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On Wednesday night, a driver from Cedar Rapids NASCAR will compete in the Sports Mod Division.
CEDAR RAPIDS Landon Cassill will now have his turn.
Cassill, a graduate of Cedar Rapids Jefferson who competed in NASCAR for 16 years, will be driving his No. 7 Sports Mod on Wednesday at the Races at Hawkeye Downs Speedway for Advance Auto Parts Night.
Cassill will be competing at HD for the first time since he drove Mark Ironside’s Late Model in 2017.
“It will be enjoyable,” Cassill stated. I adore this modified class, and I can’t wait to participate and experience racing firsthand.
Cassill had spent the entire season sharing his Sports Mod with his buddies. During the first nine weeks of the weekly racing series, Nathan Ballard gained the lead and maintained the class’s lead in points.
After that, Jeff King took over for a week. Cassill’s No. 7 was last raced by veteran NASCAR drivers Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader.
Cassill stated, “I’m just calling my friends to ask if they want to drive it.” I adore Schrader and Kenny Wallace coming up and racing it. These are experts. They race throughout the nation. They continue to race for a living despite being retired from NASCAR.
Additionally, they only want to attend the race; they are not demanding payment. Hopefully, we can continue that over time.
In 1998, Cassill started racing go-carts and quads at Hawkeye Downs. He won six national karting titles between 1998 and 2002. He began racing the half-mile full-time at the age of 14, having made his debut in a modified half-mile at the age of 12.
At the age of 14, Cassill also took home a Legends track title in 2003.
According to Cassill, the drivers I competed with at Hawkeye Downs greatly influenced who I am now. The support from my fans and the media attention I received as a high school student all contributed to my further development as a driver and my potential to pursue a career in driving.
Cassill was the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year after making his debut in the NASCAR Busch series in 2007. Cassill made more than 600 starts overall in NASCAR’s three major racing classes between 2007 and 2022.
He was recognized into the 2025 Hawkeye Downs Wall of Fame class on July 25.
Being inducted is a true honor, Cassill remarked. In addition to being the first track I visited as a child, Hawkeye Downs was also the first track where I competed. When I was actually too young to race large vehicles, it provided me with a platform. If it weren’t for Hawkeye Downs’ community, I wouldn’t have pursued racing as a career.
What will Cassill do next?
“I am very interested in and want to do a part-time racing schedule at a professional level, but I’m not necessarily pursuing a full-time professional racing schedule,” Cassill stated. Even if it’s only five or six races, I would like to run since it would be extremely beneficial for Hawkeye Downs, me, our companies, and my family.
I wish to serve as a resource for this community and Hawkeye Downs.
Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 7 p.m., with front gates opening at 6 p.m. Features and heat races will come next.
