2005 News and Rumors - September
Dirt Racing
LS Promotions proudly presents the 9th annual Frank Filskov Memorial Fall Classic, this Saturday night October 1st, at Sheboygan Co. Fair Park in Plymouth, featuring the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints and the WI Dirt Late Model Association. The event is in honor of long time IRA standout owner/driver Frank Filskov who tragically lost his life while competing in a World of Outlaw show in 1996. Press Release (09-30-05)
The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series combines with the Wisconsin Dirt Late Model Association this Saturday night, October 1st, at the Shebogan Co. Fair Park as SLS Promotions proudly presents the 9th annual Frank Filskov Memorial Fall Classic. This event pays tribute to Filskov, a long time IRA star and supporter who tragically lost his life in a crash while competing with the World of Outlaws in Michigan in October of 1996. Press Release (09-26-05)
The World of Outlaws Sprint Series and SLS Promotions has a trio of upcoming events, beginning with a big one this Friday night at Minnesota's Jackson Speedway. Steve Kinser topped last years high speed thriller in front of a sell-out crowd. The big half-mile at Jackson produces some of the highest speeds on the entire outlaw schedule. Reserve tickets for the Sept. 23rd Jackson show are still available at a $3 discount if purchased by Thursday by calling the SLS ticket office at 815-344-2023. Press Release (09-19-05)
"Housekeeping" By Paul Pittman (09-19-05) Todd Hepfner thrilled the crowd that assembled at the Dodge County Fairgrounds for the Inaugural Dick Witt Checkered Classic in a torrid battle with Gregg Bakker, who was driving his heart out trying to score a sweep of the night's activities. In the end, Bakker's #1H stumbled exiting turn #2 on the final lap while sucking the last few drops of fuel in the tank, handing the win to Hepfner. Press Release (09-19-05)
Benji Lacrosse backed up his IMCA Super National Win last weekend by winning the Boyou Clash Saturday Night at Thunderhill. Lacrosse passed Sean Jerovetz on lap 15 to take the lead, and led the last 20 laps, through a series of cautions, to pick up the $1,000.00 pay day. The most important part of the night, however, was that all of the proceeds went to the Brett Favre Fourward Foundation. Press Release (09-19-05)
A ceremony honoring the 2005 IMCA Supernational modified champion Benji LaCrosse will take place on Saturday night, October 1 during the two day Fall Classic at Luxemburg Speedway presented by Pepsi and Budweiser. LaCrosse, from Luxemburg, was also the track's 2005 champion. Earlier this month LaCrosse made history by becoming the first ever Wisconsin driver to capture the prestigious Supernationals title down in Boone, Iowa. Press Release (09-14-05)
More than $24,000 in prize money will be doled out to drivers in six classes during the Fall Classic at Luxemburg Speedway September 30 and October 1 sponsored by Pepsi and Budweiser. The unique two day format will be highlighted by feature races both nights. On Friday night drivers will be racing their way into the Saturday night features. Press Release (09-14-05)
This Saturday, September 17th, The Bumper to Bumper/United Trailers IRA Outlaw Sprint Series goes trackside at the horsepower half-mile Dodge Co. Fairgrounds (Beaver Dam, WI) for the innagural Dick Witt Checkered Classic. This event is dedicated to long time IRA official starter Dick Witt, who fell victim to a long time battle with cancer last year. Press Release (09-12-05)
The annual year end swing up North for the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series traditionally provides some great racing. The two events are held at the outstanding facilities of the Superior Speedway and the Cedar Lake Speedway. Press Release (09-12-05)
Joining relief efforts from around the country, the Potawatomi Thunderhill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay will close out its season this Saturday night with a complete six-division racing program dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Dubbed "The Bayou Clash", nearly 100% of the proceeds taken in on the evening will be donated to the Brett Favre Fourward Foundation, earmarked for disaster relief. Press Release (09-12-05)
"Fall is Fallen" By Paul Pittman (09-12-05)
Justin Henderson and Wayne Johnson staged a duel that couldn't have been scripted any better for a championship event of this nature with Henderson outlasting the powerplant under Johnson's hood to win the IRA/Knoxville/NOSA "Jerry Richert Sr. Memorial" at the Cedar Lake Speedway. Press Release (09-12-05)
