Kaukauna, WI- The next stop for the ‘Stars and Cars’ of the ARCA Midwest Tour is the Gandrud Auto Group 250 this Tuesday night August 3, 2021 at Wisconsin International Raceway. Here is a breakdown of those drivers entered for Tuesday night’s 250 lap feature event:
1 Jesse Oudenhoven Kaukauna WI R+J Transport/Kurz Industrial/Performance Machine/JLM/Corp Racing Ford -After moving up from Weekly Late Models into the Super Late Models, Jesse Oudenhoven has proven a quick study. With multiple Super Late Model wins over the past three years on Thursday Nights at WIR, Oudenhoven won the 2020 Red, White and Blue State Championships at his hometrack.
2 Sawyer Effertz Appleton WI Dental Associates/Balfab/Hipke Electric/4M Machine/Ggerard Machine Ford -The former Fox River Racing Club Late Model Champion had the best season of his Super Late Model career in 2020, finishing runner-up in the final point standings at WIR. Sawyer is a former Bandolero competitor, having won the Orlando Speed World Nationals during his youth.
3 Brandon Reichenberger Seymour WI Camping World Chevrolet -This third generation racer is looking to make his third ARCA Midwest Tour start on Tuesday night. Brandon is the 2019 quarter-mile Late Model Champion at WIR and has won three Rookie of the Year awards, in a Super Late Model at Norway and in a Late Model and Super Late Model at WIR. Reichenberger is the Girls Basketball Coach at Appleton North High School where he is also a Tech Ed Teacher.
4 Luke Fenhaus Wausau WI Dun Rite Exteriors/Kulwicki Driver Devel/PGA/Central WI Vending Chevrolet -The 2018 State Park Speedway Champion looks for his second marquee win of the summer after winning the Slinger Nationals earlier this month and finishing second to Marco Andretti in SRX action. He started the season with a win at Dells Raceway Park in the Icebreaker and followed that up with a pair of runner-up efforts and fast times at Madison and Jefferson in Midwest Tour action. The Kulwicki Development Driver is currently second in ARCA Midwest Tour points.
5 Aric Almirola Ft. Walton Beach FL Wauters Motorsports Ford -Aric Almirola is likely known best by Wisconsin Race Fans for his first NASCAR Busch Series win which came at Milwaukee in a co-driving role with Denny Hamlin. Now driving the #10 on Sundays in NASCAR Cup for Stewart Haas racing, Aric will make just his second career ARCA Midwest Tour appearance. He is again teamed with Wauters Motorsports whom he placed eighth with nine years ago at The Milwaukee Mile in his lone Tour start. After having made the playoffs for three straight years, Aric again punched his playoff ticket by scoring his third career win just two weeks ago at New Hampshire.
5 Casey Johnson Edgerton WI Montgomery Ward/Hougan Farms/UAW Region 4 Chevrolet -Johnson is the two-time and defending Midwest Tour Champion and won the Gandrud Auto Group 250 in 2017 and placed fifth in the 2020 edition. He won the White race earlier this month at WIR. Johnson has amassed two championships at Wisconsin International, three at Jefferson, two in Big 8, two Tundra titles, six Wisconsin State Championships, one Red White and Blue Championship and two National Short Track Championships at Rockford Speedway. Casey currently sits third in Midwest Tour points.
5 Johnny Sauter Necedah WI Deppe Enterprises/Sal’s Towing/Pathfinder Chassis Chevrolet -Love him or not, Johnny Sauter is tough to beat, and even tougher to beat on the short tracks of Wisconsin. The 2016 NASCAR Truck Champion is a two-time Gandrud Auto Group 250 winner. Who can forget last year’s rally through the field after being nearly half a lap down late in the race, turning the fastest laps on the night? Sauter sits sixth on the all-time Tour wins list with seven. His most recent win came last Labor Day Weekend at the Dells following a thrilling battle with Casey Johnson and Gabe Sommers. Sauter’s father Jim won this event at WIR in 1982.
