had some ups and downs; it’s just the way it is with racing. Some nights, loading it in the trailer is a win.”

In 37 years of racing, a have been a lot of friendships made for the 52-year-old.

“There’s a lot of memories,” Hansen said. “The biggest thing is all the people I’ve met through racing, that I would have never met otherwise.”

While he remains a competitive threat for top five finishes, racing is about having a good time for Hansen.

“A lot of us go out and have fun,” Hansen said. “When it quits being fun, it’s time to hang the helmet up and do something else.”

Driver profile

Scott Hansen

Wissota Midwest Modified #31

Age: 52

Residence: Garden City, S.D.

Sponsors: Fab 18 Racecars, Ole West BBQ & Dippen Sauce/James Valley Company, Macks Service, Westside Implement, Foster Hog Farm, Ag Tech LLC, KBS Power, Backroads, Nicky Watson CPA, Shocks By Hammer, Foyt Trucking, Leiffort Painting, Ristvedt Trucking INC. Prairie Ridge Lodge, Cross Country Vets, Hauger Construction LLC, Dakota Butcher, CRP Photos, Mitch Motorsports & Circle Arrow Ranch.