The Scoop
82-YEAR-OLD J.J. SMITH ‘UNRETIRES’ – WIR’S TRADITIONAL ‘TUESDAY BIGGIE’ & MORE
Posted on: Monday August 5, 2024
82-year-old racing legend J.J. Smith ‘unretired’ and raced Brian Besaw’s street stock at Outagamie Speedway in Seymour Friday, August 2. Smith finished 15th in the feature race.
Race fans at Outagamie Speedway in Seymour got a special treat Friday night as they got to see a former multi-time track champion and local racing icon strap on his helmet again and turn some laps.
Ageless J.J. Smith, who’s 82-years-old, came out of retirement and raced a street stock owned by Brian Besaw. While J.J. didn’t set the world on fire he finished 15th in the main event.
When I announced the Appleton veteran was coming out of a several year retirement to sling some clay, I watched carefully in the crowd. I could tell instantly the reaction from some veteran race fans who were around yet when J.J. was dominating and winning a TON of races at Seymour on the old half-mile in the 1970’s.
Every time I’d pop into J.J. whether it was at WIR or Shawano in recent years, J.J. always mentioned to me he’d always ‘be willing’ to jump back behind the wheel sometime. It was cool to see without question. Thanks to the Besaw family for opening up that seat for J.J. and maybe we’ll see him again down the road. J.J. was quick to quip “Heck Jerry (Muenster) is 83 and he’s still running. So I figure ‘what the heck?’
It was cool for me to announce another race with one of my childhood heroes in it. J.J. pretty much switched over exclusively to the pavement around the early 1980’s so I had the privilege of calling many of J.J.’s races on Thursday nights at WIR in the 1990’s.
A LOOK AHEAD – A $1,000 top prize will be doled out to the winner of the IMCA northern sportmod feature at 141 Speedway Saturday, August 10. Mechanics races will also be held as the track’s Blue race will be held. Action at the Francis Creek oval is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
This Friday, August 9 IMCA northern sportmods will compete for a $1,000 top prize at Outagamie Speedway in Seymour. The track’s other regular weekly divisions will be in action with racing starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Outagamie County Fairgrounds.
There will be no racing this weekend at The Hill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay. The next scheduled race at John Miles Park is set for a Thursday night special August 15 during the Door County Fair. Joining the track’s weekly divisions will be the grand nationals. A 6:30 p.m. start time is set for the fair night special in Sturgeon Bay.
Luxy Raceway will host a ‘Sunday Funday’ special race August 11. The track’s final points night took place Friday, August 2. Track champions who were crowned include Luxemburg’s Shannon Guelette (street stock), Little Suamico’s Tyler Wilson (stock car), Casco’s Coy Vlies (sportmod), Kewaunee’s Shawn Kilgore (modified) and Luxemburg’s Brian Watzka (4 cylinder).
Dirt late models will make a return appearance to Gravity Park USA in Chilton Friday August 9.
THE TRADITIONAL TUESDAY NIGHT BIGGIE – One of the biggest races of the year at the oval at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna Tuesday, August 6. The ASA Midwest Tour’s Gandrud Auto Group 250 takes place along with the Midwest Truck Series in the Dixieland Delight.
The super late model entry list contains a mix of travelers and locals and some former winners, too. Of the 28 entries 22 of those entries hail from Wisconsin, two from Illinois, two from Minnesota and one each from Indiana and Michigan, respectively.
Heading the list of entries is multi-time Midwest Tour champion and current NASCAR truck series standout Ty Majeski from Seymour along with another former NASCAR truck standout Johnny Sauter of Necedah. Others include teenage standout Ty Frederickson who captured the TUNDRA series event at WIR in April and defending Midwest series champ Gabe Sommers of Plover. Wausau’s Luke Fenhaus will be pulling double duty as he will also wheel a truck that night as will Pewaukee’s Grant Griesbach.
Among the local, Fox River Racing Club (FRRC) super late model regulars who will throw their collective hats in the ring include Neenah’s Lowell Bennett, Appleton’s Andy Monday, Kaukauna’s Jesse Oudenhoven, Hilbert’s Corey Manders, Pete and Trevor Vandermolen of Oshkosh and Utica’s Riley Stenjem driving for Chase Motorsports.
On the truck entry list the defending race winner leads the way – Random Lake’s Brad ‘JJ’ Mueller. Locals entered include Amherst’s Eugene Gregorich III, Freedom’s Kasey & Cody Vander Loop, Appleton’s Brandon Reichenberger, Neenah’s Braison Bennett and Hortonville’s Nick Van.
The super late models will battle for a $15,000 top prize. Gates open at 4 p.m. Qualifying starts at 5 p.m. with the first green flag flying at 6:30 p.m. Check midwesttour.racing for additional information.
STAN THE MAN RACE – The annual race at WIR honoring racing legend “Stan The Man” Gracyalny will take place on the quarter-mile oval Thursday, August 8. A hefty purse will be doled out to the super stocks competing. The WIR ¼ mile late models will also be in action. The fun begins at 6:45 p.m.
KARTING KORNER – Smitty’s Diesel and Ken’s Sports will sponsor backpack giveaway night at Little Buckaroo Jr. Motorports Park in Cecil Friday, August 9. Kart racing at the eighth-mile, clay oval is set to begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 7 kart and lawn mower racing will take place at GSR Kartway in Clintonville with racing getting underway at 7 p.m.
A total of 29 karting teams are being tracked as young karters continue to be paired up with their favorite full-sized stock car drivers on both dirt and pavement in the HERO PROGRAM. A main feature wins are being tracked throughout the month of August.
The number of weeks in the 2024 racing season in Wisconsin are winding down. Get your tail to your favorite race track IN PERSON whenever possible.
