From ‘Hell’s Bells’ to wedding bells, Iowa Grand Rally didn’t disappoint

From a Saturday night wedding on the bar to classic rock cover bands and burnout contests, the Iowa Grand Motorcycle Rally, which concluded on Sunday after three nights of all things bikes, truly offered something for everyone in attendance.

Events went on as scheduled throughout the weekend despite the rain and, at times, chilly temperatures.

“Other than the weather challenges, which have plagued virtually every outdoor show in Iowa this spring, the Iowa Grand Motorcycle Rally was a really great event,” Iowa Speedway Director of Communications Craig Armstrong said of the event, which he emceed.

Each hour, stunt rider Patch McGillicuttey of Augusta, Ga., risked his life riding one of three bikes, including a 1950s Harley Davidson, around the “Wall of Death,” while other riders took laps around the track, led by the Iowa Speedway pace car.

On Saturday night, just before “Hell’s Bells,” an AC/CD cover band, took the stage, figurative wedding bells rang out through the bar as Anita Woods and Von Dewey of Keokuk — decked out in black and orange Harley Davidson leather — said their “I dos” while standing on the bar.

“There were just so many things to do at this year’s Rally, and that got pretty much everybody in a ‘party mood,’” Armstrong said. “Even our staff had fun, and that says a lot about the quality of the event, and the festive atmosphere that was created.”

While the rally took somewhat of a different format than last year, Armstrong commented that this year’s event attracted a “great crowd” and that, following an evaluation of this year’s rally, the Iowa Speedway would look to host the event for a third year next summer.

“There were many, many ‘kudos’ from attendees, and everyone I saw was having a lot of fun,” Armstrong added.

Staff writer Nicole Wiegand may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 422, or at nwiegand@newtondailynews.com.