Iggy Katona

Prior to serving in WWII, Katona graduated to midget racing, a division he returned to upon completion of military service. Driving under AAA midget sanction, Katona became a threat to win any race he entered, posting numerous victories on tracks throughout Michigan such as Adrian, Saginaw, Monroe, and Detroit all dirt tracks, most of which are not operating anymore. It was in 1946 that Katona won his first race at the famed Motor City Speedway in Detroit, and Iggy would become the track’s winningest driver in very short order.

By 1953, Iggy was searching for a greater challenge with more opportunity to travel, race and earn better payoffs, his racing hobby having evolved into a profession. His open cock pit stock car racing transition often found him racing seven nights a week. He discovered a lifetime friend in John Marcum and the racing opportunity he sought in the pre ARCA Midwest Association for Race Cars. (MARC).

Katona, always a great favorite of the race fan with his colorful name and longevity (the “Racing Grand Pappy”), drove winning car makes from Hudson to Ford, Olds, Chevrolet, Plymouth, and finished his career in 1975 behind the wheel of a Dodge. Always maintaining his own shop for his racecars mechanical needs. Katona’s crew for his entire 40-year racing career consisted only of his family sons Ron and Jim and wife Eleanor, Iggy’s race day scorer.

Egnatius "Iggy" Katona was born on August 16, 1961 and died on December 4, 2003.