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ESTEVAN - The Estevan Motor Speedway crowned its track champions for 2023 during its final regular program of the season on Friday night.

A large crowd turned out at the track to witness the championship night. Chris Hortness of Estevan won the stock car title. Joining him as champions are Travis Hagen of Williston, N.D., (modifieds), Kyle Satran of Minot, N.D. (hobby stocks), Robby Rosselli of Minot (sport mods) and Jacek Ashworth of Weyburn (slingshots).  

The most thrilling finish came in the stock car division, with Hortness of Estevan winning both the feature race and the track championship in dramatic fashion.

Hortness entered championship night trailing Adam Goff of Minot, N.D., by one point in the overall standings. Hortness worked his way through the field, but partway through the feature, was assigned blame for a caution and dropped to the back of the field.

He then worked his way up to third, and had a thrilling three-way battle for the lead with Chase Davidson of Estevan and Kyle Scholpp of Lampman over the final laps. Ultimately Hortness won the feature, with Davidson second and Scholpp third. Goff settled for fourth.

And with the win, Hortness finished with 379 points, two more than Goff. Scholpp was third with 367 points.

Hortness also won the track championships in 2020 and 2022.  

After the race, an emotional Hortness dedicated the win to his mother, and said this one meant the most of all his championships.  

Hortness was involved in an incident during his qualifying heat that saw Estevan's Ed Turnbull roll his car. Turnbull was still able to race in the feature. Weyburn's Brendon LaBatte was also involved in the collision.

Hagen claimed top spot in the modified division with 384 points, 17 more than Steven Pfeifer of Minot. Kody Schopp of Estevan, who won the title the past three seasons, was third with 364.

Hagen was unable to race in Estevan the past three years due to border restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. He won the modified championship in Estevan in 2019.

Kody Scholpp won the feature, finishing ahead of Marcus Tomlinson from Minot. Hagen was third.

Satran won the other close points race, taking the hobby stock division with 338 points. He was seven points ahead of Estevan's Kayden Hjorteland. Torquay's Connor Hansen was third with 323 and Brennor Grinstead of Stanley, N.D., was fourth with 321.

Satran finished second in Friday's feature to dash any chance of a comeback by Hjorteland or any other driver. Landon Runge of Lampman won the feature. Max Beeter of Minot was third and Hanson was fourth.

Satran is currently ninth in the national hobby stock points race.

The hobby stock feature had a number of cautions early, but the second half of the race was clean.

Rosselli was a convincing winner of the sport mod class, finishing with 346 points, 43 more than Estevan's Ryder Raynard. Keenan Glasser of Estevan was third with 301.

The sport mod feature was also plagued by yellow flags. Darren Medler of Minot survived the carnage to win the feature. Rosselli was second and Brian Kentner of Boissevain, Man., was third.

Ashworth won the slingshot class with 374 points, 15 more than Estevan's Eli Turnbull. Hudson Mann was third with 358.

Mann finished first Friday for his first feature win in Estevan. Sawyer Gaudreau of Williston was second in the race and Ashworth was third.

The speedway still has one race program remaining this season, the annual Enduro race on Sept. 16. The event will last for 90 minutes or 150 laps, whichever comes first, and features drivers from the southeast.

The next edition of the Mercury will have more on the track championship night.