5 Travis Sauter Prairie Du Sac WI NAPA of Cheyenne/Tim O’Brien Homes/DeAngelis Const/Don’s Auto Chevrolet -Travis Sauter’s two ventures back into Midwest Tour racing this season have seen him finish eight in both contests. Those finishes don’t tell the whole story as Sauter had a car to beat in May at Madison before damage during a restart slowed his pace and a rain shortened Milwaukee finish hampered his efforts. Travis once clicked off ten straight feature wins at Madison and he won in Tour action at Milwaukee in 2012. He is a three-time Oktoberfest winner and tied for fourth on the all-time tour wins list with nine victories.
6 William Byron Charlotte NC Hamke Race Cars/Hamner Racing Engines Chevrolet – The latest driver to file their entry for Tuesday Night’s (August 3, 2021) Gandrud Auto Group 250 is William Byron. Bryon is the driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series and will look to make his first career ARCA Midwest Tour start at Wisconsin International Raceway.
7 John DeAngelis, Jr Hubertus WI DeAngelis Construction/JD7 Trucking Ford -2019 was a banner year for John DeAngelis, Jr, the former Slinger Super Speedway and Big 8 Late Model Series competitor finished second in the Gandrud Auto Group 250 and was third in the fial Midwest Tour point tally. Fresh off a pair of races last weekend in Pensacola, FL at Five Flags Speedway, DeAngelis returns to race in his home state Tuesday night.
7 Paul Shafer, Jr Portage IN Paul’s Auto Yards Chevrolet -Paul Shafer started his season by winning three in a row at Illinois’ Grundy County Speedway. The 2020 Grundy track champion and two-time Bettenhausen Classic winner has been a contender during the last two Gandrud 250 events. 2019 saw him fade to seventh in the final results after contact with the wall coming to green but Shafer rebounded last season with a podium finish of third, giving eventual winner Ty Majeski a run for his money on the high side. Quickly becoming one of the fan favorites on the Tour, the 2013 Illiana Motor Speedway Champ has finished no worse than sixth in the last six years in Midwest Tour points.
9 Braison Bennett Neenah WI PMF Landscape Supply/John J Mayer Ins/Fox Cities Towing Ford -Another third generation driver, Braison Bennett’s father and grandfather are both inductees into the WIR Circle of Fame. The youngest Bennett is a three-time Late Model Champion on Thursday nights during Fox River Racing Club action and has found success on the first Tuesday of August as well, winning the 2019 Big 8 Series Dixieland Delight at WIR.
10 Andy Monday Appleton WI Monday & Assoc/B&B Engines/Darboy Corner Store Toyota -Andy Monday is amongst the tough veteran drivers that compete at WIR on Thursday nights. Having won the 2017 Fox River Racing Club Championship, Monday has been venturing to more ARCA Midwest Tour events with help from former ASA Late Model Champion Travis Dassow. Monday has four top ten finishes in ARCA Midwest Tour racing and is primed for his first top five this Tuesday.
11 Bobby Kendall Montello WI Lecker Septic Systems/Hinz Farms/Eagle Homes II/Am Family Insurance Chevrolet -He won last Thursday night at WIR and it should be no surprise that the 2020 Fox River Racing Club Champion is hitting his stride heading into the Gandrud Auto Group 250. A 15th place showing last year was not indicative of Kendall’s performance in the Tuesday Night Special, having placed within the top ten the previous four years including a third place finish in 2016. Kendall has been tough to beat at WIR, collecting both the 2017 and 2018 Red, White and Blue State Championships.
13 Andrew Brocker Jefferson WI American State Equipment Chevrolet -This father son duo is unlike most in the pit area these days as it is Andrew, the dad racing the car while his son wrenches in the pits. The family owned team has been a loyal supporter of the Midwest Tour and finished 12th in the 2019 Point Standings.
14 Austin Nason Roscoe IL Montgomery Ward/Haase Builders/JRS Shocks/Kar Korner Ford -Nason is a two-time Tour runner-up and has big wins including the Joe Shear Classic at Madison, the 2019 Father’s Day 100 at The Milwaukee Mile and Rockford’s All-Star 100 to go along with a 2018 Madison Triple Crown Championship and 2015 Tour Rookie of the Year title. Nason was third at Milwaukee, he nearly nabbed the win earlier this month at Anderson Speedway’s (IN) Redbud 400 and finished fifth at the Slinger Nationals. He has had a strong car at the end of these Gandrud Auto Group 250’s, placing fourth each of the last two years.
