Introduction | Nominees | Induction Process | Vote | Inductees 

FAN VOTE

2025 FAN VOTE WILL close june 15, 2025

3 votes per fan. Results are unofficial. Duplicated votes will be excluded. 

JEFF BARTA

DEDICATED NOMINEE

Jeff was first introduced to racing around the age of ten. Growing up in South Dakota, he watched his neighbor build and race his dirt track race cars in the early 1970s. This is what got grease in his blood and racing in his heart. Jeff has been involved with many different forms of racing to include drag racing, off-roading and dirt track throughout his life.

Jeff was assigned to the National Guard Unit in Minot in 1982 and that same year he attended his first race at the Nodak Speedway and quickly became hooked. Scott Redding was in the same National Guard unit and invited him down to the pits for the full experience. His time in the pits was short-lived, since he did not have the required “White Pants”. He was quickly sent back to the stands.

In 1993, Jeff and his family officially moved to Minot. During the house hunting process his realtor wanted to show them a house but warned them that the house was only two blocks from the race track. Later that week the sale was final.

Jeff and his daughter Heather, were avid fans making sure to be at the track every Sunday to find their favorite seats. In 1996, Jeff assisted in the building of Darrin Widener’s Wissota Street Stock. He enjoyed the new and exciting experience of being in the pits. Unfortunately, the car budget only lasted one year, so Jeff was back in the stands.

During the 1997 season, Jeff attended the races one night and he noticed the condition of the track. He took his opinion to the minot.com message board and commented about it. Tom Henderson replied back, “if you’re so smart, come down and help”. One week later, Jeff was trained by Rick Nelson and became Nodak’s newest “Water Weinie”. Jeff continued with the track crew, working with Tom Henderson, Rick “Dr. Dirt” Nelson, Scott Kelly, Dave Rivinius, Wes Baier and a few others for over 20 years. Barta was deployed to Iraq in 2007. His first Sunday back in 2008, Rick Nelson saw him at the track and said, “time to get back in the saddle buddy”. Jeff was back to driving “Big Wheels” around the track and smoking his big cigar. Jeff could be found any night of the week working on equipment or maintaining other little odds and ends throughout the playground of power. Being devoted to his role with the Nodak Speedway he often personally fixed things around the track without asking to be reimbursed.

Over the years Jeff has worked almost every position at the track. He spent time as the head and assistant flag man on the front and back stretch, wrecker crew, and the back pit gate. When Jeff worked the back gate, he came up with a sign system to assist the drivers with line ups. He also made sure he shook each driver’s hand before their races and wished them luck. Many drivers raved about the welcoming feeling Barta gave them as they pulled out for their heats and features.

Jeff has spearheaded the removal and replacement of the straightaway wall for the State Fair starting in 2021. Jeff took charge and lined up tools, personnel and equipment to make it a smooth process. He also worked with the State Fair personnel to make sure all equipment was moved and things were to their standards. Barta is depended on for winterizing equipment and make sure things are shut down for the winter.

In July of 2000, Jeff was presented The Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal from The North Dakota Army National Guard due to his volunteer work with the Nodak Speedway. Over the year’s he has hosted three Military Appreciation nights, where he lined up events, speakers and Military dignitaries to attend. Jeff’s military connections helped to get military singers and Honor Guard during events such as the Dakota Mod Tour. Appointed mid-term in 2014 to fill an open Board position on the Board of Directors. He has also been honored for the Outstanding Volunteer Award for Nodak Speedway in 2016. Jeff did not stop there, the elections for one-year terms in 2021 and 2022 landed Jeff as a member for the Board of Directors. 2022 was a big year for Jeff, as he played a large role in helping with the extension of the catwalk at the playground of power. Along with his other duties at the Nodak Speedway he was teaching and working with Jewles Walker to become the next head flagman.

Each Sunday you can still find Jeff setting up Victory Lane for the fans to enjoy during the races. As the cars come roaring by the flag stand, Jeff is still waving the flags with much enjoyment. Throughout the Winter Jeff’s mind is still in race mode as he is brainstorming and helping the current Board of Directors to better the Nodak Speedway for the next race season.

DENNIS & DEB CHAPMAN

DEDICATED NOMINEE

Dennis and Deb Chapman have been familiar faces around the Nodak Speedway since the late 1970s. Dennis’ long-time dedicated journey started in 1955, when he was three years old. You could always find Dennis sitting in his dad Virgil Chapman’s race car, pretending he was the next winner. He set his future sights on racing his own car one day. He took everything he learned from his dad, such as learning to weld at the young age of 5 years old. Oftentimes, he would stay home from school to get his dad’s car done so they could go racing.

Dennis met Deb in 1969 in Kansas City, MO, where they both grew up. Deb would tag along with Dennis to watch his dad race. She would have to sit in the stands, though, as women were not allowed to be in the pits. After two years of dating, Dennis and Deb married in 1971. Dennis started racing and joined the Air Force the same year. Dennis raced a 1957 Chevy Late Model that his dad, Virgil, built for him that year. In 1972, shortly after enlisting, he was sent overseas to Thailand and Vietnam, and they also welcomed their first daughter, Jennifer, into the world. Dennis returned to the United States in 1973. Being stationed in California. The Chapman’s didn’t race at any dirt tracks while in California, but you could find them street racing their Vega’s down the streets of Ward Ave. In 1974, they were stationed back in Kansas City and welcomed their second daughter, Jessica, into their busy lives.

It wasn’t long after being home that Dennis bought a sprint car. He raced it at multiple different tracks around Missouri, including Joplin, Jeff City, and Riverside Speedway. While attending those tracks, a fellow driver and airman was telling Dennis and Deb about a track in Minot, ND, called the Nodak Speedway. Ironically, in 1976, Dennis was given orders to be stationed in Minot, ND. Dennis’ friend had given him the rulebook program for the Nodak Speedway. That made the move to Minot easier on the Chapman’s, knowing they could continue their racing legacy at the Playground of Power.

