The Gandrud Auto Group 250 at Wisconsin International Raceway will feature the stars of the ASA STARS National Tour going up against the ASA Midwest Tour’s best and local Fox River Racing Club favorites for one of Wisconsin’s crown jewels.
The national invaders for the Gandrud 250 include the likes of Wilson Motorsports teammates and past ASA STARS winners Cole Butcher and Gio Ruggiero, who go into the race second and third in series points. NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Sammy Smith returns to WIR for the first time since he finished second in the 2021 edition of the race, while North Wilkesboro winner Bubba Pollard makes his second appearance at WIR.
ASA Midwest Tour points leader Gabe Sommers leads a group of Midwest Tour regulars into the Gandrud 250, alongside former Midwest Truck Series champion Levon VanDerGeest and a track champion at multiple tracks in Wisconsin and Michigan in Justin Mondeik, who sit second and third in series standings, just one point apart from each other.
Local standouts Bobby Kendall and Andy Monday join the fray for the Gandrud 250. Both drivers are former WIR track champions, with Kendall also being a two-time champion of the tracks’ Red, White and Blue State Championships. RJ Braun is also a former weekly Super Late Model winner at WIR.
Then there’s the case of Ty Majeski, who to a point can be argued as representing all three. The Wisconsin driver currently leads the ASA STARS National Tour points standings with wins at both Wisconsin tracks on the schedule – Madison and Milwaukee. Additionally, he is from Seymour, WI, which sits just over 20 miles north of WIR.
Add in 2016 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Johnny Sauter, NASCAR Truck and Xfinity Series driver Derek Kraus, 2021 Gandrud 250 winner Paul Shafer Jr., ARCA competitor and former Slinger Nationals winner Luke Fenhaus, and Midwest veterans John DeAngelis and Austin Nason, and you have got drivers from all backgrounds ready to do battle on Tuesday, August 1.
Tickets for the Gandrud Auto Group 250 are now for sale on the Ticket Hoss app. Advanced tickets are $25 on Ticket Hoss, and $30 at the gate. Kids 12 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at https://tickethoss.com/event/531.
The Gandrud Auto Group 250 will be co-sanctioned with the ASA Midwest Tour, which will be race number seven on the season. Gabe Sommers currently holds the Midwest Tour points lead over Justin Mondeik.
The ASA STARS National Tour opened the ten race, six-state schedule at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL on March 11. Cole Butcher is the most recent winner, claiming the victory in the Redbud 400 at Anderson Speedway.
For the full ASA STARS National Tour schedule, plus Super Late Model rules and other information, please visit the series website at starsnationaltour.com, or be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: STARS National Series | Twitter: @racewithstars | IG: @starsnational).
ASA STARS National Tour
The ASA STARS National Tour debuted in March of 2023 for Super Late Model racing in America. Announced last October, many of the best drivers in America will compete in the ten-race national tour with a minimum $100,000 point fund. The championship team will be guaranteed $25,000.
The ASA STARS National Tour is made up of three races from each of the regional pavement Super Late Model Series under the Track Enterprises banner; the ASA CRA Super Series, the ASA Midwest Tour and the ASA Southern Super Series.
The Team Construction Winner’s Circle program has been announced as a part of the ASA STARS National Tour for licensed drivers/teams with perfect attendance. The program provides additional financial incentives to those teams who support the Series, thanks to Team Construction.
Track Enterprises, a Racing Promotions Company based in Illinois, will operate the ASA STARS National Tour. It announced the acquisition of the CRA sanctioning body in January and followed that up with the purchase of the Midwest Tour in July. In October, Track Enterprises President, Bob Sargent announced a partnership with the Southern Super Series which set the table for the formation of the ASA STARS National Tour.
