ESTEVAN - The Estevan Motor Speedway's track champions for 2024 were decided during Friday night's program, and for three of the champions, they had an extra reason to celebrate, because they also won their respective feature races.
Connor Hanson (IMCA hobby stocks), Kody Scholpp (modifieds), Austin Daae (stock cars), Gabriel Deschamps (sport mods) and Brogan Wagner (slingshots) won this year's championships. Hanson, Scholpp and Deschamps were victors on Friday night; Kyle Scholpp (stock cars) and Gunner Raynard (slingshots) also won features.
Hanson won the hobby stock title for the second time, and for the first time since 2020. He finished with 230 points, nine more than Landon Runge and 10 clear of Brennor Grinstead.
His win on Friday came in thrilling fashion. Kayden Hjorteland held the lead for virtually the entire race and built a comfortable advantage, but a caution flag with a few laps to go brought the field together. After the restart, Hanson took the lead on the backstretch for the lead in lap 19 of 20, and then held on for the win.
Hjorteland settled for second and Runge was third.
Kody Scholpp finished with 270 points to win the modified championship for the fifth time. He was 12 points clear of Steven Pfeifer. Tyson Turnbull came in third with 257.
After an early caution in the modified feature, Scholpp took the lead and dominated the rest of the way. He wound up winning by about eight seconds, or half a lap, ahead of Les McLenehan. Turnbull was third.
Deschamps won his first track championship in Estevan with 238 points in the sport mod division. He won the last four feature races at the speedway this year and was second in the other two points nights. Leevi Runge was second at 219 and Keenan Glasser was third with 212.
Deschamps won a caution-free feature in the late models, finishing about six seconds clear of Glasser. Leevi Runge was third.
Daae won the track championship in Estevan for the first time. The veteran Estevan driver finished with 264 points, three more than Kyle Scholpp. Joren Boyce was third with 250.
Kyle Scholpp won Friday night's feature ahead of Deschamps, who also raced a stock car this season. Daae wound up third.
Brogan Wagner was first in the slingshots division with 270 points. Gunner Raynard came in second with 264 points and Sladen Pfiefer was third with 257.
Gunner Raynard edged out Eli Turnbull and Wagner in Friday night's feature.
The next edition of the Mecury will have more on track championship night.
The speedway will host one other event this season, the annual Enduro race on Sept. 14.