Dennis quickly got involved with the Nodak Speedway. He became a member before starting to race there. Deb was not able to become a member quite yet. Females were not able to be members in the 1970s. Dennis was planning to build another car so he could start racing at the Nodak Speedway. At the time, Deb was driving a 1969 Chrysler with dual exhaust. Her mufflers had fallen off. Dennis took the car into the garage so he could “fix” it. After 3 weeks of her car still not being finished, Deb went to the garage to see the progress and quickly found out that her car now had no windows and a roll cage put in it. Dennis had turned Deb’s car into a racecar right under her nose. Unfortunately, shortly after converting Deb’s car, Dennis got orders back to Kansas City in 1979.

It didn’t take long before returning to Kansas City that he bought a 1965 Chevelle Street Stock Car for $170 that was race-ready. Dennis got a 1968 Camaro Semi Late Model; he took 45th in points out of 103 cars in 1982. After that race season, the Chapman’s were stationed back in Minot, ND, in 1983. That is when Deb really found her interest in racing, now that their daughters are a little older. Deb started racing Mini Stocks in 1985, where she picked up Rookie of the Year in Rugby and achieved 5th in points. Deb had the opportunity to bring her car down to Kansas City to race. She won her first race down there and got a grand prize of 19 dollars. She would often get a lot of grief from her fellow racers. Partly because she was a female and because her car was a little different from the others. As most of the Mini Stocks needed a push to start, Dennis had put a snowmobile motor in her car so they would pull start it with a string.

In 1986, the Chapman’s decided to put their roots down in Minot. After being discharged from the Air Force, Dennis was elected to the board of directors of the Nodak Speedway for eight years, from 1987 to 1994. Living close to the track, Dennis was often called back to the track when the lights would be left on or someone forgot to lock up. Both Dennis and Deb continued to race on top of dedicating their time to the Nodak Race Club. Deb raced the Mini Stocks until the last season, when Nodak raced the class in 1994. She finished out her racing career by finishing second in points, losing by one point. Dennis raced a Dakota Modified from 1986 to 1990 and a Wissota Modified in 1991. He took a year off in 1992 due to a work accident, coming back in 1993 driving Mort Kent’s Wissota Modified. He switched over to Wissota Modified in 1994 and raced that class until the race club switched to IMCA Modified in 1998.

After Deb hung up the wheel, they rolled into their Enduro era. Dennis was the head tech for the enduros, and Deb started by helping run the enduros but soon took over. Together, they ran the race club’s Eduros from 1999 to 2013. Deb knew she wanted to help with more; after running for the board of directors multiple times, she was the first elected female board member in 2009. Deb helped rebuild the finances of Nodak Speedway. While Deb was helping with the board of directors behind the scenes, Dennis started racing his IMCA SportMod in 2012.

Throughout the years at the track, they have always stepped up and helped in any way they could. Dennis is always at the track with a smiling face, which earned him a sportsmanship award. To this day, Dennis is still racing at the Nodak Speedway, making him the oldest competing driver at the track. As for Deb, she is volunteering at the track, running the Facebook page, and lining up the National Anthem singers. Their legacy will live on, with their grandson Lane now racing and their great-granddaughter Kendra starting to race.

Career accomplishments:

Deb

Ran Enduros (14 years)

Board of Directors (First Female)

Facebook admin

Raced Mini Stocks 1983–1994

Organizes National anthem singers

Dennis

Board of Directors

Overnight Security for Car Show

Tech for Enduros (10 years)

Raced – Oldest competing driver at Nodak right now

            1986 – 1991 Dakota Modified

            1991 – Wissota Modified

            1993 – Wissota Modified

            1994 – 1997 Wissota Modified

            1998 – 2011 IMCA Modified

            2012 – Current IMCA SportMod

Helped with front straightaway wall

Infield work – Weed eating/painting tires

On-call for lights or gate

DON HAGEN

SUPER FAN

DEDICATED NOMINEE

Nodak Speedway has been a staple track in the Minot community since 1953. Only a handful of race fans in today’s time can say they have been a long-standing fan since the first decade of its birth. Don Hagen is one of those fans. He and his family started their love of racing attending the Mouse River Race track in Mohall, ND. At eleven years old he asked his dad if he would take him to the local races the following Thursday. Thursday came, and they went to their first races. Don’s sister Betty Nordstrom, a fellow Nodak Speedway Hall of Fame member, was actually mad that she had to come along to the races. The Hagen’s attended the Mohall races regularly from 1958 to 1960 until the track closed down, although they did go to a few Nodak races every year during that period. That’s when they started traveling regularly to the Nodak Speedway.  Don has been regularly attending the Nodak Speedway races ever since. 

If you wanted to know race results from any track throughout the weekend, Don was one of the few you could go to. Even before the internet was around, he was always seeking out results from around the state. Going into the 2025 season this will be 65 years as a Nodak Speedway race fan. Hagen did miss one year in that span when he was deployed to Korea during the Vietnam War. Don explained that he has only missed a few races over the years, and it has only been for good reasons, like his health keeping him away. Over the 60+ years of attending the races he has been lucky to see changes and advancements along the way.  One advancement he has enjoyed is DarnTV. The days his health kept him home ridden; he was still able to watch his favorite drivers virtually thanks to DarnTV.

On top of his long-dedicated stint to being a Nodak Speedway race fan, Don has made lasting memories with other fans, drivers and pitmen from Nodak and other surrounding tracks throughout the state and into Montana & Minnesota. He reminisced about his years as a kid coming to Nodak, and as he got older, he would go talk to the drivers in the pits and got to know a lot of them very well.  Hagen feels he could go to any track in the state and someone would know him. Building relationships has been a highlight for Don. His health has declined over the last year, and he explained that the racing community has shown him more compassion for his cancer diagnosis than any other group. 

