A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY AND A BIG FUTURE

The racetrack was built in 1964 as a 1/4-mile asphalt oval originally called "Tomah-Sparta Speedway". In 1996, the track was purchased Dave Thompson. Under the ownership of Dave Thompson, the track was renamed "Excalibur Motorsports Speedway". It was reconfigured and paved into its current configuration of 3/8-mile asphalt oval. In November of 2012, Mike Inglett purchased the track with his son Jon Inglett. Mike and Jon, both veterans of the military, Mike serving 3 years in Vietnam for the Army and Jon serving 5 1/2 years (Iraq and Afghanistan) in the Marine Corps, made the decision to make a fresh start for the track by renaming and branding with the name of "Veterans Raceway Park".

There are numerous improvements happening around the track and facilities. A new registration stand, new hamburger stand, new ticket booth, and new track office have recently been built. The pit area is in the process of being enlarged and leveled, along with having gravel/shale hard-packed. The pit area will eventually have concrete pit pads this summer. Another improvement that will happen, is both turns on the track will be widened by 8 feet at the center of the turn and have new paving.

By: Eric "The Hammer" Huenefeld

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (May 17, 2013) - It had been four years since the Mid-American Stock Car Series visited Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As it turns out, the wait was well worth it.

Sixteen drivers from six states converged on the historic half-mile in Eastern Iowa Friday night, and when the dust settled on a caution-free 45 lap feature, it was Brad Keith standing tall above the rest.

Keith, who started in the seventh position, muscled to the front of the pack and stayed ahead of an experienced field to take his first Mid-American Stock Car Series checkered flag.

Rockford segment two winner Jack Stern would lead the field to green and race side-by-side with local favorite Brian Gibson for the early race lead. Gibson would wrestle the lead from Stern via the high side of the track and pace the pack through the opening laps. Following Gibson on the high side was Lyle Nowak. Nowak would take second from Stern on lap two, and immediately challenge Gibson for the lead. After a tight side-by-side battle, Nowak assumed the lead on lap six.

Our deepest sympathies go out to the Trickle family.

Friday, May 17th, the Mid-American Stock Car Series returns to Cedar Rapids to rattle the grandstands for the first time since 2009. Veteran and multi Mid-Am Champion, Bill Prietzel, endured 90-degree heat and very suppressing humidity to lead Jeremy Spoonmore to victory while heat exhaustion sidelined others on that August day. This year Spoonmore will be there defending his 2012 championship and Prietzel will be there testing the new Champ.

Also in the chase this weekend are locals Dave McCalla of Cedar Rapids, IA, Ben Glascock of Indianola, IA and Brian Gibson of Walford, IA to test the traveling warriors against track experience.

By Pastor Todd Christopherson

This year takes on a new meaning on this for me and others that have lost their Mom’s. It is a great lesson to share with others the Scriptures of Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." And Ephesians 6:1-3 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother-which is the first commandment with a promise- that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." I can tell, don’t miss any opportunity to obey and honor your parents.

As we drove down to my parents and got to the gate of their gated community I was reminded of a couple of things. First, a story I have heard several times. Once at a track gate an old steward stopped a pickup truck and asked to see wrist bands to get in. The driver showed his and said his passenger was ok to go in. The old steward said, “I don’t care if you are AJ Foyt. You are not getting in on my watch." OK the fun part of the story is, it really was AJ and the steward still did not let him in. The steward made it exclusive to enter.

LYNCH GM SUPERSTORELYNCH GM SUPERSTORE and MASCS would like to invite you to the 20th ANNUAL MOTORSPORT AND CUSTOM CAR SHOW this Saturday, May 11th. The show will be held at the Burlington location at 2300 Burns Lake Dr on the corner of Hwy 36 and W.

John Fischer, sales manager at Lynch, is a long time ally to auto racing. The Lynch racing relationship started at Lake Geneva Raceway, which hosted MASCS races since its inception in 1993 to 2006. When Lake Geneva Raceway closed at the end of the 2006 season, MASCS became a benefactor of LYNCH GM SUPERSTORE’s support. Mid-American is proud and humbled to continue the partnership with LYNCH GM SUPERSTORE in Burlington, WI. The relationship has been ongoing through the assistance of Fischer, who also piloted a MID-AMERICAN racecar at different times over the years.

By Julie & Doug

Three new members to the Mid-American family have taken the challenge to compete for Rookie of the Year honors. Come Mid-Am awards banquet time, the rookie on top will reap the fruits of their labors including a team radio and headset from Bud Collar and Race Com.

Dusty KrebsFirst rookie candidate to roll his mount onto Rockford Speedway for Mid-Am’s 2013 opener on April 14th was Dusty Krebs of Hartford, WI.

While claiming Slinger Super Speedway as his home track Krebs’ racing experience has extended to Columbus 151 Speedway and WIR in Kaukauna, WI. He was introduced to the Mid-American Series in 2012 while crewing for #48 Brad Keith of West Bend, WI. Krebs’ Rockford debut was cut short with a bent valve during practice Saturday.

PLUER PUSHES PAST SPOONMORE TO SECURE OVERALL SPRING CLASSIC WIN

LOVES PARK, Ill. (April 14, 2013) - Mark Pluer grabbed his second Spring Classic win since 2010 at Rockford Speedway Sunday afternoon by nipping defending Mid-American Stock Car Series Champion Jeremy Spoonmore at the line in the second of two 25-lap segments. With a second-place finish in the first segment, Pluer needed every inch to take third from Spoonmore to secure the overall win by one point.

"I knew I had to get the spot to take the overall," a content Pluer said in Victory Lane afterward. "I'm thankful he raced me clean and we had a heck of a battle right to the line."

Fast qualifier Brad Keith finished second overall with a second-place finish to Jack Stern in segment two and a fourth-place finish in segment one. Keith and Stern tied with six points for second, but Keith was awarded the tiebreaker as he set fast time earlier in the day.