The Vault
MAY 12, 1999 – RACING AROUND TITLETOWN
Posted on: Sunday February 21, 2021
M.J. McBride gets more cheers than boos? Ken Fischer’s first ever career feature win? “Hot Rod” Snellenberger and John Heinz racing with the Shawano Sportsman? Brad Dahmer’s pavement debut? Dave “Smut” Hall in a Pontiac Fiero? Must be 1999! Check this column out from the monthly publication “Racing Review”. Enjoy!
Racing Around Titletown column from Racing Review magazine
May 12, 1999 by Joe Verdegan
Bring up M.J. McBride’s name at one of the local watering holes in Shawano County and it’s bound to stir up an emotional debate. For nearly four decades McBride has been deemed either a hero or a villain in the eyes of many. It’s a true love ‘em or hate ‘em relationship with ol’ No. 5.
After Saturday night’s season opener at Shawano Speedway, one gets the sense that the pendulum is swinging in favor of hero as he attempts to score his eighth track title at his home track. As a result, the cheers outnumbered the jeers when M.J.’s Miller Lite-sponsored MasterSbilt chassis outraced Rice Lake chauffeur Mark Hessler to the wire in the 20 lap WISSOTA late model main.
“Track was smooth tonight and was two grooves,” McBride explained. “It’s a good start to the year but it’s also a long season and lots can happen.” M.J. will again compete at Shawano and Langlade County Speedway (Antigo) weekly.
For Hessler the reasons to travel close to three hours to race at Shawano are many. “Nice people, nice surface to race on, too,” said Hessler, who’ll campaign weekly at Shawano this year. “Plus, their payoff in the middle and on the bottom is actually better than Cedar Lake (Speedway). And a guy is pretty much guaranteed to make the main each night.” Hessler wheels a Swartz chassis.
Shawano’s Tom Naeyaert has a real good reason to change his number from 98 to 9 – to accommodate another big sponsor. “We picked up Menominee Casino just this week and had to play a real juggling act to accommodate the rest of our sponsors,” Naeyaert pointed out. “We’re happy because they’re looking at not only supporting our effort but the race track’s as a whole for a long time. It’s a win-win situation for both parties.” Naeyaert took third in a GRT.
WISSOTA late model rookie Mark Mitchell and his crew receive a real attaboy award. During his heat Mitchell’s racer climbed the guardrail in turn one and landed on his roof. His crew thrashed to repair the car and made the call in the feature. “We’ll run weekly here and get out 30 shows in between Antigo and Seymour as far as the national rookie deal goes,” said Mitchell.
It appears the number of sponsor contingency decal’s WISSOTA requires drivers to display on their cars has really grown. The cars resemble Winston Cup in that sense, and you’ve got to think it takes away some real advertising space on the cars. It’s been a point of discussion on a couple of internet forums recently.
Snowmobile racer Jim Schmidt (Cleveland) debuted his limited late model ride which he will compete in weekly at Sheboygan County Fair Park (Plymouth). Schmidt sports the same number on his car that he does on his snowmobile, 79.
The sportsman class was truly a mixed breed with a few IMCA stock cars thrown into the mix. Despite running a much heavier car Pulaski’s “Hot Rod” Snellenberger and John Heinz of Green Bay placed sixth and seventh, respectively in the 20-car field.
45 IMCA modifieds turned up to do battle and New London’s Dave Faucher held off a strong field of mods to win his second career feature. Frog Station’s Dan Ratajczak placed fourth after making the feature field through one of two last chance races.
After a year absence Bill Lemmens (Green Bay) returned to the racing scene. The former late model racer placed seventh driving an IMCA modified. Lemmens spent last season as the WISSOTA late model rep at Seymour Tri-Oval Raceway.
The newest lady to compete weekly at Shawano is Oconto Falls’ Julie McDermid. McDermid turned some strong laps and was starting to throw her car into a pitch when a snapped axle dropped her out of contention in one of the last chance events.
After four years of trying Green Bay’s Ken Fischer finally picked up his first feature win the hobby stocks. “In working on this thing lately it seems like it’s been a second job and we only race one night a week,” said Fischer. “It’s been frustrating but this makes up for it big time.”
The big race fans were talking about in the grandstand was the $3,900-to-win show at Shawano Wednesday night, June 9. The 39-lap feature will pay $390-to-start and is expected to draw some talented WISSOTA late model guns from western Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Big purses are also being put up that night in the IMCA mods, limited late models and hobby stocks for the mid-week special.
Prior to Shawano we were at 141 Speedway (Francis Creek) for the second practice session of the season. More cars this time with open day just one week away. Sheboygan’s Brad Dahmer turned in his first ever laps on the pavement. A long- time competitor on the dirt Dahmer will field a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix in the Mid-American Sportsman division Saturday nights.
Dahmer raised a lot of eyebrows when he pulled in with his enclosed trailer with a roof wing from his modified mounted atop his trailer. Some were having flashbacks of days gone by.
Reedsville’s Bob Schultz debuted his brand-new Pontiac Grand Prix. His car was voted best appearing at a car show in Manitowoc prior to the practice session. From the chassis to every nut, bolt and pop rivet Schultz’s machine is brand new.
Green Bay’s Mike Rahn strutted his stuff in his brand new Mid-American ride – a Pontiac Grand Prix formerly driven by Dave Dubnicka. “We’re working some of the bugs out of this thing but so far things are going pretty well,” said Rahn. Rahn should be tough this year, especially with Jerry Smits helping turn wrenches on his ride. Jerry is the brother of Steve Smits, three-time limited late model champion at Wisconsin International Raceway (Kaukauna).
Former econo-mod champion Dave Hall (Kingsbridge) has come out of retirement with a truly unique creation in the mini-stock class – a Pontiac Fiero. And yes, it still has the engine behind the driver. Hall is a bright egg who will eventually figure out how to make his creation go fast.
Others who took home hardware for best appearing cars include Daryl Gerke (super stock), Randy Nething (mini stock) and Errol Berry (hobby stock).
The United Midget Auto Racing Association (UMARA) sportsman midgets will make a pair of stops at “The Creek” this year July 17 and September 18. “Last year they drew 18 cars to Wausau on a Thursday night,” said track promoter Matt Rowe. “Not bad considering they are based out of Illinois.”