5/31/2024
Dacotah Speedway
BECKENDORF COLLECTS 200TH IMCA VICTORY
Outside pole sitter, Brady Bjella, quickly took the lead from pole sitter, Marlyn Seidler in the 100 lap, IMCA Modified Iron Man feature. Bjella wasted no time distancing himself from the field when the green flag waved. Within a handful of laps, Bjella was already catching slower traffic and putting cars a lap down. Brandon Beckendort, who started fifth, slowly made his way to the front picking off cars one at a time. By lap 22, Beckendorf was up to second but over six seconds behind leader Bjella. The mandatory caution for fuel and tear offs came out at lap 50 which erased Bjella’s large led over the rest of the field. Drivers pitted in front of the grandstands allowing for fans a close-up opportunity of drivers and pit crews working on their race cars. When the five minute timer expired, drivers hopped back in their race cars for 50 more laps of racing action. When the green flag waved once more, Beckendorf grabbed the lead on the restart, bringing last year’s Iron Man 100 winner, Jeremy Keller, with him. Beckendorf started to pull away and as the checkered flag neared, second place Keller started to fall into the clutches of Jason Wolla. A caution with six laps to go regrouped the field and on the final restart, Beckendorf pulled away once again. When the checkered flag waved, Brandon Beckendorf crossed the finish line first picking up $5000 and his 200th IMCA Modified victory. Jason Wolla finished second ahead of Jeremy Keller. Aaron Turnbull made a late race pass to finish fourth ahead of Shawn Strand.
Article Credit: Becca Pelkey
Submitted By: Becca Rattei