The Vault
LOOKING BACK WITH DOUG BLASHE
Posted on: Sunday January 31, 2021
Reprinted from the Green Bay Press Gazette July 25, 2015
by Joe Verdegan (photo courtesy of Troy Powers)
Doug Blashe admits he doesn’t necessarily “relish” being the oldest active dirt late model driver in northeast Wisconsin.
At the age of 55, Blashe, a farmer from Marion in Shawano County, started racing long before many of his fellow racers were even born. Blashe said, “Maybe I’m not smart enough I guess. I joke sometimes and tell everyone maybe its time to find a new hobby.”
Problem is Blashe’s still a frontrunning car Friday nights at Luxemburg Speedway and Saturday nights at Shawano Speedway. Blashe has won several features over the years and was a sportsman champion on Seymour Speedway’s half-mile in 1983 and 1984. So far this year Blashe has a feature win each at Luxemburg and Shawano.
“Doug’s still fast and he’s been around for awhile that’s for sure,” said late model rookie Jared Siefert of Luxemburg. “I remember when Doug used to race against my Dad (Art Siefert) in the sportsman class in the early 1980’s. He’s still tough to run against.”
For most of the years since he started racing late models in 1985 he’s run with Ford power under the hood – a sort of outcast in a field virtually dominated by Chevy powerplants. Said Blashe, “I guess I’ve always sort of been a Ford guy and that pretty much was a sponsorship deal years ago. One of my sponsors, Welch Fire Equipment, was big on running Ford stuff back then, so we did and we stuck with it.”
Years ago the parts for Ford motors were tougher to get ahold of at times, but the motors cranked out more horsepower. “Back then it was an advantage because the tracks were pretty much wet and heavy so you needed the horsepower to muscle through the tracks,” said Blashe. “Nowadays there’s not really an advantage with the tracks drying out a lot more.”
As the years have marched on the technology has creeped into the world of dirt late model racing at a record pace. “To me basically the cost of setups and designs is almost astronomical compared to years ago,” said Blashe. “When I started we’d race, have some beers after and then race the next night without changing hardly anything.”
According to Blashe, those days are long gone. “The motor doesn’t even matter much anymore. When I got fast time when we qualified at Shawano a few weeks back, I did that with a motor that was nine years old. Its all about staying on top of the setups. Because that stuff changes so fast that something that worked at the beginning of the year can be outdated by the end of that same year. You have to be a finesse driver now and tip toe the car through the corners.”
Blashe will attempt to crack the starting field when the traveling circus known as the World of Outlaw late model series comes to Shawano Tuesday July 28. Two years ago Blashe qualified for the 50 lap feature and finished 13th.
Blashe is a farmer and as such relies on his pit crew to help work on the race car during the week when he’s busy planting crops. “My crew guy Brad Radtke has really stepped up and helped out working on the car when I can’t always be there,” said Blashe. Blashe’s car is sponsored by Suebert Calf Ranches and Olson’s Rural Electric.
SUN DROP SHOOTOUT – Others locals expected to take part in the Sun Drop Shootout at Shawano include Bonduel’s Nick Anvelink, Shawano’s Jeff Curtin, Appleton’s Paul Parker, Elcho’s Mark Rose, Tigerton’s Justin Hirt and Neosho’s Mitch McGrath. “We are lucky enough to draw a perfect date for this event,” said Shawano Speedway public relations director Brad Luepke. “Illinois has a big show prior to ours and after our event they travel to Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond. As a results we normally end up drawing more than just the Outlaw regulars and get some regional name drivers as well.” The 50 lap WoO feature will pay $10,000 to the winner. Joining the late models will be the IMCA modifieds and stock cars. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. with racing getting underway at 7 p.m.