Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

As a resident of the West Coast, I have very low confidence that there will be any fall Outlaws tour due to the ongoing situation. Needless to say, I am desperate for racing. Last year was the first year of my life in which I attended no races. Not even local street stocks or 4 bangers. As such, I have planned a trip visit a friend in Minnesota and we are going to attend the July races at Cedar Lake Speedway in Wisconsin. This track was not on my bucket list, but it is convenient and I can do it relatively cheaply. My question is this; is this a good track? Is the track prep good for the sprint cars? Are the facilities good? I'm super excited for this trip and am interested in the opinions and feedback of you all. I did watch the highlights of last year's races and it looks pretty good to me, but having never been there in person I just don't know for sure. Thanks.

You will get a full field of sprints in both classes each night. UMSS non-wing cars run Friday and UMSS winged sprints run Saturday. Not sure what more a sprint car guy could want.

I should have specified in my original post that I am attending the World of Outlaws events on July 2 & 3.

I've been there twice, it's not a great track but it's really good. I'd put it in the B plus category. Plenty of seats, good racing, one of the nights I was there TK came from 10th to win. This past year, Sweet came from outside a dash spot to win both nights if memory serves. 

It's a nice area, pretty close to Minneapolis and there are some nice towns on the St Croix River nearby. Definitely worth a visit, although the car count will likely be no more than high 20s/low 30s even with the Outlaws there. 

Cedar Lake generally is good. I've seen lots of passing before especially when they get into lapped traffic but I've also seen high speed freight trains around the top for a less than steller show. Nonethelss, it's certainly worth checking out. They get a lot of speed for the size of the track and there's plenty of slide jobs especially coming off of turn 4. The facilities are generally good; they updated the catch fence a couple years ago and started replacing all of the front stretch concrete and bleachers last fall. Plenty of seats. Bathrooms need an update or at least aren't the most spacious. Great food selection, you have to try the deep fried cheese curds.

I suggest you search more on YouTube and watch a few clips for a better idea; sounds like you already have. Schuchart got his first vicotry there a few years ago and that was certainly memorable. I remember Kerry Madsen talking highly of the place but that was also after he swept both nights a few years back in the 2 car. Of course he loved it after he made bank there!

Past WoO races at Cedar Lake

I tell it like I see it.

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I appreicate it. As far as the car counts go, I'm good with 20-30 cars. Two years ago at Grays Harbor and Willamette Speedway I think they had like 14 cars or something, so 20-30 would be a luxury. From what I saw online, the racing looked pretty good. I did want some first hand accounts though since video can be deceiving.

My real desire was to go to the Jackson Nationals since the Jackson Motorplex is on my bucket list, but financially that didn't work out. My friend lives in Minneapolis so I can get free lodging and transportation. It is nice to be going to a completly new track, so I can add that feather to my cap for whatever it's worth. It's been a long time since I've been to a track of any kind since we've been shut down here for ages and I don't see any relief on the horizon.

Personally, I love Cedar Lake.  Like stated before I wouldn't expect a large field of cars but you will get a full field of 24 plus sprints for the 410 division.  The UMSS wingless could draw high twenties and if they have the the other UMSS series in the area join them you could easily see 30 plus.  The winged UMSS is getting their feet and are starting to get some solid fields so on the whole you should have an excellent time!  I like sitting higher up on the back stretch personally as you never know who you will sit by.  Food wise try the cheese curds and the chili verde burrito.  

Where do you live? I live in CA and I personally think the Outlaws will be back for the fall! There will still be racing here in CA locally with the SCCT, KWS, and local races. 

Looking forward to the new Golden State King of the 
West series schedule! 

Winged sprintcars = the fastest and most exciting 
racecars on dirt! 

Like Cedar Lake a lot.  A few things:

1)Depending on where you are staying in Minneapolis Jackson Motorplex an actually be similar drive to Cedar Lake.  Cedar Lake will have lake traffic and from the western suburbs it can be up to a 2 hour drive.  Jackson would be 2:30.  Even with minimal traffic you are looking at a 1-1:30 driver to Cedar Lake unless you are on the east side of St Paul.

