2/25/2025
Rice Lake Speedway
Runkle Memorial Race Moves Back To Rice Lake Speedway
Rice Lake WI – Kyle Runkle was only twenty two years old when he passed away on Nov. 23rd, 2016 following an accident. He was a Midwest Modified driver who was just starting to make big progress in his racing career when his life was cut short.
His family organized a memorial race in his honor, the K-Runk Memorial Race that was first held in 2017 at the Rice Lake Speedway. After two years, the event was moved to another speedway in the area where it has been held since.
However, with the closure of that speedway, the Runkle family met with Rice Lake Speedway co- owner and promoter Kolby Kiehl and both are pleased to announce that the K-Runk Memorial Race will return to the Rice Lake Speedway in 2025.
The race is scheduled to be held on Thursday night, July 3rd at the family's request and as a part of what will now be an even bigger Firecracker special. The Firecracker, long one of the most popular races on the schedule for the speedway each year, will now be even bigger with the addition of the Runkle race for the Midwest Modifieds.
Joe Chaplin Jr. was the winner of the first K-Runk Memorial race in 2017. Other winners of the prestigious event since include Tony Bahr, Shane Halopka, George Dalbeck, Joey Jensen and Nick Koehler.
Further details on the purse structure for the Runkle will be announced by the family and track officials in the coming weeks. All five classes that race regularly at the speedway will be a part of the Firecracker/K-Runk Memorial event.
The Rice Lake Speedway car show at Rice Lake's Cedar Mall is scheduled for March 20-23rd .The first on track activity for the newly reshaped speedway will be a practice night slated for April 16th before the 73rd annual season opener, scheduled for Saturday night, April 19th.
Article Credit: Ed Reichert
Submitted By: Brent Creaser