Severe thunderstorms and a tornado halted activity across the state of Iowa on Friday night. Marshalltown Speedway was supposed to have Kids Night, but that is moved to next Friday night, July 18th, instead. IndyCar had their Friday activities at Iowa Speedway halted. With no racing on Friday, that meant I was going to find somewhere to go racing on Saturday.
After much decision and thought, I threw a dart at the board and messaged Hawkeye Downs Race Director Brian Gibson to see if I could get on the media list at the last minute to attend my first ever ASA Midwest Tour Race. He responded and invited me over, so I grabbed the camera and my clipboard and headed on over to Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to cover the 40th Running of the Hawkeye 100 presented by Van Meter. It was the first Miller 100 since 2011, but with it being the 100th Anniversary season of Hawkeye Downs, the Fleck Family came on board to sponsor the race one more time.
The ASA Midwest Tour made their 11th appearance at the famous racetrack since 2007, meaning the 2007-2011 installments were the Miller 100. The last several years it was known as the Hawkeye 100. Joining them on the card were the C.O.P.S. (Concerns of Police Survivors) Racing for a Cause, Legend Direct Midwest Asphalt Series Legends, and HD Dawgs. Legends honored fallen officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. HD Dawgs is a run-what-you-brung class with the exception that they cannot run under 22 seconds or they get disqualified. 50/50 raffle saw proceeds go to Variety Children's Charity. Between the 3 divisions there was a total of 47 cars signed in. The final checkers waved at 10:24pm.
Kevin Korsmo took full advantage of starting on the pole in the C.O.P.S. Racing for Cause 30-lap feature for the Midwest Asphalt Series Legends. Korsmo fought off Danny Lehmkuhl early. Korsmo pulled away, but then the middle portion was plagued with cautions. First caution on lap 11 when Lincoln Cain was spun by Kacey Korsmo in turn one, then lap 13 when Kyle Mitchell spun in turn one, and lap 14 when Dallas Kibbe spun in turn 4 from contact with Cain. Kevin Korsmo was not to be fazed and remained strong out front, but one final caution came out on lap 26 when Eon Lyles spun in turn one after contact from Lehmkuhl. Kevin Korsmo hung on to take the feature win. Seventh-place starter Jeremiah Davis captured second, Nick Slabaugh was third, Kacey Korsmo worked his way back to fourth, and Dallas Kibbe finished fifth.
The nightcap was the Miller 100 presented by Van Meter for the ASA Midwest Tour Late Models. Justin Mondeik jumped out to the race lead early and was trailed by Clay Curts, but Mondeik pulled away. Mondeik looked strong out front until the first caution came out on lap 12 when Joe Valento and Mitch Haver spun in turn three. Mondeik again looked strong out front, fending off Brent Edmunds and Penn Sauter. Mondeik continued to lead until lap traffic got heavier in front of him, allowing Levon Van Der Geest to reel him in. Van Der Geest took the race lead on lap 44, but Mondeik came right back to take it back on lap 45. Van Der Geest did not go away, as he regained the lead on lap 47. Van Der Geest led until lap 87, when 3-time Midwest Madness Tour Champion Casey Johnson took the lead away. Johnson was followed by two-time Midwest Tour winner at Hawkeye Downs Gabe Sommers. The caution came out on lap 93 when Haver spun in turn two and then again on lap 95 when Brent Edmunds spun in the wall top for turns three and four. Johnson hung on to take his second win on the tour this season. Sommers, Van Der Geest, Riley Stenjem, and John Beale rounded out the top five. Kody King, Cody Dempster, Penn Sauter, Ty Fredrickson, and Clay Curts were sixth through tenth.
Next up at Hawkeye Downs is the Tuesday Night Titans program sponsored by Legends Direct on Tuesday, July 15th. Hot Laps at 6:30p, Racing to Follow. Then it's a return to the Advance Auto Parts NASCAR Weekly Racing Series on Friday, July 18th. NASCAR veteran Kenny Wallace will be on hand to race a Sport Mod on the pavement. Big 8 Series Late Models making their visit to the track. Hobby Stocks, Legends, Sportsman, and HD Dawgs round out the card. Big 8 Series qualifying at 5:45pm, hot laps at 6:40pm, and racing to follow.
