Auto Racing

Adam Petrzelka won his seventh Hobby Stocks feature race in as many attempts Friday at Hawkeye Downs Speedway. He had to make a late push while running bumper-to-bumper against his brother.

Photos from Friday night’s races at Hawkeye Downs.

It’s been a whirlwind of emotions recently for Corey Crispin. Two weekends ago, Crispin’s grandmother, Barbara John, died. Friday, the reigning Hornets track champion and current points leader found himself in victory lane for the second time this season.

Daniel Suarez was ninth in the Iowa Corn 350 Sunday. On Tuesday, he becomes an American citizen.

Photos from the Iowa Corn 350 NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway in Newton on Sunday.

Cedar Rapids-based business sells small race cars, parts

After its first winter on Netflix, NASCAR’s Cup Series visits Newton’s Iowa Speedway for the first time. It’s a really big show.

This weekend’s “NASCAR Summer Race Weekend” at Iowa Speedway in Newton is not just an opportunity for local racecar drivers to be fans. For drivers from Hawkeye Downs Speedway, it will be a chance to tout the quality of Eastern Iowa auto racing.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have a one-race partnership with the NASCAR Cup Series, at Sunday’s inaugural Iowa Corn 350 in Newton. Corey LaJoie will drive with the TigerHawk adorned on his hood.

Benton County Speedway’s quarter-mile dirt oval race track has hosted International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) Sunday night racing events for years. On any given Sunday night, it is normally a good bet that an Olson family member will find their way to the winner’s circle.

Will Rece felt he owed a little something to Cedar Rapids. He returned to Hawkeye Downs and won the Late Model feature race at the Big 8 Series’ “Clash at the Downs X” event Friday night.

The Iowa BIG Teen Race returns to Hawkeye Downs Speedway on Saturday. Now in its third year, the event presents an opportunity for individuals (with a valid Iowa driver’s license or Iowa minor school license) to step into the driver’s seat of a racecar and compete against others.

Kyle Larson had hoped to race 1,100 miles Sunday. Rain messed that up, but Larson hopes to go 350 miles for a checkered flag in Iowa on June 16.

As far as birthdays go, Friday could not have been much busier for Brian Gibson. The inch-plus of rain that fell Friday did not result in a cancellation of that night’s auto races at Hawkeye Downs and the third-year race director’s plan to celebrate his birthday by getting behind the wheel for the first time this season.

Adam Petrzelka won three feature races in the Hobby Stocks Division last summer at Hawkeye Downs Speedway. But deep down, he knew he was capable of more. Three weeks into the 2024 season, Petrzelka already has matched last year’s win total.