SHORT TRACK SPOTLIGHT: ADAMS COUNTY SPEEDWAY THRIVES ON TECHNOLOGY, TRADITION AND A COOPERATIVE SPIRIT
Half-mile Iowa dirt track is racing and community hub

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 11, 2006) – It takes a special effort to run a successful dirt track. For starters, the racing surface itself must be constantly tended, graded and manicured to produce good racing conditions. And, dirt track racing’s passionate fan base has many options – hundreds of dirt and clay ovals dot the countryside in almost every state, especially in Iowa where dirt racing is the main attraction.

Adams County Speedway, in Corning, Iowa (pop. 1,783), is one facility that stands out from the crowd. This half-mile track has gained widespread support from the community while constantly adopting new technologies to promote its racing program.

Competition on the track is at an all-time high. The track’s top gun is Chris Spieker, a truck driver by trade, from Massena, Iowa. Spieker won his third consecutive Late Model track championship in 2005 and also captured the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Division II championship, which brought a $25,000 bonus. Dirt Late Model drivers from across the region line up to race each week, to compete at against Spieker and many other top names. Joe Kosiski, the 1986 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national champion from Omaha, Neb., is another top draw, along with local favorites such as Todd and Troy McKee (Massena, Iowa), Jeremy Houck (Corning, Iowa), Ed Kosiski (Ralston, Neb.) and others. On an average race night, over 100 cars compete on the track in four different classes.

Ø Track officials keep things moving with a close, competitive racing program. Each week, heat races determine the starting lineups for “A” and “B” feature events. Following the heat races, the 12 qualified cars with the best finishing positions from the week before are inverted to fill the first six rows of the “A” feature. The driver who finished the highest the week before starts on the outside of row six, in the 12th starting position. In other words, the best Late Model drivers will be challenged to come from the middle of the field, making the weekly 25-lap feature events a thrilling experience for Adams County fans.

Ø To keep the fans coming back, Adams County uses a multi-media approach to spread the word about upcoming events, interact with fans and enhance the race-day experience. A popular trio of public address announcers, Bob Harris, Rick Cabbage and Steve Cabbage, broadcasts a pre-race radio show on a local AM station from 5:00-6:30 p.m., and the show can also be heard on the track’s web site. Once the races are underway, fans can tune their headsets to an FM station and listen to the racing action.

Ø The track’s web site also offers fans a chance to sign up for e-mail alerts, which provide up-to-the-minute event and weather information, and participate in contests such as the weekly “Pick 3” contest sponsored by a local insurance agency.

Ø For a track that was carved out of the fields at a local fairgrounds facility in the 1950s, digital technology has revolutionized Adams County Speedway’s racing program in recent seasons. Today, every car is equipped with an electronic scoring transponder. Fans and competitors can access real-time results on the track’s web site.

As the result of these efforts, a mutually-beneficial relationship has grown between the racers, fans, promoters and the Adams County Fair and Racing Association, which owns the property. The Association pours much of its revenue back into the track each year, providing the support for major facility upgrades. In recent years, these upgrades have included improved lighting, sound systems, restrooms, additional seating and private viewing decks.



Track Facts:
Location: Adams County Fairgrounds, 12th Street, Corning, Iowa.
Layout: Half-mile dirt oval.
Racing Classes: Late Models, Modifieds, Pro Streets and Hobby Stocks.
Race night: Saturday
Management: Gail and Karen Hampel; Greg and Dori Hampel.
Office Phone: (712) 785-3271
Web Site: www.acspeedway.com 
Media Contacts: Greg Hampel, (712) 785-3271 or hampel1@netins.net