By Chad Meyer

The Kossuth County Racing Hall of Fame, located in Algona, IA, will induct four individuals and two organizations in its 2026 class of inductees.

Drivers Bruce Wickman, John Pletcher, and Stacey Mills will be inducted, along with driver/builder/owner Tim Sidles. The Algona Fire Department and Algona EMS organizations will be recognized for their long-term service to the speedway.

Emmetsburg’s Bruce Wickman recorded at least 41 wins at the Algona track and was a two-time track champion. Among his notable victories, he won the Kossuth County fair race five times and won a fall special at the track.

Bruce Wickman

Stacey Mills from Webb, IA scored at least 19 wins at the track in his career and was the 1996 track champion. He collected three fair race wins, plus the 1995 Fall Finale and Cheater’s Night races.

Stacey Mills

Hailing from Britt, John Pletcher captured multiple feature wins at Algona, including the 1999 Mid-season championship event. Pletcher has spent a lifetime supporting racing in north central Iowa and across the state.

John Pletcher

Whether as a driver, owner, or builder, Tim Sidles of Emmetsburg has also spent a lifetime racing, keeping cars on the track and supporting racing in our area. The Sidles family were strong supporters of the track when it reopened in 1986 and that support continues today.

Tim Sidles (right)

The Kossuth County Racing Hall of Fame committee, with the help of the living members of the Kossuth Racing Hall of Fame, selected the inductees for 2026.

The induction ceremony will take place during the Kossuth County Fair races on Thursday, August 6^th.

More details and a list of past inductees are available at www.KossuthMuseum.com.

The Iowa Hall of Fame and Racing Museum, along with the Kossuth County Ag & Motorsports Museum, both located on the fairgrounds in Algona, will host three well-known drivers on Sunday, March 8^th. Mark Noble, Pat Graham and Mike Smith will take part in the driver roundtable discussion.

Mike Smith

Noble is a past track champion at Algona and has won the IMCA Super Nationals three times. Graham is also a past track champion at Algona and has won races in several divisions. Smith won the 1998 Late Model IMCA Super Nationals and is a past Late Model NASCAR Busch All Star Tour Rookie of the Year. The drivers will discuss their careers and share memories of racing across the Midwest. Fans will have the opportunity to ask the panelists questions, too.

Pat Graham

The event will take place at the Iowa Hall of Fame and Racing Museum, located at 800 East Fair Street in Algona. Doors to the museum open at 10AM on Sunday, with the panel discussion starting at 1PM. Admission to the museum on March 8^th is $10.

Mark Noble

The Kossuth County Ag & Motorsports Museum, the Iowa Racing Hall of Fame and Museum plus the Benschoter Train Station are open this winter on Saturdays from 10am – 4pm.

We look forward to seeing you this winter!

Join us for the museum’s annual toy show!

Date: Saturday, December 6, 2025
Location: Kossuth Co Ag & Motorsports Museum
800 East Fair Street, Algona, IA

Discover a world of toys!
– New and vintage toys
-Model cars & model trains
-Farm toys
– Vendor & collectibles

Lunch available at the museum

Admission: Adults $7.00; children 13 & under FREE

For more information, contact: Brian Ellman 515-538-0267

The Kossuth County Ag and Motorsports Museum in Algona, IA opens its doors for the 2025 season Saturday, April 5^th. We are excited to host the grand opening of the new 60’ x 100’ building attached to our museum that features the Iowa Hall of Fame and Racing Museum.

The grand opening for the Iowa Hall of Fame and Racing Museum will be Saturday, April 5^th 10am to 5pm and Sunday, April 6^th 12pm to 4pm.

The entrance to both museums is on the east side of the museum complex and the entrance plus both floors of the museum is accessible. Admission includes entry into both museums and is $7 for ages 14 to adult, ages 13 and younger are free.

The Kossuth County Ag & Motorsports features local racing and ag memorabilia, tractors and the Benschoter train collection. The Iowa Hall of Fame and Racing Museum preserves Iowa’s rich racing history and features their one-of-a kind collection of Iowa racing memorabilia!

By Chad Meyer

The Kossuth County Racing Hall of Fame, located in Algona, IA, will induct four individuals in its 2024 class of inductees.

Past drivers Ed Green, Dick Manske, and John Simpson will be inducted along with Myron Carlson, former racing mechanic.

In addition to wins at several area racetracks, Ed Green from Algona, IA amassed at least 22 wins at Algona, including two fair race championships and was the winner of the Schattschneider Memorial three times at his home track. Green also earned the season point titles in 2002 at the Algona, Britt and Mason City tracks.

Also from Algona, Dick Manske won at least 13 times at his home track. In 1993 he won three weeks in a row and had a bounty placed on his performance during that stretch. In 1995 he was the winner four times, including the season championship race and was the 1997 Fall Special winner. Manske was also a great ambassador for the speedway. His victory lane celebrations were filled with kids autographing his race car and receiving free ice cream cone certificates to McDonald’s

John Simpson, who hails from West Bend, IA, earned at least 12 wins as a driver at Algona, including the 1988 and 1991 Mid-Season Championship races and two July 4^th specials. He is the 1992 Hobby Stock season champion at his home track and collected a win in the Fairmont Nationals.  As a car owner, his daughter Chelsea is the 2008 fair race champion, while son Nathan collected the 2017 fair race championship.

