The Scoop
J.J. VANDER LOOP – “RED ROCKET” WINNING ON DIRT, ASPHALT
Posted on: Tuesday August 16, 2022
17-year-old J.J. Vander Loop has won features this year on dirt and on asphalt at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. (photo courtesy of Jay Vander Loop)
There aren’t many 17-year-old racers who can claim to have scored feature race wins on both the dirt and asphalt in one season.
J.J. Vander Loop is the exception to that rule. The Freedom racer has captured a pair of late model division wins on the D-shaped half-mile paved oval at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. Not too shabby for a rookie in the division.
Switching over to another half-mile – the clay oval at Shawano Speedway Vander Loop has also netted a feature win in the IMCA northern sportmod class against a field more than twice the size of the drivers he squares off with against on Thursdays.
With three weeks of “Thursday Night Thunder” action remaining at WIR in Kaukauna, the junior at Appleton Xavier High sits in third place, 31 points behind division point leader and former track champion Bryan Monday of Appleton. Vander Loop is currently the top rookie in the division. That out of 20 drivers who’ve earned Fox River Racing Club (FRRC) points in the class in ’22.
On the dirt where Shawano Speedway is the Vander Loop brothers home track, Vander Loop sits 20th in a class where 49 drivers have earned points at the half-mile oval this year.
While in school stock car racing doesn’t often come up among the conversations in the cafeteria during lunch. “Yeah, my classmates for the most part don’t get into racing a whole lot,” the soft-spoken Vander Loop admitted. “I really don’t say much about racing to them and we usually talk about other stuff.”
For Vander Loop and his brother Jerry racing started for them at a very young age in the kart ranks at GSR Kartway in Clintonville and Little Buckaroo Junior Motorsports Park in Cecil. “We both did the kart racing for a few years,” Vander Loop recalled. “Looking back on it kart racing proved to be very critical to where we both are now. Jerry and I both learned how to race side-by-side with other drivers and how and when to make passes. That all helps because any real racing is always better than just practicing out there by yourself.”
From slinging dirt with the karts the Vander Loop brothers switched it up to the sport truck class on the paved tracks, including WIR, Norway, Michigan and other paved ovals across Wisconsin.
Vander Loop’s foray into the late model class actually began during the final Thursday night race at WIR in 2021. “I was just hanging around in the back and making laps then basically,” Vander Loop said. “The car was Brad Anthony’s and he’s been very helpful for me in not only helping to set the car up but serving as my spotter as well.”
When it came to racing both dirt and asphalt Vander Loop turned to his uncle Eddie Muenster, who’s won titles on both surfaces. “I asked Eddie what he liked better and he said on Thursday nights he liked the asphalt best and on Saturday nights at Shawano he liked the dirt better,” Vander Loop joked. “That’s pretty much the attitude I’ve been taking too.”
The “Red Rocket” J.J. Vander Loop shown here following his IMCA northern sportmod feature win at Shawano Speedway in 2022. (Precious Photography)
On Saturday nights Vander Loop and his brother Jerry have a mentor who’s a living legend in the northeastern Wisconsin racing circles – their grandfather Jerry Muenster who continues to race IMCA modifieds weekly at the age of 81. “To me both J.J. and Jerry have been phenomenal considering how young they both are,” Muenster explained. “I love being there on Saturday nights and being able to give my grandsons both some pointers on the Shawano track, where the best spots on the track are to pass and how the track may change.”
According to Muenster, JJ has a trait not often seen with younger, teen racers. “(J.J.) keeps his emotions in check very, very well,” Muenster pointed out. “Whether he wins or crashes and he’s done both, he keeps a pretty even keel. I’ve never seen him get too wound up either way. He takes everything as it comes and boy is that refreshing to see. I’m happy they are into racing because if and when I ever do decide to hang up the helmet I can go follow them in their racing.”
J.J.’s brother Jerry races a sportmod like his brother and on occasion the siblings wind up trading paint in the same race. “There have been a few times where we’re in the same heat race and things can get pretty heated,” Vander Loop confessed. “But so far dad (Jay Vander Loop) hasn’t had to step in between us yet.”
J.J. sports a mop of red hair on his head and hence has earned the nickname “Red Rocket.” “My aunt Jill (Muenster) goes to almost all of our races and she’s the one who came up with that nickname,” Vander Loop said. “Maybe next year we’ll get some t shirts with the “Red Rocket” on them or something.”
Maintaining two dirt sportmods and one asphalt late model can require some serious shop time while keeping them in tip top shape. JJ chips in to do his part. “Usually, I’ll maintain a nut and bolt check on the cars and clean up the late model,” Vander Loop said. “As time goes on, I’m learning how to make some of the repairs on both cars. It’s a lot of work and dad heads it up and it’s all hands-on deck pretty much.”
Among the group of team members who turn wrenches and help keep the Vander Loop stable of cars up and running are Jay Vander Loop, Jim, Justin & Brad Anthony along with Travis Willing and Paul Bertolini. In addition, a pair of former racers lend a hand with Vander Loop’s racing operation. “Blaine Habeck has helped us out for a number of years and on the dirt Gary Roehborn has as well,” Vander Loop pointed out. “Both are very helpful in helping setup our race cars.”
Vander Loop genuinely enjoys racing both surfaces and enjoys the challenges both present. “At WIR we’re usually only racing against 11 or 12 other drivers per night, but you can get a lot of practice time on the asphalt,” Vander Loop admitted. “On dirt you’re always mixing it up with so many more drivers.
But on dirt it’s much more of a guessing game. You look at the track and predict what it’s going to be like and take things from there. There is always something new to learn with the dirt it seems.”
When it comes to long term goals in racing Vander Loop simply said, “we’ll see whatever opportunities open up.”
Vander Loop’s racing efforts are supported by Ken’s Sports – Wisconsin’s largest motorsports dealer, Boat Propeller Warehouse and Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Services.