Olson and Coghlan Achieve First Feature Wins
It was a picture-perfect July evening for an action-packed Marion Tire Co. and Mt. Vernon Road Tire Co. racing experience in Cedar Rapids! Hawkeye Downs Speedway welcomed our NASCAR Advanced Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series classes, including two Sunline Hornet features and the HD Dawgs and Performance Concepts Late Models.
Austin Slabaugh found some redemption in the Legends.Direct Legends from a close finish last week by capturing his second win of the season. Slabaugh held off Danny Lehmkuhl, who was able to use a late race caution and take the outside on the chosen cone to move from fourth to second. Kevin Korsmo leads the standings over Kacey Korsmo by eight points and Slabaugh by nine.
Photo by Ed Siems / EDs Photography
In the first Sunline Hornets feature, Chad Vozenilek gained seven spots en route to another victory in the racing season. Korey Lana led until the final lap when Vozenilek moved to the inside to take over. Corey Crispin would cross the line third but be moved to second when Lana was disqualified in tech inspection with too much camber.
Photo by Ed Siems / EDs Photography
Photo by Ed Siems / EDs Photography
For the second Hornets feature, the rookie Jordan Goad controlled the race. Crispin and Vozenilek worked their way to the front and around the outside of Goad. Vozenilek made up ground on Crispin in the final laps, but it wasn’t enough. Crispin won his 4th race of the season. Crispin leads Vozenilek by 3 points in the standings.
It was another fast ride for Kacey Korsmo in the Performance Concepts Late Models, as he charged his way from a fourth starting spot to catch and pass Lehmkuhl with three laps to go and opened nearly a seven-tenths of a second lead to go back-to-back in the class.
For the first time this season, Adam Petrzelka was defeated in the Anderson Automotive Hobby Stocks. Jason Sherman got ahead and ran the race's fastest lap, while Petrzelka cut down the lead from 1.5 seconds to .2 seconds at the end. It was the first win for Sherman since 2021, when he won the series championship.
Photo by Ed Siems / EDs Photography
Brandon Herb went back-to-back in the All Seasons Automotive Sportsman class after starting at the rear of the field. Herb quickly worked his way to the front and opened the gap on Todd Ness by nearly four seconds in the final laps. With his third win of the season, Herb is just four points behind Ness in the standings.
Photo by Ed Siems / EDs Photography
The Cassill Motors Sport Mod Series rookie Stacy Olson captured her first feature win Friday night, which was popular across the grandstands. Olson started on the front row and rocketed ahead of the field while Patrick Flannagan worked through traffic. Flannagan cleared to second with three laps to go but couldn’t make up any time on Olson, leaving her to lead all 15 laps en route to her win.
Photo by Ed Siems / EDs Photography
Photo by Ed Siems / EDs Photography
“I held my breath the whole race,” Olson said. I’ll take it. Thank you so much to Dave, Dad, Bill, and everyone in the stands who has been cheering for me for eight years. I finally got it!”
That wasn’t all for first-time winners on the evening! The HD Dawgs saw Devin Coghlan start third and snatched the lead at the start. He then avoided breaking out while simultaneously opening up a just over one-second gap on Dave Ballstaedt. Coghlan was joined by many family and friends in Green State Credit Union Victory Lane following the win.
Photo by Ed Siems / EDs Photography
Photo by Ed Siems / EDs Photography
“This makes it so worth it,” Coghlan said. “None of this would be possible without my grandfather. This is a dream come true.”
Next Race Night: Friday, July 26th
Racing continues in Hawkeye Downs’ 99th season this Friday, July 26th. We’re excited to host three special groups on Friday night: DaaBIN Stores, Advance Auto Parts, and The Prull Group!
On Friday night, we will have a special giveaway at the gate. The first 250 attendees through the gate will receive a FREE BIN COUPON! These coupons are good for a single item to be used any day but not valid to be used with any other offer. On Saturdays, those are as good as having $7 cash!! Valid anytime at any DaaBIN store location.
Late models will have double features. We will also be joined by our HD Dawgs and NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series (Sport Mods are off this week). Front gates will open at 6pm, with racing beginning at 7:05pm. See you at the track!
