maquoketaspeedway Archives

Lemke, Larson, Franzen, LaMar are All Star Night winners

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (April 13, 2024) – The Darkside Promotions All Star Night welcomed over 100 race cars on a warm Mid-April evening on Saturday night. The race hungry fans were treated to an exciting night of racing. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds saw Illinois un-retired driver Scotte Lemke pick up the win. Lemke was a fixture at Tri-State tracks in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s before sitting out for 16 years. The veteran showed he still is to be reckoned with as he led all 30 laps in route to the win. Jeff Larson applied pressure in the early going and it appeared the friends were going to provide a thrilling race but Larson was sidelined with tire failure as the race passed midway. Dan Roedl and Drew Janssen applied the heat to Lemke in the latter half of the main. At the checkers it was Lemke scoring the win ahead of Roedl and Janssen. Larson was given the opportunity to drive Lee Kinsella’s IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and gave the 21 [Read More]

Maquoketa Speedway hosts All Star Night this Saturday

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (April 9, 2024) – Maquoketa Speedway is set to host a full day of festivities on Saturday, April 13. The quarter-mile dirt track located on the Jackson County Fairgrounds on the east edge of Maquoketa will begin a very busy day with a race car show beginning at noon. Fans will have the opportunity to meet and greet drivers and see the cars up close. The Maquoketa Speedway Kids Club will host an Easter Egg Hunt for kids under the age of 12 beginning at 1 p.m. More than 500 eggs will be distributed to the kids, eggs will have prizes and candy packed into the eggs. The car show will end at 2 p.m. and the attention will then turn to the track. Pit gates will open at 2 p.m. and the hot laps for the All Star Night presented by Darkside Promotions will get underway at 5:30 p.m. Racing in seven divisions will highlight the racing program. Four classes of cars, Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods and Hobby [Read More]

Diercks, Thornton nab Nippy 50 feature wins

MAQUOKETA, Iowa (March 29-30, 2024) – Two nights of Nippy 50 racing at Maquoketa Speedway yielded season-first Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature wins for Spencer Diercks and Dylan Thornton. Both drivers were in and out of the front spot before taking the checkers in their respective main events, Diercks in Friday’s $1,500 to win show and Thornton in the $2,500 to win headliner on Saturday. Already Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible, Diercks built up a two second advantage before a lap 15 caution slowed the opening night feature. He’d swap the lead with Jacob Hobscheidt from that point before finally nailing the spot down for good with two laps left. “It was a good way to start the season,” said Diercks. “Jacob is pretty good and he gave me a run for my money. He came on strong but we were good enough to hold on.” Hobscheidt, Jeff Larson, Jeremy Mills and Jacob Snyder ended second through fifth. Thornton had qualified from his ‘B’ race, started 20th and collected hard charger honors with his eighth [Read More]

IMCA drivers join Darkside for spring specials at Maquoketa, Cedar County

MAQUOKETA, Iowa (March 13, 2024) – IMCA drivers will race for big checks and All-Star Invitational eligibility at a pair of Darkside Promotions events this spring. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds are on the card both nights of the March 29 and 30 Nippy 50 Super Late Model show at Maquoketa Speedway, running for $1,500 to win on Friday and $2,500 to win on Saturday. Racing starts at 6 p.m. Friday when entry fee is $30, pit passes are $40 and grandstand admission is $25. And on Saturday, entry fee is $50, pit passes are $45 and spectator admission is $35. Racing starts at 5 p.m. April 5 and 6 Spring Fling shows bring the Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks to Cedar County Raceway at Tipton. Modifieds race for $1,200 to win on Friday and $2,000 to win on Saturday, Stock Cars and SportMods for $500 to win on Friday and $1,200 to win on Saturday, and Hobby Stocks for $350 to win both nights. Gates [Read More]

Muscatine Mall race car show set for March 16

By Jerry Mackey MUSCATINE, Iowa (March 7, 2024) – The Muscatine Mall will be the site of the second annual pre-season Race Car Show hosted by Levi Gaunt Racing. Last year’s show was very well attended with a good sized group of race cars on display. The 2024 show promises to be even bigger and offers a lot more to race enthusiasts. Doors to the Muscatine Mall will open to the public at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 16. Several special activities will be going on throughout the day starting with the 44G Levi Gaunt Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod having the 2024 graphics wrap being installed at 11 a.m. Fans will have an opportunity to witness the special talents of graphic work designed and applied by Capital Signs. This year, a vendor area has been added and at that time of this writing, 12 vendors have signed up to display a variety of items. Fans of all ages will have an opportunity to meet and greet their favorite drivers throughout the day plus a [Read More]

