2010 News and Rumors
Dirt Racing
Luxemburg Speedway track manager Rick Goral has announced the 2009 season awards banquet will be held Saturday, January 30 at Beverly Gardens in Denmark. Champions will be crowned in the IMCA modified, stock car, northern sportmod, hobby stock and sport four divisions. Drivers who finished in the top ten in points in each of the respective divisions will haul home hardware. Rookie-of-the-year awards will also be doled out, as well as the newly-named Walter Christensen Memorial Sportsmanship award. Press Release (01-5-10)
World of Outlaws News & Notes (01-5-10
Asphalt Racing
The 2009 Slinger Super Speedway awards banquet was held on January 9th at the Chandelier Ballroom in Hartford, Wisconsin. Fellow drivers, crews, fans, and track staff all turned out to honor the champions of each division for the 2009 season. An early cocktail party followed by a catered dinner by Leroy Meats of Horicon, set the stage for the night’s festivities. Jim Tretow, Speed Channel pit reporter and host of the Racing Round Up radio show was the master of ceremonies and got the evening underway by thanking all the sponsors and staff who make all the great racing action at the track possible. Press Release (01-19-10)
Thrive to Drive Motorsports is planning on running the same schedule as they did in 2009, although that will depend on sponsorship. If sponsorship can't be secured the team will full time at WIR and select ASA Midwest Tour races. The team is building a brand new car for ASA tour and will be running their ASA car from last year at all WIR races. (01-18-10)
Daryl Gerke tells us he is building a new limited late model to race weekly at WIR this season. He plans to be there every week, but is looking for some sponsorship. (01-18-10)
State Park Speedway Racing Thursday Nights...rain date Sunday Afternoon. New for 2010! VIP Party Deck, Updated Concession Area, VIP Air Conditioned Indoor Seating, Tiki Bar, Expanded Pit Area, New Updated Bathrooms State Park Speedway. State Park Speedway (01-12-10)
Zack "Showtime" Riddle Joins Urban Force Racing! Urban Force Racing announced today that Brooklyn Wisconsin Hotshoe, Zack Riddle will join ABC Supply/Urban Force Racing for 2010. The team will field two cars for the 2010 season with Riddle piloting one of the Limited-Late Models that the team will campaign at Madison International Speedway. Urban Force Racing (01-12-10)
We understand Sawyer Effertz will run in the Limited Late Model division in 2010. Originally the plans on the teams website stated they were running in the Super Late Model series. (12-23-09) UPDATE: The shop has been busy since the gates closed in Sept at the track. Our Late Model is now a Limited Late Model and nearing completion for the 2010 season. We also abtained a Big 8 Series Car which Sawyer will run in a limited number of events in 2010. Don Doug and Pete have been busy completely rebuilding the Limited Late Model chassis up. The Pit Crew that helped Tom Sporowski win his Limited Championship has regrouped and signed on with Sawyer for 2010. Sawyer Effertz Racing (01-11-10)
NASCAR Champions Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart will return to Madison International Speedway (WI), for the 2010 Swiss Colony All-Star Challenge on Tuesday, June 29th. Speed 51 (01-11-10)
SAD NEWS: Long time racer Randy "Zoomin" Neumann, of DePere, died unexpectedly on Saturday morning, January 9, 2010 at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay. Randy was 48. Randy longed for his health to improve so he could return to doing what he loved – working on and racing cars. Full Obituary (01-11-10)
Multiple racetracks as well as the BRP Big 8 Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet will utilize the new Hoosier 800 eight inch implement tire in 2010 for Weekly Late Model racing in Illinois and Wisconsin. The Hoosier Racing Tire compound will be utilized Fridays at Madison International Speedway and Saturday nights at Dells Raceway Park as well as Rockford Speedway. Speed 51 (01-7-10-)
We are looking for information to complete our 2010 Fox River Racing Club driver plans. (12-23-09) UPDATE: Updates are starting to come in ever couple of days. If you have any comfirmed information feel free to email Corey. (01-7-10)
John Meidam and team will be back racing weekly at Wisconsin International Raceway for the 2010 season. The team will have two cars at their disposal this year. The team has fixed the car that was wrecked hard during the 2009 season and that will be the primary car. (02-7-10)
We have been informed Barnaby Tomazevic has sold both his cars. Barnaby was offered a ride with another team, but has decided he won't drive at all this season. (01-4-10)
We stumbled upon Ultimate Racing History which is a website lets you view racing results from the 1960's to recent. You can search by track or by driver to find all results. Some races the full results where others only have partial results. (01-4-10)
