Chad Becker has won multiple track championships, but he recently locked up his first ever national championship.
The Aberdeen man recently won the Late Model WISSOTA national championship. He finished with 1,624 points, which just edged out David McDonald of Huron by one point for the national championship.
"It has definitely been a dream to win it," Becker said. "We have been close a couple of times and we finally got it done, so it is definitely an accomplishment."
Becker, 31, also won track championships this season at the Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron and the Casino Speedway in Watertown. He has won other track championships in the past, but the national championship is the ultimate prize.
"Winning the national points is a big goal for anybody," Becker said. "You definitely have to work hard for it and dedicate yourself to it."
He has certainly been dedicated. This is his 14th season in auto racing and has been racing in the Late Model division for over 10 years. This season, he raced in 56 shows, his most ever in a season. His first race was at the end of April and the season went well into September.
Becker and his pit crew and family went to races all over the region this season. Becker competed at races in South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Minnesota.
"It definitely takes a toll on a person," Becker said. "You do a lot of running. It definitely makes it fun."
He wasn't even following the national points at the beginning of the season. However, when the season drew to a close and he was in the hunt for the title he started to follow the standings more. Near the end of the season, Becker's motor broke down when he was leading the points standings. He then had to race with a different motor for three nights and McDonald passed him in the standings.
"Then I spent the rest of the year kind of playing catch up on him," Becker said.
In the last special in Watertown recently, Becker swept the Late Model division. He was trailing McDonald by five points and gained six points and ended up winning the national points championship by one point.
"So it was close at the end," Becker said.
Becker will now get his Late Model car ready for the WISSOTA national banquet coming up in St. Cloud, Minn., where he will be honored for winning the national title. He will then have his off-season and then began to prepare for next season - his first season coming back as a national champion.
"It definitely sets up your next year a lot better," Becker said.
Other WISSOTA national champions were: Modified, Dave Cain, Corcoran, Minn.; Super Stock, Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn.; Midwest Modified, Cory Crasper, Chippewa Falls, Wis.; Street Stock, Dave Read, Brainerd, Minn.; Mod Four, Rob VanMil, Barnsville, Minn.