What: Swiss Colony All-Star Challenge. Big 8 Series 38-lap Late Model feature to be followed by 100-lap Super Late Model main event.
Where: Madison International Speedway (half-mile, high-banked oval).
When: 7 tonight (practice, 12:30-3:30 p.m.; qualifying 4 p.m., racing 7 p.m.).
Tickets: Adults 18 and older, $25; youth age 7-17, $10; children 6 and under get in free. Spectator pit passes available at the gate ($60). Plenty of general admission tickets remain and will go on sale at noon.
OREGON — Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart as good buddies?
On Feb. 22, 1998, that probably seemed like the last thing that would ever happen. In fact, it’s somewhat of a surprise that Stewart didn’t put a knuckle sandwich to Kenseth’s face after the Cambridge driver used a bump-and-run move in the last corner of the last lap to win the Busch Series race at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham.
Kenseth’s victory in an unsponsored car gave his racing career a king-sized boost that led to a 2003 Cup title (the last ever sponsored by Winston), 18 career Cup wins, a Daytona 500 victory, an IROC title and 25 career Busch/Nationwide series victories.
Stewart, meanwhile, came into that race as the reigning IRL champion. He eventually made the jump to NASCAR—much to the chagrin of open-wheel racing fans and Indianapolis Motor Speedway pooh bah Tony George—where he has won two Cup titles (2002, 2005), collected 34 victories and currently leads the Cup standings in a team he purchased part ownership of late last year.
Those two and a host of talented area drivers will get it on tonight at Madison International Speedway in the highly anticipated Swiss Colony All-Star Challenge, a 100-lap shootout on the high-banked, half-mile oval.
“They were racing hard and both wanted to win (that Rockingham race) and Matt did what any other driver would do,” said Roy Kenseth, Matt’s father and the promoter of tonight’s event. “If the roles were reversed, Tony probably would have done the same. But, that was a cool win and it helped John and Robbie Reiser keep their shop open because they were able to get lycos.com to sponsor them for the rest of the year. It was an important win and it was neat to be there to be a part of it.”
Kenseth, who is the 1994 MIS track champion and the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, won the all-star event in 2007. He finished second in 2006 behind Mauston’s Kelly Bires, who now drives on the Nationwide Series, and again in 2008 when Wisconsin short-track legend Steve Carlson took the checkers.
Just how big has the annual MIS All-Star race become?
Some might say it’s bigger than the legendary Miller Nationals, which used to include two big shows: one at Slinger Superspeedway and a second at MIS.
Roy Kenseth won’t go that far, but he knows this race is circled on the racing calendar for thousands of Midwest fans.
“I don’t think it’s bigger than the Miller Nationals,” Roy Kenseth said. “(Slinger owner) Wayne Erickson has a long-standing traditional event that fans recognize. This is only the fifth time I have done this event, once at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna and the rest at MIS. It doesn’t matter to me where this event ranks, I enjoy promoting the event and the fans enjoy it.”
Erickson started bringing big-time NASCAR stars up north back in the 1980s. The drivers would show up for a special event and sign autographs. Some would race a little harder than others, but the template for a big event and a big crowd had been set.
Roy Kenseth hasn’t deviated from that template, relying on his son and Stewart to fill the stands and the hungry area drivers to create an electric event.
Why do Stewart and Kenseth enjoy racing at MIS?
“It’s fun for them, and we make sure they have fun,” Roy Kenseth said. “Matt and Tony are racers, and like many other NASCAR drivers, if they can get the opportunity to visit a short track and race with the local drivers (they’ll take it).
“There is no stress for them, but they are competitive and they have good cars that they race in, which makes it more fun.”
“I always enjoy coming back to race at Madison,” Matt Kenseth said in a news release. “I spent a lot of time racing here early in my career, so I always look forward to competing there and seeing a lot of my family and friends.”
Kenseth will team up with his friends Joe Wood and Jason Schuler at Pathfinder Chassis, who will be preparing his Super Late Model.
“Joe and Jason always give me good stuff to drive, so that’s a bonus that makes it even more enjoyable,” Matt Kenseth said.
Patherfinder will also prepare a car for Stewart, who finished eighth in this event in 2006 and 2007. He came home 16th last year.
Matt Kenseth will return Stewart’s favor by competing in the dirt track “Prelude To a Dream” event at Eldora Speedway in Indiana. That event, which draws nearly two dozen Cup drivers, is so popular it has become a pay-per-view cable event.
“What I like the most about it is the fans that go to short track races,” Stewart said in a pre-race press release. “They’re a different breed than your typical NASCAR fans. They don’t lose their minds when they see you come in. They’re excited that you’re there but they’re respectful of your time and respectful of your space.