Algona’s Myron Carlson is a championship and race winning mechanic and innovator, playing an important part in the success of fellow hall of fame inductees, Dave Erpelding, Tim Erpelding and Denny Anderson. Both Steve Krapp and Carlson convinced Denny Anderson to race at Algona again in 1994. By 1998, Anderson kept one car in Algona full-time and with Carlson spinning the wrenches, they won the Algona point championship in 1998 and finished second in 1999.

The Kossuth County Racing Hall of Fame committee, with the help of the living members of the Kossuth Racing Hall of Fame, selected the inductees for 2024.

The induction ceremony will take place during the Kossuth County Fair races on Thursday, August 1^st.

More details and a list of past inductees is available at www.KossuthMuseum.com.

By Chad Meyer

The Kossuth County Racing Hall of Fame, located in Algona, IA, will induct four individuals in its 2023 class of inductees.

Drivers Dan Haugland, Mike Hejna, and Ed Wolf will be inducted along with Ken Ubben, a former flagman at the Algona and Britt tracks.

Dan Haugland

Dan Haugland from Crystal Lake, IA amassed 42 wins at the Algona track, tying him for seventh all-time here. Haugland amassed 56 total wins in his career and was the 2006 and 2007 track champion and earned the 1999, and 2006 Kossuth County Fair Race wins. Haugland also scored the 2007 Schattschneider Memorial at his home track.

Clear Lake’s Mike Hejna earned 10 wins at Algona and was the 1997 track champion. He also was the winner of the 1992 and 1994 fair races and captured the Algona 1997 Fall Finale win. Hejna won multiple USMTS tour events.

Wolf after winning the Night of 1000 Stars at the Hancock County Speedway.

Algona’s Ed Wolf continues to leave a legacy at the Kossuth County Speedway. He won several feature events at his local track, including the 1997 Schattschneider Memorial and a run of three out of four July 4th races. Wolf also had significant success at the Hancock County Speedway, in Britt, IA, winning the 1996 Night of 1000 Stars for IMCA Stock Cars and won the 1997 season championship race there. In addition to helping his son Austin have a successful racing career, Wolf has been instrumental in guiding many area racers.

Flagman Ken Ubben

Ken Ubben from Buffalo Center, served as either assistant flagman or flagman for then track promoter Daryl Brayton at the Algona track through Joe Ringsdorf’s first year as promoter. Ubben started at the Hancock County Speedway when it opened in 1995 and was the assistant flagman and flagman at the Britt track during the 10-year promotional tenure of Dan and Sandy Danielson.

The Kossuth County Racing Hall of Fame committee, with the help of the living members of the Kossuth Racing Hall of Fame, selected the inductees for 2023.

The induction ceremony will take place during the Kossuth County Fair races on Thursday, August 3rd.

More details and a list of past inductees is available at www.KossuthMuseum.com.

The Kossuth County Ag & Motorsports Museum (located in Algona, IA) fundraising auction is live! This online only auction features vintage and recent racing memorabilia, vintage sprint car parts, gift cards, tractor diecast and much more. 100% of proceeds stay with the museum to support its operation!

Link to online auction: https://lhoffmanauctions.hibid.com/auctions

Bidding starts February 13, 2023, and ends February 23, 2023.

Preview of items: February 20, 2023; 5:30pm – 7:30pm.

Pickup February 24, 2023, from 5:00-7:00pm and February 25, 2023 from 9:00am-11:00am.

Thank you to Leroy Hoffman for his auctioneering services!

Auction highlights:

Various gift cards and merchandise from area businesses
IH 350 Utility tractor – runs
Seed signs and seed neon signs
Seed and feed company signs
Vintage license plates and thermometers
Vintage sprint car parts
Racing sheet metal from:
Colby Fett and Alec Fett
Cody Knecht, Cody Laney, Nick Meyer
Billy Moyer Sr, Chris Simpson, Jeff Aikey
Ty Griffith, Ryan Gustin, Tim Ward, Andy Eckrich
John Logue, Johnathon Logue, Clayton Christensen
Ryan Hiscocks, Tom Berry Jr

And MUCH MORE!

Contact Edgar Meyer at 515-320-5604 or Chad Meyer at 515-320-2593 or cmeyermotorsports@gmail.com with questions. We greatly appreciate your support!

Photo for attention only

The Kossuth County Ag & Motorsports Museum (located in Algona, IA) needs racing memorabilia and related items. We are seeking donations of race car door panels, roofs and noses. Racing or ag-related diecast, vintage ag and racing hats, shirts, signs, and posters are welcome. Almost anything works for this fundraising auction!

This online only auction will feature vintage and recent racing memorabilia, vintage sprint car parts, gift cards, and much more.

Bidding starts February 13^th and ends February 23^rd

Pickup February 24 from 5-7pm and February 25 from 9-11am

More details on the auction coming soon.

100% of proceeds stay with the museum to support its operation!

Contact Edgar Meyer at 515-320-5604 or Chad Meyer at 515-320-2593 or cmeyermotorsports@gmail.com to donate items. We greatly appreciate your support!