The Scoop
ANDY MONDAY – “IT WOULD BE AN HONOR TO PUT THE 6 INTO VICTORY LANE”
Posted on: Wednesday May 18, 2022
Appleton’s Andy Monday poses with the JIm Pagel throwback paint scheme car he’ll run for the season opening “Thursday Night Thunder” race at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wisconsin May 19.
Andy Monday admits the wheels have been turning for some time for a Jim Pagel tribute car.
The 40-year-old 2017 super late model track champion at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna was just 15 years old when Pagel was tragically killed after his red number 6 Budweiser-sponsored racer slammed into the turn one wall at WIR’s half-mile oval during a qualifying lap on May 2, 1997.
“I was a freshman in high school that year and my dad (Dennis Monday) was a pit crew member on Jim’s racing team,” the Appleton racer explained. “At that point in my life I was just starting to help out around the shop a little bit by cleaning the race car, helping to load things into the trailer and that sort of thing with the team.”
On that fateful night Monday was sitting underneath the tree by the dogleg of the D-shaped, half-mile paved oval watching qualifying like he did in previous years at WIR. This was the opening night race for “Thursday Night Thunder” in 1997. “Jim’s first lap was really good from what I remember,” Monday recalled. “Fast enough to put him in the six-for-six fast dash. And on that second lap he cut down alongside the inside retaining wall like we all do on that final lap, and he he spun and popped the wall pretty hard in turn one.”
At first Monday’s first thought was like many other fans in attendance that night. “Initially I was hoping that they could get the car fixed hopefully in time for the feature – not realizing just how serious the circumstances really were,” Monday admitted. “Once the safety crew arrived at the scene and it was taking a while for things to progress and a hush sort of fell over the crowd you started to begin to get that feeling that it wasn’t the most ideal of situations at the time.”
The scene became gloomier when the Flight For Life Helicopter arrived and landed at WIR for the first time. “We all sort of knew at that point it was going to be a tough night,” Monday admitted. “An announcement was made that night over the p.a. regarding Jim’s condition that put the crowd at ease. It wound up being misinformation they had received. We found out later that night that Jim was rushed into an emergency surgery and only had a one percent chance of survival. My mom and dad were at the hospital.”
Dennis Monday, former crew member of the late Jim Pagel, poses with a flag honoring Pagel.
Monday’s parents asked Andy to stay back at the track to help load the wrecked race car up. “We wound up putting the car up in Roger’s (Van Daalwyk, WIR owner’s) shed,” Monday recalled. “I hate to compare it to 9-11 but you remember all aspects of it, including where you were and what you were doing at that moment. It’s stuck with me ever since.”
Fast forward to 2022. “We knew the (25-year anniversary) date of Jim’s passing was coming up and we wanted to do something special to honor Jim,” Monday said. “We reached out to some of the old pit crew members and family. We were content to paint the car red and put a 6 on it (Pagel’s number) for opening night. We didn’t think much of it past that point honestly.”
During chats around the proverbial “water cooler” someone brought up the subject of approaching Budweiser – Pagel’s primary sponsor. “Budweiser hadn’t even sponsored a car at WIR for close to ten years,” Monday said. “We didn’t want them to be involved from a financial standpoint. I just wanted to be able to honor Jim. At a minimum I thought I’d at least get a hold of them. I thought there may still be some people around when Jim drove for them yet. I really wanted to get their blessings with that paint scheme for the car at least.”
Monday was pleasantly surprised when he approached Budweiser. “They went “all in” on this project when we approached them,” Monday explained. “They remembered Jim well and told stories and have been great helping with whatever I’ve needed to get promotional materials made and get things rolling. They’ve been there every step of the way.”
One minor obstacle Monday faced was after Pagel’s death the number 6 had been officially “retired” by the Fox River Racing Club – the organization that hosts the weekly, Thursday night races at WIR.
“When I approached the club officers and board members, they decided unanimously to move forward with allowing the number 6 as an exception to honor Jim,” Monday explained. “Even though it’s in our club rules that the 6 is retired in super late model, Thursday night competition. It was a no-brainer as far as everyone was concerned in this situation.”
Some had even suggested that Monday keep the 6 on for the duration of the season. “We had the car on for the TUNDRA opener and after the Thursday night opener May 19th we’ll be switching back to our normal number 10,” Monday said. “The biggest thing was we really wanted to make this thing about Jim. This wasn’t about promoting beer or selling beer. It’s just a really cool opportunity to get the Budweiser colors back on the car and do it in a fashionable way. It’s been great to work with them on this project.”
Pagel, pictured here, had a reputation as a clean racer and a great ambassador to the sport of stock car racing. (danlewisphoto.net)
Monday has a hunch that Pagel might be looking over him during the FRRC opener Thursday. “It’s been a bit since we’ve won a feature on the half-mile even though we’ve always run well and finished up front,” Monday admitted. “The last night we won Jim (Pagel) was inducted into WIR’s Circle of Fame, so I know for sure he was looking over me that night. It would truly be an honor to put the 6 back into victory lane.”
Pagel’s fiance’s Pam’s daughters recently reached out to Monday after a story was televised on a local sportscast. “They were young teens essentially when the accident occurred and now they are grown up with their own children,” Monday recalled. “Sometimes it’s hard to believe it’s already been 25 years.”
In addition to chasing the WIR super late model title in ’22 Monday will be teaming up with his brother Bryan Monday – former WIR late model champion himself – on some other special events. “I’ll be teaming up with Bryan to race a car full time in the TUNDRA super late model series,” Monday explained. “We’ll also be racing at Norway (MI) Speedway for some special events up there too. It’s the old Putch Bentley car and I’m looking forward to working with Bryan on that gig and he’ll be able to get his feet wet with super late model racing.”
Bryan Monday will also be competing weekly on Thursday nights at WIR chasing the late model division championship.
Crew members who assist with the Monday Motorsports racing operation in 2022 include Aaron Neverman, Dylan Wenzel, Daryl Recker, Andy’s dad Dennis Monday, Craig Rothe, Todd Schuette and Ted Casper. “They all do a great job,” Monday explained. “They are at the shop and at the track most every week.”
Monday has always had a strong core of marketing partners supporting his racing efforts and in 2022 this is no exception. Those partners include Monday and Associates Insurance, Van Eperen Painting, Inlanta Mortgage Yvette Clermont Team, Chimney Mechanix, Construction Solutions, Mom and Pops Bakery, Cumings Electric, Fairways Lawncare & Snow Removal, Siddons-Martin Emergency Group,DC Auto Repair, Landscape by Schuette, Jeff Heiting Builder, Borsche Roofing Professionals, Reed Racing Enterprises, The Northsider – VP Racing Fuels, Oasis Nutrition, Advantage Inc, Xplosive Audio N Graphix, B & B Racing Engines, Mack’s Pub and Grill, Automotive Supply, Anglers Bar & Grill, Recker’s Towing, Kolosso Toyota, Lil Orbit Mini Donuts, Cobblestone Hotels, Wisconsin Distributors/Budweiser, Marty Nussbaum Racing, Van Zeeland Paint & Collision, Tesch Family and Precision Powdercoat.