Fan favorite Mudd one of eight honored

CEDAR RAPIDS - Johnny Mudd has fond memories of his time competing at Hawkeye Downs Speedway.

The former race car driver had a number of memorable moments so the track honored him.

Mudd was one of eight former drivers and contributors to be inducted to the Hawkeye Downs Wall of Fame at a ceremony Friday night at the Hawkeye Downs Bingo Hall, where he shared stories and laughs with others.

“To me it's an endorsement of our race team,” Mudd said. “It just means a lot to me for them. It means more to me for them than the honor I get.

“We made fun out of it. We weren't mad so much at anybody, but you still know there were certain guys where if I get the chance I'm putting you in the wall and vice versa.”

Mudd modestly said his accomplishments to other inductees over the last 1o years of the Wall of Fame, but he was considered a model of consistency in the Sportsman division. He regularly raced to top-five finishes in the season points standings. He won track titles in 1999 and 2003 before retiring in 2004.

Mudd competed in just about every class, starting with hobby stocks in 1989 - the first summer Hawkeye Downs was an asphalt track. He recalled participating in the very first practice on the half-mile oval because the quarter-mile track wasn't finished. He also ran in late models and won features behind the wheel of each style of car.

“We won races in every class we were in,” Mudd said. “I've always been proud of that.”

Mike Neely, a long-time media member who is on the six-person committee that approves the selections, highlighted the fact that Mudd was a fan favorite. He had many followers of all ages that filled the stands to watch him race.

"When he left here, unfortunately for Hawkeye Downs, he took away our biggest crowds," Neely said. "Everyone came to watch Johnny Mudd."

The team always tried to engage the fans and put on a show for them to enjoy. Mudd crew member Gary Braksiek said you would see plenty of Mudd Racing gear in the stands during the races.

“We tried to be very active with the fans,” Braksiek said. “Everybody was cheering for Johnny. We had a great fan following.”

Many came to watch him race and plenty would stick around to join him and his crew of eight or nine members afterward. Mudd admitted the "Mudd Pit," as it was fondly called, attracted other drivers and fans. They would replay the race that was taped by a camera in his car and enjoyed the beverages of the team's famous white cooler that was well-stocked by his sponsor Fleck Sales. Between 75 to 100 people would visit the "Mudd Pit" on race night.

“Many nights we'd always have drivers come down to our pits and enjoy a little camaraderie around the trailer and cooler,” Braksiek said. “That's what it really was all about.”

With the technology recording his actions during the race and the presence of youth fans in the pits following the races, Mudd said he had to control his emotions and teach himself not to curse. 

“It would take me all day Saturday to cool down, because I knew I had to be nice Friday night,” Mudd said. “Saturday was a tough day if it went bad on Friday.”

Team has contributed to memorabilia from Mudd's career, which is kept in his garage. He admits he can get lost in memories on occasion. He can remember the nights his crew dragged because his performance wasn't good and their excitement when it went well.

“You relive them,” Mudd said. “You remember the losses and the bad nights way more than the good nights.”

Mudd and his brother, Mike, who served as an important member of his crew, formed a good group that included Mike Houlihan, Roy Hayden, Greg Long, Crawford, randy Phab, the late Gerald "Senior" Hansel, John Wyckoff, Jerome Healy and Vince Wolrab.

“John and his brother really worked very hard to do what they could. It was important for them to own their own car and be their own boss,” Braksiek said. "They did a great job. They worked very hard together.

"We had a great time.”

Mudd, 49, of Cedar Rapids, raced almost exclusively at Hawkeye Downs. He raced in the Yankee Dirt Classic at Farley Speedway in his only competition on dirt, placing eighth in a large field. He has raced go-karts since leaving the track, but has stayed retired. The itch surfaces at times.

“Usually on First Ave. when somebody cuts me off,” Mudd said with a laugh. “I do. It's in your blood. You can't help it, but you also know what goes into it. I have young kids, so your priorities change. I walked away OK with it all.”

Mudd has six-year-old twin boys and an eight-year-old daughter. The subject of them racing has been discussed, but Mudd prefers it doesn't.

“They see the trophies and pictures in the garage and say when are we going to do this and this,” Mudd said. “I'm like well, you concentrate on mowing the yard. When you can mow with the tractor and not run each other over then we'll work on something else.”

They would have some big shoes to fill, following in his dad's footsteps.

“Johnny always did the best he could,” Braksiek said. “He always tried to treat the other drivers with a lot of respect, but he always drove everybody very hard.”

Ron Hochstetler, Karl Sanger, Jim Gerber, Charles Safley, Les Burianek, Paul Newkirk  and Benny Jamison were also honored.

The event was originally to be held during the weekly races, but those were cancelled due to weather. The inductees will be recognized during an on the track ceremony Friday,  June 24.