|
MIS E-News
Week of August 28, 2006
by John Wells
Wow...two weeks in a row of rain. We lost our second consecutive Friday night
of racing this past week due to heavy rainfall in the Madison area...as much
as five inches in places.
Dave Grueneberg worked diligently to channel the water from the pit area on
Thursday night only to have it rain much of the night and on Friday. Standing
water was all over in the pits and in the infield of the track and on the low
side of the front stretch for the quarter mile.
It's frustrating for all of us when we have to cancel a racing event.
Unfortunately we can't control the elements and they've had the best of us the
past couple of weeks. No more rainouts for the rest of the season!!!
It also puts a damper on the points chase for the five divisions. What would
have been two or three opportunities to catch the leaders has now become one.
It's going to make for a lot of off-season speculation as to what would have
happened if we didn't have these rain outs.
Vote Now for MIS Drivers of the Year
You now have the opportunity to vote for your favorite MIS drivers for the
2006 racing season. All you have to do is the following:
1) Select a favorite driver in each of the five weekly divisions: Madison ASA
Late Models, Limited Late Models, Area Sportsman, Hobby Stocks, and Bandits.
2) Select what you feel is the best appearing car at MIS.
3) Email your choices to mismedia2@yahoo.com
Only one vote per email address please. Winning drivers will be recognized at
our banquet in January.
This Friday at MIS
Five drivers will be crowned track champions this Friday night at Madison
International Speedway as part of the CarQuest Season Championships.
Travis Sauter of Necedah, Wisconsin, is headed for his first-ever track
championship in the Weaver Auto Parts Madison ASA Late Models. The twenty-one
year old third generation driver currently leads defending track champion
Bobby Wilberg by 45 points. Sauter will still need a solid finish on Friday in
order to maintain his advantage. Rounding out the top five are Nate Haseleu,
Dan Lensing, and Andrew Morrissey. Jason Erickson leads the current rookie of
the year standings.
Rockton, Ilinois' Jeremy Miller tops the standings in the Rockweiler
Insulation Limited Late Models. Miller has a twenty-six point lead over
Wilberg going into the final night. Bill Baumeister, Jerry Gille, and Beau
Sanden hold down top five positions in the standings. Cliff Rucks leads the
way in the race for the rookie of the year.
Powered by six feature wins in 2006, Scott Riedner of Waunakee leads the field
in the Bryden Motors Area Sportsman. Scott Lawver, Casey Burns, Ryan Goldade,
and Chris Ehrhart comprise the rest of the top five.
The Club La Mark Hobby Stocks point race is currently led by Mike Storkson who
is going for the first championship in his career. Storkson currently has a 30
point lead over Johnny Robinson II. Nick Newton is in third place followed by
Kyle Stark and Rodger Stephenson.
Tyler Kelley of Oregon is on his way to becoming the youngest ever track
champion at Madison International Speedway. The fifteen year old driver is the
current leader of the Roto Rooter Bandits division. Kelley leads Stephen
Scheel 993-919 with Rory Padfield, Alex Jones, and Kyle Riedner third through
fifth.
Pit gates open at 3:30 this Friday with hot laps slated for 4:45 with
qualifying at 6:45 and racing at 7:30.
A Big Night Planned for September 8th
It's hard to believe that the final racing night of the season is closing in
on us. But what a better way to end the season than what we have planned for
you on Friday, September 8th.
"This event has become a real tradition at MIS and is a great way for the
racing community to say thank you to our veterans," said MIS general
manager Dave Grueneberg as he describerd the fourth annual "Tribute to
America Night" presented by Bryden Motors which will take place on
Friday, September 8th at Madison International Speedway. Race fans will have
an opportunity to recognize those who are serving our country as well as enjoy
a full night of racing action.
As part of a tribute to our country, a Blackhawk helicopter will be landing in
the infield with several military veterans on board. Among the veterans will
be Chief Warrant Officer 2 Timothy Salzwedel. Salzwedel served in Vietnam,
Desert Storm, and most recently, Iraq. Salzwedel will be presenting the
American flag during pre-race ceremonies. Major Patrick Beyer, who served with
the Wisconsin based 264th Engineer Group during Iraqi Freedom, will be
addressing the crowd.
Highlighting the racing action will be the return of the super late models to
Wisconsin's Fastest Half-Mile when the Wisconsin Challenge Series makes their
second appearance of the season. In May over fifty super late models came to
MIS and another big field of cars is expected to compete for a starting
position in the WCS 100.
"The WCS is a great racing series and we are really looking forward to
their second visit this year. It's going to be a very competitive field and a
tough battle just to make the feature," said MIS promoter Steve Einhaus.
Dave Feiler of Sun Prairie topped the field of fifty plus cars when the series
was at MIS back in May.
The Bryden Motors Area Sportsman, who normally compete on the quarter mile,
will be making the switch to the half mile for this event. "We are
encouraging Area Sportsman drivers from throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, and
beyond to come to MIS and have some fun racing on the big track," said
Einhaus.
