Joey Gase triumphant in return to Hawkeye Downs

CEDAR RAPIDS — For the second week in a row, Hawkeye Downs Speedway welcomed a native son.

After Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Landon Cassill competed at the half-mile asphalt oval racetrack for the first time in eight years, fellow Cedar Rapids native Joey Gase returned in his familiar No. 35 Late Model racecar for the fourth installment of Iowa Donor Network Night.

'It's good, it's a lot of fun to be out here and see a lot of old faces,' said Gase, who won the late model feature for the third time in four years Friday night. 'It all started for me, watching my dad (Bob Gase) out here so it's always fun to come back.'

Gase, 24, held off both the hard-charging Brad Osborn and his own overheating engine to claim victory in the six-car field.

'I think if we come back again next year, we may have to re-do this motor,' Gase said with a laugh. 'We could have had a big wreck behind us if it blew, so I'm glad that didn't happen.'

The Downs performance capped a whirlwind day for the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver. Gase participated in two Friday practices at Iowa Speedway in preparation for Saturday's American Ethanol 250, then hustled down I-80 and arrived at Downs in time for the heat race and preceding warmup laps.

'It's something different to do,' Gase said. 'It's fun to come out and be competitive again and it's a lot of fun. The more cars you can drive, the better, too.'

Yearly treks to Downs have afforded Gase the opportunity to continue his ardent advocacy of the Iowa Donor Network, a non-profit organization that provides organ, tissue and eye donation.

'The biggest thing is awareness and just getting talked about in front of people,' said Gase, who became involved as a 2011 Cedar Rapids Xavier senior following the unexpected death of his mother, Mary Gase. 'Here at Hawkeye Downs and Iowa Speedway is a perfect way to do it. ... Iowa Donor Network invites a lot of donor families and recipients out here and they all come on and it's not just because it's a race. It's because it's a place where everyone gets to talk to each other and just mingle and a good gathering spot. It's a great thing.'

Friday night, the Iowa Donor Network sponsored the sixth stop of the touring Mid-American Stock Car Series, highlighted by a 40-lap feature race won by Rick Corso of McHenry, Ill.

Derek Parrott of Marion (hornets) and Brady Rhode (Legends) each won their third feature race of the season, while Cedar Rapids' Braxton Franks claimed his first hobby stocks victory.

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