The Chase'n Monday Motorsports team is hard at work both preparing the car and sponsor lineup for our 2010 season. The new 2010 Kolosso Toyota Camry body has been installed and will be painted later this month. Our schedule will be finalized in the coming weeks. We are planning on racing at WIR this season back with our Racetech Chassis searching for our first Late Model Championship. Stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks! Andy Monday.com (01-1-10)
(Sawyer Effertz Racing) We would like to welcome David Greene and Siesta Pool Creations as a Corporate Sponsor on our second car. Siesta Pool Creations will be displayed on both Big 8 Series cars in 2010. Sawyer Effertz Racing (01-1-10)
Touring Racing
Daytona Beach is busy this time of the year with all of the racing activities going on around the area. Starting on Monday, many race track and series promoters, including those within the American Speed Association family, will take part in the 37th Annual RPM (Racing Promotion Monthly) Promoters Workshop at the Hilton Daytona Beach Ocean Walk Village. Press Release (02-9-10)
The American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and Grandstay® Residential Suites Hotels is happy to announce that ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment is once again teaming up with the ASAMT as a co-presenting sponsor for the 2010 season. ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment first partnered with the ASAMT in its inaugural season in 2007 as a series presenting and pole award sponsor, presenting a piece of ECHO Power equipment to the pole award winner at each race. This relationship continues into the 2010 season. Press Release (02-9-10)
The inaugural ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500 was won in dramatic style at Phakisa Freeway near Welkom this afternoon by Briton John Mickel in an RS Capp Chev Monte Carlo. Mickel, who started the 207-lap 500-km race from fourth on the 24-car grid, took the lead three-quarters of the way around the final lap to win by less than half a second from American Toni McCray (Lucas Oil Chev Monte Carlo) and 2,6 seconds ahead of American Marc Davis (WHUR 96.3/The Word Network/Marc Davis Motorsports Chev Lumina). Press Release (01-31-10)
A large and appreciative crowd enjoyed the sunshine and the excitement of official qualifying for the inaugural ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500 at Phakisa Freeway near Welkom this afternoon. It was the veteran Geoff Bodine, a former Daytona 500 champion, who turned the fastest lap of the four 15-minute qualifying sessions, which saw the 24-car field go out in groups of six to qualify their American V8 stock cars on the starting grid for tomorrow's 207-lap 500-km race. Press Release (01-30-10)
American Speed Association officials along with Sirius Satellite Radio are announcing that the ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500 event will be broadcasted live on Sunday, January 31, 2010 starting at 6:00 a.m. EST on Sirius channel 90 and XM channel 244. Press Release (01-30-10)
Last evening at the "Welcome to Welkom" dinner, ASA President announced that the ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500 will be dedicated to Harry Davis, father of Marc Davis, who passed away unexpectedly last week. Marc Davis will be competing in the event. Harry Davis was very instrumental in having his son compete in the Free State 500 event and was looking forward to Marc traveling to South Africa for the historic event. Press Release (01-30-10)
The first practice session for Sunday's ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500 has ended at the Phakisa Freeway Circuit in Welkom, Free State, South Africa. This was the only practice session to take place on Friday. Gary Lewis (Bothell, WA, USA), the 2009 ASA Northwest Late Model Tour Champion, led the field in practice with a time of 37.334 seconds with 1986 Daytona 500 champion Geoff Bodine (Chemung, NY, USA) in second with a time of 37.534 seconds. Russ Blakeley, an ASA Midwest Tour competitor from Wisconsin, USA was third with 37.926 seconds. Press Release (01-30-10)
Television networks from around the world are signing up to show a tape-delayed broadcast of the ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500 event that will take place on Sunday, January 31, 2010 at the Phakisa Freeway Circuit in Welkom, Free State, South Africa. The list continues to grow as the event is only two days away. Press Release (01-30-10)
Late last night, the crew members arrived to the Welkom Inn and met up with their respective drivers. The next morning they arrived at Phakisa Freeway Circuit as containers continued to arrive. By noon, the teams started to unload their cars and pit equipment. "All cars have arrived," Dennis Huth, ASA President announced as he was walking past the containers as very favorable weather helped the teams with sunny skies and temperatures in the high 80's. Press Release (01-30-10)
The American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and Grandstay® Residential Suites Hotels 2009 series banquet was held this past Saturday at the Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells, WI. Steve Carlson was honored with his first ASA Midwest Tour Championship and tenth series championship of his career and Jacob Goede was honored as the 2010 Rookie of the Year. The top 16 drivers and others were also honored during the awards presentation. Press Release (01-27-10)
