The Vault
HANSEN IS HAULIN’ – FROM WIR’S 1984 SOUVENIR PROGRAM
Posted on: Monday November 3, 2025
Scott Hansen shown at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wisconsin in 1984. (Vercauteren family photo)
HANSEN IS HAULIN’ by Gary Vercauteren
(transcribed and reprinted from the 1984 Wisconsin International Raceway souvenir program)
When Scott Hansen turns the wheel of his stock car, exciting things begin to happen.
The likeable 28-year-old late model driver from Green Bay joined the ranks of some of the leading drivers in the Midwest in late July of 1983 on the Wisconsin International Raceway half-mile, paved oval in Kaukauna. He ran with the top shoes right from first night.
“I’ve had other drivers come up to me and tell me that our team has accomplished more in four to five weeks than most guys have done in years,” Hansen proudly pointed out. “They tell us they’re amazed as what we’ve done. We’ve amazed ourselves, too,” he added.
Hansen started out the summer racing on area dirt tracks, hitting Shawano and Seymour on weekends. He has won about 10 feature races on dirt tracks since he started racing in 1974.
“I missed a couple of years in there,” Hansen said. He had a serious motorcycle accident, (non racing) and shattered the lower part of one of his legs. “My left leg from the knee down was crushed,” Hansen explained. “I had eight pins in it and spent two months in the hospital.”
Dirt tracking is something Hansen has always excelled at. He is the holder of the state record for one lap around a half-mile, dirt oval. His time of 22.41, established at Shawano County Fairgrounds Speedway is the record.
Hansen had no idea he would be racing on the Kaukauna pavement last summer. His sponsor, Steve Marler of Green Bay, approached him one afternoon about racing on asphalt. “Steve asked me if I would like to race at Kaukauna. I just told him that my dirt car wasn’t set up for it, and it would take too much to change the car over,” Hansen stated.
Marler, in fact, surprised Hansen by telling him he was purchasing a 1983 Firebird from Appleton’s Chuck Ippolito for him to drive. Ippolito had the car built for Jim Weber to race by Randercar Racing, a leading chassis builder, but the two had a falling out just before Weber was supposed to begin driving the car.
“I sold my dirt car right away,” Hansen explained.
Hansen and the new car became a winning combination almost instantly. The third time out with the car he won a 20-lap feature in a Thursday night race at Kaukauna. He also has been the fastest qualifier on several occasions, and turned a sizzling 19.87 qualifying lap for the ARTGO/Dixieland Challenge at WIR.
One of Hansen’s secrets has been his close relationship with Dick Trickle, a six-time Red, White and Blue State Championship Series winner at Kaukauna. “Trickle has been helping us out a lot. He’s given us several setups that have worked,” Hansen said. “We helped in his pit crew a couple of times and he’s returned the favor.”
“I wish I had a little more experience,” Hansen said. “I’m starting to learn who to follow and who not to follow. I’ve found that asphalt is a lot more physical than dirt, I wish I was in better shape. In the long races it makes a difference,” he said.
“The setup on the car has to be perfect on asphalt. You and your car have to be in good shape to go any distance and be competitive. On the dirt, if something isn’t right, you drive a little differently,” he continued.
A crew member from one team remarked after Hansen’s feature win. “That kid put some moves on those guys I’ve never seen. He drives like he’s a rocketman.”