7/6/2024
Maquoketa Speedway
Mitch Way Breaks Through With Big Modified Win at Maquoketa Speedway
Maquoketa,Iowa: Saturday nights race program at the Maquoketa Speedway was hosted by our friends at Downtown Nutrition and the kids club hosted Christmas in July at the races. Kids were greeted by Mr. & Mrs Claus plus the Grinch was also in attendance. Travis Denning driver of the IMCA Late Model number 56D presented all the youngsters with glowing wristbands and checkered flags.
The IMCA Modified feature on Saturday night treated the fans with outstanding racing on a wide and smooth fast track. Mitch Way took control of the race early from his second row start and appeared to be on his way to his first Maquoketa Speedway win. A caution brought the field to his rear bumper just past the Midway point of the main event. On the restart the battle was on, Scott Lemke took over the top spot and led for several laps before Jeff Larson took over. Way used his never give up attitude and used several sliders as Larson and Way swapped the lead back and forth in the waning laps. Way was able to get the win by a narrow margin over Larson with Ryan Maitland using a late race charge to come home third after starting in the 11th position. Way raced in Eastern Iowa for a few years before moving to North Carolina, working for a NASCAR team. Way returned to the Quad Cities a few years ago and decided to get back into Modified racing. His Saturday night win was his first at Maquoketa since his return.
The IMCA Late Model feature looked to be a Saturday night cruise for Silvis, Illinois driver Jesse Bodin. The 2JR of Bodin took command early as was in route to a flag to flag victory when misfortune struck as he was about to take the white flag. Bodin spun entering turn four setting up a 2 lap dash to the finish. Denning in the 56D held the fast line the last two laps and scored his second win in a row at the Maquoketa Speedway taking the checkers ahead of Steve Johnson and Kelly Pestka.
Gage Neal was also a repeat winner on Saturday night as he scored the win in the 20 lap IMCA Stock Car feature. Neal raced to the front from his outside third row start and went on to score a comfortable win. The race behind Neal for second was hotly contested and was in doubt right to the finish line. Kodey Miles subbing for his father Jerry in the familiar 4K Stock Car ran a near perfect race in taking second by a nose ahead of Jacob Ellithorpe.
23 drivers took the initial green flag in the IMCA Sportmod main event on Saturday night. Pole sitter Jared Staver led the first few laps before Tyler Soppe was able to take the lead racing the middle groove. Soppe went on to record the win as he held off a fast closing Jarrett Franzen at the checkers. The winning margin was less than a car length. Staver crossed under the checkers in third.
The racing in the IMCA Hobby Stocks has been nothing short of outstanding the last few weeks. Saturday night was certainly more of the same as the the race to the checkers saw a pack of three drivers race off of turn four with the winner very much in doubt. Sheldon Hunter scored the win by a bumper over Lukas Short with Jordan Miles in third just a couple of feet behind Short.
Michael Weber held off a fast closing Jeff Schmidt for the feature win in he INEX Legends on Saturday night. Weber put his number 8W way up on the high line on Saturday night and found a very fast line in scoring the win. Dave Eberle followed Schmidt across the finish line in third.
Cyle Hawkins continued his mastery of the Maquoketa Speedway in the 4 Stock class. Hawkins took the checkers just ahead of Dustin Forbes and Mitch Bielenberg.
There will be no racing at the Maquoketa Speedway on Saturday, July 13th as the Jackson County Fairgrounds will be the site of a large Dog Show. Regular IMCA Weekly racing will return on Saturday, July 20th with hot laps taking to the track at 6 pm.
Maquoketa Speedway Saturday, July 6 Feature Results (top 5)
IMCA Modifieds
01M Mitch Way-Davenport
B1 Jeff Larson-Freeport, IL
4 Ryan Maitland-Waterloo
D55 Scott Lemke-Rockford, IL
3 Jason Schueller-Dubuque
IMCA Late Models
56D Travis Denning-Sterling, IL
77J Steve Johnson-Camanche
19 Kelly Pestka-DeWitt
12 Don Pataska-Green Island
5M Mike Fryer-Freeport, IL
IMCA Stock Cars
12N Gage Neal-Anamosa
4K Kodey Miles-Bernard
72 Jacob Ellithorpe-Maquoketa
22 Tanner Allen-Springville
27 Chase Zaruba-Sabula
IMCA Sportmods
3T Tyler Soppe-Sherrill
33 Jarrett Franzen-Maquoketa
7 Jared Staver-Stockton
118 Austin Stamm-Orangeville, IL
13 Mason McNett-Argyle, WI
IMCA Hobby Stocks
28 Sheldon Hunter-Wyoming
8 Lukas Short-Maquoketa
4 Jordan Miles-Bernard
1X Kile Vohringer-Maquoketa
51 Bret Hahlen-Dubuque
INEX Legends
8W Michael Weber-Marion
19 Jeff Schmidt-Rock City, IL
5 Dave Eberle-Freeport, IL
88 Cohen Henze-Juda, WI
25 Cole O'Brien-Cedar Rapids
4 Stocks
28 Cyle Hawkins-Durant
815 Dustin Forbes-Rock Falls, IL
12 Mitch Bielenberg-Charlotte
26 Jacob Welter-Farley
33B Zach Brenner-Peosta
Article Credit: Jerry Mackey