Thirty-four of the best midgets in the country took shots at qulifying for the Fireman’s Nationals presented by Pepsi on Saturday. At $15,000 to win and a total purse of over $35,000, this was one of the riches midget races in the world.
The day started with a big trophy dash payout, as the six fastest Badger regulars drove for a purse of over $3,000 in the Dave Schulenberg Memorial Dash. Jerry Coons Jr. added his name to the unique trophy of trowels as he lead every lap of the event. Schulenberg was a Sun Prairie High School grad, who owned Dave’s Masonry. He was a regular fan at Angell Park Speedway and a sponsor of Brandon Waelti’s car. He was tragically killed while driving home after a midget race in Illinois and since then his family and friends have supported this race in his memory.

By Chris Budzban
August 30, 2008; Sturgeon Bay, WI - Sturgeon Bay’s Randy LeMieux Jr. captured his second straight IMCA modified feature win at the Forest County Potawatomi Thunderhill Raceway.

LeMieux Jr., Dan Ratajczak, Kyle Kudick and Billy LeMieux quickly separated themselves from the rest of the field in the IMCA modified feature, but Billy LeMieux’s car went up in smoke, dropping him out of the race. Ratajczak and Kudick would battle for second, until Ratajczak sailed off of turn 4, ending his night as well. LeMieux Jr. went on to win uncontested, followed by Kudick, Todd Dart, Kevin Sternard and Jay Matthias.

With his 3rd place finish, Dart captured his unprecedented 6th track championship in the IMCA modified division at Thunderhill.

By Andrew Schaller
August 29, 2008; Columbus, WI. - Juneau's Dean Schultz laid claim to his second feature win of the season in the 35 lap main event while the battle for the championship is as tight as ever heading into the final week of the season. With the Season Championships on the horizon, Ron Bishofberger holds a slight 11 point advantage over his closest competitor Don Gaserude. But it was Schultz grabbing headline after his feature winning performance at Columbus 151 Speedway.

Zeke Bishofberger took the early lead as the field crossed the stripe to complete lap one. The first of two cautions slowed the pack on lap two, setting up Al Weishoff to Zeke Bishofberger's outside for the restart. Weishoff pulled even on lap three, and took control of the point two laps later with Schultz in tow for second. The duo began to separate themselves from the field as Schultz pressured the new leader. Meanwhile, Gaserude and Ron Bishofberger fought their way into the top five with Gaserude holding off Bishofberger for third. On lap 19, Weishoff and Schultz made contact through turns one and two, allowing Schultz to shoot into the lead and forcing Weishoff to fall to fourth. Schultz battled through the final caution on lap 24 to see the checkers first followed by Gaserude, Ron Bishofberger, Weishoff and Jeff Falbe. Andy Wendt was fastest in qualifying with a lap of 13.361 while heat winners included Delbert Desjarles and Mike Taylor.

by Gene Harmelink
A nearly perfect weather night greeted those in attendance at Eagle Valley Speedway on Sunday, August 24, as they enjoyed the night’s races presented by River Country Coop. Just one race remains on the schedule, that being the seventh annual Lonnie Leu Memorial on August 31 with enhanced pay in all classes provided by Southworth Chevrolet and Lisa Leu. Races previously scheduled for September 5 and 6 have been cancelled.

In WISSOTA/Amsoil Modified action, Dan Hesch and Kevin Rogers started on the front row with Hesch taking an early lead. A caution for heat winner, Mike Anderson, spinning in turns three and four, prior to the completion of lap three, resulted in Anderson going to the pits with his night done and the field being reset with Hesch once again taking the lead.

Night-two saw more of the same for Hall of Fame weekend at Angell Park Speedway. The track was well prepared as thirty-six cars took a shot at the pole, three more than the night before. All fell well short of Friday’s speeds though, as no one cracked the 14-second mark on the heavy clay. Michael Pickens, in a second Huston Solution car, won the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame plaque for fast time at 15.073.
Pickens lead off the first heat in an inauspicious manner as he appeared to catch another car’s wheel and did a violent end over ender toward the turn one fence. He climbed out of the machine, but that entry was done for the night. When racing resumed, they went two by two early as Joe Wipperfurth and Mike Hess battled for first while Jerry Coons Jr. and Darren Hagen (the newest Steve Lewis driver) went at it for third. On the third lap, Hagen couldn’t hold his low line coming out of turn one and spun, bringing out the first caution. Hess took the point on the restart and by lap eight Coons caught him. They ran even for an entire lap with Coons on the top and Hess at the rail. On the last lap Coons powered through two and passed Hess for the lead and win.

