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Oelrich’s season highlighted by first-ever victory & Mod Four Rookie of the Year title

By Meghan Diemel, Editor

BEMIDJI, MN - It was a hallmark season for 19-year-old Bemidji racer Dawson Oelrich. The WISSOTA Mod Four Rookie of the Year not only received the accolades of winning the national ROY title in November at the WISSOTA banquet, but during the 2025 season he also got his first feature win on July 20.

Currently in his second and final year at Northwest Technical College in the Electrical Construction program, the Oelrich cheering section includes his parents Chris and Natasha Oelrich, sister Lainey, brother Braxton, and girlfriend Tahia.

All The Dirt! Racing News: What was your favorite racing-related memory from the 2025 season?

Dawson Oelrich: [My] favorite memory was climbing out of my car in victory lane and seeing my family running down to celebrate with me.

ATD: What was the low light, racing related, of the 2025 season?

Oelrich: [My] least favorite memory was rolling my car the third night out this year at Granite City Motor Park.

ATD: What is your background in racing, and who has helped your racing career along the way, whether family, friends, or other racing mentors?

Oelrich: I grew up going to Bemidji Speedway most Sundays with my dad and as I got older, started helping my friends out in the pits. But, as a junior in high school, couldn’t scrape up enough pennies to get a car. Caley Emerson got a hold of me and gave me everything I needed to put a car together and said go have fun, and for that I will be forever grateful.

I raced that Mini Stock for about a season and a half and that’s when I bought my first Mod Four. My dad, my mom, my siblings, Ashton Schwinn, Jonathen Feda, Jason and Ronald Oelrich, Tahia Hatlen, Brianna Berg, Kevin Bahr, Josh Berg, Josh Bitker, Blake Kehoe [have all helped my race team].

ATD: From a wider perspective, what are a few of your favorite moments from your career to this point?

Oelrich: A few memories that stand out from my career ... when me and my dad fired our first motor we put in our first car, [the] first feature win, [and] all the two-day shows with my people.

ATD: Break down the reality of a racing season for you. What is your advice regarding how much time and effort goes into a successful season like you’ve had, for drivers just getting their start in dirt track racing?

Oelrich: Most weeks we race two to three nights, with typically around 8 to 10 hours total of driving to tracks every week, and depending what needs to be done on a minimum maintenance week, there is around four to five hours spent in the shop.

Now when we decide to pile the car up, those five hours tend to triple themselves. My biggest advice to a young driver is take it one night at a time, just learn your car, don’t get caught up in the points or good finishes.

DO YOUR MAINTENANCE. Shop time wins races!

ATD: What can be the hardest or most trying part of racing season for you, and why?

Oelrich: The end of the season is definitely hardest; the team gets tired, the motor and the car get tired, [and] the bank account gets tired. It’s crunch time.

ATD: What is your favorite event of the year and why?

Oelrich: My favorite event by far is the John Seitz Memorial.

ATD: Is there a race or race track you have never raced in/at, and why do you want to race there?

Oelrich: I would love to race at the Dome in St. Louis, but more realistically, River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, ND.

ATD: What are your racing plans for 2026?

Oelrich: I recently sold my car and my backup car but upgraded, so I’m looking forward to getting that car dialed in and showing what we can do next season!

ATD: Who are your sponsors you’d like to thank?

Oelrich: Southside Towing & Recovery; Pucker Up Pickles; Schwinn Racing Transmissions; Feda Heating & Air; Flat Crete; Milwaukee Tools; Auto Value; Racers Xchange; Ross Lewis Sign; N&B Painting and Drywall; Isaiah’s Woodwork; Hatchet House of Bemidji; Northwest Technical College; and Bemidji Woolen Mills.