Wisconsin International Raceway

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Wisconsin International Raceway
File:WIROvals.jpg
Location Kaukauna, Wisconsin (town of Buchanan)
Major events Dixieland 250
Red, White and Blue State Championship Series
1/2 mile
Surface asphalt
Length .50 mi
Turns 4 plus dogleg on frontstretch
Lap record 19.026 (Johnny Sauter, , 2015, ARCA Midwest Tour)
1/4 mile
Surface asphalt
Length 0.25 mi
Figure 8
Surface asphalt
Drag strip
Surface asphalt
Banking flat

The Wisconsin International Raceway (WIR) is a stockcar racing oval and dragstrip in the Town of Buchanan, in Outagamie County, just outside Kaukauna, Wisconsin, USA.

Stockcar track

The main track is a half mile D-shaped paved oval.[1] Inside the half mile track is a quarter mile paved conventional oval. The half mile track was added around the existing quarter mile in 1969.[2]

Stock car weekly divisions

There are six divisions at the track.[1] The Super Late Model and Late Model divisions race on the half-mile track.[1] The Super Stocks, Sport 4's (stock four cylinders modified for racing), and Wisconsin Sport Trucks[1][3] divisions race on the quarter-mile track. The Figure 8 cars end programs on the Figure 8 track.[1] An automated timing and scoring system was set up for the 2007 season, and each racecar carries a transponder.

The Fox River Racing Club began helping promote the weekly events in 1975.

  • Lowell Bennett WIR Super Late Model.jpg

    Super Late Model – Lowell Bennett

  • WisconsinInternationalRacewayLimitedLateModel2006DougMahlik.jpg

    Late Model – Doug Mahlik

  • HudsonRacecar.jpg

    Super Stock

  • Sport4.JPG

    sizzlin 4's

  • WIRFigure8.jpg

    Figure 8 cars

  • WisconsinInternationalRaceway2006SportTruckQuella.jpg

    Wisconsin Sport Truck

Stock car special events

File:ARCA Midwest Tour at Wisconsin International Raceway August 2014.jpg
2014 ARCA Midwest Tour race

The track had an annual American Speed Association event. The track resumed hosting ASA events after the series was reorganized, and it held an event in 2007. Earlier the USAC Stock Car series had raced at the track.[4] The ASA series returned to the track in 2014 now sanctioned as the ARCA Midwest Tour.

The track has hosted an annual "Red, White, and Blue State Championship Series" for super late models since 1972.[5] The series consist of three races in June (red), July (white), and August (blue).[5] The series changed from Saturday nights to Thursday nights to combine with the weekly series in 2009.[5] The series was part of the Midwest Challenge Series (formerly ARTGO) and later part of the Wisconsin Challenge Series. 7,832 people watched Dick Trickle win the first red race.[5]

Notable drivers to race on the stockcar track

File:Wisconsin International Raceway Dick Trickle Pavilion in Turn 1 to 2.jpg
Dick Trickle pavilion in Turn 2

All of the following drivers appeared at the track before moving on to at least one of the big three NASCAR divisions (Cup, Busch, Truck)

Trickle had so many wins that the track dedicated the Dick Trickle Pavilion in Turn 2. Joe Shear won the Red, White, and Blue series 1979, 1987, and 1988.[7]

List of super late model track champions

2015 Lowell Bennett

  • 2014 Brett Piontek
  • 2013 Jeff Van Oudenhoven
  • 2012 Lowell Bennett
  • 2011 Jeff Van Oudenhoven
  • 2010 Terry Baldry
  • 2009 Jeff Van Oudenhoven
  • 2008 Jeff Van Oudenhoven[5]
  • 2007 Tim Rothe
  • 2006 Tim Rothe
  • 2005 Rod Wheeler[8]
  • 2004 Terry Baldry
  • 2003 Terry Baldry
  • 2002 Terry Baldry
  • 2001 Terry Baldry
  • 2000 Terry Baldry
  • 1999 Terry Baldry
  • 1998 Lowell Bennett
  • 1997 Terry Baldry
  • 1996 Mark Schroeder
  • 1995 Matt Kenseth
  • 1994 Matt Kenseth
  • 1993 Terry Baldry
  • 1992 Jim Weber
  • 1991 Lowell Bennett
  • 1990 J. J. Smith
  • 1989 Scott Hansen
  • 1988 Scott Hansen
  • 1987 Scott Hansen
  • 1986 Scott Hansen
  • 1985 Scott Hansen
  • 1984 Terry Baldry
  • 1983 Terry Baldry
  • 1982 Terry Baldry
  • 1981 Jim Sauter
  • 1980 Alan Kulwicki
  • 1979 Alan Kulwicki
  • 1978 Rich Somers
  • 1977 Jerry Smith of Medina
  • 1976 Larry Schuler
  • 1975 Rich Somers

