Iowa Region Rallycross — August 16, 2026
National Cattle Congress, Waterloo Iowa
After a week of rain, this months rallycross almost didn’t happen. Persistent rainfall across Iowa forced a last-minute venue change, bringing the event to the National Cattle Congress in Waterloo.
Modified AWD — Close at the top
Eric L. brought his 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX to the top of Modified AWD with a 642.566.
Aaron B. wasn’t far behind in his 1995 Subaru Wagon, finishing at 646.662—just 4.096 seconds out of first.
Dave E. and Cliff J. battled for third, with Dave’s 2004 Subaru WRX finishing at 681.841. Cliff’s 2005 Subaru WRX was only 0.776 seconds behind at 682.617.
Cliff, multi time cone killer champion, had a particularly impressive cone count: just one cone hit all day. His new rally tires seemed to be doing exactly what they were supposed to do, grip.
Prepared AWD — SVXs, family navigators, and a first-timer
Hugh H. had a strong day in his 1996 Subaru SVX, taking the Prepared AWD win with a 679.536. Hugh’s mother rode along as his navigator for the event, describing her experience as a roller coated thrill ride.
David L.’s 2005 Subaru Forester finished second at 717.827, while Eli B. brought his 1995 Subaru SVX home third with a 739.568. Eli also had his mother riding along as navigator, making the two red SVXs a bit of a family affair.
Drew H. brought his 2005 Subaru Outback home fourth at 781.723.
Tim B. was driving David L.’s 2005 Forester, and this was Tim’s first-ever rallycross. A first rallycross in somebody else’s Subaru, in changing conditions, is definitely one way to jump into the deep end.
Stock AWD — Forester leads the way
Zachary B. took the Stock AWD win in his 2007 Subaru Forester with a 742.949.
Colin V. followed in his 2017 Subaru Impreza, finishing at 764.183.
Stock FWD — One Fiesta, two drivers
Stock FWD was a two-car class, but the story was actually two drivers sharing one Fiesta.
Jeff G. and Jeff E. shared the 2014 Ford Fiesta, with Jeff G. coming out on top at 789.199 and Jeff E. finishing at 797.313.
Only 8.114 seconds separated them at the finish.
A wet week makes for a surprisingly good rallycross day
The rain that caused the venue change ended up helping make the event itself much more pleasant.
The gravel parking lot at National Cattle Congress drained surprisingly well, keeping the course from becoming a mud pit. The week of rain also knocked down the dust, meaning competitors could actually see what was happening instead of driving through their own personal dirt cloud.
The overcast skies kept temperatures under control throughout the competition, making for comfortable racing conditions. The clouds even stuck around through most of cleanup before finally giving everyone a reminder that summer wasn’t completely finished with us.
By the numbers
- Fastest overall: Eric L. — 642.566
- Modified AWD runner-up: Aaron B. — only 4.096 seconds back
- Closest finish: Dave E. vs. Cliff J. — 0.776 seconds
- Prepared AWD: 5 entries
- Stock AWD: 2 entries
- Stock FWD: 2 entries / 2 drivers sharing one Fiesta
Not a bad outcome for an event that spent most of the week wondering whether the original venue would even be usable. A last-minute change, a rain-soaked week, and the National Cattle Congress gravel lot somehow came together into a cool, relatively clean, dust-free rallycross with some seriously close racing.
Come join us next month at Mercer County Motorsports Park for another fun filled day of rallycross