By:Kevin Ramsell
Jefferson, WI – While growing up in Edgerton, Wisconsin, Casey Johnson would help his father, Jeff, with getting his car ready to compete every Saturday night. They would then make the drive to compete at Jefferson Speedway, located between Cambridge and Jefferson, Wisconsin.
This Saturday night, they will again make that trek, but this time Casey will be competing in the Salute the Troops 100, the second event of the 2025 ASA Midwest Tour season.
“Wisconsin’s Action Track” is also the track where Casey made his start behind the wheel.
“I had always gone there with my dad. He raced there in the late 80s to the early 2000s,” the three-time ASA Midwest Tour champion recalled. “Then I got my chance to run in the bandit division when I turned 14, and after destroying that in my second season, my dad decided to put me in his late model.”
It wasn’t a smooth path for Johnson learning the ropes driving his dad’s late model. In fact, he learned it the hard way.
“I wouldn’t quite say that it was easy. I went through three front stubs and my fair share of fenders in my first two years but finished second 6 times in my first full season,” Johnson remembered. “I didn’t figure out the clean race style till I got a stern talking to from two guys, one from Jason Schuler after accidentally junking his car one night, and another from my Dad telling me if I can’t drive around them then I will work on the car because you’re done driving through them.”
Johnson would improve his craft by competing with other young drivers and long-time competitors at the quarter-mile oval.
“Oh, absolutely! I got to race with a lot of guys that had 10 plus years of experience at that track,” Johnson exclaimed. “So I was able to learn a ton from those guys.”
After those hard lessons, Johnson would go on to win three track championships and six Wisconsin State Championships at Jefferson.
Johnson’s success is just another notch into the success stories that have come out of his hometown of Edgerton, Wisconsin. Champion golfer Steve Stricker, NFL tight end/wide receiver Derek Carrier, tackle Paul Janus, and of course, Rich Bickle Jr.
Bickle was asked about his fellow Edgerton driver and to say he is proud would be an understatement.
“Well, all I can say is he is a racer! He is clean, respectful, hard-nosed, and it doesn’t matter if he wins or not, he still has the same great attitude!” Bickle said when asked about Johnson. “And from being from Edgerton, it is kinda cool for me because he carries on a great tradition from our little town.
“Back in 1977, I think there were over 100 guys that raced at Jefferson that year from Edgerton! And it’s kinda cool that the little town has had four guys play in professional sports! Golf,Racing, and Football! If he was from my generation, he could have gotten to NASCAR by talent! Now it takes Daddy’s $, kinda sad. Plus, he WORKS on his race cars! My kind of guy that can do it all! And seeing his kids’ pics when he wins is awesome.”
Johnson will be looking for his second Salute the Troops 100 victory after winning it in 2019.
Make your plans to be at “Wisconsin’s Action Track” this Saturday night.
Schedule of Events for Salute the Troops 100
12:30 p.m. Pit Gate Opens
2 p.m. Spectator Gates Open
2:30 p.m. Practice Begins
4:30 p.m. Qualifying Begins
6 p.m. Racing Begins
Event Ticket Pricing:
Adults: $25
Senior/Military: $20
Youth (ages 12-16): $15
Kids (ages 8-11): $6
Children ages 7 and under: Free
Active and Reserve Military get a $5 concession voucher
Divisions: The ASA Midwest Tour will be joined by the Sportsman (running double features) and Legends.
Location: Jefferson Speedway is located at W8135 US Highway 18 between Cambridge and Jefferson, WI. For additional information, visit www.jeffersonspeedway.com or call 920-648-2705.
Past Winners ASAMT Jefferson Speedway/Salute the Troops 100
2007 Nathan Haseleu
2008 Jonathan Eilen
2017 Ty Majeski
2018 Paul Shafer, Jr.
2019 Casey Johnson
2021 Ty Majeski
2022 Jacob Nottestad
2023 Dalton Zehr
2024 Ty Majeski