15 Gabe Sommers Plover WI Rowdy Energy/Kwik Trip/Tasteful Selection Potatoes/DeKalb Toyota -Just two years ago, Gabe Sommers recorded his breakthrough win at the Larry Detjens Memorial at State Park Speedway. He went on to become the 2019 Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year and backed up that effort with a runner-up points finish a season ago. A winner last month at California’s Irwindale Speedway, Gabe Sommers nearly doubled his win column, finishing second at Milwaukee on Father’s Day.
18 Cameron Clifford Charlotte NC J+J Insulation/Burcar Trucking/Port City Racecars Chevrolet -Born and raised in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Cameron now calls North Carolina home while working for Port City Racecars. He was the Rookie of the Year in 2016 at his hometrack, Norway Speedway and will seek his first ARCA Midwest Tour feature appearance.
19 Andrew Morrissey DeForest WI Lefthander/Performance Parts Supply/Lensing Storage Chevrolet -Andrew Morrissey the 2011 ARCA Midwest Tour Champion is set to make his first Tour start of the season and it comes in a new effort. Morrissey will pilot the Lefthander Chassis House Car in the 250-lap contest. The 2018 Oktoberfest winner has five Tour wins including two Joe Shear Classic victories. Morrissey was a rocket in the middle stages of last year’s Gandrud Auto Group 250 before mechanical issues sidelined him and he came back to finish third at Fest after contact while battling for the lead send he and Johnny Sauter to the tail of the field in the late stages.
21 Derek Kraus Stratford WI Incredible Bank/IB Insurance/R & J- 23hr Towing Toyota -Kraus became the youngest winner in ARCA Midwest Tour history when he won at Dells Raceway Park on Labor Day Weekend of 2016. Derek went on to become the NASCAR K&N West Series Champion and is now a regular in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The young driver is looking to turn his Midwest Tour luck around after a flat tire at Milwaukee and mechanical issues at State Park kept him from finishing up front. His best Gandrud Auto Group 250 finish is sixth in 2019.
21 Jesse Love Redwood City CA Mobil 1/Earnest Performance/PME Toyota -Jesse Love’s lone ARCA Midwest Tour start netted him a sixth place finish at Milwaukee in June. Now Jesse, the 2020 ARCA West Champion is teamed with Chris Wimmer’s Wimmer Motorsports at the tricky D-shaped oval. While many drivers take a while to adapt to WIR, Wimmer was able to help coach Chase Purdy to victory lane at this event in 2018. Love is a two time Junior Late Model Champion in his home state where he was also crowned the 2018 BCRA Midget Series Champon at the age of 13.
22 Sammy Smith Johnston IA TMC Transportation Toyota – Sammy Smith’s first visit to WIR last year resulted in an eleventh place effort for the young driver who was getting acclimated to Super Late Model racing after a strong Pro Late Model showing including winning the 2019 World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida. Fast forward a year and Smith now finds himself atop the ARCA East point standings on the strength of three wins. He and his Wilson Motorsports team won the CARS Tour event at Jennerstown and were fourth at Milwaukee in Midwest Tour action.
23 Levon VanDerGeest Merrill WI Central Sawdust of WI/Breber Music/Culver’s Chevrolet -Levon VanDerGeest became the youngest winner in Milwaukee Mile history when he rolled to the Midwest Truck Series victory on Father’s Day 2019. Levon went on to become the 2019 Truck Champion and is now running for the 2021 ARCA Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year. Levon had a strong showing on Father’s Day at The Milwaukee Mile, posting a seventh place finish.
25 Casey Roderick Lawrenceville GA Hodge Sawdust Shavings/RPM Trailers/US Tank/Earnest Perf/PFC Brakes/Tilton Toyota -His only Midwest Tour start resulted in a fifth place effort, that coming in 2019 at Milwaukee. Now the two-time Southern Super Series Champion is bringing his own equipment and team to Kaukauna to chase the $10,000 to prize. Last October, racing this same car Roderick bested the All-American 400 Super Late Model field to win at the historic Nashville Fairgrounds. Roderick is a three-time Blizzard Series Champion as well and will be one to watch Tuesday night.
