The Scoop
TOM WAGNER – VETERAN ANNNOUNCER CALLS IT A CAREER AFTER NEARLY 50 YEARS
Posted on: Monday November 9, 2026
TOM WAGNER
One of the best public address announcers in Wisconsin stock car racing history has decided to hang up the microphone.
Sturgeon Bay’s Tom Wagner has been calling races just shy of 50 years. When the 70-year-old called his final race at Luxy Raceway in Luxemburg this past Fall, he also decided to call it a career.
Wagner has been a staple of the racing scene in both Door and Kewaunee Counties dating back to 1978. As a neophyte announcer back in the ’70’s, Wagner had big shoes to fill – taking over for the ever-flamboyant Fritz Van at the clay oval located at the Door County Fairgrounds.
It was around 2000 when Wagner began “pinch hitting” for other announcers, as he branched out to call special events and touring series on paved ovals, including the legendary Milwaukee Mile. In all, Wagner would wind up calling the action at 35 different racing venues throughout the Midwest.
“Even though my first announcing gig was at Sturgeon Bay, I actually got into racing as a little kid spectating at Luxemburg,” Wagner recalled. “So, I’ve really been fortunate over the years to have two ‘home tracks’ so to speak. But truthfully when I started, I got in when racing was really on a downward spiral. Tracks were closing, and the sport was really on life support up this way in 1978. There weren’t a lot of race teams back then.”
While weekly racing died in Door County in the mid-80’s, it was actually some annual enduro races that were held during the Door County Fair that kept the sport alive on the peninsula – even if it was just one race a year. “Those enduros were really popular in Door County,” Wagner said. “And they were ALL local drivers from Door County, and some also from nearby Kewaunee County.”
A PAIR OF HALL OF FAMERS – Tom Wagner interviews Joe Verdegan as Verdegan gets inducted into the Luxemburg Speedway Hall of Fame in 2015. (Dan Lewis photo)
In 1993, Wagner, albeit a tad skeptical, decided to jump back behind the mic at Sturgeon Bay when Rick Ledvina and Carolyn Tordeur took a stab at reopening and promoting the races, rebranding the track as ThunderHill Raceway. “The Kroll family was involved when it reopened, and Dale Knudson was involved in getting things going again in Sturgeon Bay,” Wagner admitted. “What REALLY built the Sturgeon Bay track into a successful show were the bombers. Both Sturgeon Bay and Luxemburg had at that time the “Big Three” classes if you will: the IMCA modifieds, IMCA stock cars and street stocks. We had nine on that first night we reopened in 1993 at Sturgeon Bay. It didn’t take long – maybe four or five weeks – and we’d have in the 40’s and sometime closer to 50 bombers alone. There were so many of those bomber cars around, that it was not uncommon for a driver to win the feature one night, and not even MAKE the feature the following week.”
Wagner added: “I was truly skeptical because the track had sat idle since 1984. The bleachers were really old. There weren’t a lot of local guys who were racing regularly at that time, other than the bomber cars for the once-a-year enduros. But, it all worked out.”
In addition to Sturgeon Bay, Wagner hitched up with his longtime friend Kelly Hafeman. Hafeman, along with his wife Debbie and Ralph Aschenbrenner, promoted the races at the track which was called Luxemburg Tri-Star Speedway at the Kewaunee County Fairgrounds.
Wagner would serve as the Luxemburg Tri-Star Speedway announcer for all but one of the seasons starting in 1989. “It was hard to say no to Kelly, as he had been a childhood friend of mine,” Wagner recalled.
During the ’90’s and even into the ’00’s, the night wasn’t over for Wagner after the final checkered flag flew for the night. “I’d phone in the results from that night to the Green Bay Press Gazette,” Wagner said. “It was a big deal, and that ensured we got the race results in the Saturday morning edition from Luxemburg, and the Sunday paper had the story in from Sturgeon Bay. It was real easy when you had one of their staffers who was a real hardcore race fan – Dale O’Brien. He knew the drivers, their hometowns, and the correct spelling of their names.”
