Arlo Becker hasn’t changed much in his “50-some” years of racing cars at Hawkeye Downs.
He’s “69 and holding” and still takes things one season at a time.
“I’ll give it one more year,” he said.
But there’s one thing Becker, 71, would like to see change at a track that is celebrating its 84th season.
“I would like to see Hawkeye Downs go back to dirt some day,” he said this week while promoting the his May 17 “Race’m or Wreck’m” event at the track, “but I don’t know if it will happen.”
Becker, of Norway, thinks fans and drivers around Eastern Iowa like dirt racing more than asphalt. Hawkeye Downs is the only asphalt track in an area with many dirt options.
“Everybody likes to let it hang out on the dirt,” he said.
Becker, who drives in the modified division at Hawkeye Downs, said he may switch to dirt next season “if my health holds up.”
“I’m seriously thinking about it,” he said, noting he’d run at Benton County Speedway in Vinton and West Liberty Raceway.
Becker and the rest of the modifieds will be back on the half-mile tonight after racing on the quarter-mile last week at Hawkeye Downs.
“I prefer the half-mile,” he said. “You go faster and you get the big picture as far as a guy slowing down up there ... your vision has to be better.”
He also said the setup is completely different on the smaller track, where you “turn left and go fast.”
“You have to have your car set up just perfect,” he said.