25 Jeff Storm East Troy WI 3-D Ranch/Duramax Trucking/Breber Music/River City Lanes Toyota -Anyone that was at Madison for the Joe Shear Classic last month now knows that Jeff Storm once again has a fast race car. The two-time Mid-American Stock Car Series Champion will now bring that fast race car to Wisconsin International where he won in Mid-Am competition in 1998.
28 Corey Manders Hilbert WI Northern Chill America’s Water/Bang Energy Drink Chevrolet -This up and coming weekly racer on Thursday nights will join the Midwest Tour at WIR for the second year in a row. He is a former weekly Late Model feature winner with the Fox River Racing Club that has made the jump to Super Late Models.
30 Pete Vandermolen Oshkosh WI Stockbridge Engineering/The Dude Design/Don’s Autobody Chevrolet -His first attempt to make what was known as the Dixieland Challenge came in 1983 when the ARTGO Challenge Series visited WIR and Dick Trickle was victorious. Now in his 41st year of racing, Vandermolen will again aim to put his family owned car in the starting field on the first Tuesday in August.
33 Trevor Vandermolen Oshkosh WI Kirkpatrick Law/Stockbridge Engineering/The Dude Design Chevrolet -The second generation driver has been a mainstay at WIR during Fox River Racing Club action attempted to make his first Gandrud Auto Group 250 last year and will make his third ever Midwest Tour appearance Tuesday night.
34 Maxwell Schultz Reedsville WI Bob’s Classic Restoration & Auto Body/SSS Mini Warehouses Chevrolet -He charged to a tenth-place finish in last year’s Gandrud Auto Group 250 and looks to improve upon that. Currently just seven points out of the Fox River Racing Club point lead at WIR where his is a two-time Red, White and Blue State Championship.
35 Carson Kvapil Mooresville NC LKN Mechanical/Corvetteparts.net/Wehrs Machine Chevrolet -So far this season Carson Kvapil has won features at Hickory, Nashville Fairgrounds, Caraway and made the most out of his trip to WIR in June, capturing the Red race. After running a full season in the Midwest in 2019, Carson has returned to racing out east and is winning, a lot. With one Midwest Tour win, coming at Golden Sands Speedway in his first ever Tour start the son of Travis Kvapil is making a name for himself in two regions.
42 Dennis Prunty Knowles WI Anderson’s Pure Fuel/Anderson’s Pure Maple Syrup/Stone Mtn Access Chevrolet -An upper ball joint spoiled what was a great run during May’s Joe Shear Classic at Madison for Dennis Prunty. Prunty is one of five former Gandrud 250 winners entered for Tuesday night’s event. Having claimed Dixieland honors in 2016, the former Slinger Super Speedway Champion won the Slinger Nationals a year earlier, in 2015. Prunty finished ninth in the 2020 WIR Special.
44 Justin Mondeik Gleason WI AGRA Industries/Aqua Finance/Industrial Accessories Company Chevrolet -Justin Mondeik crossed the finishline first more than any other driver in the Midwest last season, 14 wins in all. One of those wins was the Larry Detjens Memorial at State Park Speedway, his first Midwest Tour triumph. Now he looks to improve upon his seventh place finish in this event last year. Mondeik was victorious at Norway Speedway for the second time in 2021 earlier in July, winning the Stateline Challenge and has four wins at State Park. The 2020 State Park and Golden Sands Champion finished third in the 2020 Midwest Tour points.
45 Jeff VanOudenhoven Appleton WI VanDenHeuvel Electric/Badgerland Demo/Appleton Sign/Bay Area Granite Ford -The five-time Fox River Racing Club Champion still has it, he won during the second night of competition this year and set fast time last week. With three Red, White and Blue State Championships and three MARS Super Late Model titles which saw him win on the famed high banks of Missouri’s I-70 Speedway, JVO is a proven winner not only at WIR but on the bigger stage as well.