In addition to that, Wagner would also pen a pyramid-style race recap for both the Door County Advocate in Sturgeon Bay and also the Algoma Record Herald. Those would be done the mornings after the respective race nights on Fridays and Saturdays. “That was every weekend, every summer when there was racing,” Wagner recalled. “Different times from today’s social media everything else.”
After Wagner stepped away from the weekly grind of calling the action every Friday and Saturday nights at his ‘home tracks’, the veteran announcer began to spread his wings, announcing races at different paved ovals across Wisconsin. Some were close to home, like Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna and 141 Speedway in Francis Creek.
Yet, another benefit surfaced when Wagner began taking announcing gigs at other tracks in Wisconsin at race tracks in cities like LaCrosse, Wisconsin Dells and Lake Geneva. “My wife Tammy was never really into racing all that much,” Wagner confessed. “So, Tammy would tag along when we’d go to these out-of-town races to announce. We’d make mini vacations out the trip. And, that variety kept things interesting. It’s different than the weekly grind, though. When you are there every week, you can keep up with the respective storylines of the local drivers, their rivalries and all of the respective background information. That can become a little bit of a grind, though, over time.”
Tom Wagner doing his thing during a Mid-American Stock Car series event at WIR in Kaukauna. (Mid-American Series photo)
Since 1993, Wagner has evolved into the unofficial “historian” of the racing action at Sturgeon Bay. He’s kept detailed records of all of the feature winners of the respective divisions from day one, when Ledvina and Tordeur took over. “It’s really neat to keep track of that stuff,” Wagner admitted. “And, looking back on all of it, A LOT of guys moved on up to other divisions from the bomber class. Including Bernie Reinhardt, who holds the famous streak of competing at Sturgeon Bay for 445 straight races. Dale Knudson should get a ton of credit for getting that bomber class up and running. And all of those local drivers from Door and Kewaunee Counties had their moms and dads, grandparents, uncles and aunts showed up. It showed as our grandstands were pretty packed many Saturday nights.”
With his vast knowledge of all of the feature winners at Sturgeon Bay dating back to ’93, Wagner was the perfect fit to become a very reliable ‘source’ when former track promoter and Sturgeon Bay native Bryan “Woody” Wodack and Brian Duquaine got the track’s Hall of Fame started. “These days, John Sternard and I have conversations back and forth about it,” Wagner explained. “There is a list we work off of. But, these days, it’s ultimately John who makes the call on who goes in each year.”
Wagner himself is an inductee at both the Hall of Fames at the Luxemburg and Sturgeon Bay tracks. A spot that has been well-earned. And, most years, Wagner himself has served as the emcee on the respective HOF nights at both ovals.
As Wagner sets off into the sunset of his illustrious and colorful racing career, he noticed some trends among the local racing scene. “At Sturgeon Bay they really didn’t have any local modified drivers after the few locals we had that lived in Door County hung it up,” Wagner said. “Alot of those guys did come back and nowadays they compete in the sportmod class. Guys like George Henkel and the LeMieuxs, for example. There are enough race teams it seems to go around. The crowds are a little soft compared to years ago it seems. But that’s everywhere. When 141 Speedway switched to dirt, it truly did shake things up on the local dirt track scene beginning in 2010. It had a ripple effect on Sturgeon Bay for sure. And in more recent years, that has affected Shawano, too. Guys will drive past a track to go race somewhere else. It’s happening everywhere.”
One other trend Wagner has noticed – drivers are not afraid to travel. “141 (Speedway) is the face for that,” Wagner said. “I mean, they’ve got some teams from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula that compete there weekly. “But, some people seem to get fixated on car counts. I don’t. Take Sturgeon Bay, for example. We used to have car counts over 100 weekly. These days, with an abbreviated schedule, maybe mid-60’s most nights. With a good field of competitors, you don’t need all of those cars.”
