The Scoop
TY FREDRICKSON – TEEN PHENOM CONTINUES TO TURN HEADS
Posted on: Tuesday May 14, 2024
15-year-old Ty Fredrickson poses next to his hot rod at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna.
Every so often in short track racing some young hotshoe comes along that makes you really take notice.
Right now Ty Fredrickson is that youngster in the Midwestern racing circles.
The 15-year-old from Webster, Minnesota has taken the Midwestern short track pavement late model scene by storm within the past couple of months. The son of former Midwest Tour champion Dan Fredrickson, the youngster who doesn’t even have his drivers license yet turned some heads by winning the TUNDRA super late model series opener at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna May 11. It was Fredrickson’s first time ever behind the wheel at WIR.
Ty’s win at WIR during the TUNDRA super late model series came during Ty’s first time ever behind the wheel at the iconic half-mile. (danlewisphoto.net)
By winning at WIR he proved his win earlier this spring in the Icebreaker at Dells Raceway Park was most certainly no fluke. Fredrickson is one of the seven 2024 finalists in the Kulwicki Driver Development (KDDP) program. The KDDP assists young, up-and-coming drivers and helps them in reaching their motorsports dreams and hopefully competing at the NASCAR level someday down the road.
The seven drivers are battling for the grand prize called the ‘Kulwicki Cup’ and a $54,439 prize awaits the winner along with a special unique trophy.
The racing career for Fredrickson began at age six when he wheeled a quarter-midget around a track called ‘Little Elko’ – a small oval located in the parking lot of Elko (MN) Speedway. “A couple of years later we got a legends car and raced it wherever and whenever we could,” Ty recalled. “We would race at Elko and we’d also travel to tracks like Dells (Dells Raceway Park) and Plover (Golden Sands Speedway) in Wisconsin, too.”
During the winter months the Fredrickson family would often load up and race wherever Legends cars were racing in the southern states.
One season ago Fredrickson made the jump up to a Pro late model and competed in seven races. Up until this point Fredrickson really enjoyed playing baseball and he was ‘pretty good’ at it. The thrill of climbing behind the wheel of the late model was enough to hook the younger Fredrickson. He turned in his baseball glove for a racing helmet. “I’ve been hooked on this sport ever since,” Fredrickson said. “When I won that race at the Dells last month it was so cool, seeing all those fans in the stands cheering. Many of them watched me dad race all these years.”
With no tracks in their home state of Minnesota that run super late models, the Fredrickson family has a lot of a ‘windshield time’ during the year.
After talking it over with his parents the decision was made to go ‘all in’ with racing a super late model in 2024. There was one major obstacle to overcome, however. Despite the fact the Fredrickson’s live just 15 minutes from Elko Speedway, Elko, currently the only paved oval remaining in the state of Minnesota, doesn’t host weekly super late model racing. The closest track that hosts even somewhat regular super late model shows in Dells Raceway Park four hours away.
With that being said, the Fredrickson’s have gotten used to having a lot of ‘windshield time’ built in to their racing adventures. On the plus side Fredrickson gets to try out some new tracks for the first time – like he did at WIR when he won the TUNDRA race. “I’ve been to WIR before but just tagging along with Dad when he was racing or with another one of the developmental drivers Dad was helping out,” Fredrickson said. “Kaukauna is really more like a tri-oval. Most of those other tracks are closer to circles or ovals. But at WIR you really have to get through the corners here. It’s critical. You almost have to take a diamond like line and cut back down to the bottom. And that wall comes up fast in turn four, too. It’s really a different track. You need motor but you have to handle through all of the corners which are very different.”
As they chase the KDDP gig, Fredrickson’s schedule includes running the full ASA Midwest Tour and TUNDRA super late model series. The second-generation racer also will return to WIR for the Red, White & Blue state championship series with some other weekly shows thrown into the mix.
The long term goals for Ty include chasing the racing deal and eventually winding up racing at the NASCAR level. But both father and son are very realistic as to what it takes to get to that level. “If he wanted to stick with baseball that would be a lot cheaper,” joked Dan Fredrickson. “But truthfully I love this sport and got tired myself of driving the last few years I did it. But I’m having the time of my life helping him out. For me it’s a perfect pathway for me to continue in this sport. I enjoy the challenge and get to spend time with my family.”
As for getting to the NASCAR level? Dan said: “It’s no secret that it takes a lot of money to land a ride in NASCAR. We know this and are trying to set ourselves up with some partners down the road. But if it doesn’t pan out we’re very content to keep racing short track super late models.”
Is Dan surprised at his son’s early success? “Truthfully when we took him out to Elko and put him in a Pro late model when he was 12 we could see he had something special,” Dan admitted. “I knew for sure he could perform at a high level. I just didn’t think the kid would start winning this quickly.”
And Dan doesn’t mind one bit with the travel that is involved with helping his son chase his dreams. “In Minnesota we went from having five paved tracks (which included the Minnesota State Fair) down to one,” Dan said. “So yup, we are road warriors for sure.”
Frederickson’s team marketing partners with his short track operation include Herman’s Landscape Supply, MFR, Sorem Livestock Hauling, Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP), Jerin Trucking, Rack Shack BBQ and Fredrickson Farms.