wwwwww.ther.theracingconnection.comacingconnection.com December 2020 Inside... New Dirt COVIDCOVID SeasonSeason ReviewReview Book Review December 2020 Page 2 Page 3 December 2020 Season Review The Midwest Publisher's Note RACING Connection Racing According to Plan month. Recently Jacy Norgaard penned an article on December 2020 his website that inspired me to copy his idea. Jacy’s column is featured on the pages immediately following. P.O. Box 22111 My year started out with my annual pilgrimage to St. Paul MN, 55122 Speedweeks in Florida. I was able to catch 11 events 651-451-4036 in the span of 10 days, with no rainouts in Florida this www.theracingconnection.com year. The cool part was seeing several of the Wiscon- sin drivers (Natalie Decker, Derek Kraus, Ty Majeski Publisher Dan Plan and Johnny Sauter) run on the big track for the Truck race. Contributing Writers Typically, after Speedweeks, things will kick off Dale P. Danielski at the beginning of April around here. This year was Dan Margetta not typical by any means. COVID hit, and the world Jacy Norgaard just about stopped. PJ "Jacklyn" Nuttleman In the middle of May, things changed across the Jason Searcy St. Croix and/or Mississippi River from my home. I Charlie Spry was able to start catching some weekly shows in the great state of Wisconsin at Cedar Lake Speedway, Photographers Vance Birno (612-308-3572) Dells Raceway Park, LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speed- Martin DeFries (651-346-1199) Dan Plan way and Tomah Sparta Speedway. Throw in the TJ Harron (608-301-5258) Midwest Tour Dixieland event at Kaukauna and a Flat Doug Hornickel (920-723-0522) It can be difficult to come up with an idea for a Tom Loos (715-370-7895) Mark Melchiori (414-463-0131) column this time of year when the racing season in our Publisher's Note continued on page 4 neck of the woods has been complete for over a Jacy Norgaard (jacynorgaardphotography.com) Bruce Nuttleman (612-860-6622) Vince Peterson (612-419-6372) Jess Riedner (608-334-5329) The Midwest Racing Connection is published six times during the summer racing season by The Plan Company, Inc. All material is copyrighted 2020 and may not be reprinted without permission 651-451-4036. Cover photos by: Dale P. Danielski, Dan Margetta, Dan Plan and Jason Searcy. RR && RR Complete Automotive Service Minneapolis, MN 612-721-4210 randrautomotiveonline.com December 2020 Page 4 Publishers note from page 3 Track Motorcycle event at New Ulm, and I put on a little over 2200 miles attending racing by the first week of August. I would have to wait until August before I could see any shows at the track that’s 20 miles from home, Elko Speedway. The first half of the year was challenging to say the least. The second half of the year seemed as normal as normal could be this year. I was fortunate enough to catch almost all of the weekly shows at Elko and almost all of my traditional season ending special events. The one special event I missed out on was the annual Punky Manor Challenge of Champions. The event was not held this year as Red Cedar Speedway was never allowed to open. To close out the year, I added a couple of additional special events to book end Oktoberfest. I attended the first day of the Autumn Extravaganza at Chateau Speedway and wrapped things up with Falloween at the Dells. The Dells event made me think maybe Jerry Auby should change the name of the event next year. The Dells starts their season with the Icebreaker. It was pretty darn cold for the last race at the Dells. Maybe Falloween should be re- My 2020 season started watching Derek Kraus pick up the best finish of the handful of Wisconsin named to The Icemaker in the future? drivers competing in Daytona. Derek also wrapped up with the season with the best points finish I had thoughts of heading out of town for a few of the Wisconsinites in the Gander Truck Series (top photo.) My season ended with a bunch of more shows, but opted to call it quits for the year at the end of October. I didn’t wrack up anywhere near hearty race fans at Dells Raceway Park (bottom photo.) the number of miles, tracks attended, or states visited as Jacy did, but I did catch a few more shows staying closer to home. My final tally for the year was lowest it’s been in about 6 years, but it was worth every minute. Thanks to all of the tracks that put on a show, the drivers and teams for showing up in great num- bers, and the awesome racing we were able to see in an abbreviated 2020 Racing season. Here’s to hoping 2021 is the old normal and not the new normal. 