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Rice Lake sets opener for April 19, banquet to celebrate 2024 planned for February 1
By Ed Reichert
RICE LAKE, WI - Rice Lake Speedway, located on the north side of Rice Lake, has announced preliminary dates for the 2025 racing season and other off-season updates.
“While we don’t have the full schedule finalized at this point, we thought it would be a good idea to release some of the dates that are set in stone,” said speedway promoter Kolby Kiehl. “We are still working with other tracks, sanctioning bodies and sponsors to complete our schedule, but we wanted to let fans know when some of our biggest dates will be, so they can make plans.”
The 73rd consecutive season of racing at the speedway is scheduled to begin Saturday, April 19, with a five-class program of race cars sanctioned by WISSOTA. The season is scheduled to conclude with the second annual Dairyland Dash, with two complete programs slated for August 30-31.
Other important nights of racing already booked include the Fastlane Motorsports Northland Super Stock Series, which appears on Thursday, June 5 – along with the Midwest Modifieds – during an Aquafest week special event.
The annual Firecracker special, highlighted by one of the finest fireworks displays around, will be held on Thursday, July 3, along with a full program of racing in all five divisions.
The 31st annual Street Stock Little Dream race, the highest paying Street Stock event in the entire nation, returns Tuesday, July 29. Last year’s winner Cody Kummer won a record-breaking $30,000. The race has a raindate of July 30.
After a one-year absence, the Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series returns on Saturday, August 9, while the season championships are slated for August 23.
The annual Cedar Mall Car Show kicks the season off March 27-30, while practice sessions at the track are scheduled for April 16-17 to precede the opener.
A number of other events have yet to be finalized with more announcements to come in the weeks ahead.
The track banquet has been planned for Saturday night, February 1 at the Rice Lake Elks Club. The social hour begins at 5 p.m. with dinner to be served at 6 p.m. The awards portion of the program to follow dinner. A multi-course meal is planned by the staff of the Elks but at press time, they are keeping the exact meal details a surprise for that night.
The cost of the meal and awards ceremony will be $15 per person and can be paid at the door with no reservations required. For those who would like to just come for the awards ceremony only, that cost will be $5. Free beer will be offered during a happy hour, courtesy of Rice Lake Speedway LLC.
The top five drivers in all five divisions will be honored, as well as the rookie of the year in each of the five classes. Trophies and plaques have been made by TJ's Trophies for this event.
Track promoter Kolby Kiehl is expected to address the crowd, detailing how the first season went for the new ownership of Rice Lake Speedway, who were also the recipients of WISSOTA’s Award of Excellence in late 2024. He will also highlight some of the plans the new owners have for the future for the track, and preview the 2025 racing schedule.
The evening will conclude with a large number of door prizes to be passed out to the banquet attendees. Those prizes include tools, Hoosier Racing Tires, TVs and apparel, with a large assortment of other prizes for the racers and their families.
In other news, Rice Lake Speedway ownership has already completed a number of additional updates on the track facility this fall, with more to come once spring arrives in Wisconsin. They are very excited to have drivers test out the newly resurfaced and reshaped track surface, which promises to provide even better racing at northern Wisconsin's longest-running dirt track.
More improvements include hiring a construction company to upgrade and make repairs to all the existing booths at the speedway. This work is expected to be completed by opening night. Up to three new booths will be added at the track along, with a number of additional open air booths in turns one and two. If anyone is interested in these, contact Kiehl.
A new spectator entrance will be built for the track just north of the current entrance to the track. It will feature a walk-in protected from the weather, and in this building will be a new collection of memorabilia from past racing at the speedway, along with Rice Lake Speedway Hall of Fame materials. The current ticket booth will become the new concession stand for the kart track on the property.
Kiehl announced that the track will also be making connections with existing sponsors within the next few weeks. For those businesses that haven't been contacted, or are interesting in partnering with the speedway, they can contact him for more information.
Opening night for the 2025 racing season at the track is slated for Saturday night, April 19.
Follow the speedway website at www.ricelakespeedway.net.