Another Double Dip with the Tuesday Night Titans on July 22nd and a Weekly Racing Night on July 25th. Then a Special Wednesday Night Race on July 30th because of NASCAR Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway August 2nd and 3rd allowing some of the Hawkeye Downs cars to be on display. They wrap up weekly racing on August 25th and then in September and October the 1/4 mile will be covered in dirt and have some Dirt at the Downs races, part of the 100th Anniversary Season.
MILLER 100 presented by Van Meter
Hawkeye Downs Speedway, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Saturday July 12th, 2025
ASA Midwest Tour
Miller 100 Feature (100 Laps) : 1. 5J Casey Johnson (Edgerton, Wis.); 2. 15S Gabe Sommers (Plover, Wis.); 3. 23V Levon Van Der Geest (Merill, Wis.); 4. 77S Riley Stenjem (Utica, Wis.); 5. 5B John Beale (Verona, Wis.); 6. 14K Kody King (Clear Lake); 7. 24 Cody Dempster (Parker, Colo.); 8. 5S Penn Sauter (DeForest, Wis.); 9. 36F Ty Fredrickson (Webster, Minn.); 10. 88C Clay Curts (Monee, Ill.); 11. 19H Michael Hagger (Hanover, Minn.); 12. 7H Mitch Haver (West Bend, Wis.); 13. 30JV Joe Valento (Scandia, Minn.); 14. 87E Brent Edmunds (Monroe, Wis.); 15. 44M Justin Mondeik (Gleason, Wis.); 16. 58S Joseph Scholze (Holmen, Wis.); 17. 10I Mark Ironside (Swisher); 18. 95J Harley Jankowski (Sparta, Wis.).
Qualifier (10 Laps) : 1. Valento; 2. Haver; 3. Scholze; 4. Dempster; 5. Jankowski; 6. Ironside.
For more information about Hawkeye Downs check out Hawkeye Downs Speedway & Expo Center on Facebook or hawkeyedowns.org.
Next up for the ASA Midwest Tour is a return visit to the Madison International Speedway in Oregon, Wisconsin for the Bytec Cheeseland Howie Lettow Classic 100 on Friday July 25th. Qualifying at 6:05pm, Racing at 7:30pm.
Next up for the ASA Midwest Tour is a return visit to the Madison International Speedway in Oregon, Wisconsin for the Bytec Cheeseland Howie Lettow Classic 100 on Friday July 25th. Qualifying at 6:05pm, Racing at 7:30pm.
Then its Gandrud Auto Group 250 at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wisconsin on Tuesday August 5th, Wayne Carter Classic 100 at Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Illinois on Saturday August 16th. Trip to Wisconsin Dells on Saturday August 30th, Elko Speedway in Minnesota on Saturday September 20th and wraps up the season at the LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway in West Salem, Wisconisn for Oktoberfest 200 on Sunday October 5th.
For more information about the ASA Midwest Tour check out Midwest Tour on Facebook or starsnationaltour.com/midwest/.
For more information about the ASA Midwest Tour check out Midwest Tour on Facebook or starsnationaltour.com/midwest/.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
MILLER 100 presented by Van Meter
Hawkeye Downs Speedway, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Saturday July 12th, 2025
ASA Midwest Tour
Miller 100 Feature (100 Laps) : 1. 5J Casey Johnson (Edgerton, Wis.); 2. 15S Gabe Sommers (Plover, Wis.); 3. 23V Levon Van Der Geest (Merill, Wis.); 4. 77S Riley Stenjem (Utica, Wis.); 5. 5B John Beale (Verona, Wis.); 6. 14K Kody King (Clear Lake); 7. 24 Cody Dempster (Parker, Colo.); 8. 5S Penn Sauter (DeForest, Wis.); 9. 36F Ty Fredrickson (Webster, Minn.); 10. 88C Clay Curts (Monee, Ill.); 11. 19H Michael Hagger (Hanover, Minn.); 12. 7H Mitch Haver (West Bend, Wis.); 13. 30JV Joe Valento (Scandia, Minn.); 14. 87E Brent Edmunds (Monroe, Wis.); 15. 44M Justin Mondeik (Gleason, Wis.); 16. 58S Joseph Scholze (Holmen, Wis.); 17. 10I Mark Ironside (Swisher); 18. 95J Harley Jankowski (Sparta, Wis.).
