The Vault
2004 – OPENING NIGHT AT SHAWANO, 90 CARS FOR LUXEMBURG PRACTICE
Posted on: Wednesday December 3, 2025
(The following is a racing column that appeared in Checkered Flag Racing News estimated to be mid-April, 2004)
RACIN AROUND TITLETOWN by Joe Verdegan
Saturday proved to quite busy for us as we scurried to get to two race tracks in one day. We started
things off with the car show/inspection/practice session at Luxemburg Speedway. The sun was shining
but the brisk winds brought a bite along with them. Unlike last year’s practice session that was washed
out nearly 90 machines representing nine different divisions were on hand.
Todd “Felix” Dart nabbed the honor of being the first car on the track for the 2004 season. Dart was
also assisting buddy James Tebon, a former street stock ace who purchased Dart’s modified. “I plan
on running weekly both (at Luxemburg) and Sturgeon Bay,” said Tebon. Machines
were strung out five at a time and given between eight and 10 laps.
On the other hand Freddie “Andretti” Davister drew the first yellow of the year when he snapped an
axle in his street stock on the frontstretch. “I sold my modified because I got tired of spending money,”
joked Davister, who’ll run the five street stock specials at Luxemburg and an occasional visit to Thunder
Hill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay.
Playing things a little on the cautious side, “Trackmaster” Bobby Marquis probably didn’t water as much
as he normally would have. The track albeit dry and dusty was smooth. “I’ll take smooth any day of the
week,” said WISSOTA late model driver Tom Naeyaert, who took full advantage of the practice session
getting several laps in under his belt. Naeyaert was one of five late models on hand. Luke Roffers, Ron
Berna, former track promoter Ralph Aschenbrenner and Doug Klemp all took advantage of the practice
session.
A pair of EWSC supermods showed up, as Brian “Tornado” Porschy and Robert Enders gave the
Luxemburg fans a bit of variety – something different than what runs there on a weekly basis.
Defending IMCA modified champion Brian Mullen was on hand, sporting a machine that he uses for
open competition shows. It sported a rear spoiler and what was termed by pit insiders as “an oven”.
I think it’s a safe bet Mullen will probably pull “the oven” out should he choose to attend Luxemburg’s
opener. “Me and Mike (Mashl) are thinking about running down to Batesville (Arkansas) next weekend.
Shows on both Friday and Saturday pay $1,000 to win. If we do, it will be a good tuneup to the
$100,000 to win show down there the following week.”
In the IMCA mods most of the track’s “heavy hitters” if you will were on hand. Dart, Scott and Brian
Mullen, Sean Jerovetz, Eric Van Iten, Jay Matthias, Jeremy Jacobs, Dave Zeitler, diehard Ford
campaigner Danny Deau, Robert Waechter and Darrell Massart. Benji LaCrosse was sitting
in the stands watching, car and trailer ready to head to Shawano that night.
“We thought it would be too much to change gears and such,” said Benji’s dad and crew chief
Larry LaCrosse. Still others practiced, changed from third-mile to half-mile gears in Luxemburg’s
pit area and headed west, with plenty of time to spare.
A welcome sight to the driver’s were the new lights, in both the pit area and on the track.
The lighting at Luxemburg has been known to have been “subpar” in recent years, but not anymore.
Track management spent all Saturday night aiming the lights.
While he didn’t get the best appearing car award “Revvin Kevin” Sternard could certainly get an
honorable metion, with his IMCA modified. Troy Muench sold his Thunder Hill championship
street stock to Forestville’s Von Etchenson, who shook the car down.
After an afternoon of practice we joined the caravan of race cars, who hooked up from highway
54 to highway 29 west to Shawano. To our surprise when we arrived it was actually much cooler
in Shawano than it was in Luxemburg. A few more cars showed up than during the opener,
including 43 IMCA modifieds, 28 IMCA stock cars, 23 WISSOTA late models and 13 limited
late models. Three of the four divisions had their features go green-to-checkered without a
yellow. Those classes were IMCA stock cars, IMCA modifieds and limited late models.
A few interesting tales from the pit area from Shawano. First one is from Curt Wausch.
“Roger Van Roy (former late model driver back in the day) bought a modified on Easter
Sunday. After that we hatched a plan and here we are. I love racing asphalt but I cannot
afford to race at WIR. So we’re having fun in the dirt.”
Matt McDermid of Oconto Falls will soon make a WISSOTA late model debut. Some folks
may recall that last season Matt’s sister Julie raced a former Bruce Jerovetz late model at the
late model show at Sturgeon Bay back in August. Matt will be racing at Shawano with that
car as well as the two Luxemburg late model shows this summer. The car will be number 67.
Speaking of late models it does appear as if the Tri-Track Challenge thrown together by Ed
Bertram, Mike Suebert and Bob Schafer is taking off. In just two weeks at Shawano twenty
seven different late models have shown up. It looks like there are a legit 40 teams in the area
who will run the mandatory six shows at Shawano, Seymour and Antigo to qualify for the point
fund. So far $2,500 will go to the champion, with the possibility of that number going up even
more.
Steve Crawford Jr. got a rough start to his WISSOTA late model career. Crawford, of Crandon,
driving a machine he bought from a man in Indiana named Davey Allison turnkey, was not able
to turn a competitive lap because of mechanical woes of some sort.
Also Krakow’s Lee Thyse made it out in his number 94 late model, a former Mark Mitchell
race car. Thyse served as Doug Klemp’s car owner last season and will take his own turn
behind the wheel, driving the brown number 94.
The night did not go without a little controversy. It started in the heat races when two
mod drivers and one stock car driver failed to scale. (IMCA stocks are scaling every week this
year at Shawano). And then the biggest melee erupted in the IMCA modified feature. On the
final lap Jeremy Hedrick tapped leader Julie McDermid coming out of turn three to take the lead.
However, track officials determined that Hedrick did not go directly to the claim area via the
frontstretch pit lane entrance off of turn four. Instead, Hedrick entered pit lane off of the backstretch
entering turn three. Nonetheless fans got their moneys worth in that finish.
Former IMCA stock car driver Scott Owen made his debut behind the mic at Shawano Saturday
night. Owen did a great job, having announced previously at GSR Kartway in
Clintonville and for the Mid-State Ice Racing Club out of Marion.
Rain washed out planned practice sessions at Seymour and Sturgeon Bay on Sunday. Both
programs along with Luxemburg Speedway will open up this weekend.