Oconto Falls’ Daniel Wilcox scored his first IMCA modified feature win of the year at Outagamie Speedway in Seymour August 2. (danlewisphoto.net)
NORTHEAST WISCONSIN REGIONAL DIRT TRACK FEATURE WIN TOTALS 2024 (as of 8-4)
(Tracks included, but not limited to, include Outagamie Speedway, 141 Speedway, Shawano Speedway, Plymouth Dirt Track, Gravity Park, The Hill Raceway, Beaver Dam Raceway, The ‘Burg & Plymouth Dirt Track. These totals will also reflect any driver feature wins that occur out-of-state or at other ovals in Wisconsin)
LATE MODEL
Troy Springborn 4
Taylor Scheffler 4
Brett Swedberg 3
Mike Mullen 2
Nick Anvelink 2
Ron Berna 2
Jayden Schmidt 2
Brad Mueller 1
Mitch McGrath 1
Justin Ritchie 1
Tom Naeyaert 1
MODIFIED
Cole Czarneski 7 (UMP mod win)
Benji LaCrosse 6
Marcus Yarie 5
Steve Mueller 4
Skylar Woods 4 (Dodge County Fair)
Marcus Hoeppner 3
Johnny Whitman 3
Konnor Wilinski 2
Jayden Schmidt 2
Cody Schroeder 2
Greg Gretz 2
Jordan Bartz 2
Brandon Schmitt 2
Kevin Feck 2
Shawn Kilgore 1
Lucas Lamberies 1
Dan Roedel 1
Will Garceau 1
Cody Afelbeck 1
Jason Czarapata 1
Derek Janke 1
Steve Schneider 1
Joel Crowbridge 1 (Wilmot)
Chris Pigeon 1
R.M. Van Pay 1
Scott Barnharst 1
Jeff Schmuhl 1
Geoff Jeche 1
Kyle Strickler 1 (BDR)
Tim Ward 1 (141)
Dan Ratajczak 1
Russ Reinwald 1
Daniel Wilcox 1
Matt Klenz 1
STOCK CAR
Mitch Meier 8
Rod Snellenberger 6
Tyler Wilson 5
Travis Van Straten 5
Luke Lemmens 5
Trent Nolan 4
Jeremy Christians 4
Benji LaCrosse 3
Kenny Richards 3
Brett Wenzel 3
Cole Czarneski 2
Travis Welch 2 (Eagle River)
Josh Mroczkowski 2
Tim Warner 2
Nick Buckarma 2
Brandon Schmitt 2
Kyle Frederick 2
Brandon Czarapata 1
Dave Bouche 1
Shawn Havel 1
Jesse Krahn 1
Brekken Kleinschmidt 1
John Heinz 1
David Blackberg 1 (ERS)
Eric Mahlik 1
Mike Carter 1
Scott Reinhardt 1
Jeff Steenbergen 1
Mike Mullen 1
Dan Sell Sr. 1
Caden LeMieux 1
Dan Sell Jr. 1
John Rothmund 1
Jeremy Johnson 1
Chase Parker 1
SPORTMOD
Coy Vlies 7
Cory Kemkes 6
Jeffery Teske 5
Elijah Koenig 4
Alec Wery 4
Craig Dorner 4
Matthew Radtke 3
Colton See 3
Brady Harshbarger 3
Travis Schmidt 3
Cole Thomas 2
Frank Gasperini 2 (ERS, TNT)
Jay Schaalma 2
Robert Wittkopf 2
Tommy Rindt 2
Cole Magnin 2
Jordan Jahnke 2
Nick Kresbach 2
Zach Raab 2
Tony Gates 2
Dustin White 1
AJ Springborn 1
Dylon Waldvogel 1
Colton Van Hierden 1
Jake Carpenter 1
Max Oreskovich 1
Spencer Long 1
Barrett Hummelmeier 1
Derek Fehling 1
Tom Schneider 1
Nick Schultz 1
Rory Welch 1
Mike Plate 1
Miranda Sandholm 1
Geoff Zdroik 1
J.J. Vander Loop 1
Steve Lorier 1
STREET STOCK
Paul Diefenthaler 8
Mark Hoeppner 8
James Fletcher 6
Shannon Guelette 5
Travis Zirbel 3
Jason Geyer 3
Kenny Richards 3
Cory Romenesko 2
Ed Anschutz 2
Phillip Wuesthoff 2
Mike Meier 2
Nick Wunrow 2
Courtney Atkinson 1
Brooke Diefenthaler 1
Jerry Winkler 1
Kyle Gennett 1
Tyler Fox 1
Austin Steinke 1
Trey Van Straten 1
Brian Besaw 1
Dan Van Pay 1
GRAND NATIONAL
Jeff Richards 5
Josh Pierce 4
Dustin Weiss 3
Greg Haese 2
Brad Weiss 2
Maverick Ruh 2
Taylor Rahn 2
Daniel Schumacher 2
Nick Schumacher 2
TJ Smith 1
Aaron Streblow 1
Will Schumacher 1
Todd Ascherien 1
Steven Weber 1
Mike King 1
Kenny Richards 1
Will Sorce 1
FOUR CYLINDER
James Reese 8
Brian Watzka 6
Scott Schlafke 5
James Riske 4
Kenneth Becker 3
Brad Wedde 3
Dalton Nelson 2
Lucas Hacker 2
Shaun Bangart 2
Brett Deprez 2
Tanner Westphal 2
Cody Booth 2
Trevor Cronick 1
Adam Broehm 1
Taylor Junk 1
Carl King 1
Tanner Pari 1
Roland Van De Hei III 1
Justin Finlan 1
Dalton Nelson 1
TJ Everard 1
Thomas Schulte 1
Nick Everard 1
Al Cottrell 1
Bennett Glidden 1