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Cade Dillard (Cody Papke Photo)

Dillard drives to Championship Feature win to finish Modified action at the 2026 WISSOTA 100

By Tony Steuck
All The Dirt! Racing News

FERGUS FALLS, MN (September 19) - You could do worse than having your car builder as your hired gun at the WISSOTA 100. Louisiana racer Cade Dillard piloted Tim Thomas’ No. 51T to victory lane in the WISSOTA Modified Championship Feature after a late-race pass got him to the lead.

Dustin Bitzan, Brock Gronwold and Mike Stearns led the WISSOTA Modified field to the green flag for their 40-lap feature. Gronwold took the lead out of turn two, but Stearns powered ahead down the back chute and into turn three. Bitzan, Gronwold and Travis Saurer battled for second, and Saurer claimed the spot ahead of Bitzan. Dillard and Brady Gerdes battled for fifth. Saurer reeled in Stearns, and threw a slide job at the leader to snag the top spot and lead lap six at the line.

Mike Stearns (24) and Travis Saurer (21x). (Cody Papke Photo)

Saurer quickly distanced himself from the rest of the field, while Stearns had a comfortable gap ahead of Bitzan. Gronwold made the pass on Bitzan for third, but the pass was negated when Shane Sabraski — just minutes removed from his victory lane appearance in the Super Stocks — was turned around into the third corner; Sabraski was done for the event with no front bumper.

Eight laps were recorded when the field restarted. Saurer edged away, while Stearns and Bitzan fought for second. Bitzan slipped back, and Gronwold moved into third ahead of Dillard and Gerdes. The caution waved again with 10 laps scored after Don Eischens spun in turns one and two.

Disaster struck on the restart when Gerdes and Gronwold tangled and caused a melee out of turn four. Dave Cain was eliminated from the event as a result.

Stearns secured second, and Dillard raced by Gronwold for third when the race resumed. Bitzan was next to challenge Gronwold before Johnny Broking moved into fifth. Saurer pulled away quickly from the pack, and Dillard stayed close to Stearns with Gronwold in tow. Broking grabbed fourth from Gronwold on lap 17, while Dillard continued to keep pressure on Stearns for second.

Johnny Broking (45) and Cade Dillard (51T). (Cody Papke Photo)

Saurer held a 2.9 second lead at the halfway mark as he caught the tail of the field. He put cars a lap down and continued to open ground ahead of Stearns, and Broking joined the battle for second as they dealt with traffic. Dillard was scored second at the line to complete lap 26, and left Stearns behind as he tried to reel in the leader.

Saurer’s advantage was up to 3.5 seconds with 10 laps to go, and Broking displaced Stearns for third. Gronwold moved by Stearns on lap 31 as they continued to slice through traffic; Joe Thomas and defending race winner Ryan Gierke also moved by Stearns in the next few laps.

Cody Papke Photos

Dillard consistently trimmed away at Saurer’s lead, and when Saurer jumped the cushion in turn four, Dillard shot by and led the field to complete lap 35. Broking grabbed second on lap 37, and he and Saurer almost came together out of turn four, but Broking held onto the spot.

Broking closed in on Dillard on the final lap, but finished second at the stripe. Saurer was third with Gierke fourth and Thomas fifth. Justin Froemming, Gronwold, Stearns, Bitzan and Bryce Sward rounded out the top 10.

SUMMARY

WISSOTA Modifieds:

Feature (40 Laps): 1. 51T-Cade Dillard[4]; 2. 45J-Johnny Broking[11]; 3. 21X-Travis Saurer[5]; 4. 26G-Ryan Gierke[18]; 5. 6T-Joseph Thomas[10]; 6. 33X-Justin Froemming[12]; 7. 2G-Brock Gronwold[2]; 8. 24S-Mike Stearns[3]; 9. 10X-Dustin Bitzan[1]; 10. 6X-Bryce Sward[9]; 11. 11-Jody Bellefeuille[17]; 12. 9B-Brendan Blascyk[15]; 13. 33C-Cole Boston[24]; 14. 66-Jacob Knapper[16]; 15. 6SL-Seth Brede[8]; 16. 89JR-JT Johnson[19]; 17. 1TPO-Tyler Peterson[25]; 18. 17B-Zach Benson[29]; 19. 9E-Don Eischens[7]; 20. 7-Bryce Borgen[21]; 21. 6*-Brian Haben[30]; 22. US-Jonathan Olmscheid[33]; 23. (DNF) 18S-Kennedy Swan[20]; 24. (DNF) 11X-Austin Chyba[27]; 25. (DNF) 24-Brandon Dolman[23]; 26. (DNF) 19-Lucas Rodin[22]; 27. (DNF) 10-Justin VanEps[31]; 28. (DNF) 13-Devyn Weleski[28]; 29. (DNF) 2X-Brady Gerdes[6]; 30. (DNF) 2C-Dave Cain[13]; 31. (DNF) 18A-Landon Atkinson[26]; 32. (DNF) 7A-Shane Sabraski[14]; 33. (DNF) 14W-Clayton Wagamon[32]