WATERTOWN — Casino Speedwayofficialsare definitely hoping for a little bit more help from Mother Nature as they head into the 2026 stock car racing.
The 1/4-mile clay oval track near Lake Kampeska in Watertown is set to open its 72nd season with a Mother's Day program scheduled for Sunday, May 10.
Each of the six regular classes cars are scheduled to race in the program, which will start at 5 p.m.
"We're starting early for the first month. I just want to see if starting earlier will get more people to come out," Casino Speedway owner-promoter Todd Good said.
A good majority of 19 scheduled programs this summer will be hosted on Sundays, and most of them, after May at least, will begin at 6 p.m. Last summer, season-opening and season-ending events at the track were wiped out by weather along with a mid-summer stretch that included six programs cancelled in eight tries.
So far this year, Mother Nature has helped track officials prepare the track, and the forecast looks good for this weekend.
"I hate to say it, but I think we're going to get to race," Good said.
Casino officials are expecting to have most other things taken care before Sunday's opening program. A new grandstand has arrived but may not be installed yet for the opening week.
Special programs scheduled include the 11th Casino Speedway Memorial on May 23; 14th Marilyn Olson Memorial on June 6; third B-Dubs Summer Slam featuring Midwest Sprint Touring Series (MSTS)/Northern Outlaw Sprint Association (NOSA) 410 Sprints on June 28; 15th Summersota Nationals featuring the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) on Thursday, July 16; second FYE Class featuring the Tri-State Late Models on Saturday, Aug. 22; Season Track Championships on Sept. 6; and the season-ending ninth Autumn Classic on Sept. 25-26.
Fifty-eight cars participated May 3 in the 2026 Car Show and Test N' Tune session at the speedway. Admission for most regular events this summer is $15 for adults and $5 for students 8-13. Children 7-and-under are admitted free if accompanied by a paying adult.
Track champions from 2025 are all expected to race here again this summer, including Chad Becker of Aberdeen, late models; Mike Stearns of Aberdeen, modifieds; Todd Stark of Watertown, Midwest modifieds; Christian Kast of Fairmount, ND, hornets; Maria Broksieck of Goodwin, street stocks; and Curt Kranz of Watertown, Gen X late models.
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Stark, Kast and Kranz all won their classes for the first time, and Stearns repeated as the modified champion. Broksieck led street stock drivers for the fourth year in a row and sixth time in eight years. Becker won the late model division for the seventh-straight year and for the 13th time in the last 17 years.
Schedules, results and other information for all area racetracks can be found atwww.myracepass.com.
The racing season for many area drivers kicked off this past weekend with season-opening events at Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen, Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron and Fiesta City Speedway in Montevideo, MN.
Drivers will get to chance to compete more regularly at DSFS on Saturdays this year, creating the old eastern South Dakota loop with drivers competing in Aberdeen on Friday, Huron on Saturday and Watertown on Sunday.
"I honestly feel that Huron being open full time is going to be a benefit for us," Good said.
Here's more on the area racetracks:
Casino Speedway (Watertown)
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Season Opener — Scheduled for Sunday, May 8 at 5 p.m.
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Main Racing Night — Sundays. Races will start at 5 p.m. in May before typically starting at 6 p.m.
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Regular Racing Classes — Late models, modifieds, Midwest modifieds, hornets, street stocks and Gen X late models.
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2026 Schedule — 19 scheduled programs. Sundays: May 10, 17, 24 and 31; June 7, 14, 21 and 28; July 12, 19 and 26; August 2, 9, 16 and 30; and Sept. 6. Other events on Thursday, July 16; Saturday, Aug. 22; and Friday-Saturday, Sept. 25-26.
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2025 Track Champions — See above.
2025 CASINO SPEEDWAY:Six drivers crowned as 2025 points champions at Casino Speedway
Brown County Speedway (Aberdeen)
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Season Opener — Hosted Friday, May 1. (Opening-night feature winners included Kent Arment of Aberdeen, late models; Dawson Zabel of Selby, Midwest modifieds; Stearsn, modifieds; Cole Greseth of Harwood, ND, street stocks; Trevor Nelson of Warner, super stocks; and Regan Reinke of Lisbon, ND, semi-pro legends.
