The Vault
RACIN AROUND TITLETOWN MAY 2004
Posted on: Saturday October 17, 2020
Below is one of my “Racing Around Titletown” columns from May 2004. It covers Luxemburg Speedway’s season opener among other racing topics. Enjoy!
RACIN AROUND TITLETOWN by Joe Verdegan
Despite less than ideal weather conditions Luxemburg Speedway was able to get their opening night
race in last Friday, albeit one week late due to rain.
Car counts in the IMCA mods and stocks were each two shy of 40, but a stout field nonetheless.
The cancellation of races at Langlade County Speedway at Antigo that same night drew Kiel’s
Eric Scribner, who ran near the front all night. Also on hand was Gillett’s Tyler Rasmussen, who
plans on running weekly at Antigo in his IMCA stock car. “Little Razzy” had a good run and
qualified for the feature.
With the addition of a division that evening (street stocks) most expected the track would take a
pounding. It remained smooth but rubbered up during the feature races. With defending IMCA
modified champion Brian Mullen absent because of his quest to get into the AllTell100 $100,000
to win modified show down in Batesville, Arkansas, Brian’s brother Scott Mullen and Todd Dart
served notice that they are legit threats to challenge for the track title this year. Although Dart
started the 25 lap main on the pole his run was anything but easy. “Felix” fought off Mullen and
Jared Siefert at different times to capture the win. Both Sean Jerovetz and Benji LaCrosse made
impressive runs through traffic placing sixth and seventh, respectively, after starting well back in the
field.
Although he won’t be a weekly fixture here, new father Brandon Czarapata showed his foes the
fast way around Luxemburg’s third-mile, clay oval with a feature win. Czarapata is as fast as they
come in the division this year. I believe he’s also got a feature win under his belt down at Dodge
County Fairgrounds.
A bit of controversy erupted in the IMCA hobby stock main. Denmark’s Tom Brumlic, coming
out of a several year retirement from the street stock ranks, was battling with Zion, Illinois visitor
Tony Schlei when the two made contact. Schlei did a 360 spin and kept on going, with no yellow
thrown. There was no black flag thrown when some folks in the stands thought there may have
been just cause for one. Brumlic won that battle, but they were still talking about it well after the
final checkers were thrown.
The IMCA hobby stock division is experiencing steady growth. Between Luxemburg and Thunder
Hill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay there are 27 different cars up and running, with a few more in the
process of being built. Brumlic’s car (purchased race ready down in Iowa) cost him just $3,500.
Not a bad deal at all if you think about it.
Speaking of growth, track manager Rick Goral made his rules compatible to the 141 Speedway
enduro 4 cylinders, and a few of the pavement drivers were on hand to give the clay a try. During
the summer I think it’s safe to say you’ll see several different asphalt drivers pop in from time-to-time
to give it a go at “The Burg'”.
The show got underway promptly at seven, and wrapped up shortly before 10:30 p.m. That’s a
little long for Luxemburg standards. But considering it was opening night and an extra class was being
run overall things ran fairly well.
On Saturday, weather snuffed out programs at both Shawano and Sturgeon Bay. In talking with
promoters from different tracks the concerns are real with the rising gas prices we’re seeing.
With predictions of nearly $2.50 by July 4th weekend, some folks may think twice before gassing up
and heading out to a track that may be an hour or two away.
A field of nearly 40 super late models is possible when the Yellow Book USA Midwest AllStar late
model series holds it’s season opening event Sunday afternoon at Wisconsin International Raceway in
Kaukauna.
$2,500 will be doled out to the winner of the 100 lap feature on the D-shaped, half-mile paved oval.
Additional cash and contingency awards pushing the amount possible-to-win as high as $5,000.
The Mid-Am super trucks along with the Fox River Racing Club limited late models will also see action
during the show. Appleton’s Jeff Van Oudenhoven, driving for Mike and Patti Butz of Green Bay, is
the defending series champion.
“We’re looking at drivers from seven, possibly even eight states showing up for this one,” said series
president Gary Vercauteren. “It’s our season opener for the MARS series and we’re anticipating one of
our bigger car counts for this spring race.”
Preliminary races are planned in all three divisions with qualifying at 11 a.m. Figure 8 and 4 cylinder
races on the inner quarter-mile will round out the days events. Racing gets underway at 1 p.m.
ROOKIE CHASE – A pair of area drivers are vying for the MARS super late model series
rookie-of-the-year crowns. Green Bay’s Ryan Manthei, a graduate of the Mid-Am sportsman class,
will attempt to make all of the series shows, as will Brussels’ Danny Heinritz. A fomer super truck
series champion, Heinritz raced sparingly last season at Marshfield Super Speedway on Saturday nights.
DICK GRALL MEMORIAL – Yellow Book Mid-Am Sportsman cars will scrap Saturday night at 141
Speedway during the Dick Grall Memorial 60. The race honors the former track owner, who passed
away three years ago.
“This event marks the classic locals versus travelers matchups,” said Vercauteren. “Over the years I
think the locals have had the upper hand because 141’s a tight track where seat time is critical to being
fast.” Qualifying gets underway at 5:30 p.m. with the first green flag flying at 7 p.m.
OSHKOSH LATE MODELS – Wisconsin’s newest dirt late model series will make it’s debut next
Tuesday night at Powercom Speedzone in Oshkosh. The Wisconsin Dirt Late Model Association will
host it’s first event at the three-eighths mile, clay oval in a tour that looks to blend Milwaukee-area late
models and WISSOTA cars from eastern Wisconsin. “With the closing of Hales Corners Speedway
(Franklin) last year many late model teams were left without a place to run,” said series president Brian
Konopka. What we’re doing for them is filling a void and giving them several tracks to run. We think
we’ve found a happy medium with the rules to draw enough cars from the north.”
Among the area drivers who may run a handful of these series events are Green Bay’s Ron Berna,
Waupaca’s Greg Dhein and Oconto Falls native Tim Lemirande. In addition to Oshkosh, Luxemburg
Speedway is the only other area track to host a WDLMA event on Friday night, June 11. Racing in
Oshkosh gets underway at 7 p.m.