MIS E-News
Week of January 29, 2007
by John Wells

Here's an update from Madison International Speedway. As we move closer to the start of the 2007 season we will be sending our MIS E-News out more often. As always your comments are encouraged.

Madison International Speedway Banquet
The banquet honoring the accomplishments of the 2006 racing season was held on Saturday night at The Heights in Verona, Wisconsin. Nearly 400 people attended this year's banquet which is the highest total since I have been affiliated with the speedway.

Bobby Wilberg, Jeremy Miller, Scott Riedner, Mike Storkson, and Tyler Kelley received their trophies for being track champions in their respective divisions. Runner-ups Travis Sauter, Bobby Wilberg, Scott Lawver, Johnny Robinson, and Stephen Scheel also took home trophies.

Drivers who finished third through fifth in their respective divisions were awarded plaques. All drivers who were members and raced at least 75% of the shows received point fund checks.

The top two drivers in each division had an opportunity to address the crowd. A summary of some of their comments will appear in an upcoming MIS E-News.

Rookie of the Year winners also received trophies and included Jason Erickson, Cliff Rucks, Shaun Scheel, Kyle Stark, and Stephen Scheel.

Five drivers were recognized as Fan Favorites as a result of voting this past August. Winners included Zack Riddle, Jeremy Miller, Ryan Goldade, Mike Storkson, and Kyle Riedner. The car of Jason Erickson was voted "Best Appearing." Travis Sauter won the "Hard Luck" Award for 2006.

Wayne Forsythe of Wayne's Custom DIECAST presented Trophy Dash Awards to Jeremy Miller and Bobby Wilberg with Bill Baumeister winning the Hard Charger Award. Wayne also announced that his dash series will expand to six events in 2007 and will remain with the limited late model division.

Scotty Ernst made his debut as banquet emcee and guests also heard messages from Dave Grueneberg, Terry Kunes, and Steve Einhaus. Several MIS employees also received plaques including our very own Evie who took home a shotgun.

Travis Sauter and Chris Quam won gift certificates from Five Star while Scott Lawver won a chassis from Lefthander that was presented by Eric Hoffman. Hundreds of door prizes were also distributed throughout the evening.

We sincerely hope that all of you who were in attendance had a great time.

Madison Late Model Rules Updated
Updated rules for the Madison Late Models are posted on our website. Limited late model and Bandit rules are currently posted with the only change for those divisions being a Snell Foundation 2005 required.

The World Traveler Returns for 2007
Track announcer Scotty Ernst will be behind the mic once again in 2007. I spoke with Scotty the other day and he was in Toronto, Ontario...the week before he was in Denmark. Scotty is very actively involved in the RC racing business and his work takes him to events all over the world. All of us had a great time working with Scotty in 2006 and are looking forward to working with him this year.

2007 Driver Profiles...Let us promote you!
I would like to feature our weekly MIS drivers in our MIS E-News. Just send me your plans for 2007, a brief bio, and any other pertinent information and I'll do everything I can to include it in the E-News between now and the start of the season. Last year one of our featured drivers even picked up a sponsor after a business owner who received our newsletter read his profile.

Drivers should also monitor our website for 2007 driver information forms.

2007 MIS Yearbook
I am looking for ideas for our 2007 yearbook. Email me with story ideas and / or suggestions. If any of you would be willing to submit a story it would be given strong consideration for inclusion in this year's yearbook. I am looking for human interest type stories...fans can write about their greatest memories, etc. Contact me at mismedia2@yahoo.com


Chaplain's Corner
by Todd Christopherson

The other night I got to go to the UW hockey game. It was a great game. I have wanted to see a UW vs. Minnesota game for many years. And to see them pull the upset win was loads of fun.

I sat next to a guy that is an amateur fan. I knew that because he was up and down and wanted fights to break out. At one point I leaned over and said, “That if our guy would have throw a punch, like he wanted, we would have had a 4 minute major or maybe a 10 and disqualification. That would be good.” He did not have a lot to say the rest of the game and his friend said thanks for putting him in his place.

As I was driving home I thought about the “race fans” that go waiting and hoping for a wreck.

In both cases the “fan” does not under stand the cost. In hockey it is penalties. In racing it is possible injury, a car that has cost to re-build and hours of time by the team away from their families to work on the car. It is costly to wreck.

Then I got serious and thought about the spiritual application. I think, way too often I do not take in consideration the cost of my sin. If I took the small and the big sin as serious as God takes it, maybe I would be willing to obey more then I do. I/we need to take sin very seriously and count the cost, Jesus’ death on the cross. It was a good object lesson and has helped me think clearly. Hope this helps you.

See you soon! Have a great day in racin’ in the SONshine,

That's all for this edition of the MIS E-News.