The final 2005 regular race program wrapped up in Antigo this past Friday night. The Track Champions were as follows: WISSOTA Late Model A.J. Diemel, IMCA Modified Scott Williams, making it two in a row in the IMCA Stock Cars was Larry Karcz Jr., WISSOTA Street Stocks to Lee Christjohn, and Trucks to JP Remington. A.J. Diemel also grabbed the WISSOTA Late Model Feature win, with Jeremie Hedrick top dog in the IMCA Modified Feature. Press Release (09-8-05)
The IRA sanctioned Jerry Richert Memorial has become one of the most exciting and best paying shows on the IRA schedule. Once again, the Richert family has raised bonus money for this event from family, friends, and businesses to be added above and beyond the purse. Speaking of the purse, the folks at Cedar Lake are roughly paying $3000 more than a base IRA purse for the 22 car A-main. Press Release (09-8-05)
One of the bigger and more prestigious weekends on the Bumper to Bumper/United Trailers IRA Outlaw Sprint Series schedule is set to go trackside September 9-10, as the IRA heads North to two of their favorite facilities. Friday, (Sept. 9th), it's off to the Superior Speedway and the annual Northern Nationals. Press Release (09-8-05)
Travis Whitney logged another very successful weekend with the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series by picking up the Labor Day win at the Cresco Speedway on Sunday, completing a sweep of the holiday weekend events. Press Release (09-8-05)
FIRED UP! By Paul Pittman (09-7-05)
Travis Whitney felt that he gave the 2004 Labor Day visit away because of an ill handling car which ultimately lead to damage during the feature and his fading. The recent birth of son Declan and that memory was all Whitney would need for incentive when the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series made it's traditional trek to the Grant County Speedway in Lancaster, WI. Press Release (09-7-05)
In action at The Raceway at Powercom Park in Beaver Dam, WI on Saturday night, Jay Schraufnagel of Beaver Dam raced to his third win in a row in the 20-lap Shaver Builders and Home Improvement Modified A-Main. Ken Priesgen of Allenton grabbed the lead at the start of the event. Frank Firari of Lowell moved up quickly from the fifth row and began to challenge for the lead. Firari took over the top spot on lap five. Jay Schraufnagel, who started alongside of Firari, also sliced his way through traffic to move into second on lap six. Press Release (09-7-05)
Von Eytcheson captured the biggest prize of his career, with his $1,400 payday on Saturday Night. Eytcheson led every lap in the 30 lap street stock feature. James Tebon regained the lead on the last corner, in the IMCA-Style Modified feature, after Billy Lemieux had car troubles. Shawn Kilgore passed Jeff Vlies on the last lap to win the IMCA-Style Stockcar feature. Press Release (09-7-05)
IMCA modified track champion Benji LaCrosse of Luxemburg broke an upper A frame on the final lap after leading the entire 35 lap IMCA modified feature. In doing so he handed the lead to Algoma's Todd Dart, who capitalized on LaCrosse's misfortune and collected the $1,000 win in the modified feature at Luxemburg Speedway Thursday night. Press Release (09-2-05)
The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series will make its' annual trek west for the traditional Labor Day Weekend Border Wars this Saturday & Sunday, September 3rd & 4th. The weekend gets underway at the Grant County Speedway third-mile Saturday. Press Release (09-2-05)
Asphalt Racing
Seven time ARTGO Challenge Series champion Dick Trickle will return to the LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway for the first time in over a dozen years to compete in the ARTGO "Reunion 100" on Sunday afternoon October 9th. Besides practice qualifying and racing in the ARTGO "Reunion 100" Trickle will also serve as the Grand Marshall for Saturday night's featured NASCAR Autozone 200. Press Release (09-28-05)
Blake Bjorklund played on his experience as he came out on top in the Midwest Allstar Racing Series (MARS) Super Late Model 100 Lap Feature on the final day of the Fall Nationals at the I-94 Raceway in Sauk Centre. Todd Hansen took the lead on the opening lap as the 25 car field came to life. Andy Hanson held second briefly, before Dean Cornelius took the spot. Press Release (09-19-05)
Jason and Jeff Meulemans became the first father-son tandem to sweep the top two finishing positions in the Spectator 200 Sunday afternoon at the Slinger Super Speedway with Jason scoring the victory over his father, Jeff. Press Release (09-19-05)
Madison International Speedway E- News (09-14-05)
Mike Egan held off Brad Mueller and Dave Feiler in a wild three-car finish for his second victory of the year in the Five Corners Dodge/Charcoal Grill 75-lap late model feature Sunday night at the Slinger Super Speedway. “I’m starting to like this,” Egan proclaimed after scoring his second victory in three weeks, this time with his mirrors full of Slinger veterans Mueller and Feiler. Press Release (09-12-05)
