Overton rules Wissota Late Model Challenge Series race at Casino

There is something about the No. 37 car and the Structural Buildings Wissota Late Model Challenge Series at Casino Speedway over the past few years.

Watertown veteran Scott Ward had won the previous two challenge series features at Casino in 2024 and 2025; he has been sidelined so far in 2026 with a shoulder issue. Wanting to have his 37 on the track at his hometown track, Ward was able to get Cody Overton of Georgia, to drive the car this weekend (which included two Tri-State Shows at Aberdeen and Huron the previous two nights).

Well, the 37 car once again was fast for the challenge series as Overton put together an impressive, dominant performance to pick up the $3,000 win for his car owner. He led all 40 laps, and honestly was never threatened for the lead. More on that in a minute.

My weather app stated the Watertown area was supposed to get heavy rain around 6:30 p.m., which would be typical of my recent trips there. Fortunately, that weather never materialized ahd Casino got all its racing in without any issue.  I thought the racing was good and the track was pretty good as well, and things concluded around 9:15 p.m., which is my kind of night. I am mainly covering three Sunday night tracks this year and with work coming the next day, I love it when a show runs efficiently and gets me out of there early. There was a very nice crowd on hand as well.

Overton and Saturday’s point leader, Tyler Peterson (TPO) of Hickson, had the front row for the Wissota Late Model Challenge Series 40-lapper.  Overton led Lap 1 but had Thomas Weisgram on his heels. TPO was running third ahead of former national champion Chad Becker of Aberdeen with Superman Mike Stearns settling into fifth.

Becker and TPO raced hard for third as the top two opening some breathing room. Behind them there wa a big park of cars including  Justin Zeitner of Malvern, Iowa, Kevin Eder of Cameron, Wis., and Jayson Good of Watertown.

Overon built a 1.7 lead over Weisgram as Becker and TPO kept fighting for third. The caution came out for a pair of cars on lap 8, and late model rookie Onyx Johnson of Lowry would pull into the pits with a flat tire

Two laps later Justin Karlen of Howard would spun to bring out the second caution.  Becker would get around Weisgram on the restart, as Weisgram had TPO and Stearns on his tail.  The Commissioner, Matt Gilbertson of Watson, the runner-up at Fiesta City to TPO on Saturday, was right outside the top five.  TPO passed Weisgram for third as Stearns was also looking to move up into the top four.

Overton stretched the lead to 1.4 seconds over Becker who was contending with TPO for second. Stearns had moved to fourth while Gilbertson got around Weisgram for fifth. By the halfway point Overton led by 1.4 seconds while Becker had cleared TPO for second. TPO and Stearns had a great fight for the third spot.

Overton stuck the 37 in the ditch for much of the race and that car just stuck there. He was in heavy lapped traffic but was patient and didn’t take any foolish chances, even though Becker was able to cut into the lead.

It was a long green flag run as Gilbertson assumed fourth from TPO. Overton was well on his way to a convincing win by almost two seconds left when the caution flew with two laps left for Eder’s 22E machine.  I didn’t see what happened to the 22E but he got his spot back. Gilbertson would pull off at this point; I did not see if he had an issue or what the situation was, but he had a top five finish gone as a result.

Becker tried to make a run on the higher lane on the final restart but had nothing for Overton, who built a .900 second lead over the final two laps to earn the victory in what was a clinic, particularly the way he maneuvered through lapped traffic. Becker was a strong second with Stearns third. Eder would make a late move around TPO for fourth. TPO entered the night a the points lead, and finishing in the top five for a fourth straight challenge series race is a good points night.

Good ran solid all race long and would finish sixth, moving up seven spots from his starting position to earn Hard Charger honors.

There were only two DNFs out of the 25 starters in the late model feature, and there were just three caution flags. After tearing up several cars on Saturday at Fiesta City Speedway (not the fault of the track, just several racing deals), this was a much cleaner 40-lapper with 23 of the 25 cars finishing, and only three cautions. It was an excellent job by the late model field on Sunday.

The Wissota Midwest Modified feature was a dandy.  Early it was a battle up front between Aberdeen driver Taylor Schmidt and defending Casino Speedway track champion Todd Stark of Watertown.  Tommy Nichols of Watertown was battling Terry Reilly of Watertown for third with Luke Johnson of Miller running fifth.

Schmidt and Stark ran side-by-side for the lead in some very good, clean racing as Nichols settled into third.  Reilly had Johnson and Scott Hansen of Garden City chasing him. The firsts caution waved for Trevor Rush’s spin in turn two.  When the racing resumed Nichols went to work on the outside of Stark and grabbed second and immediately started to chase Schmidt. The two raced hard and exchanged sliders as Stark stayed close to both.

Johnson had moved into fourth, but the fight up front remained fierce with Schmidt, Nichols and Stark  all fighting for that spo; Johnson had caught that group as well.

With five laps to go Carter Frost’s 86 was spun in turn two to bring out the second caution.  On the restart Nichols and Stark raced side-by-side for second before Nichols regained the spot.  Schmidt survived the intense pressure from Nichols to pick up the win by .257 seconds. Stark was third with Reilly and Johnson rounding out the top five. There was some excellent racing up front, and Nichols could have easily used up Schmidt – but raced him clean. 

