116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Bohnsack on his final laps at Hawkeye Downs
Kurt Bohnsack insists this will be his final season and pursuing a championship
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CEDAR RAPIDS — Kurt Bohnsack insists this will be his final season.
The 57-year-old Ely racecar driver has piled up wins and track championships through the years at Hawkeye Downs Speedway, but it appeared to many that Bohnsack had raced for the final time after the 2022 season.
But after two seasons away, one predominant factor inspired Bohnsack to indulge one final run at Downs.
“I just wanted to come out for the 100th year anniversary (of Downs), get my name in the record books,” said Bohnsack, who will race in the Hornets division Friday during the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series at Downs. “If I win, I win. That’s even better, but I am just out here to have fun and wherever I finish, I finish.”
Through the early part of the 2025 season, many of those finishes have been on top. Bohnsack posted his third Hornets feature win of the summer last Friday and has an eight-point lead in the season standings (235 points) over Chad Vozenilek of Cedar Rapids and Hiawatha’s John Carnahan.
“Just consistency,” Bohnsack said. “Know how to set a car up and a good pit crew guy. Good driving. Complete driving.”
After finishing second to Cedar Rapids’ Ian Pate for the 2022 Hornets crown at Downs, Bohnsack did not race the No. 4 Chevrolet Cavalier for two years in order to spend more time with family and go camping.
“(Pate) drove the car, not last year but the year before,” Bohnsack said. “It has been in the trailer ever since.”
When Bohnsack decided to return this year for Downs’ 100th season of auto racing, it did not take much to get the No. 4 fired up and ready to race.
“Just pull it out, check everything and make sure everything is straight,” Bohnsack said. “Do a little body work, paint it and come back and race.”
Bohnsack has four track championships on his resume, two in the Hornets division and one each in the Hobby Stock and Stock Car divisions.
In addition to honoring a century of auto racing at Downs, Bohnsack is eagerly chasing that fifth points title.
“I am,” Bohnsack said. “That is what everybody is out here for. Some people just come out and race for fun, but I am here to race for the points and win the championship.”
Win or lose, this will be Bohnsack’s final go-around at Downs. After all, the campgrounds and trails of Wisconsin await.
“Selling everything, buying a camper and going camping,” Bohnsack said.
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