45 Rich Bickle, Jr Edgerton WI T1 Racing/Wegner Automotive/Barnyard to Brickyard Chevrolet – Bickle started the Tour season by winning May’s Joe Shear Classic at Madison where he is a two-time track Champion and has won twice this season at Slinger. The five-time Snowball Derby Champion, four-time Slinger Nationals winner and two-time National Short Track Champion is set to retire at year’s end. His first ever ARTGO feature win came during the 1989 Dixieland Challenge. He has been close to winning this event again only to have an engine let go in the closing laps. Strategy always comes into play on Tuesday night, and Bickle prides himself on playing the strategy to his advantage.
52 Brock Heinrich Wausau WI Incredible Bank/Compass Insurance/PGA Plumbing/United Structures Chevrolet -The progression continues for the back-to-back Late Model Champion at State Park Speedway (2017-18). After making the move to Super Late Models in 2019, Heinrich had a great 2020 campaign, winning Rookie of the Year honors in the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series, finished third in his first Tour start and finishing runner-up in the points at State Park. He started the 2021 season with a win at Wausau and now brings his talents to WIR.
75 Dillon Hammond Grand Marsh WI Hammond Auto Mauston, WI Chevrolet -The family effort has qualified seventh, fifth, fourth and third in the four Tour events thus far. Finally, last week at State Park Speedway Dillon was able to post a solid finish, placing 8th. Back on the Midwest Tour in 2021 as a Touring Star, Hammond has two career top five efforts on the Tour including a fourth-place finish in the 2019 Detjens Memorial at State Park.
77 Jonathan Eilen Hampton MN Eilen & Sons Trucking & Landscape/Graber Auto Body Ford -After running an abbreviated schedule the past couple of seasons, Jonathan Eilen the 2012 Midwest Tour Champ is back on the Tour and contending for wins again. The #77 sits seventh all-time in tour wins with five, including the first ever Tour event in 2007 which was held at Elko Speedway.
91 Ty Majeski Seymour WI iRacing.com/Ken’s Sports/Lucas Oil/CRC Industries/PFC Brakes Ford -Hot off his Tour wins at Jefferson Speedway on Memorial Day Weekend, The Milwaukee Mile on Father’s Day and most recently at State Park Speedway’s Detjens Memorial last weekend, the 2020 Snowball Derby Champion now has 28 Midwest Tour wins on his resume to go along with his four Championships. He enters Tuesday night seeking his third consecutive Gandrud Auto Group 250 victory and fourth consecutive Midwest Tour win.
98 RJ Braun Wales WI PD Peterka/Wisconsin Automation Ford -RJ Braun was the last driver to file his entry for last year’s Gandrud Auto Group 250. Not many knew what to expect out of the young driver that was making his way into Super Late Models after garnering Rookie of the Year honors in the Big 8 Late Model Series at year before. People quickly found out as Braun qualified tenth placing himself into the star-studded field while other ‘bigger’ names were relegated to the Last Chance race. Braun returned a week later and won in FRRC competition. He spent February at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida and contested for the win in the late stages of this year’s Slinger Nationals.
119 Dalton Zehr Daytona Beach FL Gildan/American Apparel/Comfort Colors/Prim + Preux/AMS Chevrolet -The 2018 ARCA Midwest Tour Champion has had a mixed bag of successes in the Gandrud Auto Group 250. Finishing twice inside the top ten in 2016 and 2017, Dalton has had bad luck end his winning bids in the Tuesday night special. Dalton Zehr would like to add to his three Tour wins by finishing first at WIR.
***Previously Advertised Drivers Stephen Nasse and Carson Hocevar have withdrawn their entries for Tuesday. Nasse due to issues from last weekend and Hocevar due to NASCAR Truck Commitments.***
Tuesday Racing Divisions: The ARCA Midwest Tour Super Late Models will be joined by the Midwest Truck Series.
Schedule of Events for Tuesday:
10am Pit Gate Opens
2:15pm Practice Begins
4pm Front Gates Open
5pm Qualifying Begins
6:30pm Racing Begins
General Admission Pricing:
Adults $25, children ages 12 and under admitted free.
