Rookies at Wisconsin International Raceway

(March 29th, 2003)It wasn't to long ago when a new rookie team would show up at WIR with an older car on an open trailer.  It now appears as these new teams that are coming in have top of the line equiptment, from brand new motors to brand new cars.  It has been a topic in NASCAR now that the new drivers coming in are getting signed by the top teams and driving top of the line cars. This year at WIR we are thankful for the new rookie teams that are coming in as we have lost some of our veteran teams.  There are 5 new rookie late model teams and 5 new rookie limited late model teams.

The late models rookies are Bob Danes, Brent Strelka, Matt Van Elzen, Jeremy Lepak, and Kyle Waush.

Matt Van Elzen is moving up from the Mini Stock division at 141 Speedway to Super Late Models at Wisconsin International Raceway.  Matt's original plans were for him to run in the Limited Late Model division at WIR in 2003.  Matt has been working with Mike Butz building new cars for teams over the winter which is what helped him land this new deal.  Mike Butz has agreed to mentor and groom Matt and that is what the deciding factor to move up to the Late Model division.  Matt will be driving a Mike Butz build Lefthander Chassis with the powerplant coming from Goodwin Competition.  Matt is really looking forward to his new ride and we are expecting Matt to show he is deserving of this ride.  We expect to see Matt handle the change just like Gregg Haese did. Remember Gregg Haese ran at 141 Speedway weekly before moving up, just like Matt is doing this year.

Brent Strelka has showed that he is a talented driver over the years driving in the limited late model division.  He raced on the quarter (1/4) mile track at Wisconsin International Raceway and followed the divisions move to the half (1/2) Mile track.  Having owned his own team before the 2003 season, Brent is looking forward to driving for an owner. Brent has made the jump to ASA in the 2002 season having run a couple ASA events.  After Brent made the jump alot of people question why he did not run Late Model before moving up, although Brent ran well in ASA we believe having a year of Late Model racing under his belt will make a big difference.  Brent will be driving for Gerald and Cheryl Schnieder a team that previously had Mike Reichenberger behind the wheel.  At this time the team is unsure what number they will run for the 2003 season. Brent will continue to run ASA this season also, running around 6 events.

Kyle Waush will be making the transition from Limited Late Models to Late Models this season.  Kyle's father Kurt was driving the car at WIR on a periodic basis until turning the wheel over to Kyle.  During the 2002 season Kyle ran weekly as a Limited Late Model driver, but ran the car with the Late Models a couple of weeks.  The team has made the plans to run in the Late Model division fulltime during the 2003 season.  The team will carry the familar #65, the team is looking for a primary sponsor for the 03 season.

Jeremy Lepak, the driver that many feel is the next up and coming Wisconsin driver to make it big will have a full plate of racing this summer.  Jeremy will once again drive for EDS Motorsports in the International Truck and Engine Midwest Series, formerly the Remax Challenge Series.  The team ran about 5 races during the 2002 season, but will be running the full schedule this season challenging for the Rookie of the Year Honors.  Jeremy will run Jerry Schnieder's #28 Late Model at WIR when it doesn't interfere with his Remax racing.  If Jeremy was running the full season we expect he would be a tough challenge for the Rookie of the Year honors at WIR, but not being able to run the full year might keep him from winning it.

Bob Danes "the flying farmer" is making the move to the late models for the 03 season, having run the last couple of years as a limited late model. Bob has purchased the 2002 Championship winning car from Mike Butz Racing and will be running for Rookie of the Year honors.  We feel this will be a learning year for Bob and the team, we understand the team was going to run as a limited late model, but the car they bought is to good to not run as a Late Model.

Limited Late Model rookies for the 2003 season are Kyle Calmes, Tom Gee Jr., Mike King Jr, Ryan Manthei, Nate Van Van Wychen and Callin Harrel.

Kyle Calmes is moving from the Wisconsin Sport Truck division that runs on the 1/4 mile to a Limited Late Model on the 1/2 mile.  The team will run a brand new Lefthander built by Mike Butz Racing with the power plant coming from Goodwin Competition.  We feel this team will run very strong during the 2003 season, with the team having top of the line equipment for a rookie team the expections should be set high. No number has been chosen by the team that we are aware of.

Tom Gee Jr, the nephew of Mike Butz will be running a package very similar to Kyle Calmes, now you realize who Mike Butz and Matt Van Elzen have been building cars for.  Tom Gee and Kyle Calmes are both young drivers who have alot of talent, we expect there to be some fierce battles between the these two drivers.  Tom Gee Jr. will run his familar #17, that he ran on his sport truck.

Callin Harrel who is related to Richard Childress the Nascar team owner is making the move from Street Stocks to the Limited Late Model division.  The team has purchased the car that Jeff Van Oudenhoven ran in 2002 which will be powered by a B & B spec motor.  Cal started in go karts at age 10 and has had many wins in karts at Northeast Wisconsin tracks as well as 2001 track champion.  Last year he ran full time at wir street stock div. and took 8th overall as well as rookie of the year.  He will turn 17 on may 10th and we are looking for a fun and safe year for ourselves and our competitors.

Mike King Jr will be running Limited Late Models for the 2003 season.  If you have been around racing at WIR you will remember Mike King Senior who ran the #1 Limited Late Model when the division ran on the quarter mile, when the division moved to the half mile, Mike decided to not move up with them.  This season Mike is being his son in his car for the 2003 season, the team will be running for rookie of the year honors.

Ryan Manthei a driver who ran Mid American cars at 141 Speedway and did some traveling with the touring series will make WIR his new home for weekly racing.  Ryan will race weekly with the Limited Late Model division with hopes of winning the Rookie of the Year honors.

Nate Van Wychen has just got his racing plans for the 2003 season changed for the better.  Nate had planned on running in the figure 8 class for the 2003 season like he has done in years past, but he will be making the move to the half mile with the limited late model division.  Nate will take over driving duties of the #24 Limited Late Model class

These are the drivers that we know of at the time that are running for rookie of the year honors in these divisions.  There might be some new teams that we are unaware of at this time and there are some drivers that we are unsure are running for rookie of the year or not.

Yours in Racing,
Corey Juelich