maquoketaspeedway Archives

Ellithorpe throws slider to win thriller at Maquoketa

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (May 13, 2023) – Saturday was another one of those race days the weatherman threatened to throw a curve ball at the plans for a night of racing at Maquoketa Speedway. The threat of wet weather moving in was not realized and racing went on as scheduled. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature provided lots of exciting racing with the final laps run with the win up for grabs. Jerry Miles rode the high side of the quarter mile for the first 13 laps in the lead. A late-race caution set up a two-lap dash to the finish. Jacob Ellithorpe threw a hard slider at Miles in turn one and the 72 of Ellithorpe and the 4 of Miles raced down the back chute wheel-to-wheel coming to the white flag. Ellithorpe was able to nose out front and take the win by less than a car length. Brandon Vorbeck crossed the finish line in third. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds saw veteran driver Jeff “Bone” Larson win his second feature [Read More]

Nezworski tops IMCA Late Models as Maquoketa Speedway opens season

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (April 29, 2023) – The 2023 racing season got underway on Saturday night under cold and blustery conditions. A hearty group of race fans saw an outstanding field of 139 race car drivers take part in the Kinion Classic Cars season opener at the Maquoketa Speedway. The opening night featured the return of the IMCA Sunoco Late Models to the ¼-mile oval for weekly racing. Nineteen Late Models were on hand and their 25-lap main event was the headliner of the night. Veteran racer Andy Nezworski was fortunate enough to draw the pole for the Kinion Classic Cars main event. Nezworski quickly established himself as the man to beat and led the main flag to flag despite several challenges by pesky Matt Ryan. Ryan challenged several times for the lead but finished second ahead of Jaden Fryer, who advanced all the way from the sixth row. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds saw a stout field of 20 drivers take the green for their “A” main. 2021 Maquoketa Speedway track and [Read More]

Maquoketa Speedway set to open Saturday

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (April 26, 2023) – The 2023 racing season is set to get underway at Maquoketa Speedway this Saturday, April 29 with the running of the Kinion Classic Cars season opener. Maquoketa Speedway welcomes the return of the Sunoco Late Model division as part of the IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing program. Late Models will headline the program this Saturday with hot laps taking to the action-packed quarter-mile dirt track at 6 p.m. Maquoketa Speedway is located on the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Maquoketa.

Maquoketa Speedway opening with All Star Night

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (April 11, 2023) – The Maquoketa Speedway is set to host the first race of the 2023 season which will be All Star Night. Darkside Promotions (Tim Current and Ryan Duhme) will be working in conjunction with the Jackson County Fair Board and track manager Bret Sieverstein to present a special event to kick off the new season. Racing will include greatly enhanced purses for all classes in competition on the very quick ¼-mile dirt track, located on the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Maquoketa, on Saturday, April 15. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000 to win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars chase a $750 check along with a berth in a B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying heat. Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods race for $500 to win, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $350. Festivities on the fairgrounds will begin at noon with a race car show held on the parkade area behind the grandstands. Fans are encouraged to come out [Read More]

Sievertsen jumps at second chance to promote at Maquoketa Speedway

MAQUOKETA, Iowa (Feb. 2, 2023) – This time, no regrets. Having passed on one previous opportunity to promote Maquoketa Speedway, Bret Sievertsen jumped at the second and will be calling the shots beginning this season at the Jackson County speedplant. He’ll be in charge of a Speedway Motors Weekly Racing program that features IMCA Sunoco Late Models, Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. Late Models return to Saturday shows following a four-year absence and will be sponsored locally by Kinion Auto Sales. “We’ve already gotten a huge response from people who want to be involved with the track and Kinion was one of the first to pick up the phone and call,” said Sievertsen, a long-time scorer at Maquoketa, among other Eastern Iowa and western Illinois IMCA venues. “When I started working here I was doing public relations. I have primarily scored since, assisted the race director and have watched and learned since I got here,” he continued. “I had the chance to [Read More]

