World of Outlaws Opens Iowa Swing at Maquoketa Speedway
NXTbets Pro | Published On: August 19, 2026
Maquoketa Speedway opens
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series opens its Iowa swing at Maquoketa Speedway with the Hawkeye 100 at the center of a five-race, four-track stretch. The run opens with a free practice night, then moves into race action at the current home of the Hawkeye 100. The opening race pays $12,000 to win. The finale pays $25,000 to win. Maquoketa gives the series a clear starting point for one of its busiest state trips of the season, and the rest of the route keeps the field moving across Iowa in quick order. Southern Iowa Speedway, Adams County Speedway and Shelby County Speedway are all part of the swing, which gives teams a different test at each stop and leaves little margin to settle in. The Hawkeye 100 sits at the front of that run, and Maquoketa Speedway sets the tone for the stretch from the first laps to the last checkered flag.
Bobby Pierce chase
Bobby Pierce brings the biggest storyline into Maquoketa. He enters the weekend with 18 World of Outlaws Late Model Series wins this season, tying the single-season record. Maquoketa gives him his first chance to break it. That puts every lap in the Iowa swing under a sharper spotlight, because Pierce is chasing a mark that has matched the best season in series history. Nick Hoffman is 96 points behind him in the championship fight, and he needs wins to keep his title hopes alive. The points gap gives the Iowa stretch extra weight for Hoffman, who has to climb while the leader keeps adding victories. Ryan Gustin adds another layer to the stop. He has a rare home-state stretch and has been consistently fast at Maquoketa Speedway, which gives him a strong chance to challenge at the front. Tim McCreadie returns after being inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame, and Ethan Dotson returns after finishing third in the USA Nationals. Both strengthen a field that already has a major record chase at the top and a close title battle behind it.
Iowa history runs
The Iowa swing also fits into a long series history in the state. The World of Outlaws Late Model Series has visited Iowa since 1988 and has reached a dozen tracks across the state. Davenport, Independence and Boone have each produced major moments in that run, giving the series a deep track record in Iowa long before this swing arrives. The state has also been a repeat-winning ground for some of the sport’s biggest names. Pierce, Brandon Sheppard and Billy Moyer have each had repeat wins at Iowa tracks, which shows how familiar success can follow drivers from one stop to the next. That history matters because the current trip brings a familiar mix of pressure and variety. Maquoketa Speedway starts the swing, then Southern Iowa Speedway, Adams County Speedway and Shelby County Speedway finish it. Each track brings a different challenge, and the five-race, four-track stretch links the present championship chase to a broader Iowa chapter that has been building for decades.