Madison International Speedway E- News (09-8-05)
David Prunty posted his fifth late model feature win of the season by taking top honors in the Port-A-John 100 and Kenny Joosten charged to victory in “The Legend” 60-lap Midwest Sportsman Series main event Sunday night at the Slinger Super Speedway. “I wish we could restart the season with the set-up we have now,” Prunty said from victory lane. Press Release (09-7-05)
Sources tell us that EDS Motorsports owner Dave Stammer has put everything up for sale. We understand that Dave is getting out of owning cars after running the Nascar Touring Series the last couple of years and helping out many local teams. (09-6-05)
Sources tell us that Keith Romenesko purchased the #29 Super Late Model that was owned by EDS Motorsports. This is the car that Matt Derricks drove at the Matt Kenseth special at WIR. The car is a Lefthander that was previously owned by Steve Carlson. (09-6-05)
Nominations were taken at last nights driver's meeting for the President and Secretary positions for the Fox River Racing Club. Mike Bunnell and Scott Vanderloop were nominated for President and there were no nominees for secretary. (09-2-05)
It was a long time coming and it wasn't easy, but Tom Spierowski's season finally matched his car number. Spierowski, who has raced figure eights, sportsman and late model stock cars previously at Wisconsin International Raceway, wrapped up the Fox River Racing Club’s limited late model championship Thursday by taking fifth in the final 20-lap feature of the year. Full Story in Appleton Post Crescent (09-2-05)
Rod Wheeler races to win. Ever since he was 16 years old, that’s all he has ever known. Finally, at age 44, the Appleton native who now calls Hortonville home, knows what it feels like to win a Thursday night championship. “I can’t lie to you. It’s really special,” said Wheeler, who capped his season in style by winning the club’s final 30-lap feature for his fourth victory of the season, more than any other driver. Full Story in Appleton Post Crescent (09-2-05)
Last Friday's rain would not allow the completion of the Auto Value/ Bumper to Bumper Challenge Series Round III. This Saturday's, Dairy Queen, Dickinson County Fair race will be run in conjunction with the Auto Value/ Bumper to Bumper Challenge Series setting up the Double Championship Saturday. $1000 will go to the winner of the 35 lap Late Model Feature and $500 will be awarded to the Super Stock Feature winner. An additional $1000 will be awarded to the overall champion of the Late Model division and $500 to the overall point champion for the Auto Value/ Bumper to Bumper Challenge champs. Press Release (09-2-05)
Touring Racing
Blake Bjorklund played on his experience as he came out on top in the Midwest Allstar Racing Series (MARS) Super Late Model 100 Lap Feature on the final day of the Fall Nationals at the I-94 Raceway in Sauk Centre. Todd Hansen took the lead on the opening lap as the 25 car field came to life. Andy Hanson held second briefly, before Dean Cornelius took the spot. Press Release (09-19-05)
Jeff Van Oudenhoven of Kimberly, WI hopes to wrap up his third straight Midwest AllStar Racing Series (MARS) late model title Sunday afternoon during the I-94 Raceway Fall Nationals Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 17-18 in Sauk Centre, MN. Van Oudenhoven and rookie Dean Cornelius of Chaska, MN has been locked in a season-long battle for the top postion in the point standings. Press Release (09-14-05)
The race for the 2005 title in the Midwest AllStar Racing Series (MARS) late model division will be completed Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 17-18 at the I-94 Raceway in Sauk Centre, MN. Press Release (09-12-05)
The Mid-Am Super Trucks will be wrapping up their 2005 season at the National Short Track Championships in Rockford, IL Sept. 24-25 and at the Oktoberfest Race Weekend at the LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway in West Salem, WI Oct. 8. A previously announced race at I-94 Raceway Sept. 17 will not be held. Press Release (09-12-05)
We hear a motor was torn down at the ASA Late Model Series race at Hawkeye Downs Speedway and was found illegal. Word we got is the "sealed" motor was tore down and lightweight crank and rods were found in the motor. We are awaiting ASA Late Model Series officials to confirm this. (09-6-05) FALSE: We are told there is no truth to this at all as no motor was found illegal. (09-12-05)
Mike "Ozzie" Oswald surprised the field Saturday night by winning the 50 lap Port-A-John Mid-American Series headliner at the 141 Speedway in Francis Creek, WI. Press Release (09-7-05)