Don sponsored the late Monty Lundy while he raced at Nodak Speedway and has a long list of drivers who are his favorites. There are even drivers whose driving he doesn’t care for. Like any real race fan, but likes them as a person. Hagen’s favorite classes are the open wheels – Sprint cars and Modifieds. When stock bodies first came on the scene, he intentionally stopped to talk to the drivers to gain knowledge on how the cars worked. Hagen has collected newspaper clippings and has a scrapbook and yearbooks to look back on.  Don’s favorite drivers from the Mohall years were Archie Robillard of Westhope and Wayne Johnson from Sherwood.  His favorites during the earlier years at Nodak were Larry Schimmelpfennig, Jim Hauge, Ted Hochsprung, and Al Hochsprung.  More modern-day favorite drivers of his are Travis Hagen, Tyson Turnbull, Kody Scholpp, Mike Hagen, Joren Boyce, Monte Lundy, Greg Nikitenko, Josh Wolla, Jason Wolla, Jerad Thelen, and the Medler boys whose grandpa, Ted Medler, raced in Mohall.  Don says he likes to see nearly all the local drivers do good.

CAROL ANDERSON & JERI GAULE

DEDICATED NOMINEE

CAROL ANDERSON
DEDICATED NOMINEE

Carol started her journey with Nodak Speedway in 1974 when her husband Curt
began racing. He stated “Lady, you can’t stop me, so you might as well join me”. She
began volunteering doing small jobs around the track. Through the years, the Gaule
and Anderson families raced together and became close. After Curt passed away in
1985, Jeri Gaule asked Carol to lap count with her and so began her twenty-five-year
career as Jeri’s trusty assistant.

Carol was in charge of determining point averages for all the drivers. She came
up with a method to help her with these calculations. With that came between 1-2 hours
of prep work before each night of racing. Carol was also responsible for manually
generating the lineups for each race. Because of her organization and the system she
used, Carol could have a feature line up ready within a couple of minutes of the heat
races being completed. Between Carol and the other lap counters, they manually
counted every car, every lap. They all compared their results and accounted for every
car at the end of each race. This ensured accurate race results. Nodak’s lap counters
gained a reputation for excellence. They traveled to tracks in the region to teach others
the ins and outs of lap counting.

Carol’s favorite moments at Nodak Speedway include lap counting the season
her son-in-law Wayne Johnson won his first Championship, as well as the night he won
the 50th Anniversary feature. She also enjoyed family get togethers at the race track
throughout the years. After retiring from lap counting, she also got to enjoy watching
her youngest son Tim Anderson race. Carol’s fifty-plus years with Nodak allowed her to
not only participate with her young family during Curt’s racing career but also with her
grandchildren during their father’s time racing.

Carol says it has been an honor to be a part of the racing community as a
volunteer, family member, and a friend. She would like to acknowledge the other lap
counters she worked with over the years which include, Kathy Coughlin, Cathy
Henderson, and Celeste Simons. Carol thanks Nodak Speedway for memories created
and the friendships made for her and her family over the years.

JERI GAULE

DEDICATED NOMINEE

Jeri Gaule was one of Nodak Speedway’s dedicated volunteers throughout the 90’s and 2000’s. Her journey started in the cheering section. When her husband, fellow Nodak Speedway Hall of Fame member, John Gaule first took to the track in the 60’s, Jeri and the kids came along to support him—but it didn’t take long before she found herself volunteering her time as a lap counter. What began as a spectator’s role quickly turned into something more. She ended up an essential part of Nodak’slap counting team.

Before Jeri’s legacy as a lap counter started, she was appointed to the Treasury position to finish out a term for a departing Board member. Following that she joined the Women’s Auxiliary group. The Auxiliary would take turns providing lunch, make weekly points sheets, create the season yearbook, lined up trophy girls and worked the pit gate. Jeri was nominated for the President her second year in, but she turned it down. At the time her husband John was fighting with another fellow racer, and she wasn’t sure if they would be allowed back in the club the following year. Things settled down and she ended up staying involved with the Woman’s Auxiliary for another 10 years. Gaule explained it was a lot of work, but there was also a lot of help from the racers wives. 

Jim Corcran, a promoter from Jamestown promoted at the Nodak Speedway for the 19?? season. He introduced her to lap counting, and had his team train her. After that season, you could find her in the announcers tower every Sunday counting laps. Jeri being one of the crucial lap counters for the Nodak Sleedway for over 2 decades. 

Jeri and her “Press Box Crew” would come to the track early to prepare and sometimes even during the week depending on the current events happening within the club. After the pit window closed for the night, they would set line-ups based on points. Over time they created an efficient system to create line-ups and calculate class points. This was prior to MyRacePass, so line-ups and points were all manually calculated, if a mistake was made, they would have to start over from the beginning. Jeri and her crew were prideful for being very accurate. 

Gaule’s lap counting abilities quickly became known across the state. They traveled as a family up to 5 nights a week. She was sought out at various tracks throughout her time. Lap counting in Williston, Jamestown, Fargo, Grand Forks and even Winnipeg. The Gaule family’s passion for the sport was evident. Jeri claims they raised their children on Highway 2 and 52, 83 and I94. Even with the late night travels, they still got up to go to work the next day and repeated the evening travels to a race track. 

Jeri had an amazing group of ladies that worked under her. Carol Anderson being the lap counter that worked the longest with her. They worked as a team each week. Hand scoring a full 25 car field and comparing their results at the end for accuracy. Gaule even experienced hand scoring a 33 car field, 3 abreast. Although hand scoring is a thing of the past, it is still used to this day when technology fails. Technology started creeping its way in before Gaule’s retirement from volunteering. In the early 2000’s Bill Shrirock donated a lap counter sign. Which still stands to this day. She also got a taste of computer scoring when the Sprints cars came to town. Although they would still hand score as the technology was so new, they couldn’t quite yet rely on it. 

Racing was their life for many years. Jeri enjoyed getting to know so many nice families and nice people. Race nights were family nights. They stayed up late. Had bbq’s and then would get up and go to work the next day. The race season was always filled with excitement and never lacked any dull moments. 

