WATERTOWN — It appears to be all systems go for the 71st season of racing at Casino Speedway.
The local 1/4-mile clay oval track, which was established in 1955, is set to open an 18-event schedule with a season-opening Mother Day’s program scheduled on Sunday, May 11, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.
A vast majority of the racing programs are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Sundays with a handful of other programs on different nights. Grandstand tickets for most programs are $15 for adults, $5 for students (ages 8-13) and free for kids 7-and-under if accompanied by a paid adults. Prices are higher for some special events.
I am, but I ain’t,” Casino Speedway promoter Todd Good said when asked if he was ready for the season. “I’m still putting up some different signs in the corners and doing a little bit of fence works.”
Mother Nature has cooperated with a somewhat mild winter and a nice spring so far, and Casino Speedway officials can only hope a season of good weather (especially on Sundays) awaits.
Not the first track to get started
In recent years, Casino Speedway has been the first track in the area to get started, but that wasn’t the case this spring. Season-opening programs were held last weekend at Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen and Miller Central Speedway.
Some of the same drivers who will compete weekly at Casino Speedway will also hit Brown County Speedway or Fiesta City Speedway (Montvideo, MN) on Fridays and/or Miller Central Speedway or Madison (MN) Speedway on Saturdays.
Fiesta City Speedway is scheduled to open this week, and Madison Speedway kicks off with a special Memorial Day program on Monday, May 26.
Casino Speedway will again primarily feature WISSOTA late models, street stocks, modifieds, Midwest modifieds, hornets and Gen X late models.
Modifieds, Midwest modifieds, late models, street stocks and super stocks are regulars at BCS; pure stocks, modifieds, Midwest modifieds, street stocks, late models, super stocks and hornets at FCS; and pure stocks, street stocks, super stocks, Midwest modifieds, modifieds, hornets and Gen X late models at Madison.
Results, schedules and other information can be found on myracepass.com or at casinospeedway.com, browncountyspeedway.org, fiestacityspeedway.com or madisonspeedwaymn.com. Visit facebook.com for more on Miller Central Speedway.
More of the same at Casino Speedway
Good expects things to be business as usual again this summer at Casino Speedway, with the classes of cars and many of the same regular drivers competing on a weekly basis.
The field of returning drivers including 2024 season points champions Chad Becker of Aberdeen, who won his seventh late model points title in the past eight years; Maria Broksieck of Goodwin, who won the street stock class for the fifth time in seven years; Adam VanDerostyne of Canby (MN), who won his third-straight hornets title; Mike Stearns of Aberdeen, modifieds; and Trevor Walsh of Watertown, Gen X late models.
Good said Mike Nichols of Watertown, who won his fourth Midwest Modified points title in five years, has semi-retired to spend more time with his family and that he’s not sure what his racing plans are for the summer.
“We should have a good year,” Good said. “There’s a lot of interest again, and that’s always exciting.”
Returning season track champs at Brown County Speedway include Aberdeen drivers Taylor Schmidt, Midwest modifieds; Josh Skorczewski, late models; Stearns, modifieds; Stewart Schipke, super stocks; and Broksieck, street stocks.
Stearns (modifieds), Skorczewski (late models) and Broksieck (street stocks) are also returning champions at Miller along with Brad Kopecky of Miller, super stocks; Cody Songer of Wolsey, pure stocks; and Dawson Zabel of Selby, Midwest modifieds.
Minnesota drivers Derek Rieck of Ortonville (Midwest modifieds), Nate Heinrich of Bellingham (modifieds) and Colton Schuler of Montevideo (pure stocks) each won points titles at both Madison and Fiesta City last summer.
Other Madison champions were Minnesota drivers VanDerostyne, hornets; Kolton Brauer of Eyota, street stocks; Andrew Hedtke of Grove City, super stocks; and Adam Prieve of Litchfield, Gen X late models. Minnesota drivers Mike Jans of Clarkfield (street stocks), Travis Scott of Glenwood (super stocks), Matt Gilbertson of Montevideo (late models) and Brady Albertson of Sauk Rapids (hornets) were other champions at Fiesta City.
Mark your calendar
Other 2025 Sunday night racing programs at Casino Speedway are slated for May 18, May 25 (10th Casino Speedway Memorial), June 1 (13th Marilyn Olson Memorial featuring the Lake Model Challenge Series), June 8, June 15, June 22, June 29 (2nd B-Dubs Summer Slam feature NOSA/MSTS Sprints), July 13, July 20, July 28 (DRC.TV Street Stock Tour), Aug. 3, Aug. 10, Aug. 24 (Josh & Vicki’s Big Show) and Aug. 31 (Season Championships).
The 14th USMTS Modifieds Summersota Nationals special is scheduled for Tuesday, June 17; and the Tri-State Late Models will make their first-ever appearance at the local speedway during a program called “Clash at Casino” on Saturday, Aug. 16. The season will conclude Sept. 19-20 with the eighth Autumn Classic.
Friday programs are scheduled at BCS for May 9, 16, 23, 30; June 6, 13, 20 and 27; July 4, Aug. 1 and 22 (Season Championships). Doubleheaders are slated for July 11-12, July 25-26, Aug. 29-30 (Agtegra Big Buck Nationals) and Sept. 26-27 (Winter Nationals).
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
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