By: Kevin Ramsell
Cedar Rapids, IA – The Stars & Cars of the ASA Midwest Tour return to Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids, Iowa this Saturday, August 17, 2024 for the Hawkeye 100 by Cassill Motors.
This will be the tenth visit to the 1/2-mile paved oval. Qualifying will get underway at 5:45pm with racing at 7pm. The Hornets, Legends, Bandoleros, and the HD Dawgs will also be racing on Saturday night. The 100-lap Super Late Model feature will be contested under the state of the art LED Musco Lighting system.
Levon Van Der Geest showed he had a strong car at the last event at Wisconsin International Raceway and feels he will have a lot of momentum coming into into Saturday night, especially after finishing third last year. Van Der Geest is currently second in points in a tight battle with Justin Mondeik, who won the Larry Detjens Memorial at State Park Speedway.
Riley Stenjem came up one spot short of getting his ASAMT victory at Hawkeye Downs last year. The Utica, Wisconsin driver has one top-five finish so far this season. Another driver who is looking to improve from his 2023 run at Hawkeye Downs is Brent Edmunds. He finished fourth last year in the Hawkeye 100 and started off the 2024 season with a podium finish in the Joe Shear Classic at Madison International Speedway.
Two former Hawkeye Downs Champions have also filed entries for the Saturday Night Special Event. 2022 Hawkeye Downs Champion Kody King will make his fourth Midwest Tour appearance of the season. Bryce Miller will pilot the former Griffin McGrath Super Late Model, Miller won the Hawkeye Downs Track Championship a season ago.
The Rookie of the Year point battle will be one to watch as a pair of Minnesota drivers will be making their first ever appearances at Hawkeye Downs. Ty Fredrickson currently holds a 35 point lead over Joe Valento. Additionally, James Lynch, the Chicagoland ace sits third in Rookie points and may have a leg up on the other two with his Midwest Truck Series experience at the fairgrounds facility. All three are looking to have their big breakout moment in 2024 in the ASA Midwest Tour. Fredrickson has already picked up feature wins in his first full season of Super Late Model racing.
A pair of Missouri drivers will be making the trip to Hawkeye Downs. Veteran racer Joe Ross along with Dylan Bates will represent the Show Me State Saturday. Other notable drivers include former Truck Series Champion Tristian Swanson, Wisconsin Champion John Beale, Chicagoland’s Steve Seligman, Bryan Syer Keske whom led early in last year’s Hawkeye 100, Big 8 front runner Jerry Mueller and making his first Midwest Tour start will be Golden Sands Champion Kendrick Kreyer.
For ticket information, please visit midwesttour.racing.
Saturday Racing Divisions: The ASA Midwest Tour, Hornets, Legends, Bandoleros, HD Dawgs
Schedule of Events for Saturday:
2pm – Pit Gate Opens
4pm – ASAMT First Practice
4:45pm – ASAMT Final Practice
5:30pm – Front Gate Opens
5:45pm – Qualifying (ASAMT Autograph Session to follow)
7pm – Racing Begins
General Admission Pricing: Adults: $20, Seniors (60+) & Veterans: $15, Youth (9-17): $15, Ages 8 & Under FREE
Location: Hawkeye Downs Speedway, 4400 6th St SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Past Winners:
2007 – Steve Carlson
2008 – Steve Carlson
2009 – Steve Carlson
2010 – Steve Carlson
2011 – Jonathan Eilen
2014 – Ty Majeski
2015 – Ty Majeski
2021 – Ty Majeski
2023 – Gabe Sommers
