Hi Drivers and Race Fans! The Jamestown Speedway will be hosting the 2nd Annual Don Gumke Racers' Memorial event on Saturday, June 12th at 7:00 PM sponsored by Wilhelm Chevrolet Buick GMC & Your Heartland Chevrolet Dealers, and I-29 Trailer Sales. It will also be the Steffes WISSOTA Street Stock Tour Night at the Jamestown Speedway on June 12th.
Unfortunately, we lost Don back in January 2020 at the age of 66. It was a huge lost for the entire racing community, as Don was a pillar in not only Jamestown's racing community, but across the country. Don was a fierce competitor on the track and one of the most well-respected drivers in our community before he turned to be the track promoter of Jamestown Speedway. With the help of a lot of great people, Don, Joanne, and Keith Veil built the reputation of the speedway and made the Jamestown Speedway a premier track for drivers and fans to visit.
The format for this race will be special. The 2nd Annual Memorial Race will feature the following classes:
- IMCA Modifieds ($2,222 to Win)
- WISSOTA Street Stocks ($1,622 to Win)
- Bombers/Pure Stocks ($222 to Win)
In honor of Don's car number #2*, the Modified Feature Event will pay $2,222 to win, $222 to start, and $122 to non-qualifiers. The event will utilize a two-heat, passing point system that will determine the qualification for the feature from the heat races and consolidation race line-ups. Additionally, a variety of contingency sponsorship awards, such as hard charger and longest tow awards, will be available to drivers during the event.
The WISSOTA Street Stocks and Bombers/Pure Stocks will also be running for an increased purse. The WISSOTA Street Stocks will also be running as part of the 2021 Steffes WISSOTA Street Stock Tour, which will be the only appearance of the Tour at Jamestown in 2021. The Tour will run a three-day series starting at the Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen, SD, on June 11th, then continue to Jamestown on June 12th, and end the weekend at the Sheyenne Speedway in Lisbon on June 13th.
The Don Gumke Memorial Race is going to be special event in a variety of ways as Don inspired so many drivers across the country and was one of the nicest persons that you could meet at the track. Therefore, all of us at the Jamestown Speedway wanted this event to be special to commemorate a great man. Additionally, we lost other great racers this past off season in Howie Schill, Rick Wilson, and Mike Bruns. We will be honoring these fallen racers on Saturday, June 12th as part of the Memorial Race.
Be sure to mark your calendars to honor a great man and racer on Saturday, June 12th. Don will definitely be looking down on all of us on June 12th and smiling as we get together in his honor.