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May 2019 Vol wwwwww.ther.theracingconnection.comacingconnection.com May 2019 Vol. 23, No. 1 RacingRacingRacingRacing ReturnsReturnsReturnsReturns ToToToTo TheTheTheThe MilwaukeeMilwaukeeMilwaukeeMilwaukee MileMileMileMile Inside... Making It In More Seat Time World-Class Motorports for Murgic Workhorse May 2019 Page 2 Page 3 May 2019 Streaming racing to The Midwest Publisher's Note RACING pass the time Connection Racing According to Plan May 2019 reminded me of how fortunate we are in the upper- Vol. 23, No. 1 Midwest on several accounts. The main items were inversions, car counts and passing. P.O. Box 22111 Every show I attended last year around home St. Paul MN, 55122 had an invert or a random draw for the lineup. An 651-451-4036 www.theracingconnection.com inversion sure makes for a more entertaining night than watching the fast qualifier start on the pole and Publisher run away from everybody. Dan Plan The car counts in our neck of the woods are still pretty solid as well. The numbers might not be in the Contributing Writers range they were 15 years ago, but for the most part Shane Carlson we still have double-digits. Dale P. Danielski And lastly, it seems drivers around here are more Jacy Norgaard willing to try to pass another car. It used to be only the PJ "Jacklyn" Nuttleman “bad guys” or “villains” would lay the bumper in an Dean Reller Jason Searcy attempt to make a pass. Somewhere along the way Charlie Spry things changed and it’s no longer considered dirty driving to move a guy out of the way. These days it’s Photographers Dan Plan pretty much the accepted norm. I feel sorry for guys Guy Adams (815-980-0354) that are leading a race in the South that have to deal Vance Birno (612-308-3572) Once again, the season has started out with with a restart near the end of the race. The chances Jeff Blaser (715-498-7544) Mother Nature capturing most of the wins here in the are pretty slim they’re going to make it back to the Martin DeFries (651-346-1199) upper-Midwest. As of the date we go to press, I had checkered flag in the same spot. TJ Harron (608-301-5258) planned on attending at least six events in the area. Now that the snow is finally gone, I can go back Doug Hornickel (920-563-0993) Tom Loos (715-370-7895) My record is 1 and 5 at this point. That’s typically the to watching racing the way it was meant to be Mark Melchiori (414-463-0131) watched; live and in person. Having a hot dog and opening record for a Minnesota professional sports Bruce Nuttleman (612-860-6622) team, but I was hoping to do better. The weather was popcorn at home in your recliner just isn’t the same as Vince Peterson (612-419-6372) so topsy-turvy this Spring, I actually rode my motor- having them in the bleachers at the track. I even went Jess Riedner (608-334-5329) cycle and used my snowblower in the same week. I as far as buying empty popcorn boxes, but it didn’t can honestly say I have never done that before. help. There’s just The Midwest Racing Connection is published six times In years past, I would have been stuck relying on something refreshing during the summer racing season by catching broadcast TV for the Cup or Xfinity races to and much cooler The Plan Company, Inc. about smelling high All material is copyrighted 2019 and may not be keep me entertained until the local scene was up and reprinted without permission. Subscriptions are $20 running. These days, there are tons of online streaming octane race gas, for six issues. Call 651-451-4036. options available for short track racing. It’s definitely burnt gear lube or not as good as being there, but at least it’s short track burnt rubber on a Cover photos by: TJ Harron, Kim Kemperman, racing. cool Spring evening Stan Meissner and Bruce Nuttleman Most of the races being streamed this time of that you won’t get year are coming from Southern states with warmer from a streamed climates. Every one of the streamed races I watched event. AIRPORT SERVICE - CALL 24 HOURS *Time Calls - Appointments DISCOUNT TAXI FOR TRANSPORTATION Toll Free 1-888-240-8294 612-723-5500 www.discounttaxiracing.com May 2019 Page 4 World-Class Workhorse Racing Nuggets Steve and Toby ran together a lot through the 80s and Toby started dressing it and before long, Carl and the 90s, as they were both embarking on their racing careers. guys showed up to help him finish the job and get it Carl played