Inaugural Gil Short Memorial wraps up Maquoketa Speedway season

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (Sept. 23-24, 2022) – The 2022 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season at Maquoketa Speedway came to a close with two big nights of racing Friday and Saturday. The Friday night racing program was headlined by the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. The 25-lap feature saw Spencer Diercks race to the front from his fourth starting position and go on to score a very impressive $1,200 win. Diercks took the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible win ahead of Kelly Shryock and Jason Schueller. The Modified feature saw a star studded field of 21 drivers take the initial green flag. Twenty-one Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods took the green flag in their main event. Former national champion Tyler Soppe set sail on the top side and scored the win ahead of Levi Laymon and Jarrett Franzen. The IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock main event was won by Daniel Wauters. A recently purchased car and the combination of Wauters skills proved to be successful. Kile Vohringer was also in an unfamiliar car and [Read More]

Maquoketa Speedway to host inaugural Gil Short Memorial

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (Sept. 19, 2022) – Maquoketa Speedway will bring the 2022 racing season to a close this weekend with the first annual running of the Gil Short Memorial. Two full nights of racing will be held at the Jackson County Fairgrounds quarter-mile dirt track. Short was the chief and founder of the Speedway Fire Rescue group that serves many Eastern Iowa race tracks by providing safety equipment and personnel. The Friday, Sept. 23 program sees Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds headlining the action with a $1,200 first place prize on the line. Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods battle it out for a $750 top prize, also racing will be the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Friday night will also be the Maquoketa Speedway 2022 Hall Of Fame Induction night. Honorees will include Phil Roberts, Larry Goldbeck, Dan Garland and Duke Jackson. Action will get underway with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and racing to follow. Saturday, Sept. 24 will see IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars racing for a $750 top prize. Saturday will also be Back To [Read More]

Blume scores big win at Maquoketa Speedway

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (July 9, 2022) – Saturday saw perfect weather conditions for an action-packed night of racing at the Maquoketa Speedway. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature saw Austin Blume score his first win of the 2022 season at Maquoketa. Blume took off from his outside front row start and sailed on to the win by leading flag to flag. Blume took the win ahead of Jaden Fryer and last week’s feature winner, Matt Werner. A strong field of 22 IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars took the green flag for their 15-lap feature. Chase Zaruba also joined the list of first time winners in 2022. Zaruba took the win ahead of 12th starter Tom Schmitt with Jerry Miles advancing from the fifth row to take third. The Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods provided another action-packed race as drivers ran three- and four-wide throughout their main event. When the checkers flew it was Jesse Bodin taking the win by a slim margin ahead of Jacob Arp and Shane Paris. The IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks saw the [Read More]

Werner scores first Maquoketa IMCA Modified win

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (July 2, 2022) – Racing returned to the Jackson County Fairgrounds Maquoketa Speedway on Saturday following a week off due to a rainout. A great field of nearly 90 race teams packed the infield on a beautiful Saturday night for racing. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature headlined the night of racing action that saw the final checkered flag of the night wave at 9:05 p.m. The 20-lap feature went caution free and saw Geneseo, Ill., driver Matt Werner score his first win at the ¼-mile Maquoketa Speedway. The track was wide and smooth and very racy with drivers using several lines which provided great racing all night. Werner advanced from a third row start and took the lead from early pace setter Austin Blume and went on to score the win. Ryan Duhme advanced from his fourth row start to take second to Werner with Travis Denning crossing under the checkers in third. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars provided another great race. Leader Chase Zaruba looked to be in [Read More]

Current, Roth among winners at Maquoketa Speedway

MAQUOKETA, Iowa (June 18, 2022) – Saturday, June 18th provided perfect weather for the racing action at Maquoketa Speedway. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds 20-lap feature win went to fourth row outside starter Tim Current. Current wheeled his #12T to the front quickly taking the lead from Steve Johnson on lap number four. Current’s teammate Ryan Duhme ran second on Saturday night ahead of Travis Denning. A strong field of Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods ran a caution-free 15 lap main event on Saturday night. Jason Roth took first place honors by racing to the win ahead of Matt Mayo from Bakersfield, California. Front row starter Dakota Cole crossed under the checkers in third. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars provided a very entertaining feature. Joe Zrostlik led the feature until a late race caution set up a two lap dash to the finish. Jacob Ellithorpe took advantage of the restart and passed Zrostlik to score his fourth win of the season at Maquoketa. Zrostlik ran second ahead of Jerry Miles. In the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks it [Read More]