List of Super Stock track champions

  • 2015 Schwalbach/Van Roy
  • 2014 Greg Hauser
  • 2013 Dylan Wenzel
  • 2012 Dylan Wenzel
  • 2011 Hauser/Casavant
  • 2010 Hauser/Casavant
  • 2009 Todd Bauman
  • 2008 Hauser/Casavant
  • 2007 Greg Hauser
  • 2006 Randy Van Roy
  • 2005 Andy Casavant
  • 2004 Andy Casavant
  • 2003 Andy Casavant
  • 2002 Terry Van Roy
  • 2001 Terry Van Roy
  • 2000 Chris LaRocque
  • 1999 Terry Van Roy
  • 1998 Randy Van Roy
  • 1997 Mike Rahn
  • 1996 Chris LaRocque
  • 1995 Chris LaRocque
  • 1994 Terry Van Roy
  • 1993 Terry Van Roy
  • 1992 Terry Van Roy
  • 1991 Terry Van Roy
  • 1990 Terry Van Roy

List of Sizzlin' 4 track champions

  • 2015 Mike Klein
  • 2014 Wayne Sonkowsky
  • 2013 Ethan Beattie
  • 2012 Cory Romenesko
  • 2011 Cody Kippenhan
  • 2010 Wayne Sonkowsky
  • 2009 Tim Richter
  • 2008 Tom Schweitzer
  • 2007 Scott Verboomen
  • 2006 Nick Boldt
  • 2005 Phil Verboomen
  • 2004 Bryan Monday

List of Figure-8 track champions

  • 2015 Craig Vandewettering
  • 2014 Craig Vandewettering
  • 2013 Jared Baughman
  • 2012 Craig Vandewettering
  • 2011 Dan Gracyalny
  • 2010 Dan Gracyalny
  • 2009 Terry Van Roy
  • 2008 Jeff Wohlrabe
  • 2007 Terry Van Roy
  • 2006 Donald Van Camp
  • 2005 Donald Van Camp
  • 2004 Terry Van Roy
  • 2003 Jeff Beschta
  • 2002 Terry Van Roy
  • 2001 Terry Van Roy
  • 2000 Terry Van Roy
  • 1999 Randy Theimer
  • 1998 Dan Gracyalny
  • 1997 Terry Van Roy
  • 1996 Dan Gracyalny
  • 1995 Terry Van Roy
  • 1994 Terry Van Roy
  • 1993 Rick Kaufert
  • 1992 Terry Van Roy
  • 1991 Dan Gracyalny
  • 1990 Dan Gracyalny
  • 1989 Terry Van Roy
  • 1988 Dan Gracyalny
  • 1987 Dan Gracyalny
  • 1986 Jeff Beschta
  • 1985 Dan Gracyalny
  • 1984 Randy Rahn
  • 1983 Randy Rahn
  • 1982 Dave Uttech
  • 1981 Randy Rahn
  • 1980 Tom Munes
  • 1979 Tom Munes
  • 1978 Rick Zieler
  • 1977 Kenny Van Wychen

Trivia

  • Parts of the 2004 independent film "Dare to Dream: The Alan Kulwicki Story" were shot at Wisconsin International Raceway during Thursday Night Thunder. The film crew used a 1980 Chevrolet Camaro to re-create the WLPX racing Camaro Kulwicki used in the early 80's. Other cars used in the film were from the Lion's Club racing group.

Dragstrip

File:WIRDragStrip.jpg
Looking down the drag strip

The dragstrip is a 1/4 mile paved track. It is one of three operating dragstrips in Wisconsin.

Dragstrip weekly divisions

There are six weekly divisions that compete on Saturday nights: Top Eliminator Class, Hot Rod Eliminator, Street Eliminator, Pro-Bike and Snowmobile, Street Bike, and Junior Dragsters.

  • Street Eliminators

  • WIRHotRodEliminator.jpg

    Hot Rod Eliminators

  • Snowmobile vs. Pro-Bike

Eve of Destruction

The track has hosted an annual "Eve of Destruction" each September since 1993 and it is the tracks' annual season finale for the stock car. The Eve of Destruction is one of the biggest events hosted at track, as the 10,000 seat raceway is generally packed.[9] Drivers compete in a variety of unusual events such as chain races (two cars are chained together), spin to win (race backwards and then spin around forward for the finish), trailer races (part of the trailer must remain intact to continue racing), etc. In between races, fans are entertained by stunt car drivers. Ten school buses compete in a survival-of-the-fittest competition, where the last bus standing wins. Track owner Roger Van Daalwyk described the Eve of Destruction: "We kind of wreck everything."[10]

Media

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Wisporttrucks.com
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Appleton Post-Crescent newspaper, May 21, 2006, Racing Report (page B-8)
  9. ↑ The Post-Crescent, September 16, 2006, "Crash fans covet Eve of Destruction" (page A1)
  10. ↑ The Post-Crescent, September 16, 2006, "Crash fans covet Eve of Destruction" (page A3)

External links

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