RACIN AROUND TITLETOWN by Joe Verdegan

February 1st, 2003

Those in the know in Wisconsin racing can quickly point to a few success stories of crew members who've gone south and secured work in NASCAR's big league. While the drivers that head south to race for a living (Kenseth, Bickle, Trickle, Musgrave, Kvapil, etc.) get much of the ink there are the stories of guys like Danny Stillman of Menasha (Earnhardt Jr. tire changer), Chad Knaus of Beloit (Jimmy Johnson crew chief) and Jeff Vandermause of De Pere (Matt Kenseth jackman).

There are others. But you don't often hear of guys heading south to make a living on the dirt track scene. Joe Mathu is the exception to the rule. The son of veteran driver Gene Mathu in the '70's and '80's, this 21-year-old from Luxemburg is working as a full time crew member for dirt late model's million dollar man Donny Moran, one of the biggest names in the history of dirt track late model racing. Mathu's journey to full time work in the racing industry actually began in the spring of 2001. "I was pitting for Danny Gracyalny and we went down to CJ Rayburn's in Indiana to buy two brand new cars," said Mathu. "We struck up a conversation with CJ and the next thing you know I went home to Luxemburg, packed my bags and headed south to help build Rayburn's race cars. If it weren't for Gracy I probably wouldn't have gotten this deal."

While the decision may sound easy enough for any (at the time) 20-year-old with no wife, kids or girlfriend for that matter to hold him back, that wasn't really the case. "I was a fabricator for Robinson Metals (Green Bay). I've got a lot of close friends there and friends I've had in racing since I was a little kid. When I first moved down there I got a little homesick. But I got over it. My bosses at Robinson were great, too. They realized I'm doing something most can only dream of. They told me to try it for a year or two and I was welcome back at Robinson if things didn't work out. So I've got that option."

It was around July last year that Moran stopped in at Rayburn's shop. Mathu struck up a conversation with Moran and darn near as easy as it sounds, Mathu joined Moran on the road, chasing all the big money DLM shows across the country. "Donny's dad owns a trailer park near their shop in Dresden, Ohio. Myself and one other crewman work full time for Donny," said Mathu. "During the week we work usually 8 a.m. til 5 or 6 p.m. On weekends you can work until 2 or 3 a.m. some nights. It all depends how well things go at the track. When you wreck, it just piles on the hours. But that's part of racing."

Mathu says he started earning $350 a week working for Moran. "I get $500 a week when I get my CDL and drive the hauler. Expenses are paid on the road, so it's a pretty good deal. We're somewhere different every week." In addition to the weekly salary, Mathu receives a percentage of any top ten
finish Moran secures. What's it like driving for the "Million Dollar Man?" Mathu simply says, "It's great. Donny's about as down-to-earth of a guy as you'll find. I've seen other so-called "stars" in the dirt late model business that won't sign autographs for the fans. Not Donny. He always makes time for the fans. He's a big family
man, too. His wife and kids go with him on the road to many of the shows." So far the rigors of traveling haven't hit Mathu. "We stay in the hauler on the road. It's got everything you'd have in a house. A satellite dish, shower, stove, full kitchen and all the goodies. This kind of life sure isn't for everyone but I'm enjoying it. I'm taking it year-by-year."

As for Moran's game plan for 2003, it looks like Florida will dictate which course they'll follow. "If Donny would get two or three UDTRA wins down (in Florida) and we're sitting good in points we'll chase that. Same thing with STARS. But otherwise we'll hit all the big money shows, including two stops this year to Cedar Lake. Maybe there's a chance we could hit Shawano for the UMP Summernationals race that Monday in June since we'll be coming back from Cedar Lake on the way home. We'll just have to see." As I interviewed with Mathu the team had just finished a day of testing
while renting the track at East Bay for the day. Moran has two MasterSbilt's and according to Mathu Moran was "very happy" with how the testing went.

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An example of budget cutbacks affecting a couple of local racing teams on the asphalt circuit.. Time Warner Cable top brass inform me they must slash their massive ad budget for 2003. As a result Rod Wheeler has lost his piece of the Time Warner Cable pie for 2003. In addition, veteran shoe JJ Smith's Anthony Bros. racing late model has lost Allied Fireplace and plans are currently up in the air for this year.

A well deserved Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw sprint car ride for Fredonia's Mike Kerstcher. A former mini sprint standout at Chilton and an EWSC supermod driver at Plymouth, Kertscher will slide into Charley Osborne's ride for 2003. According to a news release Osborne will concentrate on finishing schooling at UW-Whitewater and will work for the family's company out east upon graduation. In addition to the IRA tour, Kertscher is expected to compete in selected World of Outlaw shows. And he'll have one heckuva mentor for a teammate in multi-time IRA champ Kim Mock, who's said to have at least "three or four" good years of
sprint car racing left in him.

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Ed Bertram from Gold Star Racing Supplies is putting the finishing touches on a two-seat late model. The machine is expected to be used at a handful of special events at selected tracks in eastern Wisconsin. The driver of this unique creation? None other than AJ Diemel. "Ashley Anderson has one and it's been a real big hit in western Wisconsin," said Bertram.

Bob Zegers has stepped down from his duties as vice president of N.E.W. DIRT, the club that operates Seymour Tri-Oval Raceway on Sunday nights. This season Seymour will run a $1,000-to-win IMCA modified special on Thursday night, July 3 as well as host a WISSOTA Challenge Series event this summer.

After 14 seasons as track photographers at Shawano Speedway Dan and Mary Lewis have decided to pursue other interests. The Lewis' will be making Saturday nights at Thunder Hill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay their new Saturday night home. At issue was Shawano Speedway's decision to not allow Lewis' to bring their souvenir trailer on Saturday nights. I think Shawano will feel their loss more than they realize at the moment.

Pulaski's Shawn Wagner will return to compete weekly at Luxemburg Speedway this year. "I worked a lot of Fridays late and wasn't able to make it there," said Wagner. "I was at the Luxemburg late model special last year and I decided I had to come back this year." In addition to returning to Luxemburg Wagner says he'll run occasionally at Thunder Hill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay as well as Sunday nights at Seymour.

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IMCA stock car driver Jeremy Christians of Horicon is the latest driver to fly the Forest County Potawatomi colors this year. Christians already got a head start in his quest for an IMCA national title by running down in Alabama in January. Christians reportedly got taken out while leading. Known as one who's given up his share of motors to IMCA's claim rule, Christians became the first IMCA licensed stock car driver to have a hole punched in his claim card this year. Christians will be "teaming up" if you will with Brandon Czarapata, who's moved to Horicon and works for Christian's father at Vic's Auto Body.

Other locals who went down early to test the IMCA stock waters were John Heinz and Troy Jerovetz. Heinz got involved in a fracas just one lap into a contest.

The Midwest Enduro series will be making it's first dirt track appearance in eastern Wisconsin on Saturday night, Aug. 9 at Luxemburg Speedway.

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Street stockers Laurel Ettien and BJ Soquet team up and do double duty during the summer. Ettien races their street stock at Luxemburg Friday nights while Soquet wheels the machine at Sturgeon Bay on Saturday nights. This year the pair will move up to the IMCA stock car ranks, having purchased Jeff
LaCrosse's car.

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Green Bay's Ben Kroll is admittedly a fast learner. The former sport truck and IMCA stock car driver at Luxemburg says he'll run the Planet Pages Mid-Am stock car series this season. "I'll start off running the series and see where I'm at points-wise sometime after July," said Kroll. "We ran a couple of specials at WIR in Kaukauna last year and that was a blast."