The Scoop
KADEN KOSTICHKA – OPTING TO STAY ON THE PAVEMENT IN ’24
Posted on: Thursday May 16, 2024
Green Bay’s Kaden Kostichka and team in the pit area at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. (danlewisphoto.net)
Kaden Kostichka lives and breathes stock car racing.
The 14-year-old who will be a freshman at Green Bay Preble this Fall is working the learning curve as one of the new candidates in Wisconsin International Raceway’s quarter-mile late model class in 2024.
The second-generation racer for many seasons piloted a kart on Friday nights on the dirt at Little Buckaroo Jr. Motorsports Park in Cecil. Last season Kostichka wheeled a Wisconsin sport truck on paved ovals in Wisconsin – in particular on Thursday nights at WIR.
Many young racers who start out in the karting ranks have multiple options when it comes to what division and/or track surface they’d like to compete on as they move up short track racing’s proverbial food chain. With no less than six dirt tracks within an hour of Green Bay, multiple options are available to ‘get dirty’ but Kostichka and his dad Jason came across an offer they simply could not refuse. That offer will keep them racing at WIR in 2024.
After looking at a couple of dirt cars that were for sale, the Kostichka’s reached out to former WIR sportsman standout Pete Berken. Berken is one of the driving forces behind the WIR quarter-mile late model class. The division remains affordable where the rules are geared towards racing on used tires and resurrecting old racing chassis and breathing new life into them by racing on WIR’s quarter-mile oval similar to what the old sportsman class was for many decades.
The Kostichka’s purchased this race ready late model turnkey from Pete Berken for $9,000. (danlewisphoto.net)
“Pete Berken sold us a race ready, turn key late model for $9,000,” Jason Kostichka said. “And the bonus with that is Pete and his team have been great with serving up pointers to Kaden and setup, too. That amount is pretty much just slightly more than what we had invested in the sport truck. And this really isn’t a division that dad just buys you a car type of thing. It’s designed to keep the rules simple and in my opinion is a great, affordable option on the pavement for someone who may not want to race a four cylinder car, for example.”
The car Kostichka’s obtained has a 2015 Port City chassis underneath the No. 21 racer. So far early on in ’24 Kaden has gotten a few practice sessions in and took part in the TUNDRA series opener at WIR May 11. The teen racer nailed down a pair of top five finishes in the division’s twin features. Not too shabby for a true rookie.
“Driving one of these late models is completely different from driving the trucks,” Kaden said. “With the late model we’ve got power steering and a better suspension. It’s a totally different animal from the trucks. There really isn’t much of a comparison.”
Kaden raced this Wisconsin sport truck in 2023. (joeverdegan.com photo)
Another of the factors that led the Kostichka’s to remain in a division on the pavement in 2024 was Jason raced for many years on the pavement at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek before the track was converted to dirt in 2010. “Not only that but financially it seemed like a real good fit for us,” Jason said. “I like the group of people here at WIR. They’ve been very helpful and welcoming of me here.”
In the shop during the week Kaden has gradually taken on additional tasks in turning wrenches on the car. “I’ve been applying decals and helping out doing the nut and bolt checks on the car,” Kaden explained. “My overall goal for this year is to maybe sneak out a win by the end of the year. But the theme honestly is to learn as much as I can.”
With Kaden still having a bulk of his high school career ahead of him, his studies are the last thing his parents worry about. “Luckily Kaden remains a straight A student,” Jason said. “So we haven’t had to hold racing over his head because of poor grades. We had a blast racing here at WIR last year and met a lot of good friends. That too sort of swayed our decision to continue on with the pavement route.”
Down the road Kaden would eventually like to take the plunge and move up and compete on WIR’s legendary half-mile – the track that so many NASCAR champions and short track stars have cut their teeth on. “There’s no rush for that as we may stay in this class for two or maybe three years and learn,” Jason pointed out. “(Kaden) has been working on turning smooth laps as it’s critical on the quarter-mile. You’ve got to stay smooth most certainly. Car control is huge, especially on the pavement.”
The division Kostichka races in competes roughly every other week on the Thursday night WIR schedule. “We’re hoping this year Kaden can hitch up with a half-mile team to sort of learn the ropes a little bit too,” Jason suggested. “It’s never too early to learn that aspect of the sport. Effort is the biggest thing as a parent I’ve tried to teach him and Kaden is very passionate about his racing. It’s what he does. And as his parent I’m happy to support it. It keeps me young anyways.”
In addition to his dad other crew members include Jason’s Uncle Brian Kostichka and Kaden’s godfather Nathan Iwanski.
Kostichka’s team of marketing partners that keeps his No. 21 racer up and running include Wilke Orthodontics, Heim Machine LLC, Auto Select, FastSigns, Tony Young Electric, Treeo’s, Mac Tools, Zeg’s Tools LLC, HobbyTown, Showcase Kitchens, Young Aerial Solutions, Paul’s Snowblowing and Lawn Spraying, Peer Addition 24 Racing, Audrey Todd Sherry Declan and Addi, Jrod, Grandma and Grandpa Kostichka Gennet Family,The Settlement Bar and Grill, Reiser’s Diamond Vault, Bucklin’s Tree Service and Precision Cut Stone.