a large role in helping them along the way. dropped into the race car for Steve to drive that afternoon at When racers who showed incredible talent, but were short the Dells. on funds ended up on Carl’s radar, he utilized sweat equity “That was a bad ass engine,” Toby said with smile as to make everyone a winner. Not only did Toby save money he reminisced. Steve got up to second and was running the by working with Carl on engines for Steve—but he learned leader down—before he stuck a lifter. A LOT along the way. Trickle and Holzhausen would go on to win A LOT of Toby practically lived with Carl and his wife Jane in races with it. Steve set a track record for the ARTGO the 90s. The Wegners always opened their home to folks Challenge Series at La Crosse during that time with it— like Steve and Toby, who helped to worked on their race breaking into the 18-seconds for the first time. Toby engines. thought it was an 18.903. “You always knew where you stood with Carl,” Toby Adam Degenhardt owns the car and engine now. It’s said. He wasn’t afraid to tell you how he felt about some- still competing, as an ACE engine now, but it was certainly thing, or call you out if he felt you needed to re-evaluate built to last. something you did or said. And the memories of Carl will last too—through the Being serious wasn’t his natural state; Carl was a stories of shenanigans, the people he helped, and the jokester. You learned quickly, if you stood next to him, you checkered flags and championships that have been and will needed to protect the family jewels. Any unsuspecting guy continue to be picked up with Wegner power under the PJ "Jacklyn" Nuttleman standing next to Carl was sure to get a whack from the back hood. of his huge hand to the nether region. Godspeed, Carl. He had a blowgun that he would use to shoot darts at you from across the room. He was quick witted and loved to The first time I met Carl Wegner, his huge meat hook have fun, but he also knew of a hand completely swallowed mine, when he grabbed it as when it was time to get down my husband Toby introduced us. They were hard working to business. Kim Kemperman photo hands that built so many engines that powered many racers He was the epitome of to Victory Lane. hard work. Carl was working My husband Toby called me on Monday to tell me on the first Ford concept the news of Carl’s passing. I’m grateful for having met him. engine—a 302 block concept He was a colorful character with a great sense of humor. I with a steel head. Toby was was however, at a bit of a loss as to what to say to Toby. working for Rick Skalzo at the “All of my friends are dying,” he said with so much time, in Rice Lake. That sadness dripping from his words. concept engine was going to My heart hurt for him. He’s had way too many racing be used in a car that Toby friends pass away in recent years. It comes with aging. was building for Dick Trickle. Carl was 70. The older we all get, the younger that However, it needed to be seems. tested under race condi- Inevitably, when someone passes away, the memories tions—and Holzhausen was and stories pour out of everybody. Toby had a lot of them, going to pilot it for that at the and so did Steve Holzhausen. track in Wisconsin Dells. Holzhausen says the first time he actually met Carl in Carl made arrangements person was when they attended a meeting for the CWRA for Toby to come and pick it series. He and Toby brought their race engine with them, to up later that week. Appar- get it to Carl for a freshening job. ently, the concept engine was Needless to say, after the meeting there were plenty of doing well on the dyno— cocktails consumed. The boys still had to get the engine really well—until it burned a transferred to Carl. No cherry picker to lift it? No problem. hole between two cylinders. Carl walked to the truck that Steve and Toby drove to Toby got a call from the meeting, dropped the tailgate, and picked the Carl, who told him about the 500+pound engine up with his bare hands. He then pro- snafu. These things happen in ceeded to CARRY it to his pick-up truck and set it down in the early phases of concept the bed. engines. He needed to bump As Steve and Toby were picking their jaws up off of the pickup date to race day… the ground, Carl gave a laugh and climbed into the cab of so it would be best if Toby his truck, sliding behind the wheel.
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