Aberdeen, South Dakota racer Chad Becker raced to his 3rd WISSOTA Late Model National Championship during the 2022 season after a 14-win season catapulted him to the top of the list and led to the title at season’s end. Chad, who’s nickname is the Hotshoe, proved to be just that as he raced to those 14 victories at five of WISSOTA’s top tracks, including the Brown County Speedway in his hometown of Aberdeen, plus he was able to race to victories at the Casino Speedway in Watertown, SD; at the Fiesta City Speedway in Montevideo, MN; at the Sheyenne Speedway in Lisbon, ND and at the I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls, MN.
Chad amassed 3220 points during the season, edging fellow Aberdeen driver Josh Skorczewski by 86 markers when the final tallies were totaled. Chad’s season included 14 victories during the 46 events he entered. He was able to finish inside the top ten during 41 of the 46 events he entered and ran inside top five during 35 of those events. Of the 14 victories, several were a bit more memorable than others, including special wins during the opening night of the Speedway Motors WISSOTA 100 at the I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls, MN, plus winning the second night of the Late Model special weekend at the Fiesta City Speedway in Montevideo, MN; winning both nights of the Autumn Clash at the Casino Speedway in Watertown, SD and eventually finishing inside the top five on championship night at the WISSOTA 100. On top of those wins, picking up the 2022 Casino Speedway Late Model Track Championship and the 2022 South Dakota Late Model State Championship were also very memorable on the season.
The 2022 season was Chad’s 24th year of racing. He began racing in the Super Stock division and after a two-year stint in the Supers, he moved into the Late Model division and has been a force in that full-fendered division ever since. He also ran a Modified for several seasons, pulling double duty with his Late Model.
Becker’s #12 is sponsored by Aberdeen Wings, Nickeson Harvesting, Grote Sheet Metal, PM Auto Repair, Brad’s Auto Glass, Sylte Farms, Fastenal of Sioux Falls, Ultimate Graphics, Mason’s Monkeys, RBL Designs, Martin’s Decorative Stone, Buffalo Wings and Rings, Todd’s Taxidermy, American Power and Communications, KBS Power, MB Customs Race Cars and CMD Shocks.
He is supported on and off the track by his dad, wife Lacey, kids Raecean, Kacyn and Stryker, his parents, his in-laws and his nephews Konner and Kasey.
Winning the WISSOTA Late Model national title in 2022 means a lot to Chad and his team. He said ‘this means a lot to not only me, but to my crew, family and sponsors who work endless hours to celebrate not only being the 2022 National Champ, but to be a 3-time National Champ!’
Chad said more of the same is his plan for the upcoming 2023 season as he plans to race weekly at his local tracks, along with some specials with his new MB Customs Race Car that he will put together over the winter and see what happens with the points when the season comes to an end next October.
Congrats!
The WISSOTA Promoters Association exists to benefit its member tracks to enhance safe, profitable and successful dirt track racing, through unified, cost-effective rules, policies and procedures, enacted within a democratic environment.
The WISSOTA Promoters Association was founded in 1981 by eight track promoters in Wisconsin and Minnesota, with intent to offer uniform rules for the promoters and drivers involved in the Late Model division. Soon, the group decided to do the same for the growing Modified division.
In 1984 a voluntary steering committee was formed to oversee the business aspects that developed and to guide the future of WISSOTA’s racing divisions. That steering committee evolved into a board of directors, and the non-profit racing organization became incorporated in 1986.
Promoters who join the organization become, in essence, part owners of the racing organization and are expected to contribute to its overall success. Each November, the WISSOTA annual meeting is held; the member promoters gather annually in this forum to discuss the future of the organization. Member promoters are given the opportunity to vote on all organizational policies and procedures as well as rules for competition in the various racing divisions. WISSOTA’s member promoters and racing associations have spent approximately 30 years of hard work at the annual meetings crafting unique rules for each of the divisions, which are known as WISSOTA Late Models, WISSOTA Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks, WISSOTA Street Stocks, WISSOTA Mod Fours, WISSOTA Pure Stocks and WISSOTA Hornets.
WISSOTA is proudly sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tire, Speedway Motors, AFCO Racing Products, MyRacePass, Structural Buildings, Chevrolet Performance, Engine Quest, Schaeffer’s Specialized Lubricants, World Products, Manley, QA1, Allstar Performance, Bassett, Brodix Cylinder Heads, AMI Graphics, Wilwood Disc Brakes, MSD, Minuteman Press Princeton, Simpson, Hooker Headers, Marv’s Trailer Sales, Leighton Broadcasting, Comp Cams, Aero, Joe Provo Racewear, Mahle, Moser Engineering, Winning Edge Graphics, Champ Pans, Performance Auto, ATD, Holley, American Solutions for Business, All Star Trophy and Awards, ERMA, and Garage-Tech X-treme.
(Photo provided by Chad Becker)
For more information on WISSOTA, log on to www.WISSOTA.org.