2)Cedar Lake has a unique surface of red clay, which I never have experienced west of the rockies and have hit skagit, chico, marysville, perris.  It peels quite heavily so there is a lot of fine red dust.  Would recomend goggles if you don't have them.

3)Apple River Tubing is really fun if you need something else to do.

I live in the Portland, Oregon area which is not a good sprint car area. I hope that you are right about the fall. If so, then I'll get to see three WoO races this year, which would be excellent. Grays Harbor is a really good track and is about 1-1/2 hours from here. Willamette Speedway used to be good, but their track prep has gone downhill and it has turned into a one groove trackfor the sprint cars. I am originally from Southern California. I grew up going to Ascot then later went to Perris regularly until I moved here. I grew up a wingless fan but now appreciate both types. 

I'm going based upon what my friend said. He told me it was like a 45 minute drive to Cedar Lake. He's new to the area though. I hope he's right because Jackson was really the place that I wanted to go and if the drives are similar it will be a bit disappointing. Still, it'll be fun so I guess i can't complain too much. Thanks for the advice about the goggles. Amazingly I've never been to Skagit. That's another one on my list and should be easy considering that I only live about 4 hours away from there. I'll need to make that trip soon. I've never been to Chico or Marysville either. The Gold Cup is on my short list of races to attend and is about 8 hours from here. It's going to happen in the next couple of years. Perris was my home track from 1996 until 2008 when I left Southern California. That track has few equals for wingless cars, although I have never seen the Outlaws race there.

Skagit is another good track, they have a 3 day Outlaw show on Labor Day weekend.

I go to cedar lake about every weekend,From downtown Mpls it's a 40 to 50 minute drive,Hgwy 36 to Hudson Wisc. and about 25 minutes from Hudson(you do not go thru Stillwater Wisc. any longer saves15 minutes)Its a good b track,Food is good,can get beer and drinks there and if you want to watch from your car you can do so from turn 3 and 4 (get there early) All the seats there are good viewing and all have backrests

I'm suprised Stan hasn't chimed in yet, that's his regular joint.  Hope he's ok. 

I haven't been to more than a handful of races since I stopped writing and taking photos.  Everyone I know is on the pit and infield side of the fence and I have never gotten an offer to sit with anyone on the grandstand side.  PPV makes more sense when I can watch big Sprint Car shows from home.  Besides, vehicle #2 is no longer road worthy and it's a long walk to the track.  The plan is to replace it and make some road trips to places like Knoxville, Jackson and Husets if my son can get away for a weekend.

I miss Cedat Lake, they lost two people I knew at the track so 2020 was a difficult year out there.  I had planned on going to the Memorial race last fall but decided to contribute a bonus for the Traditional Feature and watch from home.  My neighbors son landed a ride in a Traditional Sprint Cars this season so I will try to catch a few of his races.  Ogilvie and Princeton are also possibilities.  I had obligations to CLS when I was writing, they ran ads in the paper I wrote for so they got priority.  Now that I don't have that I can watch on TV and get around to other places.  I am doing alright, just didn't have anything to ad to this discussion.

Stan Meissner

Just to help you out Jackson does not have any races scheduled for the fourth or July weekend because of Minnesota's dictator governor & covid-19 the schedule at Jackson was cut way back this year

Princeton, Ogilvie and other Minnesota tracks were open last year and they raced at Jackson.  I have not paid attention to any schedules as PPV takes me to all those places.  The tracks up here all run six or seven Stock Car and Modified classes so it makes more sense to stay home, work in the yard all day and tune into an All Star, USAC or IRA race.  I have not been to Jackson since it became the Motorplex.  If I want to travel I would prefer to keep going south at the I35 and I90 junction all the way to Knoxville.  Might as well go for the biggest show if I am going to drive and get a room.

Stan Meissner