STU KRAGH

DEDICATED NOMINEE

At the young age of 10 years old, Stu Kragh attended the races a few times a year. After moving to the East side of town in 1979, Kragh and his family started walking to the races every Sunday, not missing any more than 3 race nights since. Stu’s first experience away from being a fan was in 1989 when he tried racing in the Mini Stock division. After one race, he decided being a driver scared him and that driving was not for him. He turned car owner and gave the seat up to Scot Redding who won several features and a Runner-up Championship title in 1991. Kragh continued being very active in the Mini Stock class. He was co-car owner with a group of members for drivers; Scot Redding, Steve Maughn, Randy Fennel, Brett Woznicki, Ron Wells, and Jimmy Peters. He helped build many of the cars and also pitted for those drivers. Stu also helped lettering most of the cars in the mini stock class, doing some of the cars for cost or less. Lettering racecars is what lead him to his career in the sign industry, and is one of the many things Stu is known for at the Nodak Speedway. He is still doing signage and stickers still to this day.

Like many other Dedicated volunteers, Stu has dedicated his time to many different positions at the Nodak Speedway over the years. He hung up the car owner title in the early 90’s and started his dedicated journey doing what the fans remember him notably as, Speedbump. Speedbump is Nodak Speedway’s mascot. Born in 1993, the same year Motor Mania started. He continued to pump up the crowd, greet the kids, partake in intermission games and hand out giveaways to the fans until 2016. Giving up his mascot job, because the club needed more track officials. He became a corner judge for corners one and two. Stu worked the corner for so long, that most people called it Stu’s corner. During his corner judge stent, he helped with the running of the on-track lights. He did that for eight years, before the lights were moved to the flag stand. In 2006 he proudly accepted the Official of the year award at the annual awards banquet. Kragh closed the door to his corner judge job after the 2023 season.

During his forty plus year stent of being a dedicated volunteer for the Nodak Speedway, he also was the webmaster for the Nodak for five years. Helped get the Nodak Facebook page up and running in the early 2000’s. After the new grandstand was built, the race club was tasked with removing the front straight away wall for the fair. He has made various marketing partner signage for the club for over twenty-five years, and has made all the replica racecar trophy tops for the signature championship trophies Nodak Speedway gave to their Champion and Runner-up drivers every year. Doing these things for only the cost of the materials. Kragh, was elected as a Board member in 2017 and served on the Board until 2020. All while continuing his dedicated volunteer duties. For the 2024 season you can find Stu(Speedbump) back to entertaining the fans.

Some of his favorite drivers to watch over the years were Tony Marsh, George Schiff and Allen Kent. Stu is also a memorabilia collector of Nodak’s history. Having several of the poster schedules over the years, a yearbook collection of forty books, old Nodak patches and more. The passion for racing has stuck with him for over forty years and is still in his veins as he continues to volunteer to this day.

Timeline:

1979 – Fan

1989 – 1994 Driver/Car owner

1993 – 2016 Speedbump

2005 – 2010 – Webmaster

2011 – 2023 Track official / Corner judge

2017 – 2020 – Board member

2024 – Speedbump

LINDSAY LAWSON

VOLUNTEER-ANNOUNCER-BOARD MEMBER

DEDICATED NOMINEE

Lindsay Lawson attended his first race at the Nodak Speedway during the summer of 1960, when he was only 2 months old. Lindsay was in the Grandstand every Sunday night cheering on his dad, Jerry Lawson, throughout his career as a Sprint Car driver until Jerry retired in 1975. In 1970, Lawson and his brother began selling Nodak Speedway programs. He was only 10 years old, and recalls his commission was 10 cents per program, plus got free admission to the races.

Lawson continued to watch the races from the Grandstand until his brother, Kevin Lawson, began his racing career in 1980. Lindsay then became his Crew Chief/pitman. He continued in that role until 2003, when he was asked to fill in as a Track Announcer.  Lawson started as a full-time Nodak Speedway track announcer the following year in 2004, and fulfilled that position for the next 10 years. Besides being part of the announcing team for the weekly races, Lindsay was able to represent our local racers when the Nodak Speedway hosted the World of Outlaw Sprint Cars. Lawson called the action at the NDSF Demolition Derby and Enduro races and for several years, was one half of the announcing team for the Dakota Classic Modified Tour, travelling to racetracks in Mandan, Jamestown, Estevan, Williston, Jamestown, and Dickinson.

In 2009, Lindsay was elected as Vice-President to the Nodak Race Club Board of Directors and continued to hold that position until 2013. During his time on the Board of Directors, they were faced with several obstacles including: the flood of 2011 and the tearing down of the old Grandstand and the construction of the current Grandstand. As a member of that Board, they also designed/built/installed a new front wall and catch fence and constructed the catwalk in the south pit area.

Over the years as a member of the Nodak Race Club he has fulfilled many volunteer positions including: Pace Car driver; Assistant Flagman; Corner Official; from selling T-shirts to selling Advertising and had the opportunity to Emcee the Champions Banquet during his tenure as Vice-President.

After his time on the Nodak Board and as a Track Announcer it was time to be part of a pit crew again. Lindsay rejoined his brother, Kevin, and nephew, Dusty, as they pursued their racing careers behind the wheel of their Sprint Cars. In 2015, he also joined Isaac Sondrol and the 12s Racing Team while he was competing in the IMCA SportMod division and currently in an IMCA Modified.

The Nodak Speedway is much like a second home to Lindsay. Many of the people that he has met and formed relationships with at the Nodak Speedway have become family.

Summary

• • 4-years as Nodak Race Club Vice-President
  • 10-years Nodak Speedway Track Announcer
  • 30-plus years as a Pit Crew member
  • 40-year member of the Nodak Race Club
  • Life-long fan and supporter of the Nodak Race Club

GREG SEVERSON

DEDICATED NOMINEE

Greg Severson’s first taste of racing came In the mid sixties. His family had horses North of the Nodak Race Club’s race track. Greg and his brothers would sit on the old wood guard rail and watch the cars race. In the seventies they moved out of town and took the horses with, but he didn’t give up on the thought of fast cars. Severson then got into street racing and would even argue with John Gaule that street racing was better than circle track racing. Greg found himself in the mid eighties putting together an Enduro car. He raced Enduros for two years before building and racing Dakota Streets, Thunder cars, Wissota Streets and IMCA Stock cars at various tracks throughout North Dakota. Winning the Championship at the McLean County Speedway in the Dakota Street in 1993. Received the Sportsmanship award in 1994 and 1996, and the Hard luck award in 1995 at the Nodak Speedway. 

