Kee Karts from Primghar
by Mari Radtke
The first go kart race of the 2025 season at Cherokee County Fairgrounds was held Saturday June 7. Go cart races at the Cherokee County Fairgrounds took a very long hiatus. They restarted in about 2021 from the leadership of Primghar Figure 8 veterans, Jon Wulf and Derek Logan.
Wulf and Logan are not new to auto racing. They’ve both been involved their entire lives. They’ve raced and repaired side by side family at Primghar. Now their kids, at least 3rd generation racers, are involved. Go karts have been raced at Plessis for a long time and that is where this journey began. While there, they heard about the Cherokee race track, long neglected.
Jon and Derek joined a Cherokee County Fair Board meeting, talked about what used to be and what could be. They got a blessing to go after what could be, again, at the Cherokee fairgrounds. Before you knew it, the pair were asked to be members of the Cherokee County Fair Board!
Family and friends are involved, helping to manage the approximately 10 race days per year and keep the track well maintained.
On Saturday, 92 cars had entered to race that day. The fair grounds were packed with trailers hauling go carts and the necessary equipment to keep them running. Tents protected from sun and rain. A food truck was parked near the grandstand and a lined formed just before the first race began.
Racers range in age from as early as 5 to adult. The track is oval and was just enlarged this year. An announcers booth and a registration building were added. That work was done by Brandon Utesch of Orange City through his C2C construction business.
Racers and families come from all over. They race their way to a championship round at the end of the season. An awards banquet caps the season.
Entry is $25 per car and $15 for each pit pass. The grand stand is free. “All the money goes back into the track and the bandquet at the end of the year,” said Derek Logan.