You may not necessarily NEED all of those cars. However, these days most track’s are truly ‘back gate-driven’ where in a typical business model of a short track the back gate takes care of the driver’s purse. “Crowds are not exactly where promoters want them to be these days, so that revenue stream has to come from the back gate,” Wagner explained. “That, along with the fact that no one has big pit crews anymore. It’s tough. Real tough. Couple that with $35 and $40 pit passes. That makes things even tougher for any promoter.”
Wagner opined about the county-leased versus the privately-owned and operated tracks. “One thing 141 has going for it is that it’s privately-owned,” Wagner pointed out. “They are NOT at the beck and call of the county that may or may not care for racing. And, 141 has the Left Turn Lounge there. An advantage over the county-leased tracks.”
In Wagner’s final act behind the mic at Luxy Raceway, he had the honor and privilege to interview all of the northeastern Wisconsin IMCA national champions from year’s past, including the 2026 IMCA sportmod national champion Coy Vlies from Casco. “To me, that was the coolest thing,” Wagner admitted. “I have to thank Tracy Thrun for that. We had the 1993 champion on one end (John Gregorich) and Coy on the other end and everyone in between. Between that, and announcing R.M. Van Pay’s $10,000 IMCA stock car win. It was sort of fitting you might say.”
Looking back on his near five-decade career announcing races, Wagner has zero regrets. “I truly have no regrets,” Wagner confessed. “None. There’s been a lot of patience in our household. My marriage lasted as long as the racing did. That’s pretty good. It’s time to spend more time with my grandkids.”
Here are what other’s in the Door & Kewaunee County Racing History circles have opined regarding Tom Wagner and his decision to set the microphone down for the final time:
“It was 1970 something. My dad, then the owner of The Stein Bar in Sturgeon Bay and president of the Door County Racing Association had a dilemma. Fritz Van was going away (prison) and my dad told Fritz they needed a replacement while he was gone. So, one random day enter into the bar as my dad was working is Fritz with a 18-year-old Tom Wagner. Fritz introduces him to my dad – stating ‘this is your next pr guy and announcer.’
Dad took Fritz at his word, shook Tom’s hand and said ‘your hired’. That was the start to Tom Wagner behind the mic in Sturgeon Bay. Now, fast forward all these years later and not knowing but Tom’s races he called this season would be his last in Sturgeon Bay, this time ending working with me promoting. Very fitting, and if my dad was still here he would think that is a great ending to the long story with our family and Tom.
Aside from that, what Tom has meant to this track, to this community of racers we have can never be matched. His knowledge, his words in the memorable moments that happened will never be forgotten, but live on forever. Tom has been the voice on the mic, but also behind the scenes as his thoughts and decisions on hall of fame members each year have been instrumental to the members we have in the hall of fame currently.
Tom has been a constant voice of advice, thought, and someone to turn to when questions or stories arise. As a whole racing community here in Door County, we are grateful and can never repay Tom for everything he has done and meant to the tracks history. He has and always will be the “voice” if it was behind the mic or just through conversation his voice will be here forever. Tom’s fingerprints are all over the tracks history, and the tracks history can not be written without tom.
Below is a response to Tom contacting me on his retirement, a personal view he has given me over time.
Tom,
After reading your email, I need to process it a bit and its hard to comprehend not having you involved in local racing anymore. However, i can understand and respect your point of view and feelings. I do agree that with anything, eventually it comes to an end.
I want to thank you. I am in debt to you forever. You may ask why or for what so please let me explain. Ever since i was a little kid and was lucky enough to go to the races with my dad or brother i heard your voice. My dad would talk highly of you all the time, but listening to you call the races so colorfully sucked me in. I fell in love with racing at that time, could not get enough of it, drove my father a bit crazy i am sure in my younger days to go watch my brother wherever he was racing where your voice was also present and in process became a young fan of other drivers you would famously give nicknames too. I cut out every article, bought every picture I could, and began saving every racing memory at a young age which I continue still today, all these years, all the memories.
From everything i have had the opportunity to do in this sport we enjoy so much, from a fan, pit crew, driver, car owner, tech official, promoter it all starte d with a simple trip to the races on a Saturday night with my dad, hearing your voice for the first time and making memories that will forever stay with me. so thank you – thank you for the memories.
