On an evening that had threats of rain, week eight of the Fort Randall Casino Weekly Racing Series took the green flag Friday night with a mission. "Let's get this show in!!!" Mission accomplished.

The Roth Custom Farming IMCA Hobby Stocks main event would lead off the show and to say that Joel Magee (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) has waited a long time for a win would be the understatement of the year. Magee has a home in Florida and commutes to and from the region multiple times during the summer by airplane to race at IMCA tracks in the area.

Magee was a five-time champion at Raceway Park at Jefferson, and a two-time champion at Park Jefferson International Speedway, also at Jefferson. Following his last win in 1999 at the now defunct Blackbird Bend Speedway outside of Onawa, IA, he retired. Recently, Raceway Park placed a replica of Magee's #9 hobby stock car on top of their entrance sign and a bunch of his friends, after seeing that car, talked Magee into racing again. Magee succumbed to peer pressure and he decided to return to racing in 2020. Friday night was Joel's first victory in over 20 years.

After fighting with the car he started the season with, Magee purchased the car previously owned by Craig Clift. It's a combination that has been very good the last two weeks, to say the least. After starting seventh on the field, Magee used his veteran skills and patience to let things sort out in front of him. Once he was able to get to the front, his work was not complete. Tony Fetterman (Elk Point) had worked his way to the front from his 10th starting spot and would not make it easy for Magee. Finally, after two decades, Magee grabbed the victory over Fetterman. Mike Hanson (Meckling) started eighth and would finish a strong third, with Jordan Vosika (Gregory) who started in ninth settling for fourth and Matt Rezac (Tabor) rounding out the top five. Heat races were won by Jordan Vosika and Mike Hanson.

The Ponca Valley Seeds IMCA Northern Sport Mods always seem to find two drivers who start in the rear of the field, find their way to the front. But on this night, you can throw a third driver into the mix, which made for arguably, the best race of the year. With four laps remaining, Matt Esterling (Sioux Falls) was leading from his fourth starting spot over Josh Pfeifer (St. Paul, NE) who started ninth and Dudley Schroeder, Jr (Armour) who started eighth. On the restart, Schroeder, Jr made a move to get by Pfeifer for second, then waited. Esterling made one small mistake in turns one and two and that's all the point leader and defending champion needed. Schroeder, Jr took advantage of the opportunity and would go on to pick up his fourth win of the season, with Esterling settling for second. Pfeifer took home third, one place better than his father Jerry Pfeifer (Spencer, NE) and Raymond Bigge (Armour) completed the top five. The heats were won by Josh Pfeifer, Matt Esterling and Dudley Schroeder, Jr.

The DK Flooring and Customs IMCA Racesaver Sprint Cars saw Trefer Waller (O'Neill, NE) lead from wire to wire to win his second main event of the season. Waller becomes the only driver in the class that has more than one win in 2021. Danny Nekolite (O'Neill, NE) would settle for second, John Otte (Ravinia) took third, Gary McCarthy (Platte) fourth and Dennis Englehaupt (Page, NE) fifth. Nekolite, who moved up a total of four places in his heat and feature combined, received $50 bonus money with the Turp's Automotive Hard Charger Award. Waller also won the heat race.

Taylor Brown (Yankton) led from green flag to checkered flag in picking up his second win of the season in the Payer Livestock IMCA Sport Compact division. Conner Brown (Yankton), Trent Reed (Missouri Valley, IA), Jerik Stabler (Ethan) and Aaron Wilson (Armour) completed the top five respectively.

The final event of the evening was the Mark's Machinery IMCA Stock Cars and Brady Wenzlaff (Yankton) garnered his second victory of the season, leading all 15 laps of the race. His consistency has paid off during the first half of the season, as he has a commanding 70-point lead over Greg Taylor (Sioux City, IA). Justin Schenkel (Tyndall), making his first appearance at the track finished in second. The former hobby stock driver stepped into an IMCA Stock Car this season and looked good in the process. Schenkel was able to hold off many challenges from Joel Namminga (Avon) who settled for third, as Joey Jaton (Wagner) and Darwin Iedema (Geddes) completed the top five. Wenzlaff also won his heat race.

For a complete listing of all races, finishes and point standings, check out wagnerspeedway.com

The Independence Day weekend will get started in fast fashion, as week nine of the Fort Randall Casino Weekly Racing Series will feature all six classes of cars and the second appearance by the Good Ol' Time Racing Association (GOTRA). Friday will also be the rescheduled "Horsepower for Hunger" food drive. For each non-perishable food item fans and race teams bring to the track, they will recieve numbered tickets, good for drawings to win numerous door prizes. The more food brought, the more chances to win gifts from local businesses and race teams.

The evening of racing, presented by Fort Randall Federal Credit Union, will also see the DK Flooring and Custom IMCA Racesaver Sprint Cars, the CHS/Farmer's Alliance Late Models, the Mark's Machinery IMCA Stock Cars, the Ponca Valley Seeds IMCA Northern Sport Mods, the Ponca Valley Seeds IMCA Hobby Stocks and the Payer Livestock IMCA Sport Compacts taking to the high banks. Pit gates open at 3pm, grandstands open at 5pm, hot laps are scheduled for 7:15pm with racing to follow. Grandstand tickets are $15 for adults, kids 11-17 are $10 and kids under 10 are FREE with a paid adult.