By Ben Deatherage
LAKE CITY, Minn. (June 3, 2026) — Freedom Race Lifts is proud to announce its designation as the Official Race Car Lift of IMCA, bringing its award winning battery-operated lift technology to the nation’s oldest active racing sanctioning body in the country.
“It is a great honor to be affiliated with a series who put racers first,” said owner Josh Rodewald. “It’s the heart of what we do at Freedom Race Lifts, and we are thrilled to be able to contribute to the future of the sport.”
Owned by engineer and former racer Josh Rodewald, Freedom Race Lifts has fast become nationally recognized for establishing the first truly portable wireless-operated vehicle lifts and jacks designed specifically for race teams. That success was fueled by first hand experience; facing the everyday risk of working under vehicles— whether in the shop or at the track.
The U.S. Department of Transportation reports more than 4,800 people are injured each year in the U.S. while working on vehicles, due to automotive jack failures. Rodewald believes those numbers only scratch the surface.
“That is only what statistics tell us. We have interviewed more than 700 race team members around the United States, and we’ve heard countless stories of close calls, serious injuries, and tragically far too many deaths, which happened while the victim was working under a vehicle. Things happen fast in the pits, and we would all be better off if teams truly felt secure under their vehicles. It was time for someone to design a better solution— and we took on that challenge.”
Rodewald was driven by more than just an idea— he nearly lost his own father in a failed jack accident when he was just 15 years old, a moment he witnessed first hand.
“That’s a risk too steep to take,” he said.
That experience stayed with him throughout his life and drove Rodewald to design the company’s proprietary automatic safety locking systems.
“I have no concerns now, when my own father is under a vehicle. We have a patented system that automatically locks at any height on all of our lifts and jack systems. You don’t have to reach underneath and apply something else or insert a pin or wait for a click or flip a lever. It intrinsically locks and knows when there’s weight on it,” said Rodewald.
Rodewald’s racing roots run deep. His father developed a love for racing while stationed in Germany during the Vietnam War, where soldiers built a makeshift dirt track near Frankfurt and raced modified Volkswagen cars for entertainment. After returning home to Wisconsin, the elder Rodewald continued racing dirt cars through the 1970s and early 1980s, passing the passion for motorsports down to Josh.
Freedom Race Lift’s growing product line has evolved from first hand experience at the race track.
“Not every situation is the same. We see the need — and we have engineered several unique systems to meet that need for racers and mechanics across multiple disciplines. Using a drill or rechargeable drill batteries and a remote, Freedom Race Lifts offers a line of truly portable vehicle lifts designed to raise different vehicles in different ways; from car lifts, to truck lifts, battery operated performance jacks, powersports lifts, racing lifts bumper lifts to two-post lifts, we have continued to expand into the areas people need it most. Perhaps one of the most beneficial aspects of our products is it only takes one person to move it, and position it under the vehicle.”
The company also serves the powersports and off-road racing industries, offering lift versions for UTVs, trucks, buggies, motorcycles, and snowmobiles.
Freedom Race Lifts is proud to be affiliated with some of the nation’s leading race teams, whose trust in the company’s products has helped fuel its continued growth. Company officials are excited to expand those relationships throughout the IMCA community and remain committed to supporting grassroots dirt track racing across America.
Freedom Race Lifts will be onsite during the 2026 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in September with live product demonstrations and a full staff available to meet with racers, share information about its products, and answer questions from competitors and fans alike.
“Come see us there!” Rodewald said.
In the meantime, you can get all the details on the full product line by visiting Freedom Race Lifts at www.freedomracelifts.com —and follow the company on social media.
Built by racers for racers, Freedom Race Lifts prides itself in the company’s core mission: “Saving Lives with Every Lift.”
Freedom Vehicle Lifts is on a mission to provide safer, efficient, and innovative battery operated vehicle lifts and jacks to the performance, service and repair, and home mechanics. Designed by racers, for racers, our high performing products bring a new convenient way to lift vehicles safely.