Here are the 19 drivers that will be leaving on Monday, January 25th to compete in the ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500 at the Phakisa Freeway Circuit in Welkom, Free State, South Africa. The event itself will take place on Sunday, January 31, 2010. Press Release (01-25-10)
For the past two seasons, Pat Richgels of Middleton, Wisconsin, has participated weekly in the Roto Rooter Bandit division at Madison International Speedway, an ASA Member Track. While he was driving his four cylinder car around the "Ring of Fire" quarter-mile, he was also participating in the ASA Educational Series. The ASA Educational Series awards high school students who race or work on race teams at MIS scholarships to the country's premier automotive technology school, Ohio Technical College in Cleveland, Ohio. In each of the past two seasons over $200,000 in scholarships have been awarded to students at Madison. In fact, the number of participants doubled in 2009 with nearly forty young people taking part in the program. Press Release (01-22-10)
The American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and Grandstay® Residential Suites Hotels is thrilled to announce that they have joined forces with Emmy Award-winning Fox Sports Net for the 2010 ASAMT racing season. Fox Sports North* and Fox Sports Wisconsin* reach the homes of more than 4 million viewers throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas, providing coverage anywhere from the WIAA high school championships to Minnesota Wild hockey, the Milwaukee Brewers, the NBA, and the NFL. Press Release (01-22-10)
Steve Carlson will be crowned the 2009 American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and Grandstay® Residential Suites Hotels Champion this Saturday, January 23rd, at the Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells, WI. The celebration kicks off Friday afternoon as teams and their families are invited to come early to enjoy all that the Chula Vista Resort has to offer. Press Release (01-20-10)
5k Motorsports will head to New Smyrna Speedway's 44th Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing with Cardell Porter as their driver. Porter is a former snowmobile racer who won the 2009 Limited Late Model Rookie of the Year title at Dells Raceway Park (WI). (Also drove Super Late Models for Brad Dahmer Motorsports at Slinger Super Speedway in 2009) Speed 51 (01-20-10)
Saturday night, Speed51.com was contacted by Ken Wills, owner of 5K Motorsports, a team that competed in the ASA Late Model series in 2009 with driver Chris Eggleston. Wills stated that at the ASA LM banquet Saturday night in Indianapolis, teams were not paid their point fund checks as they were supposed to without any word on the subject from ASA LM Owner and President Ron Varney. Speed 51 (01-18-10) UPDATE: Varney told Speed51.com that teams were issued vouchers at the banquet which can be exchanged for cash, products or services. Varney also said that during a time when many series are facing tough economic times, that he wanted to give his competitors an option of how to be paid. Varney also told Speed51.com that preparations for the 2010 season are underway and right on track. Speed 51 (01-18-10) UPDATE 2: On Tuesday night's Speed 51 Radio show, heard live on RaceTalkRadio.com, team owner Ken Wills told the gang that his 5k Motorsports team will not be back to defend their ASA Late Model North Series championship or run any ASA Late Model Challenge Series events in 2010. Wills suggested that you might see his team compete in either the CRA Super Series or on the ASA Midwest Tour instead. Speed 51 (01-20-10)
When he was asked if he was interested in competing in the ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500 at the Phakisa Freeway Circuit in Welkom, Free State, South Africa, Lance Fenton didn't hesitate to say yes. For the Tyler, Texas driver this event will be the start of a big racing season for him. Fenton was approached by Ron Barfield Jr. about driving one of his car in the Sunday, January 31, 2010 event. "Ron said, what do you think about going to South Africa and race? I said I was in," Fenton said. "Then he said, let me tell you the details about the event. I looked at him and said it didn't matter, I'm in." Press Release (01-19-10)
The American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and Grandstay® Residential Suites Hotels is happy to announce that Kwik Trip will once again return as a series title sponsor and touring stars sponsor for the 2010 racing season. ASA Midwest Tour (01-18-10)
Tim Olson has worn many hats in his racing career from driver to track operator and to now the President of the American Speed Association Midwest Tour. At the end of this month, he will put on his racing hat, or helmet to be exact, and get behind the wheel to compete in the ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500 at the Phakisa Freeway Circuit in Welkom, Free State, South Africa on January 31st. Press Release (01-18-10)
