By Tina L. Scott / Editor Merrill Foto News
At age 20, Merrill’s Levon Van Der Geest is living out his dream and setting a fast pace raising funds for local charities, as he endeavors to compete both on and off the race track as one of seven national finalists in the 2024 Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP).
The son of Kristin and Jay Van Der Geest of Merrill, “My racing goal is to be one of the top competitors in midwest super late model racing,” Levon said. He is well on his way to achieving his goals, having wrapped up his 2024 racing season the first weekend in October at LaCrosse Speedway in second place in overall point standing for the 2024 ASA [American Speed Association] Midwest Tour, a pavement super late model auto racing series.
While Levon always strives to be first to finish and see that checkered flag waved in his honor, this season he was focusing on more than just being out in the lead on the race track. As one of the KDDP finalists, he was also competing throughout the 2024 season to raise funds for community causes he believes in, and to date, he has raised more than $25,000 this year to support area kids, families, veterans, and community organizations. Part of being a KDDP competitor involves supporting philanthropic endeavors, as well as winning races, racking up points, and increasing social media exposure for the organization.
“The drivers each usually focus on one major charity to raise money for,” said Kristin. But as the #23 race car driver, “Levon decided to find 23 local charities and organizations to raise funds for by dedicating one of 23 races to each one, respectively.” In keeping with the #23 theme, his goal was to raise a total of $23,000 for local organizations, a goal he surpassed with the help of and for the benefit of the area community.
“I had the idea to go with the #23 theme and I started researching to find 23 local organizations we could raise money for,” Levon said. “Once I had them identified, I had KDDP stickers made to put on the hood of our car with a different organization highlighted for each race. Then, we promoted the fundraising by asking people to give $10 to get their name on the hood of my car for that race.”
“I also got 23 local businesses to sponsor all 23 races, so they got some good PR each week on our social media, as well. This has been a real highlight for us this year, and we ended up raising over $25,000 for our community, which I am very proud of,” he said. “I am so thankful for all the generous donations, and it is a great example of a lot of people each doing a little to accomplish a lot.”
Levon focused a lot of his fundraising on nonprofits that serve area kids – helping provide for their basic needs with fundraisers for Merrill Area Public Schools (MAPS) The Nest, Parkside Preschool, and the Chase Reichenberger Racers’ Challenge (Chase is a three-year-old Appleton boy who has experienced health issues since birth, requiring expensive hospitalizations, procedures, and treatment). He also advocated for the availability of healthy activities for area youth by raising funds for the Boys & Girls Club of Merrill, the Merrill Park and Recreation Summer Playground Program, MAPS Special Olympics, and the O’Tannenbaum Tour, and promoted youth mentorship with support for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northcentral Wisconsin, the Optimist Club of Merrill, and the Slinger Bandos Mentorship.
Levon also fundraised for causes that affect individuals and families in our area – helping to provide shelter for the homeless and eradicate homelessness with support for the Merrill Area Community (MAC) Home; supporting families suffering as the result of domestic violence with fundraising for HAVEN in Merrill; helping address the issue of food insecurity with support for the Merrill Community Food Pantry and Tranquil Acres of Tomahawk; helping to address mental health issues and prevent suicide with support for Tyler’s Playground and the Suicide Awareness Walk; and providing assistance for families of those fighting cancer with support for Jessi’s Wish. Two fundraisers focused on programs for veterans, with Levon raising money for the Never Forgotten Honor Flight and Little Lakes Memories, while another fundraiser was about the animals, raising funds for the Lincoln County Humane Society.
Other organizations Levon raised funds for are all about developing the area community, through service, cultural enrichment, and the creation of healthy outdoor spaces for individuals and families to enjoy. Toward this goal, he focused on fundraising for the Merrill Rotary Club and Merrill Lions Club, the Merrill Historical Society and the Merrill Area Concert Association, and the River District Development Foundation [focus on the River Bend Trail] and Friends of Council Grounds State Park.
In addition to raising money for these nonprofits, Levon also volunteered some of his time at a number of the organizations throughout the season.
“It’s interesting because the more I found out about some of the local organizations, the more I realized I am connected to them in some way,” Levon said. “Tranquil Acres of Tomahawk is a sprawling pay-as-you-can community garden that is run by Bill and Heather Smith, and Bill is my former Bandolero crew chief. My mom was on the board for the Lincoln County Humane Society and HAVEN, so I had already been involved with fundraising for them in the past. [And] we raised a lot of money for the Never Forgotten Honor Flight, and greeting my Grandpa Chub Van Der Geest when he got back from the Honor Flight is something I will never forget.”
“I got involved in the Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP) last year,” Levon said. “I thought I was working really hard last year both on and off the track, but it was a wake-up call when I finished seventh out of seven last year. This year I, along with my crew, put everything we possibly could into it. The KDDP has a ranking system that includes your performance, both on and off of the track, which makes it really unique. As drivers, we are judged on our 15 best race finishes, the strength of the competition we raced against, as well as how well we represent Alan Kulwicki off the track in our speeches, our interviews, and through fundraising and community service. The program has definitely pushed me to become a much bigger part of my community, as well as improve as a race car driver majorly. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without being in the program.”
