Bob Cook, who as a teenager helped his father Elmer carve a dirt track out of the family’s property near New Richmond, Wis., and went on to maintain Cedar Lake Speedway’s racing surface for 63 years at one of the nation's highest-profile dirt tracks, died Monday. He was 80.

Cook’s death was announced this morning by the racetrack, which members of the Cook family owned and promoted from the 3/8-mile track’s founding in 1957 until 2001. Often behind the wheel of a grader, Cook and his wife Marj continued to work at the racetrack after the sale to an ownership group led by the Kaufman brothers, Bob, Chuck and Steve.

Bob and Marj Cook’s “dedication and love for the sport is beyond words,” the track posted on its Facebook page. “Nobody in the world has made more laps around Cedar Lake Speedway than Bob Cook. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Cook family. Bob will be greatly missed.”

The track’s modest beginnings — the first event drew 12 cars and 85 spectators — grew until the track became one of the upper Midwest's best tracks and regular stop for nationally touring Late Models by the late 1980s. Major Late Model events hosted by Cedar Lake include the USA Nationals, Masters, WISSOTA 100 and events for several national and regular tours.