Jason Marko moved in front of the Wissota Street Stock feature with Coltyn Schuler of Montevideo applying pressure. Tony Miller of Browns Valley was third ahead of defending Casino champion Maria Broksieck of Goodwin. The caution flew when Marko got a little too high in turn one and spun, tagging Miller as he went by.  Miller would lose his passenger door as a result, but it was a tough ending for Marko who would head to the pits.

Schuler now head the lead as Broksieck moved into second Miller was a solid third but had Joe Arndt of Ortonville challenging him. Broksieck stayed  close and tried some different lanes to make a run at Schuler but could not find a way around. Arndt and Miller had a good duel for third.

Schuler’s lead stayed around 1-2 car lengths and he would prevail by .506 seconds over Broksieck; if you are going to beat the 14 at Casino, it’s going to take a pretty much flawless performance, and Schuler had just that. Miller ran a solid third, surviving the challenges from Arndt. Kenneth Clements, racing Miller’s former car, was fifth.

Young Parker Gilbertson of Watson got up in the marbles in turn two and spun on the first lap of the Gen X Late Model feature.   Fortunately, a big pileup was averted and everyone was able to continue with the exception of Gilbertson, who was pushed pit side. Not sure if something broke on the 23 but it was a tough break for one of the fastest Gen X cars this season.

Defending Casino champion Curt Kranz had the inside pole and led with Tony Croninger of Watertown second and Bodie Croninger of Watertown in third. Bodie soon challenged his father for second as Trevor Walsh of Watertown moved into fourth ahead of Blake Swenson of Watertown, who had a good run Saturday at Fiesta City Speedway.

Kranz established a 1.9 second lead on second as Bodie Croninger took the spot from Tony. The caution waved for the second time as Hope Swenson’s X machine got into the wall on the backstretch. She was OK but the car needed a tow truck.

Bodie Croninger was making the high lane work and would make up a lot of ground in turns one and two, and with 13 to go would take the lead. Walsh followed suit and third as the top lane became the place to be.

Bodie Croninger opend up about a one-second lead on Kranz as Walsh was second. Tony Croninger had Alex Tschakert of Kent chasing him for fourth.  Walsh was closing the gap on Kranz as Bloake Swenson was trying to reel in Tschakert in fifth.

Things were pretty static for the top four as Bodie Croninger led by about one second over Kranz.  Walsh was within about two car lengths of Kranz but wasn’t able to make a serious challenge for the spot.

Kranz cut about a half-second off the lead late but didn’t have enough as Bodie Croninger won by .5 seconds. Walsh was a solid third with Tony Croninger fourth and Tschakert outlasting Blake Swenson for fifth.

Casino Speedway notes

--Trevor Anderson of Watertown and defending series champion Dave Mass were scratches for the Wissota Late Model feature.

--Cole Searing of Huron was the fast qualifier for the late models.

--An interesting name popped into for the late models, and that was Iowa driver Justin Zeitner. Zeitner is a top running on the Tri-State series, and I suspect we will see him back at Casino in August for the Tri-State show. Zeitner ran in the top 10 for quite a while and finished 12^th.

--Two cars that were damaged on Saturday – Kevin Burdick of Proctor and Dexton Koch of Becker – were able to get put back together for Sunday’s show. Burdick ran a solid 11^th while Koch was 13^th.  One thing to note for Burdick in the challenge series points – the next two series races are at a track he knows very well, Gondik Law Speedway in Superior.

Sheyenne Speedway wins to Ussatis, Reinke, Mittleider, Mund and Gardner

Kasey Ussatis of Nome won the Wissota Street Stock feature Sunday night at Sheyenne Speedway in Lisbon. Cole Greseth of Harwood, who won Friday at River Cities and Saturday at Jamestown, ran second. Adam Dehne of Medina was third, Jodie Michaelsohn of Aberdeen fourth and Jayden Croninger of Aberdeen was fifth.

Nate Reinke of Lisbon topped Kyle Langland of Enderlin for the Wissota Midwest Modified victory. Kyle Anderson of Jamestown was third, Jaren Wibstad of Jamestown was fourth and Aaron Michel of Jemastown fifth.

Dale Mittleider of Milnor won the Short Tracker feature over Cameryn Taylor of Hankinson. Cassidy Hamre of Fargo was third, Kody Crabtree of Georgetown – who won his first career feature last Sunday at Buffalo River – was fourth ahead of Nathan Kelley of West Fargo.

Dusty Mund of Lisbon topped T.J. Pfeiffer of Aberdeen for the INEX Legends feature. Zach Reinke of Lisbon was third, Regan Reinke of Lisbon fourth and Bo Gregor of Lisbon fifth.

Caleb Gardner of Glyndon won the Hobby Stock feature Sunday night at Sheyenne Speedway in Lisbon. Dillon Thorpe of Ellendale was second, Brent Wilkinson of Jamestown third, Braiden Mund of Lisbon fourth and Chris Hopkins of Havanna fifth.

Sunday notes

--Buffalo River Speedway in Glyndon had the night off. The track will resume next Sunday.

--Chase Golliet of Fargo won the Wissota Hornet feature Sunday night at Bemidji Speedway.