John Ostermann Column
October 19th, 2005

Sorry I haven’t written in a while.  I’ve been busy celebrating the Detroit Lions win over the Packers, and their strangle hold on the NFC central division.  I’m not sure that there have ever been bad champions in any sport. Well, maybe the old Oakland Raiders and possibly the Detroit Pistons but that is just an opinion.  The Northern Elite Predators, a team made up of three different high schools, have become great champions.  To put three schools together and to get them all working on the same page is a credit to the players, coaches, and the administrators.  I’ve been very impressed with the way the coaches have handled the power house team, not intentionally running up the score and playing all of their players. Good luck to them in the playoffs.

That’s enough football, this is a racing column.

 
Norway Speedway has never had a bad champion as far as I can remember, and I can remember them all.  Two time defending late model champions Kris Kelly (driver) and his brother Toby (crew chief) must have felt that it was time to give some one else a chance, and took their racing operation down south to the high banks of Slinger Speedway near Milwaukee.  They ran strong even though they were the small fish in the big pond.  With them leaving, it opened the door for Iverson racing out of Hyde, MI to add one more championship to their already impressive resume.  Jamie Iverson was our Pepsi late model division champion this summer.  He did it in a dominating fashion.  I’m going to speak the unspeakable, but I’m starting to believe that Jamie could possibly be as good as or better than his father.  Jamie’s father Bob is in the Upper Peninsula sports hall of fame for his accomplishments on race tracks through out the Midwest.  Bob has won countless championships, upwards of ten or more at Norway and Escanaba.  However, these last couple years his son Jamie, with the help of an outstanding pit crew, some great sponsors, and support of his wife, Julie, have proved to be unbeatable.  Not only are they unbelievably strong at Norway, they have also become a force at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna. Congratulations to the Iverson motor sports team!

           
In the Auto Value super stock division Ryan Windell has won his second straight championship.  I got to park next to the Windell’s in the pit area this past summer.  It was enjoyable to watch Ryan and his dad work together with their pit crew and turn out another outstanding season.  The team is not over powering, but they are very consistent and they pay very close attention to detail like champions do. 

           
In the Slammer division, the continued domination of Travis Reidell was very enjoyable to watch the first couple of years.  Now I’m looking forward to when one of our slammer drivers builds a team that can effectively compete against him.  Knowing Travis, and the way he likes to compete, I’m sure he feels the same way.  Travis is sponsored by his dad’s twin city concrete business in Menominee.  Travis is an employee there and he doesn’t get out of work early enough to move up to the super stock, or our late model division.  Travis is as talented of a driver and car builder as we have at our speedway.  Congratulations to Travis Reidell on his second straight slammer championship.

           
In the fabulous four cylinder division, Tim Wilcox of Florence WI won his first ever championship at Norway Speedway.  Tim de-throwned Gary Dubord Jr. of Escanaba.  Tim has good racing blood lines, as his dad and uncles were very good race car drivers at Norway Speedway when the track was dirt in the mid seventies.  Tim is carrying on the Wilcox championship legacy in the division as his cousin Matt was our 2003 fab four champion.  The fab four division is my favorite division because when I’m watching these kids race I’m always wondering which one is going to move up to either the Auto Value super stocks or the Pepsi late models.  Former fab four drivers, Adam Menor and Scott Stanchina took their racing programs to the next level in the Pepsi late model division this past summer.  Jay Baumler Jr. of Stephenson also had a good rookie season.  Tim Schultz Jr. and Todd Sundstrom from Norway, Karl Lamoreaux from Niagara, and Jason Blohm from Stephenson are all fab four graduates that had outstanding seasons in the Auto Value super stock division. 

           
See you at the racing banquet on October 29^th.  The public is welcome to attend.  www.norwayspeedway.com