Ready to take on the newest generation in the Joe Shear Classic
by Fay Hendricks
April 24, 2014 – Joel Theisen is a second-generation racer who grew up in central Wisconsin watching legendary short track racers like Dick Trickle, Ted Musgrave and the Sauter family. While he may not be competing against the legends he watched growing up, he will have the chance to race against the new generations when the Joe Shear Classic rolls around next Sunday, May 4th at Madison International Speedway.
Theisen has competed in ARCA Midwest Tour presented by Scag Power Equipment events before, but this year is teamed with Donny Reuvers Racing to join the Tour full time this season. Theisen stated, “The ARCA Midwest rookie program is the most challenging and rewarding program in super late model racing in the country. I want to push myself to be the best I can and this program provides an opportunity to do that. The benefits and awards to winning are icing on the cake, as the personal satisfaction is the real reward.”
It took a long time and many moves before Theisen jumped into the racing game himself, however. After graduating from college, Theisen began a successful business career, got married and started a family.
Theisen began his race experience in 1999, setting a record at the Watsonville, California dirt track by finishing second in the points and earning the Street Stock Rookie of the Year crown. Competing at several other California dirt tracks, Theisen was proud to have finished fourth in the largest Street Stock competition in the country before moving up to paved racing in a modified machine in California until 2003.
A move to Minnesota saw Theisen put racing on hold to begin a new business in health care, then plunged back into racing full time in 2006 in a super late model, earning Elko Speedway’s Rookie of the Year title in 2006.
Competing in the number 75 machine, Theisen’s sponsors are Lifesprk, Donny Reuvers Racing, Educare, Berends Creative and Baune Dosen. Theisen added, “My expectations are to be competitive and make all the remaining races. I also want to race clean and gain the respect of the veteran drivers in the series. I would like to break into the top 10 in at least 3 races and win ROY. It would mean a lot in building confidence and gaining momentum as I develop as a racer in the series.”
Theisen will have the opportunity to try to break into the top ten next Sunday, May 4th when he joins the rest of the Rookie contenders and the ARCA Midwest Tour for the 6th Annual Joe Shear Classic. For complete race details log on to arcamidwesttour.com
Be sure to follow the ARCA Midwest Tour on Facebook (midwesttour) and Twitter (@midwesttour).
To learn more about the Automobile Racing Club of America Midwest Tour, log on to arcamidwesttour.com. For questions call the ARCA Midwest Tour office at (262) 729-4111 or Tim Olson at (612) 327-5831 or Steve Einhaus (630) 212-6022 at or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@arcamidwesttour.comor Steve Einhaus at steve@arcamidwesttour.com.
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is among the leading auto racing sanctioning bodies in the country. Founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum, the organization administers more than 100 events each year in multiple racing series, including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, the ARCA/CRA Super Series, the ARCA Truck Series and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.
