The Scoop
TRAVIS RODEWALD – MANITOWOC RACER CHECKING FLORIDA ‘SNOWBALL’ RACE OFF BUCKET LIST
Posted on: Sunday November 12, 2023
Travis Rodewald
Travis Rodewald admittedly is a ‘bucket list’ guy.
The 42-year-old super late model racer from Manitowoc will be checking off one of his ‘bucket list’ tracks to compete at in December when he tows his Roadhog Racing team to sunny Pensacola, Florida to Five Flags Speedway for the 56th annual Snowball Derby. For many in pavement racing the Snowball signals the ‘Super Bowl’ of sorts.
“Jim Duchow and I talked about it, and I’ve heard a lot about the (Snowball) Derby from others,” Rodewald admitted. “At 42 I’m not getting any younger, so we decided to go all in, and we are entered.”
The irony of Rodewald’s trip to Florida is that originally the plan was to travel down simply to watch the four-day special as a fan with his buddies. “Initially it was going to be a guy’s weekend, but my sponsors (JSL Real Estate and Abby Ridge Developments) convinced me to bring the car so everyone’s going down including the wives,” Rodewald explained.
To enter an event like the Snowball takes a massive commitment of not only time but money as well. With technical inspections beginning on Wednesday, November 29 with practices, qualifying and preliminary races leading up to the big 300 lap feature which pays $35,000-to-win on Sunday, December 3. “We’re leaving Saturday November 25 and we rented a condominium on the ocean for the entire week,” Rodewald said. “We’ve got a crew of 10 people total heading down there.”
Manitowoc’s Travis Rodewald is one of four Wisconsin super late model racers pre entered for the 56th annual Snowball Derby December 3. (Ricky Bassman photo)
In addition to the vacation days from work the team members must take, the expenses involved in running the four-day event are beyond staggering. “Our tire bill alone for those four days is estimated at $15,000,” Rodewald said. “If you make the feature, I believe it pays $2,000-to-start. Heck, I think a guy would have to finish second or even win the race itself to break even since second place pays $20,000.”
Rodewald estimates the 300-lap race will command a minimum of three pit stops with all of those stops changing all four tires. “The surface from what I’m told down there is real abrasive as it actually has pieces of seashells in it and it does chew up tires,” Rodewald said. If a driver doesn’t qualify his or her way into the big show by time alone a driver must run a 50-lap last chance qualifying race. Typically, only four drivers advance to the big show out of that last chance race.
Rodewald’s pre-entry cost him $250. Pit passes for the four-day deal are $130 per person. Many high dollar teams from the southern states build brand new cars just for this event. That’s not the case with Rodewald. His car sits atop a 2017 Pathfinder chassis. According to Rodewald the car itself only has roughly one and one-half years of racing laps underneath it.
The Snowball event will cap off a year where Rodewald’s racing was very limited in ’23. “I only raced five nights with this super late model this year as a blown motor cut my year short,” Rodewald explained. “The good thing is I’m able to keep my rookie-of-the-year eligibility for that division on Thursday nights at WIR (Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna) for 2024.”
Travis is anxious to check Five Flags Speedway off of his ‘bucket list.‘ (Ricky Bassman photo)
Rodewald has had some success racing at WIR’s D-shaped, half-mile paved oval. In 2017, Rodewald picked up the late model division track championship and rookie-of-the-year honors. In addition, he captured the Red, White & Blue state championship series that same year. Prior to that he traveled for several seasons on the Mid-American stock car series circuit, competing at nearly every paved oval in Wisconsin and several others in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Upper Michigan.
Some of the bigger dollar teams will show up with a stacker trailer with two race cars at their disposal, with multiple spare parts including a backup motor. Rodewald does not have such a luxury. “I’m down to one car so that’s what we’re bringing down there,” Rodewald said. “We’ve got a pretty good motor that Advanced Engine Concepts built for us. It’s a southern parts motor. We’ll be able to still run that motor back here in Wisconsin in 2024 but I’ll need to add some weight for a weight penalty.”
Among Rodewald’s crew members will be veteran racer and car builder Ed Holmes, who will serve as the crew chief for the Snowball. The big race in Florida is unlike anything that is run in the Upper Midwest. “I guess if I had to compare it to any event up this way the closest thing in comparison would be Oktoberfest at LaCrosse,” Rodewald said. “When it all shakes out down there, we for sure will be one of the lowest budgeted teams competing in a super late model.”
Among Rodewald’s strengths in his 22-year racing career is the ability to learn quickly at a new racetrack. His years chasing the Mid-American series certainly aided in that. The other factor Rodewald is quick to point out is he’s always willing to fight through an ill-handling machine.
Milling around the pit area at Five Flags will be many teenage racers, many of whom may not get their hands dirty, or as some older, grizzled veterans think haven’t necessarily ‘paid-their-dues’ so to speak. “I try not to worry about any of that stuff and focus on my own deal,” Rodewald said. “I just always go out there and do the best with what I’ve got. You cannot worry about that stuff because if you lose your focus your entire investment in your race car could be wiped out with one big crash. That’s why you’ve always got to stay focused. But also, I’m not going to be giving up any track position and anyone trying to pass me will have to work for it, no doubt.”
A trip to Florida cannot be all work and no play. The team plans to use Monday and Tuesday to relax and do some ‘fun stuff.’
Team sponsors include Abbey Ridge Developments, JSL Real Estate, Ney’s Big Sky Meats and John Mayer Insurance. Although the team is always seeking additional marketing partners, especially to help fund the trip to Florida.
Pit crew members who’ve chipped in over the years include Todd Bethe, Curt Heather & Madeline Carstens, Cassie Rodewald, Jim Duchow and Randy Boegh.
SNOWBALL NOTEBOOK – Of the 46 super late model drivers pre entered as of November 7, Rodewald is one of just four Wisconsin drivers. Those other Wisconsin drivers include NASCAR truck standout Ty Majeski (Neenah), Wausau’s Luke Fenhaus and another NASCAR truck star Derek Kraus (Stratford). Fans can check out 5flagsspeedway.com for more information. Joining the super late model classes during the four day event November 30 thru December 3 includes the Pro late models and the Modified of Mayhem Tour.