RACIN AROUND TITLETOWN by Joe Verdegan

MUENSTER'S OLD HORSE KEEPS ON WINNING

In the high stakes game of asphalt late model racing, in order to stay competitive one must often purchase the newest, most up-to-date equipment, which often comes with a costly price tag. While driver skill and chassis setup are still an important part of the equation, the cold, hard truth is that if you want to go fast on Thursday nights at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna you better get ready to drain your bank account. It's not a cheap game anymore to go play on the pavement.

But Green Bay's Eddie Muenster has been able to buck the recent trends of buying your way to the front of the pack. Last Thursday night Muenster guided his eight year old Red's Excavating sponsored Lefthander chassis into victory lane in the late model feature at WIR. "The chassis is eight years old and was crashed and burned real bad in a fire," said Muenster. "I bought this thing for $8,000. This year most guys are spending between forty to fifty thousand bucks to go asphalt late model racing. I refuse to do that. I buy Mark Schroeder's used aluminum engines. If I were to buy everything new it would force me to close my dirt track operation, which I like, too."

In addition to the pavement late model Muenster races weekly Friday nights at Luxemburg Speedway and Saturday nights at Shawano Speedway in his IMCA modified. "When the season started we planned on missing a few Friday nights at Luxemburg," explained Muenster. "But when we had a good points lead early we decided to run there weekly, too."

Maintaining the two cars keeps Muenster and his crew busy throughout the year. How has Muenster been able to keep an eight year old piece of iron competitive? "We've got a pretty decent maintenance program with our team," said Muenster. "Plus, if I do wreck I just take the car down to Green Bay Auto Body where they straighten the frame out. With the new cars you've got to restub, or put a new front end on. Not with the one we've got."

Having been a Thursday night late model regular at WIR for the past several seasons Muenster has seen average late model car counts of nearly 40 three years ago to less than half that this summer. "It's hard to single out one specific reason for it," said Muenster. "At WIR, the weekly program is run by a club (Fox River Racing Club). And with a club you have the drivers who have a say in most everything, even the rules. In my opinion whenever you let drivers make the rules you are asking for trouble. I say that because they will spend more money than they need to to go fast."

On the other side of the coin, the local dirt tracks have been blessed with a national sanctioning body for the modified and stock car divisions in IMCA. With the national sanction at several area tracks everyone is on the same page as far as rules go. Thus, your pool of potential drivers is that much bigger. "Even with the motor claim which some guys don't like IMCA's really helped the dirt tracks keep healthy car counts in the area," said Muenster. "I've lost motors to guys through the rule and I've claimed them back down the road. It really evens the playing field. Whether or not we'll ever see something like that with the asphalt tracks in Wisconsin is really hard to say. I seriously doubt it would happen."

LUXEMBURG COIN TOSS - Plenty of silver in the form of nickels, dimes and quarters will be sprinkled out onto the racing surface tomorrow night at intermission at Luxemburg Speedway for a kid's coin toss sponsored by the Bank of Luxemburg. A full program including IMCA modifieds, IMCA stock cars, street stocks, sport trucks and four cylinder sport fours is scheduled. Racing gets underway at 7 p.m.

LUXEMBURG OLDIES - I've already been fielding several emails and phone calls from retired drivers interested in taking part in the FOX 11/WOGB 103.1 FM Legends night at Luxemburg Friday, August 9. "We're anticipating anywhere between 30-40 drivers to take part in this event," said track manager Rick Goral. "Plus, we'll have somewhere between 12 to 15 restored coupes and winged modifieds. It should be a lot of fun."In addition, Fox 11's "Fox Fun In The Cities" television program will be broadcast live from the track. Green Bay's Oldies station 103.1 FM WOGB will also host a live broadcast in the afternoon. Some of the familiar names from years past who will take part in the Legends night include Luxemburg's own Augie Derenne and Gene Mathu, De Pere's Bobby Marquis, Casco's Reggie Cochart, Brussel's Randy Guilette, Pulaski's Al Snellenberger, the Zellner brothers, Green Bay's Jim Krouse and Doug Larson, Two Rivers Bucky Wagner and Adell's Mike Melius. Many more drivers are expected to sign up in the next two weeks. The old time racers will take part in one of three special old timers races at the end of the night.

SEMI-TRACTOR DRAGS? - Which track would attempt such a thing? Well Matt Rowe's 141 Speedway, of course. One-on-one semi-tractor drags will take place at the tiny, quarter-mile, paved oval Saturday night. A full program of mid-am sportsman, super stocks, mini stocks and hobby stocks will get underway with qualifying at 5:30 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m.

STURGEON BAY BIG WHEELERS - Kids big wheel races will take place at intermission Saturday night at Door County Speedway in Sturgeon Bay. IMCA modifieds, IMCA stock cars, street stocks and bombers will race beginning at 6 p.m.

HOLLAND'S CLIPS - You can catch Bill Holland's weekly "In The Groove" racing segments Monday and Wednesday evenings during the 6 p.m. news on NBC 26.