About Joe Verdegan
Joe Verdegan, shown here announcing at Eagle River Speedway. When the 2024 season kicks off Joe will begin his 42nd season calling stock car races. (flintography.com)
As a teenager Joe Verdegan got his start announcing stock car races at Seymour Speedway’s half-mile beginning in 1983. A few years later while still in high school Verdegan began writing race reports from 141 Speedway in Francis Creek. “I’d hammer the story out on a Smith Corona typewriter and send them out first class mail,” Verdegan recalled. “The first time I sent a race story out via fax in 1990 I thought that was the coolest thing!”
In the mid 1990’s Verdegan began penning his weekly “Racing Around Titletown” columns in both the Checkered Flag Racing News and Midwest Racing News. It was also during that time Verdegan began writing a weekly racing column for the Green Bay News Chronicle. “As a sport for racing to be able to get some weekly, regular coverage in the city of Green Bay where the Packers ruled supreme it was a pretty big deal,” Verdegan said. “When Gannett Media bought out the News Chronicle, I got a call from the Press Gazette sports editor at the time Mike Vandermause who offered me some weekly space in the Green Bay Press Gazette. We kept the columns rolling in there for many years.”
Sprint car legend Sammy Swindell (left) poses with author Joe Verdegan during Swindell’s 2012 appearance at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek.
In time Verdegan would also contribute a weekly column in the Appleton Post Crescent, focusing more on the drivers competing at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna. As of 2024 Verdegan has penned close to 2,000 racing stories in a 31 year span covering the action across the Midwestern states.
Also during the years Verdegan has been a public relations man for many tracks and clubs, including the Fox River Racing Club (FRRC) which operates the weekly action at WIR in Kaukauna, Dickinson County Racing Association (DCRA) which promotes the weekly racing program at Norway (MI) Speedway and also tracks at Seymour, Francis Creek, Luxemburg and Sturgeon Bay. Verdegan also called action at some race tracks now defunct in Oshkosh, Manitowoc and Chilton.
WIR track announcer Joe Verdegan interviews Matt Kenseth in the mid 1990’s at WIR. (danlewisphoto.net)
Also beginning in 2015 Verdegan began chronicling local and regional racing history through a series of books, publishing one book per season. All seven of those titles can be located and purchased on this website.
With the newspaper industry downsizing and circulation declining annually, Verdegan has decided to take the leap and “go out on his own.” This website will continue to provide racing news and history coverage in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest.
In addition to the exclusive place to find Verdegan’s written words the popular “On The Record” podcast segments serves up audio interviews with the movers and shakers in the Midwestern short track racing industry!
Joe & Kim Verdegan, 2023
Joe lives with his wife Kimberly in Dunbar, Wisconsin in northern Marinette County. They are accompanied by their faithful pooch Macie, and a pair of cats Mr. Teddy and Tango (and their four chickens). They have seven children and 14 grandchildren. He also works as a substitute school teacher for the Beecher-Pembine-Dunbar school district. When he’s not working he enjoys trout fishing, raising chickens and spending time with friends and family.