Qualifier (10 Laps) : 1. Valento; 2. Haver; 3. Scholze; 4. Dempster; 5. Jankowski; 6. Ironside.
Odd Dash (10 Laps) : 1. Hagger; 2. Beale; 3. Curts; 4. Johnson; 5. Sommers; 6. Sauter.
Even Dash (10 Laps) : 1. Stenjam; 2. King; 3. Fredrickson; 4. Van Der Geest; 5. Mondeikk; 6. Edmunds.
Qualifying (2 Laps) : 1. 15S Gabe Sommers [18.396]; 2. 23V Levon Van Der Geest [18.451]; 3. 5J Casey Johnson [18.541]; 4. 36F Ty Fredickson [18.555]; 5. 5S Penn Sauter [18.629]; 6. 87E Brent Edmunds [18.657]; 7. 5B John Beale [18.694]; 8. 44M Justin Mondeik [18.696]; 9. 88C Clay Curts [18.714]; 10. 14K Kody King [18.726]; 11. 19H Michael Hagger [18.762]; 12. 77S Riley Stenjem [18.765]; 13. 30JV Joe Valento [18.787]; 14. 7H Mitch Haver [18.810]; 15. 58S Joseph Scholze [18.866]; 16. 24 Cody Dempster [18.908]; 17. 95J Harley Jankowski [18.949]; 18. 10I Mark Ironside [19.058]; 19. 11M Bryce Miller (Columbus, Wis.) [No Time].
Heat 1 (8 Laps) : 1. Herb; 2. Jones; 3. Houdek; 4. Ness; 5. Leonard; 6. Nelson.
Legends Direct Legends
Racing for a Cause Feature (30 Laps) : 1. 52B Kevin Korsmo (Atkins); 2. 10 Jeremiah Davis (Cedar Rapids); 3. 16 Nick Slabaugh (Kalona); 4. 52JR Kacey Korsmo (Atkins); 5. 13 Dallas Kibbe (Ames); 6. 5 Lincoln Cain (Slinger, Wis.); 7. 18 Ryan Laatsch (Milton, Wis.); 8. 99K Reid Kauffman (Cedar Rapids); 9. 9 John Ferden (Swisher); 10. 84 Kyle Mitchell (Middleton, Wis.); 11. 111C Colton Irving (Cedar Rapids); 12. 11 Dan Tiegan (Marion); 13. 33 Eon Lyles (Ames); 14. 21L Trevor Lami (East Troy, Wis.); 15. 20 Danny Lehmkuhl (Cedar Rapids); 16. 77 Gary Dyer (Blue Grass); 17. 6 Mer Slabaugh (Kalona).
Heat 1 (8 Laps) : 1. Kevin Korsmo; 2. Kibbe; 3. Lehmkuhl; 4. Laatsch; 5. Mitchell; 6. Davis.
Racing for a Cause Feature (30 Laps) : 1. 52B Kevin Korsmo (Atkins); 2. 10 Jeremiah Davis (Cedar Rapids); 3. 16 Nick Slabaugh (Kalona); 4. 52JR Kacey Korsmo (Atkins); 5. 13 Dallas Kibbe (Ames); 6. 5 Lincoln Cain (Slinger, Wis.); 7. 18 Ryan Laatsch (Milton, Wis.); 8. 99K Reid Kauffman (Cedar Rapids); 9. 9 John Ferden (Swisher); 10. 84 Kyle Mitchell (Middleton, Wis.); 11. 111C Colton Irving (Cedar Rapids); 12. 11 Dan Tiegan (Marion); 13. 33 Eon Lyles (Ames); 14. 21L Trevor Lami (East Troy, Wis.); 15. 20 Danny Lehmkuhl (Cedar Rapids); 16. 77 Gary Dyer (Blue Grass); 17. 6 Mer Slabaugh (Kalona).
