Johnson Breaks Drought With Maquoketa Speedway Win
By: Jerry Mackey
Maquoketa, Iowa: McLaughlin Concrete of Maquoketa sponsored the races on Saturday night with another packed infield of nearly 120 race cars and a really nice night to be at the Maquoketa Speedway. It was another history making night with first time winners and the return of the Midwest Jalopy club.
The Kinion Auto Sales IMCA Late Models saw Steve Johnson score the win and collect the Sunoco Race Fuels Bonus Money on Saturday night. Johnson, who just recently celebrated his 68th birthday has been a long time racer around Eastern Iowa having been a staple at the tracks in his familiar #77J Modified. Johnson sat out of racing for a few years before returning in 2014 in a Modified, a couple of years after his return Johnson moved into the Late Model division. Saturday night Johnson won his first main event since returning to racing. Johnson led the main event early racing to the front from his third row start, but point leader Travis Denning was able to close on Johnson and eventually take over the top spot. Denning’s night was cut short due to a drive train failure, with Denning sidelined, Johnson went on to record the win ahead of Mitch Morris and Carter Johnson turned in a great run in taking third.
Chargin Charlie Mohr ran an unfamiliar line in the Eastern Iowa Overhead Door IMCA Modified feature on Saturday night. Mohr is usually a high side runner but on Saturday night Mohr stuck his 99M to the bottom and recorded the win in the caution free 20 lap main event. Sane Paris took second over a strong finishing Eric Barnes, who rode the top to a third place finish.
Sheldon Oberle has been a regular at the Maquoketa Speedway in 2025 making a 5 and ½ drive each way to race the QCJeeps.com IMCA Stock Car Class. Oberle is from Battleground, IN and he decided to step up his racing program this year and run with the IMCA Stock Cars at the Maquoketa Speedway where the competition level is much greater that what is in his area. Oberle raced to the front from a fifth row start and scored his first win of the 25 season on Saturday night. Austin Meiners made a long tow across the state from Polk City and ran second ahead of Kodey Miles in the main event.
The Amhof Trucking IMCA Sportmods continue to be some of the best racing night in and night out at the Maquoketa Speedway in 2025. Levi Heath raced to his second win of the season topping another strong field of Sportmods. Heath and eventual second place finisher Cole Stichter raced several laps side by side before Heath was able to get to the checkers less than a car length ahead of Stichter. Jarrett Franzen came under the checkers in third.
The Not Quite Done Yet IMCA Hobby Stocks raced the entire track and were four wide battling for positions throughout the entire feature event. A late race charge by Kile Vohringer netted the Maquoketa driver his third win of he season in the very tough Hobby Stock Class. Daniel Wauters raced up front the entire race before settling for second ahead of Jordan Miles.
Another first time winner not only in the Legends Division but his first ever Maquoketa win was recorded by Scott Wetter from Platteville, WI. Wetter has also raced Maquoketa in the Hobby Stock Class. The win was hard fought and the final margin was a bumper for the win ahead of Michael Weber with Jeff Schmidt rounding out the top three.
The McMahon Salvage 4 cylinders saw Rick Zifko make the long trip from Aurora, IL to the quick ¼ mile Maquoketa Speedway pay off with a win on Saturday night. Zifko had never seen the track before but quickly became a fan of the track and the racy surface. Zifko took the checkers ahead of Jacob Welter and Zach Pappas.
The Maquoketa Speedway hosted the Midwest Jalopy Club on Saturday night, a great group of 13 entries brought the fans back to racing the way it was back in the 50’s and 60’s. Austin Honts drove his sharp looking 1934 Chevy to the win ahead of the 47 Ford of Tom Honts.
The Maquoketa Speedway will make a pit stop as there will be no races on June 21st. The racing will return to the Maquoketa Speedway with a full program on June 28th with Timber City/Oly’s Night at the races. Hot laps will get underway at 5:45 with a full night of racing to follow.
Saturday, June 14 Maquoketa Speedway McLaughin Concrete Night
Feature results (top Five)
Kinion Auto Sales IMCA Late Models
1. 77J Steve Johnson-Camanche
2. 70 Mitch Morris-McClausland
3. 11JC Carter Johnson- North Liberty
4. 11C Ryan Claeys-Grand Mound
5. 86 Jake Morris-McCausland
Eastern Iowa Overhead Door IMCA Modifieds
1. 99M Charlie Mohr-Bettendorf
2. 17C Shane Paris-Muscatine
3. 1 Eric Barnes-Colona, IL
4. 12TC Ryan Duhme-LaMotte
5. 8 Jaden Fryer-Freport, IL
QCJeeps.com IMCA Stock Cars
1. 105 Sheldon Oberle-Battleground, IN
2. 8M Austin Meiners-Polk City
3. 4K Kodey Miles-Bernard
4. 11R Braden Richards-Madrid
5. 77W Andrew Burk-Milan, IL
Amhof Trucking IMCA Sportmods
1. 9H Levi Heath-Clarence
2. 24 Cole Stichter-Hampton, IL
3. 33 Jarrett Franzen-Maquoketa
4. 82T Brett Thomas-Walker
5. 18 Nathan Silaggi-Freeport, IL
Not Quite Done Yet IMCA Hobby Stocks
1. 1X Kile Vohringer-Maquoketa
2. H2O Daniel Wauters-Tipton
3. 4 Jordan Miles-Bernard
4. 4K Karter Miles-Bernard
5. 8L Lukas Short-Maquoketa
INEX Legends
1. J9 Scott Wetter-Platteville, WI
2. 2 Michael Weber-Marion
3. 19 Jeff Schmidt-Rock City, IL
4. 25 Cole O’Brien-Cedar Rapids
5. 14 Dylan Manning-Orion, IL
McMahon Salvage 4 Cylinders
1. 0 Rick Zifko-Aurora, IL
2. 49 Jacob Welter-Farley
3. 13Z Zachary Pappas-New Windsor, IL
4. 45K Sam King-Lowden
5. K55 Brendon Koch-Baldwin
Midwest Jalopies
1. 21 Austin Honts-Muscatine 34 Chevy
2. 1 Tom Honts-Muscatine 47 Ford
3. 86 Mike Hulsing-Davenport 37 Ford
4. 7 Pat Bailey-Lost Nation 33 Chevy
5. 11 Zane Zimmerman-Muscatine 34 Ford
Category: Iowa
