Plummer missing Hawkeye Downs dates for ASA Midwest tour

CEDAR RAPIDS - Tim Plummer will have a hard time defending his late model track championship at Hawkeye Downs Speedway.

The 27-year-old race car driver from Norway, who piloted Dudley Fleck's No. 74 late model to the season points championship in his first full season behind the wheel, will compete in some ASA Midwest Tour events, forcing him to miss a few dates at the Cedar Rapids track.

Racing fans can catch Plummer in the field Friday during opening night of weekly season points races at Hawkeye Downs. Gates open at 6 with races beginning at 7:30.

Plummer has won the last seven modified division season points titles and doubled up last summer to also win the late model championship. It is believed to be the first time a driver has won two season points title the same year on the half-mile oval. The decision to race in some of the ASA Midwest Tour events will cause him to miss out on points.

"The touring races will definitely conflict with some of the weekly races," Plummer said. "Right now, it looks like that we'll probably miss two to three weekly races. That will take us out of the points race but we'll be there the vast majority of the season."

The regional tour competes in the upper Midwest with races in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa. Plummer said the series growth has forced drivers to take that path.

"The growth of the Midwest Tour has presented itself that a person needs to look in that direction if they feel they can compete because they offer some higher purses and it's increased competition," Plummer said. "You get to go see what you can do."

The switch to late model presented an added challenge than what he experienced with his modified ride. Late models are more expensive and maintenance and setup technology are tough to manage. The task will be harder, because each track is different.

"The way we set the cars up nowadays that's really finicky to go from place to place," Plummer said. "It's really a tough adjustment because those cars are really sophisticated."

The new season for Hawkeye Downs will include late models, sportsmen, which has been restructured and move to the quarter-mile track, modifieds, hobby stocks, hornets and legend cars races. The track also welcomes back the Lil Racer Car Club for the second year.

Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for seniors. Students older than 12 cost $5 with valid identification and children 12 and Under are free,