Hawkeye Downs Speedway
Motorsport track in the United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hawkeye Downs Speedway is a short track in Cedar Rapids, Iowa featuring 0.5 mile (0.8 km) and 0.25 mile (0.4 km) oval layouts.[2] It is one of two primarily asphalt racing tracks in the state of Iowa[4] (the other being Iowa Speedway), although Hawkeye Downs has also featured dirt racing on its quarter-mile oval since 2025.[5][6]
| Location | Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°56′6″N 91°40′51″W |
| Owner | Roger Cassill[1] |
| Operator | Hawkeye Downs board (non-profit) |
| Opened | 1925 |
| Major events | Current: NASCAR Local Racing Series[2] ASA Midwest Tour[3] Mid-Am Racing Series Former: American Indycar Series (1989-1990, 1997-1998) |
| Website | www |
| Half-Mile | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 0.80 km (0.5 mi) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Quarter-Mile | |
| Surface | Asphalt/Dirt |
| Length | 0.40 km (0.25 mi) |
| Turns | 4 |
Hawkeye Downs hosts regional NASCAR and ASA races, as well as drag races and drift events,[7] and previously hosted IMCA, ARTGO, and the American Indycar Series.[8]
Description
Hawkeye Downs has two banked ovals. The smaller, quarter-mile oval is contained on the infield of the larger, half-mile oval. Both ovals converge on the front stretch, and a banking of grass fills the space between them.
History
The half-mile oval of Hawkeye Downs initially opened in 1925 as a dirt track called Frontier Park. It has primarily been used for car racing since its opening, although it also hosted horse races and motorcycle races early in its history.[9] Ownership of the track was initially under the Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce.[10]
The track was renamed to Cedar Rapids Speedway in 1932.[9] In 1937, a statewide contest was held to update its name again. The winning name, "Hawkeye Downs", was a merger of the two final options: "Hawkeye Park" and "Cedar Downs."[2]
Also in 1937, the city of Cedar Rapids took ownership of the track from a business men's group. In 1949, the city turned this ownership over to the All-Iowa Fair Association,[10] who hosted the All-Iowa Fair at Hawkeye Downs from 1936 to the mid-1960s, when the venue of the fair was changed to Central City.[9]
The quarter-mile dirt oval was added to the infield of the existing track in 1950. In 1989, both ovals were paved and converted to permanent asphalt surfaces.[9] The track was used exclusively for asphalt racing from that point until 2025, when the quarter-mile oval was temporarily converted for dirt racing.
Events
NASCAR
Hawkeye Downs was sanctioned by NASCAR in 2023, and since then has hosted the NASCAR Local Racing Series.[11]
Super Late Models
Hawkeye Downs hosted an annual super late model race, the Miller 100, from 1973 to 2011.[12] In 2025, Hawkeye Downs again hosted the Miller 100 as part of the 2025 ASA Midwest Tour.