Greg hung up the wheel in 1999 and got more involved with volunteering with the Nodak Race Club. His Dedicated journey started when he was elected to the board of directors, serving for a total of twelve years. First being elected as a board member in 1996 and 1997. He planned on running for the 1998 season, but showed up after the elections meeting was over. Not accounting for the daylight savings time change. The following year Severson was elected as the Vice-President for the 1999 and 2000 seasons, Secretary in 2001 through 2003, and the board member position from 2004 to 2009. 

Throughout his time serving on the board Greg also helped in other volunteer areas; Tech Inspector and scale in 1998 and 1999, Pit steward 2000 through 2009, and was the 2003 Official of the Year. 

Severson was always there to help with anything that needed to be done in the pits. He was an influential member of the board that brought in the Wissota and IMCA sanctionings to the Nodak Speedway. Bringing the Rough Rider Classic, World of Outlaws, and other big money races to the Nodak Speedway throughout his involvement as well. 

Under John Gaule’s leadership, Severson and a group of other dedicated volunteers were at the race track three nights a week, if not more to keep the races going. He was also involved with track prep and watering. Board meetings were every Monday night, year round to discuss how to better the race club.

Career accomplishments:

• • Board member (1996-1997 & 2004-2009) 
  • Vice-President (1999-2000)
  • Secretary (2001-2003)
  • Tech inspector & scale (1998-1999) 
  • Pit steward (2000-2009)
  • Official of the Year (2003)

DANNY BRECHT

DRIVER

ENTERTAINER NOMINEE

Danny Brecht grew up in Golden Valley, North Dakota on a farm, about two hours from the Nodak Speedway. He first jumped into the world of demo derbies in highschool. Fixing up a demo derby car with a friend and running at the Beulah race track. Starting in 1971 Danny pulled double duty and ran demo derbies and raced his 1954 Ford with a 6 cylinder engine in the Street Stock class. It didn’t take long and Brecht was hooked. “He could hold it wide open all the way around the track, and if he got ahead, nobody could catch him.” A quote from his brother Deen. Danny raced hard with many door to door Street Stock races all the way up until 1976 when the Buelah race club dissolved. He was able to continue running demo derbies for another 6 years as they still held derbies at the track.

After the Buelah race track closed, Dan started traveling with his Street Stock to tracks around the state. Hitting Minot, Williston, Bismarck, Dickinson and Jamestown. It didn’t take long for Brecht to find success at the Nodak Speedway. His traveling started around 1976 and he quickly won two track Championships at the Nodak Speedway in the Street Stock class in 1978 and 1979. His dedication and determination proved to be the driving force behind his success. As one of those championship years, while Brecht was leading points, he got into a bad accident and broke a few ribs and had a sore shoulder and arm. He missed one race and was back a week later. Danny couldn’t say he was healed, but the pain went away while he was in his car racing. There was no way he was giving up that track championship. Danny enjoyed running the high side on the ½ mile flat track that Nodak Speedway had in the 70’s and 80’s. They didn’t have much banking back then. Brecht prided himself on being a patient driver that planned out his race respectfully. So much so that he was awarded Sportsman of the year in 1978 along with his track Championship. Over the years he claimed many feature wins and won the infamous Harvest 100 in 1980 and 1982.

The classes he raced always had good competition. Racing with some big names like Tom Evenrud, Dave Varty, Ron Huettl, Tony Marsh, the Schiff brothers and Ted Hochsprung. Brecht made good friends with Dick and Paul Schulz and Bob Moody. They would give him good pointers on car handling and how to maximize engine power. Most racers back in those days were friendly and helped each other out. Brecht and his fellow racer friends enjoyed hanging out after the races and sometimes wouldn’t find himself rolling home until 4AM some Sunday evenings, or should we say Monday mornings. On some occasions not even going to bed. Sleep was important, but racing was more important. Those years brought many memories and good stories to tell today. 

Nodak Speedway Career Highlights:

• • 1978 Season Street Stock Champion 
  • 1978 Sportsman of the Year
  • 1979 Season Street Stock Champion
  • 1980 Harvest 100 Street Stock winner
  • 1982 Harvest 100 Street Stock winner
  • Numerous Feature wins
  • Raced Street Stocks, Super Stocks and Late Models

All time Career Highlights: 

• • 2 Season Championships in Bismarck
  • 1 Season Championship in Dickinson

GREG NIKITENKO

DRIVER

ENTERTAINER NOMINEE

Greg decided to take the challenging journey that the racing world holds, and that his dad, Andy Nikitenko went on. He started his racing career in 1987 after high school, in the Dakota Modified class at the Nodak Speedway. After a year of learning and growing, Greg received the most improved driver in 1988. Following a year of improvements, he won the 1989 Season Championship in the Dakota Modified class. Greg attributes his quick success to a lot of focus. He explains being new to the sport from the owning and driving a car standpoint, he and his crew really wanted to race and learn as much as they could, and as quickly as they could. With this mindset, Greg and his dedicated team found great success in his journey early on. Along with that dedication he had and still has a dedicated crew that will go anywhere at any time to race and work on his Sprint Car. With the knowledge he gained and the support behind him, he decided to make the move to the Wissota Modified class in 1990 and continued his achieving career by grabbing the 1990 Season Championship his Rookie season. Nikitenko raced in the Wissota Modified class until 1995, when he was approached to drive a Sprint Car owned by Steve Murphy, Tom Henderson, Dave Freur and Mike Butts. Greg always had dreams of racing a Sprint Car, so it didn’t take him long to agree to the offer. Greg and his team have raced pretty much every Sprint Car special event the upper-Midwest offers, ASCS, NOSA, WoO and CAOSS from then to present day, having several wins along the way. 

In 2005, Nodak raced the NOSA Sprints on a limited schedule through 2007. Nikitenko finished as the Season Runner-up in the 2005 and 2007 seasons. Greg has competed in the Tyler Fedyk Memorial Race over Labor Day weekend at the Nodak Speedway starting in 2015, and has won that race 4 times in 2016, 2017, 202, and 2021. Greg and his team were also crowned Motor Magic Champions in 2007.

