Family affair for the Floyds

CEDAR RAPIDS – It is a family affair of a different nature.

The mother-son duo of Kandi and Jacob Floyd have experienced plenty together, including the thrill of auto racing.

The Floyds are regulars, competing in the hobby stock division Friday nights at Hawkeye Downs Speedway. Both finished in the top three during weekly points races last night at the asphalt track.

Last week, Jacob Floyd won his first feature last week, coming two weeks after his mother visited victory lane. It is believed to be the first time a mother and son has won a feature in the same class at the track. Racing with family is great, but winning with your mother is even better.

“It's one of those thrills you get out there on a Friday night and you get to race against a family member,” said Jacob Floyd, who races on dirt with his father, Jeremy Floyd. “When it's your mom, it makes it that much more special.”

Kandi Floyd was a big influence on her son's love for racing. She began racing 13 years ago when he was about 5. He purchased his first car at 14, which is the number of his race car. She finally got him to join her at Hawkeye Downs after insisting he would run dirt only before getting hooked.

“I was begging him almost every week last year to come out and race with me,” Kandi Floyd said. “The first time he came out and raced with me this year his car was really good and decided to come back. Now, he loves it.”

The emotions peaked last week when he closed the last half of the feature for his first win. He had a hard time containing his emotions, matching his mom's feat. Jacob Floyd admitted that he was more thrilled for his mom's victory.

“I was way too excited,” Jacob Floyd said. “All the hard work the last five years paid off.”

Unfortunately for Kandi, it was a week she wasn't racing. She was bombarded by texts from fans in the stands. She was happy for him, as well.

“He works on the cars non-stop,” Kandi Floyd said. “I see all his blood, sweat and tears, so for him to get a win was amazing.”

Tears were the product when Kandi won her first race since 2004, claiming four in the Women on Wheels division. Kandi Floyd fought off cancer twice and battles diabetes. It was fitting for her son to be by her side in victory lane after being by her side during illness.

“When I got out of my car, the first person I saw was my son,” Kandi Floyd said. “I ran up and hugged him…we cried.

“Considering what I've gone through and he's been there through everything, it means a lot.”

The two certainly root for one another during the race, but aren't willing to hand out favors. They compete like any other drivers, and that was proven during the feature when Jacob Floyd held mom off for second in the feature. They battle for bragging rights.

“It's kind of gotten the best of us,” Jacob Floyd said. “We've gotten more competitive against each other.”

Jacob Floyd admitted that his mother is the family's best driver with the best car on asphalt. She isn't afraid to let him know who is the toughest either, giving him warning before the feature where they started side-by-side in the third row.

“I told him if he's in front of me I'm taking him out,” Kandi Floyd said with a laugh. “I won't but it's good smack talk to get him going.”

The Floyds finished behind points leader Matt Petrzelka, who has all but locked up his third straight season points title. He led throughout last night's feature.

“It makes it easier starting out on the pole,” Petrzelka said after his 11th feature win. “I'm just trying to wind this season done and win the title.”

Dave McCalla ironed out some racing issues he experienced the last couple weeks to win his ninth sportsman feature of the year. He took another step closer to a second straight title.

“It's been a rough couple weeks,” McCalla said. “It feels good to get a feature win.”

Tim Goettsch and Kurt Bohnsack continued the trend of points leaders making trips to victory lane. Goettsch won his sixth legends feature, while Bohnsack earned his seventh win in the hornets class.

Tim Plummer swept the modified and late model division features for the third straight week, increasing his leads in both with one week remaining. Plummer raced to the win easily in modified, but battled Jay Jaspers for first in the late model race.

Plummer trailed Jaspers, making contact with him in Turn 1 with six laps left and taking the lead for good.

"He did pretty good," Plummer said about the challenge from Jaspers. "I figured with the rules package that he has he'd burn the tires off at the end, but stayed good ... then I saw Thor (Anderson) started to come so I figured I better get going."

HOBBY STOCKS

Heat winner – Matt Petrzelka

Feature – 1. Petrzelka, 2. Jacob Floyd, 3. Kandi Floyd, 4. Jason Sherman, 5. Adam Petrzelka

SPORTSMEN

Heat winner – Jim Hanson

Feature – 1. Dave McCalla, 2. Jim Hanson, 3. Ben Glascock, 4. Dave Ballstaedt, 5. Greg Hentrich

LEGENDS

Heat winners – 1st: Kyle Diercks; 2nd: Dennis Diercks

Feature – 1. Tom Goettsch, 2. Austin Kunert, 3.Kevin Korsmo , 4. Caleb Adrian, 5. Bryce Bailey

MODIFIEDS

Heat winner – Tim Plummer

Feature – 1. Plummer, 2. Ryan Luedtke, 3. Mike Schulte, 4.Steve Lindell , 5. Ed O'Brien

HORNETS

Heat winners – 1st: Kurt Bohnsack; 2nd: Jeff Dvorak

Feature – 1. Bohnsack, 2. Steve Woodrow, 3. Brad Schmidt, 4. Jose DeJesus, 5. C.J. Van Horn

LATE MODELS

Heat winner – Tim Plummer

Feature – 1. Plummer, 2. Thor Anderson, 3. Jay Jaspers, 4. Andy Edwards, 5. Chad Siems