Interview with 2017 Eagle Raceway Hobby Stock Champion Jeff Ware

By Greg Soukup 

When I spoke to your 2017 Eagle Raceway IMCA Hobby Stock Champion, Jeff Ware, I inquired as to what he was doing. The 25-year old from Columbus, Nebraska told me he was wrapping race cars over in Iowa. It seems that he is always working with, racing or thinking about race cars. Jeff won not only the points at Eagle, but another track and to top it off grabbed the Nebraska State Championship to boot.  

“I started racing Hobby Stocks when I was 14, because that’s when IMCA will let you start running, but technically I’ve been racing since I was 6. I started out in go-karts back in 1998 I believe. I’ve been racing every year since then” he said. 

This was Ware’s first year racing a full season at Eagle Raceway. “I’ve raced there multiple times, but this was my first full year. I finished deep in a big special that Eagle had a few years back, a $1000 to win hobby stock show. Before this year I’ve never run a track full time on Saturdays. Eagle Raceway is by far my favorite track! It’s racy everywhere. You can run the bottom or the top. They have a great group of guys to run against, and always plenty of cars. You don’t have to show up and worry about much. There’s a big crowd, and the fans are really great” he continued. 

I then said that he obviously enjoyed competing at Eagle Raceway and he stated “Yeah! Absolutely!! Especially getting to race against Roy (Armstrong). He’s won the track championship there multiple times, and to get the chance to go out there and race against him, night after night keeps you on edge for sure. I think I only won the points by 4 or 5 points; something like that, so he kept it a close battle all season. He definitely doesn’t give up; he knows what he’s doing”. 

He then told me that the secret to getting the points championship. “The key to the championship by far was all of the work and effort that we put in night after night. Luckily, on my car I have a great support system. When I’m at work my Dad works on the car. I also have a couple of buddies, Damon Richards and Austin Brauner, who work on the car and help me out. Charger Chassis makes a car that’s second to none; it’s the premier chassis out there. Also there is T & R Auto Repair, Hein Auto Body, Shane, Vince and Madison,  plus Demon Decals who make the car look extraordinary every week”. 

He concluded the interview by stating “We appreciate everyone who supports local dirt track racing. We don’t want to see any more tracks close like Butler Raceway did. Tell everybody to keep supporting Eagle Raceway so that we can keep racing and putting on a great show for the fans”.