By Ben Deatherage
SPENCER, Iowa (Jun. 26, 2025) — On a warm Friday night, June 20, in Slayton, Minnesota, Kaytee DeVries did something only three other IMCA Mach-1 Sport Compact drivers had done before her. At Murray County Speedway, she passed under the checkers for her 100th career sanctioned win, finally reaching a milestone that had narrowly eluded her for nearly a year.
“I had win number 99 last August at Slayton,” she said. “So to finally get 100 — and to do it at the same track — it was kind of poetic.”
Now in her 15th season, DeVries becomes just the fourth driver in IMCA Sport Compact history to reach the century mark, joining Nate Coopman (297), Ramsey Meyer (230), and Caine Mahlberg (111). Her path to the top wasn’t without struggle. In fact, she almost didn’t get there at all.
“It’s true what they say — that last one to 100 can be the hardest,” she admitted. “At the beginning of this year I had all kinds of issues. I’d be leading a race and something would break. Or I’d have motor trouble. I had to remind myself, if it’s meant to happen, it’ll happen. I couldn’t beat myself up over it.”
She never did. And now, after more than a decade of consistency — with at least one win every year since her first in 2013 and a career-best 19 wins in 2020 — she stands among the greats of the division.
Kaytee DeVries celebrates her 100th career IMCA Sport Compact feature win with a checkered flag and trophy in victory lane at Murray County Speedway in Slayton, Minn., on June 20. (Photo by A&A Photography)
From Reluctance to the Record Book
DeVries wasn’t raised on racing. She wasn’t even a fan at first.
“I didn’t even like the races,” she said with a laugh. “I’d go with my husband and just sit in the stands while he raced. I didn’t grow up around it — it just wasn’t something I was exposed to.”
Her now ex-husband, Jay — whom she remains close with — changed that. “He got me into it. We raced together for 12 years,” she said. “His brother had a Dodge Stratus, and I wanted to try it. I ended up blowing it up, but that’s how I got my start and foot in the door.”
Her first real competitive car came a year later.
“In 2014, I got my first Cavalier,” she said. “I’ve been in one ever since. I don’t think I’d drive anything else in this class. It’s just a great car.”
DeVries has earned a host of accolades along the way, including the 2023 Murray County Speedway track title and three championships each at Kossuth County Speedway and Buena Vista Raceway. She was the 2016 Clay County Fair Speedway champ and is a four-time Lady Eagle titleholder, an award given annually to the top female driver in IMCA national standings.
With 100 career wins, she holds the distinction of being the most winning Lady Eagle driver in IMCA history — no other woman has reached that feature win total in sanctioned competition.
She’s also qualified for the Big Dance at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s three times, with a career-best sixth-place finish in 2019 and most recently qualifying again in 2022, where she was scored 25th.
The Long Road to Yuma and Back
That persistence was on display in 2024 when she traveled to Cocopah Speedway for the IMCA TV Winter Nationals — over 1,600 miles from Spencer.
“I was just planning to stay for the first week,” she said. “But I ended up leading points at the break. It felt dumb not to come back for the second week.”
Her plan was simple: fly home to work for a few days, then return. But a snowstorm in northwest Iowa grounded her flight. So, she hitched a ride back, got back home, turned around, and returned to Arizona in time for the second week — ultimately finishing second in points.
“I was exhausted,” she said, “but it was worth it.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
DeVries never imagined her journey would inspire so many — especially other women.
“When I went to Yuma my first year, a lot of the female drivers knew me because of the Lady Eagle championships,” she said. “They’d come up and say they’d followed me for years. It was surreal.”
She recalls helping one young racer, Mylee JoAnn, who was struggling with her five-speed transmission. DeVries jumped in the car — literally — to guide her through it.
“I sat in the passenger seat while she worked the gas and clutch, and I shifted for her,” she said. “The next race she did amazing. Moments like that — those are the ones that mean the most.”
A Fair Town, A Fierce Competitor
Though DeVries competes across the region, she proudly calls Spencer home — a community with deep roots and a rich sense of tradition.
Spencer’s story begins in 1865, when Union veterans from Wisconsin arrived under the Homestead Act and founded what was then known as “Spencer Grove.” The name was shortened to Spencer in 1868. By the 1880s, the arrival of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway helped turn the town into a growing trade hub on the Iowa prairie.
In 1918, the Clay County Fair was founded and would become a defining institution of the town. Today, it draws over 300,000 attendees annually, making it the largest fair in Iowa and one of the largest county fairs in the entire country. For DeVries, it’s the perfect backdrop to showcase the heart of Spencer.
“I always say, if you want to see Spencer at its best, go during the Clay County Fair,” she said. “The races, the Ferris wheel, the people — it brings the whole town together.”
But Spencer has also seen hardship. In 1931, a dropped sparkler ignited a devastating fire that destroyed over 100 buildings. The tragedy led to Iowa banning most fireworks statewide — a law that remained on the books until 2017.
Through growth and challenge, Spencer has remained a proud agricultural town — and home to one of IMCA’s most consistent and dedicated racers.
Still Chasing, Still Grateful
Even with 100 wins to her name, DeVries isn’t slowing down. She still travels — most recently racing in North Dakota against top national drivers. And she still loves trying new tracks and meeting new people.
“A lot of people know who I am now,” she said. “It’s been a long ride. I never thought I’d be in this position, but I’m grateful.”
She’s quick to give credit.
“I have to thank Jay — he was the start of it all. Without him, I wouldn’t have 100 wins. And my daughter Nova — she’s my biggest supporter. Also, my family and friends. They’ve all helped make this possible.”
From a reluctant fan in the grandstands to a member of IMCA’s Century Club, Kaytee DeVries has carved out her place in IMCA history. And for every young woman watching from the fence line, she’s proof that perseverance — even in a compact car — can take you a very long way.
