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Biggest season in Norman County history closed out by Mother Nature; Blacklance outruns Jacobson for Midwest Mod point title in 2024

By Mike Spieker

ADA, MN (August 15) - The 106th season of racing at Norman County Raceway has come to a close following Thursday night's rainout of the season's championship night. The rainout prematurely ended six points battles and in turn, six champions were crowned, following what was arguably the most successful season of racing action at one of the valley's longest-running dirt tracks.

In WISSOTA Dirt Track Series action, Aaron Blacklance won the WISSOTA Midwest Modified title by 31 points over Taylor Jacobson. Blacklance, who has made the trip to NCR on Thursday for years from Thief River Falls, MN, won one feature in 2024 in a class that had no repeat winners this season. Blacklance was the only driver to finish in the top five in each of the four features run at NCR in 2024.

Ty Olson won the INEX Legends title by seven points over Evan Hendrickson. Olson made the trip from Mandan, ND every week and picked up his only feature win of the season at NCR during the second week of action on June 13. Olson also finished in the top five in all six races run in 2024.

Ryan Restad won the IMCA Sport Mod title by three points over Jayden Pavlicek. Restad, who finished second in last season's standings by just two markers behind Jayden's dad Rich, won just one feature at NCR this season, but it was his second straight Sanders Sport Mod Challenge victory. Restad finished in the top five in all five features run this season in Sport Mod competition, which had no repeat winners in 2024.

Chase Peterson won the IMCA Hobby Stock championship by five points over Tim Church. Peterson, who made the weekly trip from Milaca, MN, impressed everyone on opening night when he wasn't able to finish his heat race, but stormed from ninth to win his first of three features at NCR in 2024. Peterson finished with five-top fives in the six nights the class ran this season.

In IMCA Stock Car action in 2024, best friends and teammates Todd Heinrich and Rick Schulz ended the season one-two atop the class standings, with Heinrich winning by just two points over Schulz. Heinrich found victory lane once in 2024, but it was a big one, as he won in front of a capacity crowd during the World of Outlaws Late Model Series debut on June 29. Heinrich scored six top fives in the seven nights the class ran at NCR this season.

Tye Wilke won the IMCA Sprint Car championship by eight points over Andy Pake. Wilke, who won one of the five features run at the three-eighths mile oval this season, chalked up four top fives on his way to the title as the IMCA Sprint Cars also had no repeat winners in 2024.

Overall, the season at Norman County kicked off on June 6 with the 106th season opener and featured a four-race schedule in June which was capped off by the first visit by the World of Outlaws Late Model series. The feature was a classic, not just in racing terms, but in the drama it produced. “The curse of the leader” was the headline that night as three race leaders broke and headed pit side during the 51-lap main event. Nick Hoffman took the lead on lap 42 and held off Devin Moran on a green-white-checkered restart to pick up the victory.

The 410 Sprints also returned to Norman County on July 18 as the locals from the Northern Outlaw Sprint Association took on the visiting Interstate Racing Association. Mark Dobmeier took the lead on lap 15 and went on to win his first race in Ada since 2004.

Norman County Raceway thanks its sponsors, employees, racers, and fans for another great season of Thursday Night Thunder and staff and management are already looking forward to the 107th season opener in central Norman County next spring.