If there was any doubt who the hottest driver in the Upper Midwest is right now, Joe Chisholm continued to erase it Saturday night.

The Osage, Iowa standout tracked down multi-time USMTS champion Rodney Sanders in the closing laps and capitalized on a late mistake by the veteran racer to score his fifth USRA Northern Lights Modified Series victory of the season at Dodge County Speedway.

Twenty-seven competitors signed in for the series debut at the southern Minnesota oval, but it was Sanders and Chisholm who ultimately provided the night’s headline battle.

Pole sitter Jacob Bleess led the opening circuit before Sanders powered his way to the lead on lap two. A pair of early cautions allowed the Happy, TX native to repeatedly dictate the pace on restarts, quickly stretching his advantage once racing resumed.

Meanwhile, Chisholm found himself shuffled back to sixth in the early going before moving to the cushion and beginning his charge toward the front. By lap seven, the Iowa driver had worked his way into second and set his sights on the race leader.

The battle intensified as the leaders encountered heavy lapped traffic around the halfway mark. Chisholm repeatedly closed the gap and applied pressure, only to see Sanders reestablish breathing room following another caution period.

With fewer than ten laps remaining, the advantage once again evaporated as Chisholm closed to Sanders’ rear bumper. The decisive moment came with six laps remaining when Sanders entered turn three and pushed up the racetrack, allowing the right rear quarter panel of his machine to brush the outside guardrail.

At the same instant, Chisholm launched a slider underneath the leader entering the corner. The combination of Chisholm’s aggressive move and Sanders’ slight miscue proved to be the winning formula as Chisholm emerged with the lead exiting turn four.

From there, “Smoke” was flawless, holding off Sanders over the final laps to claim the

Pannell Chipping A-Feature victory.

Sanders settled for second while Nick Murgic completed the podium. Harley Dais and Jacob Bleess rounded out the top five. The victory capped off a dominant weekend for Chisholm, who also earned Deatherage Opticians Quick Time honors and won Rick Bebee Heating & Air Conditioning Heat Race #1.

The USRA Northern Lights Modified Series now turns its attention toward the next stop on the 2026 campaign as Chisholm continues to strengthen his grip atop the championship standings.

Media Results for 6/20/2026 at Dodge County Speedway – Kasson, MN

Pannell Chipping A Feature

Joe Chisholm 2. Rodney Sanders 3. Nick Murgic 4. Harley Dais 5. Jacob Bleess 6. Keith Foss 7. Justin Weinberger 8. Alex Williamson 9. Parker Hale 10. AJ Hoff 11. Kylie Kath 12. Blake Arndt 13. Zach Brom 14. Kevin Stoa 15. Joe Horgdal 16. Ryan Wetzstein 17. Todd Stinehart 18. Darwin Karau 19. Joe Ludemann 20. Joel Alberts 21. Parker Foster 22. Cole Bennerotte 23. Shaun Walski 24. Steve Wetzstein 25. Doug Hillson 26. Tom Brink 27. Brad Waits

Rick Bebee Heating & Air Conditioning Heat Race #1

1. Joe Chisholm 2. Harley Dais 3. Kylie Kath 4. Alex Williamson 5. Blake Arndt 6. Zach Brom 7. AJ Hoff 8. Cole Bennerotte 9. Tom Brink

Smith Equipment Company Heat Race #2

1. Rodney Sanders 2. Jacob Bleess 3. Parker Hale 4. Joe Horgdal 5. Kevin Stoa 6. Parker Foster 7. Joe Ludemann 8. Brad Waits 9. Darwin Karau

Kevko Racing Products Heat Race #3

1. Keith Foss 2. Nick Murgic 3. Justin Weinberger 4. Joel Alberts 5. Shaun Walski 6. Steve Wetzstein 7. Ryan Wetzstein 8. Todd Stinehart 9. Doug Hillson

Deatherage Opticians Qualifying

1. Joe Chisholm 16.058 2. Rodney Sanders 16.151 3. Nick Murgic 16.154 4. Zach Brom 16.181 5. Brad Waits 16.245 6. Keith Foss 16.289 7. Harley Dais 16.315 8. Jacob Bleess 16.393 9. Justin Weinberger 16.444 10. Kylie Kath 16.480 11. Joe Horgdal 16.485 12. Joel Alberts 16.511 13. Blake Arndt 16.576 14. Parker Hale 16.600 15. Steve Wetzstein 16.603 16. Cole Bennerotte 16.670 17. Kevin Stoa 16.679 18. Shaun Walski 16.685 19. Alex Williamson 16.695 20. Darwin Karau 16.825 21. Ryan Wetzstein 16.888 22. AJ Hoff 17.083 23. Joe Ludemann 17.124 24. Todd Stinehart 17.230 25. Tom Brink 17.280 26. Parker Foster 17.403 27. Doug Hillson 17.718

The Kevko Racing USRA Northern Lights Modified Series presented by Real Racing Wheels would like to recognize and thank our 2026 season long partners. Please thank them, with your patronage for their support.

Gold Partners – Central Spray Foam & Cement Lifting, Day Motor Sports, Deatherage Opticians, Dirt Track Specialist, Dylan Scott Entertainment, Hochatown Saloon, Kevko Racing, Midwest Sheet Metal, Mel Hambelton Ford Racing, Pannell Chipping, RacinDirt.com, Real Racing Wheels, Rick Beebe Heating and Air Conditioning, Smith Equipment Company, Swift Springs, VP Racing Fuels Heartland, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products

Silver Partners – American Racer Tires, Buck Monson Photos, Bulletproof Tees and Racewear, Duvall Electric, Integra Shocks, JRT Trucking, Keyser Manufacturing, Midwest Automation, Photos By Boyd, Scotty Dogg’s Hideout

Bronze Partners – Bryke Racing, Fast Shafts, Freight Logistics Inc., KS Engineering, Maxima Racing Oil, Milburn Acreages by Tillison Enterprises, PEM Racing, Premier Lubricants, Schoenfeld Headers, Service Plumbing of Wichita, Transmissions Unlimited, Wagdog Spices, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Yeoman Race Engines

2026 Point Funds (ARMS, HMT, NLMS)
1. $7,500
2. $4,500
3. $3,500
4. $3,000
5. $2,500
6. $2,400
7. $2,300
8. $2,200
9. $2,100
10. $2,000
*80 Percent attendance required to remain point fund eligible

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