New Luxemburg Speedway Promoters Named! By Joe Verdegan

February 27, 2002; Luxemburg, WI. - Kewaunee County board members approved Tuesday a five year lease agreement between the county and Lakeshore Motorsports Promotions Inc. (LMP) to take over operations of the third-mile, clay oval racetrack at the Kewaunee County Fairgrounds in Luxemburg.

The track, which will continue to host weekly Friday night stock car racing in 2002, will be renamed Luxemburg Speedway. A group of five investors has decided to take over management of the speedplant, formerly known as Luxemburg Tri-Star Speedway. The new group takes over after Kelly Hafeman and his Tri-Star Promotions bowed out after eleven seasons of promoting.

Heading up LMP is Denmark's Rick Goral. Goral, a former car owner and longtime race fan at Luxemburg since the 1960's, works in sales and purchasing at a Green Bay building materials company. Goral had worked Saturday nights at Matt Rowe's 141 Speedway in a number of capacities since that Francis Creek track reopened in 1998. "I learned a lot about the day-to-day operations of a race track there and I hope to apply that at Luxemburg," said Goral. "We're getting this program in pretty good shape. It's a little bit late, but Kelly Hafeman and his Tri-Star Promotions staff had a successful run here. We're just hoping to build upon what they've accomplished in 11 years."

Joining Goral as partners in LMP are Kewaunee businessman Lonny Van Goethem, Luxemburg businessman Bobby Dorner, Goral's brother Bob Goral and former IMCA stock car track champion and Green Bay businessman Steve Swoboda.

One of Goral's goals is to establish and re-establish ties with the local businesses. "We'll attempt to do business with Luxemburg and Kewaunee County folks in general," said Goral. "It's vital for us to have their support throughout the season."

With getting the lease agreement with the county a little bit late Goral has only eight weeks to assemble a staff, set up a race schedule, purchase the necessary equipment and soak up as much advice as he can about getting off the ground. "In the coming weeks we'll have several announcements detailing our plans for the season. We will have a driver's meeting sometime in March. All of this information will be released very shortly."

The season opener is scheduled on Friday night, April 26 at 7 p.m. IMCA modifieds, IMCA stock cars and street stocks will compete weekly at the track. Super trucks, the Door County Speedway bombers and a yet-unnamed entry level class will also compete on a rotating basis. For more information call 920 863 8446. A new website for the track will also be constructed in the very near future.