2020 Season Stats Events 52 Tracks 12 States 3 Miles 3,871 CEDAR VIEW ELECTRIC, INC. 952-469-2100 New Construction - Remodel - Service Work Lakeville, MN Page 5 December 2020 The Midwest Racing Connection Directory Page Dundas,MN Downtown Shakopee 612-269-4232 952-445-9668 RaceFab Red Wing, MN 3BDJOH1BSUTt$VTUPN.FUBM'BCSJDBUJPO 1-800-634-9666 La Crosse, WI Daniel Navrestad www.dcaracefab.com Tel: 608.781.3929 www.wilsonoilcompany.com 715-344-9072 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube www.facebook.com/themidwestracingconnection @MidwestRace www.youtube.com/theracingconnection December 2020 Page 6 difference, but you are appreciated. But the New Dirt major players this season: My amazing and supportive girlfriend Mikayla. Your encouragement and never- ending belief in me and my work is inspiring and appreciated more than you know. You sacrifice a lot for me, and this crazy lifestyle and I only hope that you can tag along more in the future. I would also like it known that you make the best travel goodie bags. Tim Hunt, the greatest travel partner and my favorite photographer. You are quite possibly the only other dirt track photographer I have met that is just like me. After all, who else travels 13 hours through the middle of the night just to shoot a dirt continued to believe in my ability. Working with you as race? In all seriousness, shooting with you has made much as I did this season challenged me night in and Jacy Norgaard me a better photographer. I look at your work and it night out to be more creative and push myself to be inspires me to try new things and I hope I do the same better. You single handedly changed the way in which for you. I edit photos and process them. You’ve made me a more efficient and effective photographer. I look Bright Lights Calling Brian Walker. BWalks. I can’t thank you and the forward to working with you more in the future. World of Outlaws enough for every single opportunity Ashley and Dan Ebert. You guys have been the Walking off the track in Charlotte, I thought you have provided me this season. You’ve elevated biggest of supporters the past few years and have about the winding journey that sometimes felt grueling my work to a new audience on a large platform and moved my work to a new level. I appreciate having but always rewarding. It all began in South Dakota in you as clients and as friends. And I certainly can’t front of no fans and ended in North Carolina in front forget about Brock Tobiason and all of your efforts to of 1,000 fans. In the pages between those two book- get my work out there. ends there were events with max capacity and others Nate Fischer and the entire Wagamon family. with no fans and mandatory masks. Through my For the past twelve seasons you have provided me a travels this season I was able to attend 46 events at 20 proven ground for my photography. You have allowed different racetracks in 10 states. While the number of me uninterrupted access to shoot from wherever I feel events isn’t a record for me the number of tracks and necessary and have provided me more opportunities states certainly is. 13 of those tracks I had never been than I can count. I’ve greatly enjoyed working to- to before. The increased travel and map expansion gether and wherever this photographic journey ends were a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. up, you’ll always have a special place in my heart and COVID forced me to hit the road to shoot races due on my schedule. to closures in Minnesota. COVID also provided me Lastly, to every single person who became a fan, the ability to work remotely while chasing races shared a post, bought a download or ordered a print. around the country. Your support may not monetarily fund my racing As the season started, I realized I had a unique adventures, but you’ve played a large part in my opportunity at hand and a couple choices to make. I development. Because of your support and your could stick around home and chase races in the area efforts, I’ve been able to make it to where I am at and drum up the driver card business or I could go out today. and do what I actually love. I mean no disrespect to We put JNP on the map in 2020 in a big way and any of the photographers who chase races and sling we’re here to stay. What that means and how we go hero cards.