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Main Racing Night — Fridays, typically 7 p.m. starts.
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Regular Racing Classes — Street stocks, late models, Midwest modifieds, modifeds, super stocks and Semi-Pro Legends (new).
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2026 Schedule — 19 scheduled programs. Fridays: May 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29; June 5, 12, 19 and 26; July 3, 10, 17 and 31; and Aug. 21 and 28 (Season Championship). Doubleheaders set for Friday-Saturday July 10-11, July 24-25, Sept. 4-5 and Oct. 2-3.
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2025 Track Champions — Jayden Bogh of Huron (street stocks), Becker (late models), Stark (Midwest modifeds), Stearns (modifieds) and Mark Abeln of Groton (super stocks).
Dakota State Fair Speedway (Huron)
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Season Opener — Hosted Saturday, May 2. (Opening-night feature winners included Bogh, street stocks; Darren Engesser of Gary, Midwest modifieds; Nelson, super stocks; and Cole Searing of Huron, late models.
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Main Racing Night — Saturdays, typically 7 p.m. starts.
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Regular Racing Classes — Street stocks, Midwest modifeds, super stocks and late models.
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2026 Schedule — 13 scheduled programs. Saturdays: May 2, 16, 23 and 30; June 6, 13, 20 and 27; July 4 and 18; and Aug. 8 and 16. Also Thursday, June 4.
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2025 Track Champions — Not applicable.
Fiesta City Speedway (Montevideo, MN)
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Season Opener — Held Friday, May 1 (Opening-night feature winners included Ryan Flaten of Madison, MN, Midwest modifieds; Adam VanDerostyne of Canby, MN, hornets; Jason Best of Clarkfield, MN, pure stocks; Kyle Dykhoff of Starbuck, MN, street stocks; Shane Sabraski of Rice, MN, super stocks; and Matt Gilbertson of Montevideo, MN, late models.
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Main Racing Night — Fridays, typically 7 p.m. starts.
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Regular Racing Classes — Pure stocks, Midwest modifieds, street stocks, super stocks, late models and hornets.
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2026 Schedule — 15 scheduled programs. Fridays: May 1, 8, 15 and 22; June 12, 19 and 26; July 10, 17 and 24; and Aug. 7, 14, 21 and 28 (season championship). Doubleheader planned for Friday-Saturday, June 5-6.
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2025 Track Champions — Landon Albertson of Cottonwood, MN (pure stocks), Justin Bjorklund of Sacred Heart, MN (Midwest modifieds), Dustin Schultz of Montevideo, MN (street stocks), Travis Scott of Glendwood, MN (super stocks), Devin Fouquette of St. Cloud, MN (late models) and Nate Heinrich of Bellingham, MN (hornets).
OTHER 2025 RACING:2025 track champions crowned over the weekend at Brown County & Fiesta City Speedways
Madison Speedway (Madison, MN)
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Season Opener — Scheduled for Monday, May 25.
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Main Racing Night — Saturdays, typically 7 p.m. starts.
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Regular Racing Classes — Pure stocks, street stocks, Midwest modifieds, super stocks, modifieds, Gen X late models and hornets.
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2026 Schedule — 14 scheduled programs. Saturdays: May 30; June 13, 20 and 27; July 11 and 25; and Aug. 1, 15 and 29. Season opener on Memorial Day (Monday, May 25). Friday-Saturday doubleheaders on July 3-4 and Oct. 2-3. Season championship on Monday, Sept. 7. Also Sunday, Sept. 13, Lac qui Parle County Fair races.
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2025 Track Champions — Albertson (pure stocks), Zachary Flickinger of Madison, MN (street stocks), Scott Tofte of Madison, MN (Midwest modifieds), Brayden Hewdtke of Atwater, MN (super stocks), Brian Haben of Appleton, MN (modifieds), Trevor Walsh of Watertown (Gen X late models) and Kast (hornets).
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sportsor email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sportsor email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion:2026 area stock car racing preview