Please know if at anytime for any reason you wish to pop in, you are always welcome. Enjoy your grandkids, enjoy life, and know we appreciate everything you have done.”
John Sternard, track promoter, The Hill Raceway
“Tom and I would go to the races in De Pere in the early 70’s. We were too young to drive and neither of our parents were interested in racing, but they would drop us off. The grandstands were always packed.
Tom always had that “radio voice “ in high school he would always be the MC or the one person from our class that made the announcements. He worked for WDOR radio at a very young age. Then went to college at UWGB, graduating with a degree in accounting. I believe he worked most of his career for WPS.
When we took over Luxemburg after Rick (Schlabowske), we knew we wanted Tom as our announcer. He had already announced some races and we felt he was the best around. I remember calling him and asking him if he would do it. He realized it was a big time commitment and took a few days to think it over, eventually saying yes.
Tom would always arrive at the track early and walk through the pits talking to the drivers trying to get some “color” to add as he announced. He made recipe cards on each driver with their wives name, how many kids, their hometown, their nickname and of their sponsors. As the year went on he kept track of how many wins they had and was able to add that to his commentary.
Tom would always find a driver or two that we kind of use as “character” to get the crowd laughing. Freddy Andretti Davister and Tony Bouche were two of his favorites.
Tom would put together his own soundtracks that he would play to get the crowd fired up before the features, back before MCI put and end to us being able to do that. I thought the old grandstands were going to fall down when he had the entire crowd stomping their feet to Queen.
Tom also was very involved with helping the scorers. Before transponders, it was human eyes that kept track of the order the cars ran. With 20 cars on a short track that took as many people as possible to get it correct.
Tom was always 100% the professional. I never heard him swear and actually I never heard him complain, about anything. I believe he was respected and liked by everyone, his coworkers, the fans and certainly the drivers.
Tom certainly will be missed in our racing community. Godspeed my friend.”
Kelly Hafeman, retired racer, track promoter
“Tom Wagner was the BEST announcer in my career of being a long time fan and 13 year promoter of Thunderhill Raceway. His voice was made for dirt track racing, you can clos e your eyes and listen and know exactly who it was. I’m proud to say he worked the races during my promoting day. And honored to personally put him in the Thunderhill Raceway Hall of Fame. Tom my friend, you will be missed AND is not replacable PERIOD!. Enjoy your retirement Tom, I’m a huge fan!!!”
Bryan “Woody” Wodack, former track promoter
Tom Wagner (right) poses with former Sturgeon Bay track announcers Ed Anschutz (left) and the late Fritz Van (middle). (danlewisphoto.net)
“Tom Wagner is an icon of local racing. With his announcing style, I believe he was instrumental in growing the sport in the early 90’s, especially in Door County. He was that familiar voice Friday and Saturday nights that made you excited to get to your seat in the stands. Tom was not only great at calling the action on the track, but telling the behind-the-scenes stories and giving you racing stats with ease.
Tom was exceptional at giving every driver and even some fans air time. He had a way of making you feel important. He was all business when he was behind the microphone but if you were on the other side of the speaker, he sounded like a guy who was just having fun. He was extremely witty when something colorful took place on the track. He could make you hang on every word he said.
I feel very fortunate to have been a kid listening to Tom growing up. Later on, when I started racing, I was lucky enough to be given the nickname “The Eagle” by him. And if you were given a nickname by Tom, you wore it like a badge of honor. When I started announcing, I leaned heavily on Tom to help guide me along the way. After I finished with a night of announcing, he would email me with notes and stats of the drivers that won. I’m thankful and appreciate everything he’s done for me on and off the track.
To me, Tom is the best announcer I’ve had the privilege of listening to. His name needs to be mentioned right next the top feature winners in N.E. Wisconsin. He’s a respected member of the racing community and true ambassador of the sport. There will never be another Tom Wagner. We are extremely lucky for the all the nights we had him behind the mic.”
Eddie “The Eagle” Anschutz, racer, retired track announcer