Heat 1 (8 Laps) : 1. Kevin Korsmo; 2. Kibbe; 3. Lehmkuhl; 4. Laatsch; 5. Mitchell; 6. Davis.
Heat 2 (8 Laps) : 1. Kacey Korsmo; 2. Nick Slabaugh; 3. Cain; 4. Kauffman; 5. Ferden; 6. Tiegan.
Heat 3 (8 Laps) : 1. Mer Slabaugh; 2. Irving; 3. Lyles; 4. Dyer; 5. Lami.
Qualifying (2 Laps) : 1. 13 Dallas Kibbe [14.998]; 2. 16 Nick Slabaugh [15.033]; 3. 52B Kevin Korsmo [15.095]; 4. 5 Lincoln Cain [15.131]; 5. 20 Danny Lehmkuhl [15.152]; 6. 52JR Kacey Korsmo [15.164]; 7. 10 Jeremiah Davis [15.205]; 8. 99K Reid Kauffman [15.246]; 9. 18 Ryan Laatsch [15.410]; 10. 9 John Ferden [15.510]; 11. 84 Kyle Mitchell [15.664]; 12. 11 Dan Tiegan [15.824]; 13. 111C Colton Irving [15.893]; 14. 33 Eon Lyles [16.066]; 15. 6 Mer Slabaugh [16.124]; 16. 77 Gary Dyer [16.554]; 17. 21L Trevor Lami [16.895].
Qualifying (2 Laps) : 1. 13 Dallas Kibbe [14.998]; 2. 16 Nick Slabaugh [15.033]; 3. 52B Kevin Korsmo [15.095]; 4. 5 Lincoln Cain [15.131]; 5. 20 Danny Lehmkuhl [15.152]; 6. 52JR Kacey Korsmo [15.164]; 7. 10 Jeremiah Davis [15.205]; 8. 99K Reid Kauffman [15.246]; 9. 18 Ryan Laatsch [15.410]; 10. 9 John Ferden [15.510]; 11. 84 Kyle Mitchell [15.664]; 12. 11 Dan Tiegan [15.824]; 13. 111C Colton Irving [15.893]; 14. 33 Eon Lyles [16.066]; 15. 6 Mer Slabaugh [16.124]; 16. 77 Gary Dyer [16.554]; 17. 21L Trevor Lami [16.895].
HD Dawgs
Feature (15 Laps) : 1. 13 Cory Houdek (Marion); 2. 88 Garrett Warren (Indianola); 3. 9 David Ballstaedt (Cedar Rapids); 4. 12 Brandon Herb (Marion); 5. 17 Corey Crispin (Walford); 6. 93N Colton Nelson (Osceola); 7. 04 Lennon Jones (Cedar Rapids); 8. 54 Will Zamastil (Fairfax); 9. 2 Max Leonard (Ladora); 10. 6 Todd Ness (Cedar Rapids); DNS 77 Daniel Grother (Cedar Rapids).
Feature (15 Laps) : 1. 13 Cory Houdek (Marion); 2. 88 Garrett Warren (Indianola); 3. 9 David Ballstaedt (Cedar Rapids); 4. 12 Brandon Herb (Marion); 5. 17 Corey Crispin (Walford); 6. 93N Colton Nelson (Osceola); 7. 04 Lennon Jones (Cedar Rapids); 8. 54 Will Zamastil (Fairfax); 9. 2 Max Leonard (Ladora); 10. 6 Todd Ness (Cedar Rapids); DNS 77 Daniel Grother (Cedar Rapids).
Heat 1 (8 Laps) : 1. Herb; 2. Jones; 3. Houdek; 4. Ness; 5. Leonard; 6. Nelson.
Heat 2 (8 Laps) : 1. Warren; 2. Ballstaedt; 3. Crispin; 4. Zamastil; DNS Grother.