“They’re just excited to see you come and race at a place that they come to every week. The fans that go to a short track are diehard race fans. It’s not about the fancy, popular drivers there every week.
“It’s about seeing good, local short-track action on a local level, seeing their own local heroes grow up, seeing the Matt Kenseths that they watched every week there grow up to be Sprint Cup drivers. It’s neat to see. They’re some of the most dedicated fans. They sit there in the rain; they sit there through thunderstorms. It’s incredible.”
Kenseth and Stewart might drive ticket sales, but as they’ve found out, the local drivers relish the chance to put a big-name feather in their caps.
Tonight’s field is loaded with such talent.
The field includes 2007 ASA Midwest Tour Champion Nathan Haseleu, 2006 NASCAR Midwest Series Champion Tim Schendel, 1995 ASA National Champion “Flyin’” Bryan Reffner, and two-time National Short Track Champion Jeremy Lepak. Other possible contenders include Todd Kluever, Travis Sauter, Chris Wimmer and Carlson.
The main draw, of course, is the all-star race. But the Big Eight Series figures to put on an entertaining show in its 38-lap late model event.
Ross Kenseth, Matt Kenseth’s 16-year-old son, will attempt to win his second Big 8 Series event in a row at MIS. He scored a Big 8 win earlier this year at MIS and has three career victories in the series.
Ryan Carlson nipped Michael Bilderback by inches to win lat year’s Big 8 event.
ENTRY LIST
These are the drivers entered for tonight’s Swiss Colony All-Star Challenge and the Big Eight series race at Madison International Speedway. Clip the list and take it with you to the track tonight. The entry list is through June 26:
SWISS COLONY ALL-STAR CHALLENGE 100
Super Late Models
(Driver, car number, hometown)
Bobby Wilberg (0), Beloit; Billy Baumeister (2), Janesville; Michael Gunderson (4), Waterford; Travis Sauter (5), Necedah; Tony Stewart (14), Columbus, Ind.; Matt Kenseth (17), Cambridge; Dan Lensing (18), Roscoe, Ill.; Tim Schendel (21), Sparta; Jeff Storm (25) Waterford; Ryan Goldade (28).
Brandon Hill (34), Genoa City; Andrew Morrissey (39), DeForest; Todd Kluever (40), Sun Prairie; Jeremy Lepak (40), Wausau; Jim Carlson (48), La Crosse; Chris Wimmer (52), Wausau; Kyle Kinder (60), McFarland; John Knaus (61), Rockford, Ill.; Steve Rubeck (61), Monroe Center, Ill.; Gary LaMonte (63), West Allis.
Steve Carlson (66), West Salem; Mark Eswein (71), Wisconsin Rapids; Jon Eilen (77); Kris Kelly (77); Norway, Mich.; Bryan Reffner (80), Rudolph; Jesse Saunders (87), Sun Prairie; Nathan Haseleu (87), Marshall; Dave Feiler (93), Cottage Grove; Frank Kreyer (99), Pardeeville; Michael Bachaus (613), Milton.
BIG 8 SERIES
Late Models
(Driver, car number)
Jody Krueger (1); Michael Bilderback (2); Casey Johnson (5); Jeremy Miller (5); Brent Kirchner (8); Dann Barber (8); 11 Tim Sargent (11); Todd Oliver (15); Steve Apel (16); A.J. Henriksen (17).
Brady Liddle (18); John Baumeister (19); Mike Lloyd (21); Travis Dassow (21); Ty Reedy (21); Andrew Kulka (25); Ross Kenseth (25); Jake Finney (26); Bobby Wilberg (28).
Davey Pennel (29); Kevin Knuese (33); Kyle Shear (36); Tim Springstroh (26); Ryan Goldade (39); Jon Minor (41); Mike Taylor (41); Mike Carlson (50); Steve Dobbratz (52); Rich Schumann (54); Ryan Carlson (55).
Cardell Potter (58); Alex Jones (67); Todd Schmitz (67); John Ovadal, Jr. (71); Tim Noble (71); Nathan Oppliger (74); Sonny Schoffen (75); Skylar Holzhausen (78); Justin Schultz (79); Chad Stevens (82).
Jacob Vanoskey (84); Vern Fagerberg (84); Jesse Saunders (87); Kyle Jarlsberg (87); Tyler Kelley (87); Jon Hentges (88); Zach Riddle (83); Mike Storkson (94.1); James Swan (97); Scott Broughton (97).
Ed Szelagowski (01); Ricky Bilderback (02); Adam Degenhardt (03); Barnaby Tomazevic (00); Jon Reynolds (X).