By Kari Shear-Carlson
July 22, 2011 - Austin "The Ace" Luedtke won the first feature event of his career in none other than the ASA Midwest SCAG Truck Tour at Madison International Speedway on July 2nd. The win catapulted Luedtke to the top of the point standings where he continues to maintain a 22 point lead over last year's champion, Jerry Wood.
Austin knew what he wanted to do the first time he set foot through the gates of Slinger Super Speedway. As he sat in the stands, through his seven-year-old eyes, he watched as the Slinger Bees raced on the high-banked quarter-mile. He kept telling himself, 'I want to do that someday...I will do that someday!"
If you tell yourself something often enough, chances are it will come true. That is exactly what happened to Austin. When he turned 14, the legal age to drive in the Slinger Bee class, Austin jumped behind the wheel. Because he has a summer birthday he was only able to run a half season his first year and followed it up the next year with a full season.
The following year, Luedtke moved up to the Midwest Sportsman division at Slinger and then moved up to running Super Late Models at Slinger. This year, Austin is the current point leader in the ASA Midwest SCAG Truck Tour and racing Super Late Models at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, WI.
"I have to thank my parents for always believing in me and allowing me to follow my dream. They back me up 110% and I could not have made it this far without them. And non of this would be possible without God as my co-pilot," said Luedtke humbly.
The 18-year-old driver of the Spring Valley sponsored Pathfinder truck discussed the idea of jumping right into the ASA Midwest Tour Super Late Model division in 2011. But after thinking it through and talking it over with the guys at Pathfinder, they decided to start with the Truck division.
This decision allowed Luedtke to stay with a 10" tire, a little less horsepower, and the opportunity to adapt to the traveling schedule and the variety of tracks; a pretty mature decision for a young driver who is looking at his future for the long-term. Austin, along with his sponsors, Spring Valley and the Wisconsin National Guard, will move up to the ASA Midwest Tour Super Lates in 2012.
Luedtke, just like any driver, could not do what he loves to do without the support and relationship with his sponsors. Spring Valley, based in Jackson, WI, has been dedicated to the strategy of implementing supreme-quality fertilizers in the Professional Green Industry for more than 50 years. Owners, Randy and Sue Vogel have carried that dedication over to their belief in and support of Austin.
"They are a great family friend and sponsor. They want to be a part of everything and are taking it to the next level. They are making fan shirts and hats with my number on them and they also give out postcards to all their customers inviting them to my races! I look forward to keeping the relationship strong. They are great people to have around," said a more than appreciative Luedtke.
In addition to Spring Valley, Austin has the support of the Wisconsin National Guard, something he is very proud to carry on his Truck. "They do so much for our country and it makes me feel very proud to have them as a sponsor. My grandfather was in the Army and it is really neat to have people who serve our country, just as he did, support me," said Austin.
Even though he is leading the points, "The Ace" knows that it is not easy to win a championship when you are racing against some of the strongest drivers in the area. "It is going to take consistency and I have to qualify better," said Luedtke. "We always have a good truck for the heats and the feature, but we just have to work on qualifying," he added.
As Austin transitions into the Super Late Model division of the ASAMT in 2012, he recognizes that the level of competition is one of the biggest factors. He will be racing against the best drivers in the Midwest and possibly even the country, but there is no doubt the youngster can handle it.
"I was watching practice times at Elko Speedway and the times were so close, I could not believe it. We are going to have to be on top of our game and take the extra step. I have to make sure I am doing everything right on my end. It is going to be a big difference than this year, but I'm ready for the challenge."
Austin and the rest of the ASA Midwest SCAG Truck Tour will take on the challenge of State Park Speedway in Wausau, WI on Friday, July 29th for the Larry Detjens Memorial 50.
They will join the American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and GrandStay Hospitality on Friday, August 12th at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, IA.
For more information and details on all of the upcoming events, visit asamidwesttour.com.
Become a Fan of the ASA Midwest Tour at www.facebook.com/asamidwesttour.
To learn more about the American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and GrandStay Hospitality, log on to asamidwesttour.com. For questions call the ASA Midwest Tour office at (630) 212-6022 or Tim Olson at (612) 327-5831 or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@asamidwesttour.comor Steve Einhaus at steve@asamidwesttour.com.
To learn more about the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association® Racing Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association®, visit www.asaracing.com.