Along with his dedicated racing career, Greg also was called to serve the Nodak Speedway as a Board of Director for 4 terms in 1989 to 1992, 1996 to 1998 and 2012 to 2011. Nikitenko was instrumental in launching the process to get the World of Outlaws to race at the Nodak Speedway from 2006 to 2018. He served on the Committee to help with organizing the event and its inception. 

Nikitenko reminisced back that he never thought he would be racing this many years from when it all first began back in 1987. Racing is a team sport and has so much that goes on behind the scenes. Nikienko had great support from his family and his extremely dedicated crew members over the years, great sponsors and unwavering fan support, without that support, he says his success wouldn’t have been possible.

MIKE TOMLINSON

DRIVER

ENTERTAINER NOMINEE

MIKE TOMLINSON 
ENTERTAINER NOMINEE

Mike Tomlinson has had a lifetime passion for dirt track racing. At the young age of 17, Mike and his friends built demo derby cars at the local gas station in Turtle Lake. His dad didn’t allow him to drive that first derby car he built, so he had to find someone else to drive it. The next summer, after he turned 18 and graduated highschool and went on to participate in numerous Derby’s. 

In 1985 Mike purchased a roll cage from Al Edwardson and started building a Super Stock to race at the Nodak Speedway. Tomlinson and his crew spent a greater part of the race season building his home built car. They were able to finish the car with two races left to go that season. That winter Mike got a peek at John Gaule’s newly built Dakota Modified. A new class debuted for the 1986 season at Nodak Speedway. Mike liked what he saw and quickly started working on converting his freshly finished Super Stock to a Dakota Modified. 

1986, Tomlinson’s official Rookie season ended with two feature wins in that home built Dakota Modified. Impressing some of Nodaks greats along the way. Which earned him a ride the following year thanks to Harry Kittler. Paul Schulz drove for Harry up through the 1986 season and planned on doing his own thing the following season. Mike figures he impressed Harry enough in his home-built car that the thought was “let’s get this kid in a good car.” Kittler bought Tony Marsh’s ‘store bought car’ and Tomlinson started driving for Harry full time that following season in 1987.

Tomlinson saw success driving for Harry in the Dakota Modified quickly, winning both Dakota Modified features Memorial weekend which was followed by his motor getting claimed after winning the second night. He chuckled because he explained their motors were nothing special and more so ticking time bombs. Mike went on to win the Harvest 100 that season and again in 1991. Making a name for himself right out of the gate. Soon after his adventure with Harry Kittler started he got married and moved to Cavalier with his wife in 1988. He continued to drive for Harry for 4 more years after his move. Making the 245 mile trip to Turtle Lake every Friday, Racing every Sunday night at the Nodak Speedway, then turning around and driving back to Cavalier every Sunday evening after the races and going to work Monday morning. The miles put in in order to race were worth every memory and tired Monday morning for Mike. 

In 1992 the Tomlinson-Kittler team made the move to Wissota Modified. Their luck wasn’t there with getting caught up in a wreck and totalling the car the first night out. 1993 would be the season Troy Kittler would start his racing career in a Dakota Modified, so Mike bought the Wissota Modified from Harry and started racing closer to home in the Northeast part of North Dakota, Northwest Minnesota and even Southern Canada. Tomlinson has raced at 23 different tracks total, in 6 different States and 2 Provinces. He continued to race another 5 years before retiring in 1997 to raise his family. 

Harry Kittler was a huge influence on Tomlinson’s racing career. He is quick to say that he has been blessed and fortunate to have the support from Harry and his pitmen over the course of his racing career. There are no words to explain how special Harry and his family are to Mike. Together at the Nodak Speedway they were able to get a total of 30 feature wins, 2 Harvest 100 Championships, and 1 Runner up Championship in the 5 short years together. Mike explained they never accomplished a Season Championship, but were always right there. Winning features and championships at Nodak Speedway has historically been a hard thing to do. Which is known throughout the state too. Tomlinson said other tracks knew about Nodak Speedway and knew that any driver traveling to race at their track was going to be competitive. 

Racing has been Mike’s whole life and he enjoys nothing more than to go to the race track to race or volunteer and ultimately spend time with his family and friends. Mike would most like to be remembered as a “Clean” & “Respectful” driver who later in his career has tried to “Give Back” to the younger competitors who are starting out in this sport that he is so passionate about.  Mike has borrowed his spare engine to a competitor when they needed one, helped his two sons start their own racing careers teaching them how to do it “The Right Way”, and helped one of their pitmen build an IMCA A-Mod out of one of his old chassis and engine he had laying around. This young man is a regular A-Mod competitor in the area right now. Racing is a lot about opportunities, and he was given many, he just wants to “Pay-Forward” similar to the opportunities given to him.. He thinks Harry would approve.

Nodak Speedway Career Highlights:

• • Raced Super Stock 1985 (2 races)
  • Rookie Season 1986 in the Dakota Modified 
  • Raced Dakota Modified 1986-1991
  • Harvest 100 winner 1987 & 1991
  • Runner up in points in 1990
  • 30 feature wins from 1986-1992
  • Raced Wissota Modified 1992
  • Raced IMCA Modified 2018-2022
  • Received the Sportsmanship Award in 2020
  • Top 5 in the IMCA Modified for Season points 2018-2020 and 2022

All time career Highlights:

• • 89 all-time feature wins
  • 6 Track Championships
  • 1 Runner up Championship at Nodak Speedway
  • Has won Features in a Dakota Modified, Wissota Modified, IMCA Modified, Legend, and currently working on winning one in a Wingless Western Renegade Sprint Car
  • 1992 2nd place at the Stampede in a Wissota Modified

jay tooley

DRIVER

ENTERTAINER NOMINEE

Jay Tooley’s racing journey started when he was busy building a derby car. His father often met friends for coffee to talk about racing. One day during coffee shop talk, Jay’s dad and John Olheiser decided putting Jay in John’s 1971 Camero Super Stock to race for him sounded like a good idea. His first debut on track was in 1980, making Tooley a third-generation driver for his family. Jay raced for two years before buying a factory-built car, a 1980 Camero body Super Stock. Being a third-generation driver, racing was definitely in his blood. Tooley proved that fast by winning his first feature at the Southwest Speedway his sixth time out on the track.

