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FIRE DESTROYS KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS FACTORY

On Wednesday night, May 26, the Keizer Aluminum Wheels factory caught fire and was unable to be extinguished until four hours later. It left the business as a complete loss that may well cost upwards of $4 million to rebuild. The company is based in Orange City, Iowa, and produces aluminum wheels for a wide-range of motor racing disciplines. The cause of the fire was yet to be determined at press time.

The company tweeted out a message to their customers in the aftermath of the fire. “We are devastated. We’re heartbroken for all Keizer customers that have taken us here. We don’t know if this is the end, or a new beginning. We’ll have temp office set up on Tuesday to start fielding questions. We appreciate the prayers from our racing family. Luv you all.”

Best wishes to the Huisman family and all the folks at Keizer as they determine their next steps and sort out the future of their family business.

Photos: Jeff Bylsma

ANOTHER TRACK REOPENS – MONETT IS BACK!

One year after losing their season championships to rain, the Monett Motor Speedway in Missouri has reopened under new management. The season opener was June 19 for the 2021 season. The speedway runs on Saturday nights and features five classes of cars – Midwest Modifieds, B Modifieds, USRA Hornets/Mini Stocks, POWRi Super Stocks and Pure Stocks. The ASCS Sprint Cars will also make a visit to the speedway this summer but the late models have been dropped from the weekly lineup.

OPEN!

CLOSED

Photo: Paul Arch

OHIO LEGENDS GET SPEEDWEEK SENDOFF

As you may have noticed from the cover of the magazine you’re holding, the 2021 season is Jac Haudenschild’s farewell and he has been grabbing lots of well-deserved accolades and attention. However, there is another long-time member of Ohio royalty that has declared this to be his swan song. Dean Jacobs will retire at the end of the season.

Jacobs, younger brother to Hall of Famer Kenny Jacobs, is a member of the famous Buckeye State based clan and was a perennial contender for All Star titles from 1996 through 2003 during a stretch when he only missed the top five in points two times. He narrowly lost the 1999 title to his brother Kenny and was an Ohio Speedweek champion during the 2001 season. During an Ohio Speedweek show at the Jacobs family home track – Wayne County – Jac and Dean showed off retro paint schemes and took a pace lap together. Famously affable and competitive, Jacobs scored 25 wins with the All Star Sprint series and countless other victories throughout the state of Ohio during his career.

MILLSTREAM SPEEDWAY CLOSES SUDDENLY; IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

It was suddenly announced that Millstream Speedway in Findlay, Ohio, has closed indefinitely and the rest of the 2021 racing schedule has been canceled immediately. The facility is in need of safety upgrades and the plans are to open as soon as those changes have been made.

Promoter Scott Warner made the announcement through a detailed letter on their website. “As we continue to work toward the reopening of Millstream Speedway, we continue to be challenged in almost every aspect. Since May, new additional costs and projects have been identified. The projects and related need to be completed before the safe return of racing. Several of the projects are capital improvements that involve both the promoter and the track ownership, which we are working together to complete.”

“We understand the adverse reaction of making this decision. The honest answer to why we are in the position, is the task has been larger than anticipated. We wish it was as opening the ticket gate, the pit gate, and go racing, but the proper operations of a safe and modern racetrack are more than that. It’s also good to remember, we are first time promoters and are learning as we go.”

“We also appreciate all the support from fans, drivers, owners, neighbors and people in the racing industry. In an era that has seen more tracks shut down than built, navigating the sustainability of a track is not so easy.”