The first of two two-day driver training and licence qualification courses for January 31's inaugural Free State 500 at Phakisa Freeway was held at the Welkom circuit on Saturday and Sunday. Five South African drivers successfully completed the California-based Drivetech Training School's preparation for the first NASCAR type American stock car race in South Africa. Press Release (01-17-10)
Fifteen year old Elkhorn Wisconsin driver Kyle Brinkmann has announced his plans to race fulltime on the new American Speed Association ASA Midwest Truck Tour in 2010. Brinkman will set his focus on winning the inaugural Midwest Truck Tour Rookie of the Year title. The officials of the American Speed Association Midwest Tour announced the addition of the ASA Midwest Truck Tour today. Kyle recently attended a special meeting to discuss the potential of the ASA Midwest Tour launching a truck program. Since that meeting Kyle and the entire KBR team have been hoping to hear today’s big announcement. Press Release (01-17-10)
The officials of the American Speed Association Midwest Tour are happy to announce the addition of the ASA Midwest Truck Tour for 2010. A meeting was held for interested drivers at the Midwest Motorsports Expo last weekend in Madison, WI. After an overwhelming response, John Wood, veteran truck racer, Tim Olson, President of the ASAMT and Steve Einhaus, VP of the ASAMT, decided that teaming up to promote the trucks was a great decision. Press Release (01-15-10)
When you see the prize at the end of the finish line, you do everything to make sure you have the best opportunity to be the first to grab it. Ron Norman did that, and with the support of friends and family, he won the Phakisa Challenge 150 this past Saturday at Tucson Raceway Park, an ASA Member Track, and will now compete in the ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500 at the Phakisa Freeway Circuit in Welkom, Free State, South Africa on Sunday, January 31st. Press Release (01-15-10)
The ASA Midwest Sportsman Tour officials have announced the 2010 schedule for the inaugural ASA Midwest Sportsman Tour racing season. The ten-race schedule will allow drivers to compete at some of the most competitive tracks in the Midwest. Steve Einhaus, Vice President of the ASAMT is excited about the response and the upcoming season. "A lot of people have put forth great effort to make this all happen. Donnie Heelien has done a great job with the rules. We saw an overwhelming turnout at the competitor meetings last weekend in Madison, and we have over 70 drivers registered with intent to race in the tour. We have been working very hard on putting a solid schedule together for the ASA Midwest Sportsman Tour and are happy with what we have for 2010. Press Release (01-14-10)
He has enjoyed a 30-year career as a safety director for many different racing series and tracks. Rich Trimmer is about to have his dream come true of doing the job he loves at an event on a different continent as he is preparing as the ASA Safety Director duties in the ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500 at the Phakisa Freeway Circuit in Welkom, Free State, South Africa on Sunday, January 31, 2010. Trimmer has had a long career as a safety director. He has worked ASA, NHRA, NASCAR events along with road racing and specialty events at Firebird International Raceway. He also has served on the committee for NFPA that wrote the professional level fire and safety protocol 610 for auto racing in the USA. Press Release (01-11-10)
Russ Blakeley talks about the unique theme cars that he and Steve Carlson will be piloting in the ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500 at the Phakisa Freeway Circuit in Welkom, Free State, South Africa. Press Release (01-11-10)
The Midwest Motorsports Racers' Expo to be held January 8th and 9th in Madison, WI is a place where racers meet and talk about the past year, the good stories and the bad, but most of all, get geared up for the next racing season. This year the ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by Echo Outdoor Power Equipment and Grandstay Residential Suites Hotels will have a booth featuring a brand new ASA Midwest Sportsman Tour car. Press Release (01-5-10)
There is a famous American country song called "Friends in Low Places" and Ron Barfield can relate to this song when he thinks about his friend Shaun Richardson. The Noosa, Queensland, Australia driver will get behind the wheel of one of Barfield's car at the ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500k on Sunday, January 31, 2010 at the Phakisa Freeway Circuit in Welkom, Free State, South Africa. Press Release (01-5-10)
National Speed Sport News reported in their December issue that the ASA Late Model Series will not have a southern division in 2010. According to the report, the series cited economic times and the inability to draw full fields as their reasoning for not having a southern division. A check of the ASA Late Model Series website shows the North and the Challenge Series schedules released to their website, but absent is the South division. Speed 51 (01-4-10)