Kevin Ramsell talks with Matt Kenseth at the 2008 All-Star Race at Madison International Speedway (Scott Lofquist Photo)By: Kevin Ramsell
I will be the first to admit, when NASCAR announced that the 2009 Daytona 500 was declared to be over and Matt Kenseth was the winner, I had tears in my eyes just like Matt and many others did as well. For many Wisconsin race fans, Kenseth winning the Daytona 500 has a more personal meaning than any other “Great American Race.”

I called Roy Kenseth to congratulate him and he said they were going to the Sports Page Bar in Cambridge to celebrate and I hopped in my car to join them. How often will anyone get the chance to celebrate it with the father and sister of the Daytona 500 champion?

On my way down, I got a call from Jim Tretow, Public Relations Director of the Milwaukee Mile and also the Public Address Announcer for Daytona International Speedway. Tretow, who also has been following Kenseth since the days he ran his late model around the Midwest tracks, had the honor of interviewing the new champion in victory lane.

Check out those stands from 1961Contributed by John Surges
After WWII auto racing was a favorite form of entertainment in the United States. People came out in droves to the tracks throughout the country. From Indy to the short track bullrings the stands were packed five to six nights a week. Fans were eager to cheer on their heroes while watching them risk their lives in these home built machines.

Matt Kenseth poses with the Harley J. Earl trophy after winning the 51th running of the Daytona 500. (Photo Credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)It couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Matt Kenseth, winless a year ago, added the biggest jewel in NASCAR to his trophy collection Sunday, winning a dramatic, rain-shortened Daytona 500 before a capacity crowd of some 200,000 at Daytona International Speedway, plus a Fox national television audience.

Kenseth somehow dodged a huge pileup shortly after lap 125 that easily could have sent him to the scrap-pile like it did young sensation Kyle Busch.

Busch, who had led 88 laps to clearly establish himself as the race favorite, was a victim in a 10-car wreck that had cars sliding through the backstretch infield apron and down the end of the backstretch straightaway in a huge cloud of smoke and debris.

By: Kevin Ramsell
The last name is a familiar name in racing with his grandfather, father and uncles creating a legacy for him to continue. In 2008, Travis Sauter made the most of his second year in the American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment in which he will continue as a Touring Star in 2009.

Sauter finished seventh in points with one ECHO fast time award, five top-five and nine top-ten finishes. The highlight of his season was winning the Lefthander Chassis Hard Charger Award in which he received a new Lefthander Chassis.

“The way the season started we were in the hunt for the championship and then we hit a rough patch starting with WIR that pretty much lasted until Marshfield.  I thought our car was really strong early in the year, and then guys sort of caught up to our speed a little bit,” Sauter stated.  “Then we had motor problems a few times and a flat tire at Milwaukee.  We weren’t terrible at any of the races; we just didn’t have the speed we had earlier.  Then we tested a couple times later in the season and finished strong at La Crosse.”

The crew of the No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet, take over Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night. (Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)Kevin Harvick drove his Richard Childress Chevrolet to the front of the field on the very last lap Saturday night to capture one of the wildest Budweiser Shootouts in the history of Daytona International Speedway.

Constant side-by-side racing filled 75 laps of action Saturday at NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. The race had a record lead changes with 23. (Photo Credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)Harvick cruised across the finish line after a split-second crash behind him and runner-up Jamie McMurray wiped out a group of contenders, including defending Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, contenders Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers, as well as Casey Mears and pole-sitter Paul Menard.

Midwest Championship 200-Lap Feature #99 Dick Trickle Wisconsin Rapids, WIThe following recap was featured in the Dells Motor Speedway 1973 race program. Our special thanks to Bill Johnson for providing this and other Dells Motor Speedway memorabilia to us. Bill’s father Howard was one of three partners in Dells Motor Speedway at that time, including Jerry and Martin Benson.

Calvin Stueck in the 35Q leads the 03 of Cody Hudson and the 0 Of Cody Hockenstad through turns 3 & 4 during the FWD Studded heat raceBy: Randy Van Hoof
Week number 5 of Tilleda Thunder On Ice was a special “Media Day” with guest drivers running a special race to help promote the club. It was well received by the fans and the drivers. There were 6 guest drivers competing in RWD non-studded cars. Thank You to those drivers letting the guests drive their cars for this race.

By: Kevin Ramsell
Jeff Kendall always has a smile on his face when he walks around the pits at Dells Raceway Park, an American Speed Association Member Track, in Wisconsin Dells, WI. He enjoys the sport he competes in and hopes for the opportunity to show his talent at a higher level in racing.

The Montello, WI driver recently captured his fifth championship at Dells Raceway Park this past season. “It’s pretty good here, the owners are really good, most of the drivers are really good and its tough competition. We only had one DNF this year,” Kendall stated. “This is a nice track and once you learn how to get around this track, you can go anywhere and race. The setup is about the same anywhere we go.”

In 2009, Kendall will be back at Dells Raceway Park to defend his championship and will also be looking at the American Speed Association Member Track National Championship.

By Bruce Nuttleman
An ROL Insider Original Article

The NASCAR Camping World Series (formerly Craftsman Truck Series) celebrated it's tenth anniversary a few years ago. Sadly, it's not inconceivable that the 2009 NCWS season may be the last. The headlines in the news scream financial disaster for the world, if not the entire universe. Who really knows if those in the Corporate offices of NASCAR factored a cyclical economic downturn (on steroids) in their plans over the past several seasons? As early as last year, it was painfully obvious that the NCWS was (at best) facing some serious issues in fielding a full field of trucks.

Recent rules changes in the NCWS include a limit of five men over the wall, limiting pit stop adjustments to gas OR tires (but not both) and a sealed engine program. These new rules are designed to lower the cost to compete and breathe economic life back into a series that is in dire straits.

By: Kevin Ramsell
As the inaugural American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment champion, Nathan Haseleu hoped that his 2008 season would have been better. But as he goes into the 2009 season, he is very optimistic that he will return to his championship level.

The Marshall, WI native had a tough start to the 2008 season as he had to use a provisional to get in the season opening event at Elko Speedway. But he was able to rebound by having three top-five and eight top-ten finishes in 14 starts this season.

“We have had a couple of good runs and we had a couple more that could have been good runs that didn’t work out. Kind of like everybody else if you look at the year,” Haseleu stated. “It’s been a struggle but I think we are heading in the right direction and hopefully next year we can be a little bit more competitive and run where I think we should.”