The Roto Rooter Bandits and LGR Super Stocks will also be in action on the
quarter mile. This will mark the first visit from the LGR Super Stocks and
over twenty drivers have already committed to participate in this event.
According to Einhaus, "These guys are looking for somewhere to race and
we are happy to accomodate them. It will be fun watching them try out our
quarter mile."
The Area Sportsman, LGR Super Stocks, and Bandits races are all non-points
events.
The evening's events will also include a spectacular fireworks presentation
from Thundercat Fireworks. "If you haven't seen a fireworks show at MIS
you certainly want to make sure you are here on the 8th," said MIS
general manager Dave Grueneberg.
This is a perfect opportunity for you to say thanks to our veterans by coming
out to the track on September 8th.
Pit gates will open at 2:00 with hot laps beginning at 3:00, qualifying at
6:15 and racing at 7:30. For more information please call the track office at
608.835.9700 or checkout the track website at madisoninternationalspeedway.com
This is going to be a big night. The Wisconsin Challenge Series has become one
of the best short track series in the midwest and beyond. Jeff Sachse had both
a long range vision and a gameplan and he has stuck to it...I commend him for
that and the results speak for themselves.
Big News for Area Sportsman Drivers
Madison International Speedway Area Sportsman drivers will have the
opportunity to win a chassis from Lefthander Chassis.
To be eligible, a driver must be an MIS point fund member, completed 75% of
the races this season, and planning on moving up to either a limited late
model, super late model, or Madison ASA Late Model.
"This is a way for me to give something to the guys in the support
divisions that generally cannot afford to make the move up to a higher
division. These days it's difficult to make ends meet for the average racer
and I am glad that I can help one of these guys who has been supporting
Madison International Speedway, " said Wayne Lensing of Lefthander
Chassis.
MIS promoter Steve Einhaus couldn't say enough about Wayne's offer: "This
goes to show what type of a person Wayne Lensing is. He is extending support
to a fine group of guys that have dreams about moving up a division. This
gives them added incentive to make the move and I am thankful for the support
that these Sportsman guys have given MIS. We should give Lefthander Chassis a
big pat on the back for making this happen."
>From all of us at MIS...thank you Wayne!
Suggestion Box for 2007 is Open
We are already looking ahead to the 2007 racing season and your suggestions
are always welcome. You can go to our website and click on the email link or
email me at mismedia2@yahoo.com. Please leave your name so we can contact you
if we have questions or can give you credit for something we may add or change
in 2007.
Make Your 2007 Plans
Become a marketing partner with MIS or begin to set up dates for your
corporate outings. Contact Holly Coley at 608.835.9700 for more information.
Recliner Races for Kids Club Members and Their Families
Contact the track office for more information regarding the upcoming recliner
races at MIS.
New Addition to Dorsey Family
Congratulations to Jaime and Kristy Dorsey on the birth of their daughter,
Lainey, on August 6th. Be sure to stop by after the races this Friday and
congratulate Jaime.
The Chaplain's Corner
by Todd Christopherson
Well, we lost another race. This week I was thinking about the pit stops in
Cup. There are not too many times that a guy comes in and does not make any
adjustments. Think about how many changes you make during the week and on
Friday evening. You want to make that car as best as you can.
It is the same as with the LORD. We should be trying to change for the LORD
daily. I know that there are things in my life that do not belong. They are
not of God, they are of the flesh, selfish, sinful things. We need to move
closer to the LORD by reading the word daily and obeying.
It would be pretty silly to see a guy unload on a Friday and race Sunday with
no changes. You know it would not turn out good for him. Some way with us. We
can not just same the same, as easy as that sounds, we end up wrecked.
Do you struggle with something? Maybe I can help. Let me know and we can talk
and pray.
Get well wishes go out to Bob Schmelzer...Bob's been a little under the
weather lately and hopefully is feeling better. He's one of the people I look
forward to talking to each week..stop by and say hi to him at the pit gate.
Joe Rebman Dies in Racing Accident
On behalf of all of us at Madison International Speedway we would like to
offer our condolences to the family of Joe Rebman, 21, of Mansfield, Ohio, who
died on August 11th as the result of injuries from a racing accident at
Mansfield. Joe set the all-time speed record at MIS in 2004 before Tim Cox
topped it in 2005.
Joe was a competitor in the Hoosier Outlaw Sprint Series (HOSS). Ironically,
his teammate Don Townsend lost his life at Mansfield in a racing accident in
2005.
Thank You MIS Employees
Putting on a racing program involves many, many people. Some are easily seen
or heard like on-track officials and announcers. Many are behind the scenes
putting in a lot of sweat equity to their jobs. We couldn't do it without all
of you.
So hats off to those who work in the pits, the infield, the concession areas,
and anywhere else at MIS. Many of our employees never get to see a race
because of the nature of their jobs.
Congratulations on a job well done!
See you at the races everyone. Have a great week and enjoy the Labor Day
weekend by kicking it off at MIS on Friday night.
|
|
|
