MAQUOKETA, Iowa – Score a career highlight this season for Kevin Feller.

Feller returns to his hometown Maquoketa Speedway to promote Saturday night racing, with four IMCA divisions on regular weekly programs and high hopes of introducing a legion of young fans to the sport.

“I haven’t been this fired up about the new race season in a long time. If it wasn’t for this little track, I wouldn’t be where I am,” said Feller, who scored his first race at Maquoketa in 1975 and has since kept track of laps and lineups at another 52 tracks nationwide. “This is a very, very spe­cial place for me.”

“I am very driven on getting a young crowd to the track. I’m working with the schools and with the library on a reading program,” he continued. “We want to get kids interested in racing and we want to get them and their parents to the track.”

Opening night at Maquoketa is April 18 with the IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Kus­toms Northern SportMods running through Sept. 5.

A $1,000 to win, Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier for the Modifieds is scheduled July 18. Northern SportMods and Stock Cars race for $750 to win on May 30 and Aug. 15, respec­tively, while the inaugural Full Fender Frenzy for Hobby Stocks and Stock Cars is June 20.

“I like IMCA’s rules and it’s a lot easier for everyone to have the same rules as all the other tracks in the area,” Feller said. “I’ve been around IMCA for a long time and already have strong contacts with everyone at the IMCA home office.”

Mentored by Jerry and Donna Blue while working at West Union and Independence, Feller pro­moted East Moline from 2004-2006.

He’ll apply 40-odd years of race track education at Maquoketa, starting with that focus on kids and community.

“We want to get people involved. Groups that sell tickets for us for events like the principals’ race or faster pastor race will receive a portion of those proceeds,” explained Feller. “We’re really ex­cited about the reading program. Kids who make reading goals will receive a certificate from their favorite driver during intermission.”