The Dickinson native driver found success at his local track in a short time. Tooley and his team started looking to add more tracks to their racing schedule, adding the Williston Basin Speedway to the weekly racing schedule in his second year of racing. Tooley first debuted at the Nodak Speedway in 1982 racing his Super Stock with the Late Models, just to get a feel for the track and the Late Model class. In 1983, he retired his Camero body Super Stock and bought a Howe Chassis by BHE Late Model. Jay brought home his first track Championship at the Southwest Speedway this year as well. He ran the BHE chassis for six years in total. During that time, Jay, his dad, and his three brothers started traveling around the state to race every weekend. Which included the Nodak Speedway on a more consistent basis. Tooley is called the Weekend Warrior, accredited to all the dedicated travel that he and his team did over his prime years of racing.

Jay kept his momentum rolling into the Late Model class, grabbing a feature win at the Nodak Speedway in his BHE Late Model in 1983, grabbing the track Championship at the Southwest Speedway, and Rookie of the Year. Continuing his success, Tooley’s greatest year of racing came in 1984. He managed to achieve a goal that not many drivers can say they have achieved: he became a 3-time track champion for the Nodak Speedway, the Southwest Speedway, and the Williston Basin Speedway. He also ranked 5^th in National points, was the Rookie of the Year at the National level, and won 36 features alone in that one year. Jay has many memorable wins; one that ranks at the top of his list is beating Bob Moody at the Williston Basin Speedway. Moody had won three races in a row and had a bounty out on him. Tooley made the trip to Williston in his Late Model for the first time and managed to win the feature and winning the bounty put on Moody.

Looking back on the early 80’s, he explained that, just like today, technology started to take over. Changing many aspects of the cars that they raced within that decade. Rear suspension, engine builds, and rebuilding your car in general. Tire-sipping wasn’t even a thought. Tooley said they would race a whole season on the same set of tires. Compared to today’s racing, only getting one good night out of a tire. Jay closed out the 80’s by purchasing a Pro Chassis Wissota Modified from Bob Sagen and Jay McDonald. His first year in the Wissota Modified was also a notable season for him, qualifying for the Pabst Blue Ribbon Race of Champions at the Cedar Lake Speedway. He qualified by winning his first feature of the season at the Southwest Speedway as a Rookie, and topping off his 1989 season as the National Rookie of the Year in the Wissota Modified class. Jay continued to be a top competitor, winning the 1991, 1992, and 1993 Southwest Speedway Track Championship in the Wissota Modified. The Weekend Warrior has many tracks that he traveled to throughout his time racing. Hitting tracks in Dickinson, ND, Minot, ND, Fargo, ND, Jamestown, ND, Williston, ND, Rapid City, SD, Cedar Lake, WI, Gillette, WY, Billings, MT, and Lambert, MT. It wasn’t uncommon to be gone 3-4 days out of the week traveling to these tracks. He raced his Wissota Modified until 1993, stepping away as his pit crew got older, married, and had kids. Working on the car became harder to maintain.

Beyond his many successes, Tooley attributes his achievements to his dedicated crew, his dad, and three brothers who traveled with him during his racing career. He said his team had the mindset of racing to win. They didn’t worry about Championships. Any driver will tell you that racing to win and racing for championships are two different mindsets. He’s remembered as an aggressive, smooth, and clean driver. Coming from a long line of racers, he was taught to respect other drivers’ equipment. Cars and parts were expensive to come by and repair, so Tooley was smart when passing his competitors. Tooley recalls racing with many notable drivers at Nodak. One of his favorite competitors to race against was Hank Berry. Tooley explained they could trust Berry to race side by side for an entire race, never making contact.

Jay had quite the trophy display built up over the years. He decided to donate over 120 trophies to his local Special Olympics for kids. They were able to re-use his trophies for their events.

Although Nodak Speedway wasn’t his home track, Tooley made that dedicated 3-hour trip most Sundays from his home town of Dickinson, ND. Getting home some nights around 2 a.m. and getting up to go to work Monday morning by 5 a.m. That takes commitment and dedication for a driver and crew to make that haul every Sunday.

Career Accomplishments:
1983 Southwest Speedway Late Model Champion
1984 Nodak Speedway Late Model Champion
1984 Williston Basin Speedway Late Model Champion
1984 Harvest 100 Champion?
1985 Williston Basin Speedway Late Model Runner-up
1989 Wissota Modified Rookie of the year
1991 Wissota Modified Southwest Speedway Champion
1992 Wissota Modified Southwest Speedway Champion
1993 Wissota Modified Southwest Speedway Champion

Approx. 200 wins all-time
Numerous Fall Round up wins
Numerous Governors Cup wins
8 Mid-Season Runner ups
12 All-time Season Championships

induction process

INDUCTION PROCESS – DOWNLOAD

Induction Process

Last Amended 1/9/2023

Mission Statement:
The Nodak Speedway Hall of Fame celebrates excellence and strives to preserve the history of the Nodak Speedway and those who have been influential in areas including; competition, advancements, entertainment or dedicated volunteering.The ultimate goal of the Hall of Fame is to keep the history alive for generations to come. 

NOMINATION PROCESS

Nominating

Nominees must meet all criteria listed below for their respective achievements. Formal Nominations can be accepted by any Nomination Panel member. Nominations should include a complete bio along with a supporting photo of the Nominee.

