Big 8 Series rolls into Hawkeye Downs for Clash at the Downs

CEDAR RAPIDS — Competitive. Aggressive. Pure racing.

Each was used to describe Big 8 Series Late Model racing in its current form. The series that tours the Midwest makes its way to Hawkeye Downs Speedway on Friday for the McGrath Auto Clash at the Downs, and brings with it the kind of competition that has made its events entertaining.

Well, entertaining and potentially hazardous to equipment. But that's the nature of the beast when putting nearly 30 cars on track on eight-inch tires and a bunch of nearly-equal cars and drivers. The close-quarters racing has developed into a series both fans and drivers can sink their teeth into.

'I think it's one of the purest forms of Late Model racing in the country, probably ... These guys are aggressive,' said Cedar Rapids driver Griffin McGrath. 'There's a lot of self-governing rules. The tires are a great restrictor, so a lot of the things you can spend money on to push the limits as far as the rules or dollars are concerned for Super Late Models, you just can't put on a Big 8 car.

'It's a very pure form of Late Model racing, and takes a really good driver to be able to keep the car under them for the length of these races with an eight-inch, grooved tire.'

Hawkeye Downs went to the Big 8 package two years ago in an effort to boost its weekly numbers, and so far this year, the effect is starting to show.

With more cars weekly, the better the competition has become, and the better the locals likely will fare when guys like Michael Bilderback, Jeremy Miller and J Herbst come to town as part of the tour. Walcott driver and Hawkeye Downs regular Caleb Adrian defended the local turf last season, and is back to defend it again this year — though in his first Late Model race of the season.

Adrian is champing at the bit to get back in his Late Model, and to prove last year was no fluke.

'I always have full confidence in my team, but it's absolutely going to be a challenge having not raced yet this year,' Adrian said. 'I think we'll be able to go for the win.

'I hope they have a lot more respect for me than they did at this time last year. I'm going to go out with the same thing in mind — go out and run my race and seal the deal at the end.'

With Adrian, McGrath, Walford's Brian Gibson, Manchester's Zach Less and Janesville's Brad Osborn, the out-of-state guys are facing a much better-prepared group than they might've in the past at Hawkeye Downs.

Bilderback, who won the Big 8-opening Spring Classic at Rockford (Ill.) Speedway, knows he'll have to keep up his recent form if he's going to correct what he saw as a major opportunity to win last season. He battled with Adrian for the lead before settling for third.

'I think we're pretty confident. We've had strong cars all this year and showed last year that we can be a contender somewhere other than our home track,' Bilderback said. 'You've got to be real smooth at Hawkeye Downs. We'll have to get back in rhythm quick.

'With the Big 8 Series, there's 10 guys who can win. There's a couple local guys who I've heard of who could win. Anyone who's in contention at the end at these races is good enough to win.'

It's no secret last year's Clash at the Downs wasn't the cleanest of races. In fact, promoter Kevin Korsmo called it a 'crashfest' — and he had plenty of evidence to back it up.

What made it so frustrating for racers and viewers was the racing between the wrecks was high enough quality — as McGrath alluded to — that it was more disappointing than anything. Korsmo's hope is all the mangled sheet metal from last year is enough of a deterrent from a repeat.

'It was a neat race (last year), but it was a crashfest, so I hope it's more side-by-side and good racing,' Korsmo said. 'And I think it will be. I'd hope the guys who had to fix their cars won't be looking to do that again. I think the track is in good racing condition this year, and I think we're set for a good race.'

Any discussion of the racing and how it might play out inevitably comes to who the favorite to win might be.

Names like Bilderback, Adrian, Miller, Herbst and Gibson were thrown out there. But it was McGrath's name that was quickest on everyone's lips as the man to beat on Friday. The vast amount of laps around Hawkeye Downs and the caliber of both his driving and equipment point his fellow competitors in that direction.

McGrath, to his credit, gave an appreciating laugh — and refused to take the bait in calling his shot. His luck the last 18 months or so — three major wrecks and two totaled cars, plus ignition problems on a few occasions (that persisted in practice on Wednesday) — give him enough pause to say there's a few hurdles he has to clear.

Ultimately, he said, the competitive, aggressive, pure nature of the series opens up the winner possibilities.

'If they didn't think I was a favorite, I'd probably be more pissed than I am happy they do, because we've got a lot of time at Hawkeye Downs. I'd feel like a failure if I wasn't mentioned to be in contention because we've raced here so much,' McGrath said with a laugh. 'At some point we'll actually have to follow through on it. We certainly appreciate being mentioned in that top rung. But we've got to perform.

'Two grooves will be possible at Hawkeye Downs, and these cars put on a good show with tire fall off and how competitive the field is.'

l Comments: (319) 368-8884; jeremiah.davis@thegazette.com