A dusty, warm afternoon was the setting for the 2018 season opener at the Estevan Motor Speedway on Saturday, one filled with mishaps and tight finishes, with a few upsets sprinkled in as well.

The highly anticipated Sport Mods made their first showing, with Robby Rosselli from Minot, ND taking the checkered flag.

"It felt pretty good. I'm glad Estevan picked them (Sport Mods) up. I used to race here weekly, I think I was the first American to win a Hobby Stock championship in 2005. I haven't raced up here since 2012. It's good to be back here," he said.

The features prior to his saw the caution thrown nearly every lap, as the dry conditions and relative lack of wind resulted in poor visibility in the turns, mainly 3 and 4. However, he lucked out and took the track immediately after the water truck, which was a factor in his success.

In the IMCA Stock division, it was Brendon LaBatte out of Weyburn who battled it out with Cody Nelson of Kenmare, ND for the lead, eventually holding it for good.

"The first time, my sister (Lindsey Wagner) got me, the second time I over drove it and I couldn't get it slowed down, 3 and 4 I gave the lead back and once I finally got it there the third time, I was trying to keep it down on the tires and make them have to go on the outside," he said of his contest for the front.

The name may be familiar, but you probably don't recognize it from the racetrack. LaBatte is better known from his position as guard on the O-line of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. When he's not taking his place on the line of scrimmage, he's behind the wheel on the dirt, though that time is limited during football season.

"This'll probably be the last one for me in Estevan. We've got a few Thursday night games, so you never know, on a Saturday I might make it out here. As it is right now, that'll probably be my last plan, anything else will be a last minute spur of the moment decision."

Brendon LaBatte took first place in the IMCA Street Stocks.

The Hobby Stocks never did see a checkered flag, as lingering dust and consequent crashes and cautions prompted an early end. Leevi Runge was the winner by default.

"Usually Estevan has a good low lane for the last couple years, so I went to my trusty low side and I guess you could say it worked out, for the laps that we ran anyway. Honestly, my car wasn't even fully warmed up," he shared.

"(Turns) 3 and 4 was really the only dusty spot, so you were just hoping no one was just sitting in the corner."

Leevi Runge was first of the Hobby Stocks.

The IMCA Modifieds saw Williston's Travis Hagen stave off 2017 national champion Jason Wolla's every attempt at the lead spot, until the final few laps. Wolla inched ahead with 4 to go, and then blew his motor, giving Hagen a breath of relief as he took the checkered flag following the near takeover.

"I kind of got lazy. I was trying to just not push and trying to not come off the bottom. I kind of started driving in a little weak, and they closed in," he said, "At the beginning or middle part of the race I was able to kind of drive it into one and not hit the holes, and be able to arc it down out of two an catch the bottom, then able to stay tight in three and four."

"I'd seen blue smoke out of the header there when he (Wolla) passed me, so I didn't know if he was going to make it or not. I didn't know if it was an oil leak, and all of a sudden we were coming around 2 and I thought, 'Oh man, he's dying", and it died there coming out of 2. I just tried to arc down the back straightaway and then tried to hold Aaron (Turnbull) off the rest of the way," he said of his eventual win.

Young Keenan Glasser took first place in the Slingshots.

In the Slingshots division, it was young Keenan Glasser who came up with the victory to kick off his third year of racing.

"I think the track was good, most of the racers out there are run to race with. They're doing a lot of good things, and it's hard to beat them," he stated.

The next race at the EMS goes on Friday, May 18th.