Nominee Criteria

Drivers

• Participated in competition for minimum of twenty-five (25) years
• Must be retired for three (3) years
• If driver has raced for forty-plus  (40+) years, they do not need to be retired 
• Must have significant achievements with Championships or wins at the Nodak Speedway

Car Owners

• Has had a car in competition for minimum of twenty-five (25) years
• Car owner cannot be the driver of car in competition
• Have had a Nodak Speedway Hall of Fame driver drive for you for a minimum of one (1) season

Pitmen

• Has to have wrenched for a minimum of twenty-five (25) years
• Must have had significant impact in helping their driver attain success
• Must have wrenched for a Nodak Speedway Hall of Fame driver

Board Member

• Must have served the maximum terms set forth according to the current Nodak Speedway Bylaws
• Has held a minimum of two (2) different Board positions
• Has advocated for advancements and made a significant mark on Nodak Speedway’s history

Volunteer

• Must have volunteered their time for the club for a minimum of twenty-five (25) years
• Must be retired for three (3) years
• Volunteer must have made a significant mark on Nodak Speedway’s history
• If a volunteer has committed their time for thirty-five-plus (35+) years, they do not need to be retired

Employees

• Must have been employed for a minimum of twenty-five (25) years
• Must be retired for three (3) years
• Employee must have made a impactful mark on Nodak Speedway’s history
• If an employee has been employed for thirty-five-plus (35+) years, they do not need to be retired

Sponsors/Donors

• Must have sponsored or donated  to the Nodak Speedway for a minimum of fifteen (15) years

Fan

• Must have attend the Nodak Speedway races for a minimum of thirty (30) years 
• Must be a Super-fan of the Nodak Speedway that has made a significant mark and contributed to the Nodak Speedway’s history

All Nominees

• Must have held a Nodak Speedway membership
• Must be minimum of fifty (50) years old
• Must have made a historical and significant impact on the  Nodak Speedway within their respectable category. OR Must have made a historical and significant achievement at the Nodak Speedway within their respectable Category. Their impact and/or achievement must be the main highlight of their career bio. 
• Individuals may be considered for multiple categories if criteria has been met in both categories.  
• Individuals may also be considered who made significant achievements and/or impact at the Nodak Speedway, but left the Nodak Speedway and/or sport early due to a variety of circumstances

Nomination Panel Duties

The Nominating Panel will meet between the months of January to March to select the list of up to, but no more than 8 nominees for the Entertainer category, and up to, but no more than 8 Car owners, Pitman, Board member, Volunteer, Employee, Sponsor/Donor, and Fan for the Dedicated category.

Nomination Panel Members

The Nomination Committee panel will consist of the Hall of Fame Director, President of the Nodak Speedway, one appointed Board Member of the Nodak Speedway, and a minimum of ten (10) Hall of Fame Members.

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VOTING PROCESS

Induction Panel Duties

The Induction Committee will come together in July to discuss all Nominees and bios and vote. There will be a minimum fourteen (14) person Induction Panel with a Fan Vote.

Induction Panel Members

The Induction panel will consist of the President of the Nodak Speedway, the appointed Board Member of the Nodak Speedway, minimum of ten (10) Hall of Fame Members, two (2) Past Nodak Speedway Presidents, and one (1) collective Fan vote.

Induction Guidelines

The Nominee list will be split into two (2) separate categories. The first category will be the Entertainer Category, consisting of Drivers and the second category will be the Dedicated Category, consisting of Car owners, Pitman, Board members, Volunteers, Employees, Sponsor/Donors, and Fans.

The Nodak Speedway HOF Director will be responsible for organizing the Induction meeting, Panel members must be present to vote. They will direct the panel members to discuss each Nominee. When the panel is ready, voting will be opened. The HOF Director will outsource a vote counter. The vote counter will be carefully picked to have little to no ties to the racing community. Number of votes each Nominee received will not be announced or disclosed to the panel members. The appointed vote counter will provide only the Nominees that received 75% of the vote. The panel members will call for the ballots to be destroyed by the vote counter. 

If any member of the Nominating Panel or Induction Panel appears on the current year’s ballot, these individuals will be recused from participating in the nominating and induction process for as long as he or she appears on the ballot. If the individual is inducted, he or she will be automatically reinstated to participate on the panel the following year.

Nominees can appear on the ballot for up to three (3) consecutive years. If the Nominee does not receive enough votes to be inducted on the third consecutive year, they will be ineligible to be Nominated for two (2) years after.

No more than one Nominee that is directly related to a Panel member can be considered on the ballot. If any Panel members are related to a Nominee, they will be recused from the voting process for as long as their relative remains on the ballot.

If the HOF Director is unable to fill all Panel member positions, the Panel may operate at a minimum seven (7) person Panel. If the Panel is unable to meet the seven (7) person capacity, Hall of Fame Nominating and Inducting will cease for that season, and reinstate the following year.

Fan vote

Fan voting will run for the month of June. Poll results at the end of June are not official. Results will be reviewed and duplicate votes will be thrown out. The top three (3) Nominees from the Entertainer Category will be taken as the Fan vote, and top three (3) Nominees from the Dedicated Category will be taken as the Fan vote.

The Entertainer Category
Drivers

Each committee member will vote for three (3) Nominees of their choice. Nominees with 75% of the vote will be Inducted into the Nodak Speedway Hall of Fame.

Fifteen (15) person panel, with 75% of the vote, a Nominee would require 11 votes to be Inducted.

The Dedicated Category
Car owners, Pitman, Board members, Volunteers, Employees, Sponsor/Donors, and Fans

Each committee member will vote for three (3) Nominees of their choice. Nominees with 75% of the vote will be Inducted into the Nodak Speedway Hall of Fame.

Fifteen (15) person panel, with 75% of the vote, a Nominee would require 11  votes to be Inducted.

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PANEL MEMBER SELECTION

Hall of Fame members

The HOF Director will contact each Hall of Fame member via mail, email, Facebook, call or text each year requesting their interest in serving on the panels.

Current Nodak President and current Board member

The HOF Director will attend a Nodak Speedway Board meeting to request a Board member to be selected to represent the Nodak Speedway on the Nominating and Induction Committees

Past Nodak Speedway Presidents

The HOF Director will contact Past Presidents via mail, email, Facebook, call or text each year requesting their interest in serving on the committee.

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If you are a Hall of Fame member or Past President and not receiving a committee interest request, please email kadiruby@gmail.com or message the Nodak Speedway Hall of Fame Facebook page.

 **Last updated 3/12/24**