Tickets available in advance (through Monday night) at www.midwesttour.racing/tickets/ OR go on sale at the ticket gates Tuesday at 4pm.
Location: Wisconsin International Raceway is located at W1460 County Rd KK in Kaukauna, WI. For additional information visit www.wirmotorsports.com or call 920-766-5577.
Complete List of Past Gandrud Auto Group 250 Winners
1981 Mark Martin
1982 Jim Sauter
1983 Dick Trickle
1984 Mark Martin
1985 Butch Miller
1986 Butch Miller
1987 Dick Trickle
1988 Butch Miller
1989 Rich Bickle Jr.
1990 Dick Trickle
1991 Dick Trickle
1992 Steve Holzhausen
1993 Scott Hansen
1994 Joe Shear
1995 Bryan Reffner
1996 Joe Shear
1997 Steve Carlson
1998 Steve Carlson
1999 Scott Hansen
2000 Brian Hoppe
2001 Steve Carlson
2002 Brian Hoppe
2003 Steve Carlson
2004 Steve Carlson
2005 Stephen Leicht
2007 Kyle Busch
2008 Steve Carlson
2009 Steve Carlson
2010 Johnny Sauter
2014 Johnny Sauter
2015 Nick Murgic
2016 Dennis Prunty
2017 Casey Johnson
2018 Chase Purdy
2019 Ty Majeski
2020 Ty Majeski
Expected Entries
Gandrud Auto Group 250
ARCA Midwest Tour
Tuesday Night August 3, 2021
Wisconsin International Raceway
40 as of 7/28/21
|
Car # |
Name | Hometown | State |
|
1 |
Jesse Oudenhoven | Kaukauna | WI |
|
2 |
Sawyer Effertz | Appleton | WI |
|
3 |
Brandon Reichenberger | Seymour | WI |
|
4 |
Luke Fenhaus | Wausau | WI |
|
5 |
Aric Almirola | Ft. Walton Beach | FL |
|
5 |
Casey Johnson | Edgerton | WI |
|
5 |
Johnny Sauter | Necedah | WI |
|
5 |
Travis Sauter | Prairie Du Sac | WI |
|
6 |
William Byron | Charlotte | NC |
|
7 |
John DeAngelis, Jr | Hubertus | WI |
|
7 |
Paul Shafer, Jr | Portage | IN |
|
9 |
Braison Bennett | Neenah | WI |
|
10 |
Andy Monday | Appleton | WI |
|
11 |
Bobby Kendall | Montello | WI |
|
13 |
Andrew Brocker | Jefferson | WI |
|
14 |
Austin Nason | Roscoe | IL |
|
15 |
Gabe Sommers | Plover | WI |
|
18 |
Cameron Clifford | Charlotte | NC |
|
19 |
Andrew Morrissey | DeForest | WI |
|
21 |
Derek Kraus | Stratford | WI |
|
21 |
Jesse Love | Redwood City | CA |
|
22 |
Sammy Smith | Johnston | IA |
|
23 |
Levon VanDerGeest | Merrill | WI |
|
25 |
Casey Roderick | Lawrenceville | GA |
|
25 |
Jeff Storm | East Troy | WI |
|
28 |
Corey Manders | Hilbert | WI |
|
30 |
Pete Vandermolen | Oshkosh | WI |
|
33 |
Trevor Vandermolen | Oshkosh | WI |
|
34 |
Maxwell Schultz | Reedsville | WI |
|
35 |
Carson Kvapil | Mooresville | NC |
|
42 |
Dennis Prunty | Knowles | WI |
|
44 |
Justin Mondeik | Gleason | WI |
|
45 |
Jeff VanOudenhoven | Appleton | WI |
|
45 |
Rich Bickle, Jr | Edgerton | WI |
|
52 |
Brock Heinrich | Wausau | WI |
|
75 |
Dillon Hammond | Grand Marsh | WI |
|
77 |
Jonathan Eilen | Hampton | MN |
|
91 |
Ty Majeski | Seymour | WI |
|
98 |
RJ Braun | Wales | WI |
|
119 |
Dalton Zehr | Daytona Beach | FL |
