Cedar Lake Speedway is a 3/8 mile
dirt clay oval race track located near
New Richmond /
Somerset, Wisconsin
Somerset is a village in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, along the Apple River. The population was 2,635 at the 2010 census. The village is located within the Town of Somerset.
History
Somerset was named by General Samuel Harriman after his fath ...
. Named after the nearby Cedar Lake, it hosts a weekly
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
racing program consisting of
Late Models
A late model car is a car which has been recently designed or manufactured, often the latest model. (An early model car or classic car is a car old enough to be of historical interest; there is no usual intermediate term.)
The precise definition ...
,
Modifieds
Modified stock car racing, also known as modified racing and modified, is a type of auto racing that involves purpose-built cars simultaneously racing against each other on oval tracks. First established in the United States after World War II, ...
,
Super Stocks, and
Midwest Modifieds. It also hosts multi day events such as "The Masters," "The USA Nationals," "The Legendary 100," and the "Triple Crown." There is an Indoor Motocross facility and 1/5 mile dirt oval, Cedar Lake Arena, located directly behind the track.
History
Elmer Cook, his wife Lorraine, and their family owned a farm located near
New Richmond, Wisconsin
New Richmond is a city in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, United States. Its population was 10,079 as of the 2020 census.
History
New Richmond was founded in 1857. The first permanent settlement was established by Hiram Foster, who had led a group ...
. Elmer had tried several professions before starting the speedway. Elmer attempted farming, tavern keeping, truck driving, and construction.
In August 1956 Elmer had a crew but work was not fast. He decided to build a new driveway across the swamp on his farm property to get out to County Road CC which was called Swede Road then. Although it was not known at the time construction began, the driveway would later become the main entrance to the racetrack. With the driveway completed, Elmer and his oldest son Bob were resting on the lawn after lunch admiring how the back slope was built up so high. Elmer remarked how the natural bowl around the swamp would make a perfect racetrack. Soon Elmer and Bob began talking about auto racing. Elmer had actually only been to a couple races in his life, but his family did enjoy the sport of auto racing. Then Elmer asked Bob what he thought about the idea of building a racetrack in the swamp. Bob jumped at the idea and plans were quickly underway. Bob asked when he could start building the track. Elmer figured they did not have a lot of work for the
Caterpillar
Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths).
As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...
grader right at the moment, so he told Bob, who was only 14 at the time that he could start tomorrow morning. At 6:00 am the next morning, after a restless night Bob was on the cat and the first construction of a dirt race track begin. The outline of the track quickly took shape, and it was roughed out in approximately three weeks. The track's first event had 85 spectators watch 12 cars compete.
In 2001, Brad Both and three Kaufman brothers joined the ownership group of the track to complement the Cook family.
Cedar Lake Speedway signed with
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
as a
NASCAR Home Track in 2008. At the annual school bus race of the 2020 season, a track worker died while trying to remove an overturned vehicle from the track.
NASCAR Night
Several
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
Sprint Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971 ...
and several
Nationwide Series
The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a support race on the day prior to a ...
drivers have visited the legendary Cedar Lake Speedway on the annual NASCAR Night at the races. Many of the drivers have raced in their own or in borrowed cars including
Kenny Wallace
Kenneth Lee Wallace (born August 23, 1963) is an American race car driver and former reporter for Fox NASCAR. He retired from NASCAR in 2015 after driving in the national series since 1988. In a career spanning twenty-five years in NASCAR, Wallace ...
,
Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne Stewart (born May 20, 1971), nicknamed Smoke, is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, current NASCAR team co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, and current co-owner of the Superstar Racing Experience. He is a ...
,
Travis Kvapil
Travis Wade Kvapil ( ; born March 1, 1976) is an American professional stock car driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, driving the No. 1 Chevrolet Silverado for Beaver Motorsports.
He was the 2003 NASCAR ...
,
Greg Biffle
Gregory Jack Biffle (born December 23, 1969) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for NY Racing Team and full-time in the ...
,
Sterling Marlin
Sterling Burton Marlin (born June 30, 1957) is an American semi-retired, professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes part-time JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour, driving the No. 114 for Sterling Marlin Racing. He formerly competed in the N ...
and
Paul Menard
John Paul Christian Menard (born August 21, 1980) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver who last competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 66 Toyota Tundra for ThorSport Racing.
M ...
.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. (born October 10, 1974) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, team owner, author, and an analyst for ''NASCAR on NBC''. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving t ...
visited Cedar Lake Speedway in 2007 but did not race, due to his
DEI contract. No one visited in 2009, due to scheduling conflicts.
Major events
Cedar Lake Speedway host several major events including
* USMTS
Modified Nationals; the event paid $50,000 to win in 2017.
*
World of Outlaws
The World of Outlaws (often abbreviated WoO) is an American motorsports sanctioning body. The body sanctions two major national touring series. It is best known for sanctioning the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series and the World of Outlaws Late ...
USA Nationals
*
World of Outlaws Late Model Series
The World of Outlaws Case Construction Late Model Series is a Dirt Super Late Model touring series currently owned by World Racing Group, and is sanctioned by the World of Outlaws & DIRTcar. The series competes on dirt ovals across the Unite ...
- event paid $20,000 to win in 2020
* Legendary 100
* Triple Crown with the
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
late models and IRA Sprint Cars
References
External links
Official websiteSandbox arena website
{{Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series race venues
Motorsport venues in Wisconsin
Buildings and structures in St. Croix County, Wisconsin
Tourist attractions in St. Croix County, Wisconsin
Sports venues completed in 1957
1957 establishments in Wisconsin