Great Falls, Montana – The smooth, fast‑paced races at Electric City Speedway owe a great deal to the quiet dedication of Jody Kropp, a longtime resident who has helped keep the track ready for competition for more than six years.
Family roots and community service
Kropp, who has lived in Great Falls for nearly 50 years, grew up watching his father race at the speedway in the early 1980s. “My father raced here in the early ’80s. I started in the ’90s racing here. So I’ve been here almost every weekend. It’s been something we’ve always done as a family thing for us,” he said.
When he isn’t working for the Montana Department of Transportation, Kropp spends evenings and weekends at the speedway, adding water to the surface and performing the maintenance needed to keep the track safe and competitive. “Some days I come up here on Monday, Tuesday or whatever after my real job I come up and add a little bit of water here and there. Depending on what we got going on whether it’s a two‑day show or a single‑day show,” he explained.
Ensuring a solid racing surface
Kropp and the track‑maintenance crew focus on delivering a solid surface for drivers, recognizing that racers invest countless hours building and tuning their cars. “If it’s rough or if it’s a terrible track, it’s not good racing for everybody. The racers we have here put a lot of effort and work into their cars and we’re here to put on a good show,” he said.
That commitment to quality shows up in the close, side‑by‑side competition that fans love. “It’s nice when you can have a good feeling of accomplishment when there’s good side‑by‑side racing and good competition,” Kropp added.
Owner’s praise and community recognition
Electric City Speedway owner Jeramy Myers praised Kropp’s reliability and impact on the fan experience. “You don’t have to ask him to do anything and he gets it done. He’s a big asset for this place, I think a lot of people look up to him and he’s just an awesome guy,” Myers said.
In September, Kropp was named NonStop Local’s Good Samaritan for his behind‑the‑scenes contributions. He was also inducted into the Electric City Speedway Hall of Fame last year, a testament to his lasting influence on the local racing community.
Looking ahead
Kropp hopes his example will inspire younger participants in the sport. “I hope some of the newer people coming into this sport, younger kids coming in can see all that and I try to be a good example for them anyway,” he said.
From April through September, Electric City Speedway hosts nearly 20 races, drawing fans from across the region. While the drivers and spectators enjoy the high‑speed action, it is the steady work of volunteers like Kropp that keeps the events running smoothly and preserves a beloved local tradition.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