But Levon is quick to point out his development and growth, as well as this year’s fundraising efforts, are part of a team effort made possible by his sponsors, racing fans and donors, and his race team, not just an individual achievement.
“My racing sponsors include The Friendship House, Zilisch Asphalt Paving & Maintenance, Breber Music Company, Custom Meats of Marathon, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Norman Electric, Central Sawdust, Images By Kelly, Lefthander Chassis, Ritchie Oil & Propane, and King’s Campers,” he said. “They provide monetary sponsorships, as well as food, racing equipment, and even haircuts in the race shop. We couldn’t do this without their support, and their friendship is a great bonus.”
“Our race team has worked so hard this year, and I really wouldn’t be where I am without them,” Levon said. “These guys work full time and were in our shop late into the night week after week. Their hard work and dedication to achieving this goal made me work even harder, and I am very proud of what we have accomplished.”
You could very literally say that Levon was raised in the racing world. “I actually took my first steps in our race shop, because my dad was a local race car driver, so I basically grew up in our shop and at local tracks,” Levon said. “My dad started the largest super late model race team in the state, which included himself as well as Chris Weinkauf and Jason Weinkauf, other local racers he had been racing with and became good friends with.”
“Our family sponsored the Weinkauf brothers to race for Van Der Geest Racing, and I grew up watching them all race the local tracks as well as the ARCA [Automobile Racing Club of America] (now ASA) Midwest Tour,” he said. “When I was seven years old, my dad bought me a dirt go-kart, and I raced my first few races at a track in Ringle, Wis. I quickly realized that dirt wasn’t for me and began racing bandelaros the next year at State Park Speedway.”
“At the end of my fourth year in bandoleros, I won the Championship and made the decision to race the Midwest Truck Series as my next step up the racing ladder,” Levon said. “I had my breakout year in trucks my third year, winning five races and setting three track records on my way to taking the Championship. I ran one more year in the trucks after that, claiming three more track records, before making the next step up to super late models. This is now my fourth year in super lates, and I just finished second in the 2024 ASA Midwest Tour, as well as second in Golden Sands Speedway point standings.”
Some of the accomplishments he is most proud of on this journey? “When I was 15 and racing in the Midwest Truck Series, I won the feature at the Milwaukee Mile, the oldest auto racing track in the world, and became the youngest driver to ever win a feature there, all before I even had my driver’s license,” Levon said. “Winning the Bandolero and Midwest Truck Series Championships were awesome accomplishments, too.”
“I have so many role models in racing, and I have been lucky enough to meet most of them and even become friends with many,” Levon said. “The list includes my dad, Chris and Jason Weinkauf, Dalton Zehr, Ty Majeski, and many more I grew up watching in the Midwest Tour. I have so much respect for an endless number of drivers that I have met and watched race over the years.”
When it comes to real life mentors and influencers, “I have had some strong mentors in my life, but the number one mentor has been my dad,” he said. “He has been the one who has taught me so much about racing and has made this whole racing journey possible.”
“The three guys on my crew that have had the biggest influence on me and who have been my biggest supporters are Chris Weinkauf, Jason Weinkauf, and Jake Broesch,” Levon said. “Outside of our crew, Dalton Zehr has been a big mentor for me, starting when I was in the Midwest Truck Series.”
Of course, Alan Kulwicki, the namesake for the KDDP, was an inspiration for Levon in multiple ways, as well.
“I am following in Alan Kulwicki’s footsteps and am pursuing a mechanical engineering degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee,” he said. “I am in my Junior year and have been balancing a very busy racing schedule while also trying to maintain a decent GPA. I was the recipient of the Alan Kulwicki Memorial Scholarship, as well as several others that have helped fund my academics.”
A very large part of Levon’s life is focused on racing and education right now, and he’s working hard to achieve his goals in both. Racing would seem to be the more exciting adventure of the two, but becoming a success as a race car driver also involves a lot of hard work – and teaches a lot of important life lessons along the way. “There are countless life lessons to be learned from everything that is involved in racing,” Levon said. “Setting up the car for a race involves physics, welding, geometry, aerodynamics, etc. Working with a crew involves communication, delegation, problem-solving, time-management, leadership, etc.”
“Racing also involves producing content for social media, marketing, budgeting, public speaking, and writing,” he said.
In addition, it provides Levon the opportunity to be a role model and mentor and to encourage younger kids. When asked what he would say to a kid who aspired to do what he’s doing as a race car driver, Levon said: “I have spent some time mentoring younger race car drivers and would encourage any kid to go after it if that’s what they dream about doing.”
“Jason Weinkauf’s son, Oliver, started racing my old bandolero, and it has been great watching him race,” he said. “I would advise any kid who wants to get better at racing to just keep learning about how to set up a race car, pay attention to their favorite drivers and how they race, and to keep asking questions.”
When not racing, fundraising, volunteering, attending classes, or studying, “I work on our family farm helping to raise beef and pigs,” Levon said. “Last winter I earned my CDL license, so now I also drive semi for my dad’s trucking company from time to time.”
What’s next for Levon? “Right now I am focused on finishing college and continuing my racing career and just seeing where things take me,” he said.