Maquoketa Speedway host car show and swap meet, awards ceremony

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (Jan. 25, 2024) – On Saturday, Feb. 3, Maquoketa Speedway will host the second annual pre-season race car show and racers’ swap meet The event will be held on the Jackson County Fairgrounds located on the east side of Maquoketa. Doors will open to the public at 9 a.m. and several of the drivers who will be competing regularly at Maquoketa Speedway in 2024 will have their race-ready cars on display. A racers’ swap meet will also be held, offering drivers and race teams the opportunity to buy and sell items needed to field a competitive race car. The show will conclude at 3 p.m., at which time the awards ceremony will get underway honoring the champions and the top drivers in 2023 track points earned at the Maquoketa Speedway. Fans are encouraged to come out and spend the afternoon with the drivers of the Maquoketa Speedway. 2024 race schedules will be available along with information regarding the numerous specials that will highlight the upcoming season at Maquoketa Speedway. Concessions and beverages [Read More]

Maquoketa Speedway hosts season high 135 race teams

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (Aug. 12, 2023) – Saturday night, the Maquoketa Speedway hosted 135 race teams on Kinion Auto Sales Season Championships for the IMCA Sunoco Late Models. The Late Models took the green with 20 drivers in attendance on the quick ¼-mile oval. The battle was on at the dropping of the green between the two high point drivers, Andy Nezworski and Dalton Simonsen. Nezworski was recorded as the leader on lap one before Simonsen took over the top spot. Simonsen has been a top five car all year but was yet to record a win. Saturday night saw the Fairfax driver’s fortune change as he battled Nezworski the entire race and went on to record a very impressive win. A late-race caution set up a dash to the finish and Bryce Garnhart was able to nip Nezworski at the finish line for second. Nezworski was crowned the 2023 track champion after completing a stellar season. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event was action packed to say the least with a [Read More]

Next IMCA Sunoco bonuses awarded at Davenport, Maquoketa

DAVENPORT, Iowa (Aug. 9, 2023) – Two more Sunoco Race Fuels bonuses are at stake this weekend, with IMCA Late Model drivers racing for extra money on Aug. 11 at Davenport Speedway and on Aug. 12 at Maquoketa Speedway. Drivers can receive the bonus from their division title sponsor one time in a season so the $250 would be given to the top finishing non-winning driver either night, if the winner has already earned the bonus at another track. Friday’s show at Davenport also features Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds running for $1,000 to win their Ronnie Weedon Memorial main event, with IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods completing the sanctioned portion of the program. Pit gates open at 4 p.m., the grandstand opens at 5:30 p.m. and racing follows 6:30 p.m. hot laps. Pit passes are $30 for adults and $15 for kids. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, $5 for kids ages 5-12 and free for four and under. Saturday’s season championship night program for the Late Models at Maquoketa [Read More]

Bodin, Nelson, Stamm, Richardson all score first Maquoketa wins

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (Aug. 5, 2023) – Regular IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing returned to Maquoketa Speedway following the Jackson County Fair and several drivers scored their first-ever Maquoketa wins during a program that saw a huge field of 122 drivers take part in the action. The IMCA Sunoco Late Model feature saw a new driver make his way to victory lane following the action-packed 25-lap feature. Jesse Bodin made the jump into the Late Models after racing a Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod the last few years. Bodin raced to the front from his third row start and went on to score his first-ever win at the Maquoketa Speedway topping a strong 21-car field. Bodin took the win ahead of a couple of very strong weekly contenders at the Maquoketa Speedway. Dalton Simonsen nipped Andy Nezworski for second at the line. Jeff Larson is closing in on a career milestone in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and scored his 99th career feature win in the division on Saturday. Larson was the Maquoketa Speedway [Read More]

Miles scores first career win at Maquoketa

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (July 22, 2023) – Following a week of no racing as the Jackson County Fairgrounds hosted a large dog competition show the racing action returned on Saturday night with 121 teams putting on an exciting show as the races were hurried along to beat the approaching rain storm. It is always special to see a driver win his first-ever main event and on Saturday night that was the case in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Jordan Miles, one of the many racing Miles brothers and one of three Miles’ that were racing Saturday night scored his first of what will be many feature wins. Miles held off the one of the best in Hobby Stock racing, Randy LaMar in scoring the win. The 25-lap IMCA Sunoco Late Model feature saw veteran driver Andy Nezworski drive his no. 7 very patiently to the front from his eighth position start and overtake Jaden Fryer late in the main to go on and score the win. Fryer had a strong run in taking [Read More]