By Ed Reichert
Menomonie WI, August 22 – The regular season finale was contested Friday night at the Red Cedar Speedway with Steve Hallquist and rookie driver Mark Hanson topping the list of new winners for the season in a rain delayed program. A rain storm hit just at the conclusion of the Midwest Modified feature which produced a ninety minute delay. After repacking the track, all but the Pure Stock feature was able to be completed before the curfew with the Pure Stock drivers splitting the purse for their event. Other winners tonight included Jimmy Mars and Mark Gerth.

The Super Stocks were the first cars on the track after the rains and the track was blistering fast with the groove a bit on the narrow side. Steve Hallquist started on the outside pole and got the jump on Chad Johnson to take the early lead with the yellow waving after two laps for debris on the track.

Marc Bragg
Wausau, WI (August 14) - It was another great night to go racing here at State Park Speedway. Tonight was fan appreciation night, so there was a free hot dog in every hand and cars on the track. Fans were able to go down on the track and meet the drivers and see the cars. The drivers had candy, flags, and autographed pictures for the kids.

Our first heat was the mini stocks, Joe Kuehn was out to a good lead but got into Jenny Nitzsche on the front stretch. Also there was some contact in between Adam Eckes and Bob Schult on the front stretch pushing Bob into the grass. On the restart Bob Schult would be out in the lead and take the win. Next was our mini mod heat Brian Brummond would have a good jump on the pack but quickly lost his lead to Dale Louze and John Lietz. Once the pack got through the restart Richie Kersten would bump into Phil Malouf causing him to hit the wall in a shower of sparks. Dale Louze would battle John Lietz for the win.

By Ed Reichert
Menomonie WI, August 15 – Mike Goodremote, Mike Anderson, Shawn Huse, Mark Gerth and Nick Field were all crowned as Season Champions at the Red Cedar Speedway Friday as championships were held in all five classes. Among the race highlights tonight were one photo finish, one last lap pass and two first time feature winners. While the champions were determined tonight, one more bonus week of racing will be held next Friday night at the Dunn County Rec Park, in part because of the very short racing season due to weather issues throughout the summer.

By: Series PR
Beaver Dam, Wi 7/12 It was long overdue, but Brian Kristan won his first Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series A-main event by capturing Round 3 of Charter Raceway Park's Duel At The Dam series. The second generation driver drove the bottom of the banked third-mile to perfection, holding off multiple challange's by runner-up Donny Goeden, however Kristan aboard his Weiland Racing Enerprises / J&J Powdercoating Maxim opened up a comfortable margin at the checkerd, and then the popular pilot executed a great set of victory donuts thrilling the large crowd. Kristan has had numerous top five finishes in IRA career but was never able to seal the deal, however on this night he put his name in the IRA record book with a big exclamation point. Goeden came home a strong second over point leader Billy Balog, with a charging duo of Bill Warren and Scott Biertzer completing the top five. Mike Kertscher edged Tommy Sexton and Mike Reinke in a wild battle for sixth, with Kurt Winker and Todd Hepfner rounding out the top ten.

By: Series PR
6/6 Beaver Dam, WI Billy Balog has made his decision to compete for the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series championship payoff thus far, as the former series Rookie of the Year captured his first A-main win of the season and regained the early point lead by capturing the 25 lap headliner at the Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway. Balog had his Maxim chassis performing perfectly on the big half-mile scoring a well earned victory after starting 12th in the 24 car A-main field. Balog, known as the Alaskan Cheesehead, proved his strength by holding off former 2-time IRA Champion and local Beaver Dam favorite Scotty Neitzel on two consecutive green white checkered restarts to put a big exclamation point on his win. Balog didn't only defeat his rivals on this night, but Mother Nature too as tornado's
and heavy storms ravaged nearby areas just to the southeast.