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Dick Trickle was the first ever Red, White & Blue state champion at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna in 1972. In episode # 4 of our podcast series with longtime WIR owner/general manager Roger Van Daalwyk, Roger recalled how and why the RW&B series got started. Who was all involved in it's creation and all the top drivers who have competed in the prestigious series over the...

When legendary daredevil Evel Knievel made an appearance at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna in the early 1970's, Roger Van Daalwyk was sort of 'assigned' to be a personal assistant of sorts to the flamboyant showman. In episode # 3 Roger recalled his weeks when Evel stayed at the Van Daalwyk's home and what Evil was like. Give it a listen!

The year is 1972. Richard Nixon is the president of the United States. Don McClean's 'American Pie' topped the billboard charts. And an 18-year-old Roger Van Daalwyk took over as General Manager of KK Sports Arena - later to be renamed Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna. Listen in as Roger talks about his early tenure at the fabled oval!

As a teenager, Roger Van Daalwyk performed any task whatsoever as directed by his dad, Joe Van Daalwyk, as KK Sports Arena hosted stock car races in Kaukauna, Wisconsin in the mid to late 1960's. Those tasks prepared him for when he would later take over as the track's general manager. Listen in to Roger's great stories!

De Pere's Tom Hockers has been in some form of motorsports nearly his entire life. We recently caught up with the current Fox River Racing Club (FRRC) president. Hockers reflects upon his own racing career, which began as a youngster racing motocross. Give it a listen!

Whether it's announcing a stock car race, hockey game or hosting his radio show, Curt Keene has been announcing sporting events since his teenage years. We turned the tables on this Wausau native recently as Keene was on the other end of the microphone, sharing his stories. Give it a listen!

When it comes to spotters whether it's the paved short tracks or the bigger shows in ARCA and NASCAR, Green Bay's Craig Kowaleski has earned a reputation as one of the best in the biz. We recently caught up with Craig and he talks about how he got his start into being a top notch spotter and the incredible path and the number of drivers he's worked for over the years. This one's a...

Ross Goldbeck was one of the competitors in the Fox River Racing Club's tough sportsman division that did battle on the quarter-mile oval at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna in the 1970's and into the 1980's. Goldbeck tells stories about his he got into the racing biz. Give it a listen!

At just 20 years old, Rhinelander, Wisconsin native Parker Retzlaff continues to turn some heads in the NASCAR Xfinity series. We recently caught up with Retzlaff as he returned to his roots at Eagle River Speedway's third-mile clay oval. Give it a listen!

It's not often a NASCAR Cup driver randomly shows up at a dirt track nestled in Wisconsin's northwoods on a Tuesday night in the middle of the summer. But NASCAR Cup driver Josh Bilicki of Richfield, Wisconsin did just that in a recent "pop in" visit to Eagle River Speedway. Bilicki talked about his road racing, the grind of beating the bushes to raise money to race in NASCAR, an...

Willard Raddant served as secretary of the Wolf River Racing Association (WRRA) and raced exclusively Ford stock cars with his brother LeeRoy Raddant in the 1970's and beyond. We recently caught up with Willard, who spends time in the summer months back in Wisconsin watching his grandson Kyle Raddant keep the family name going in the local racing circles. Give it a listen!

De Pere native Pete Vercauteren had a great career as a motorsports journalist, covering races starting in the late 1960's at the long defunct Brown County Fairgrounds in De Pere, Wisconsin. We recently caught up with Pete and he reflected about his time covering races, a lot of great De Pere racing history, and much more. Give it a listen!

Pulaski's Al Snellenberger is one of a few remaining folks left who battled in the ultra-popular coupe era of the 1960's at the Brown County Fairgrounds in De Pere and the Kewaunee County Fairgrounds in Luxemburg. Al reflects upon those days in this podcast. Give it a listen!

Bonduel, Wisconsin's Dillon Kralovetz enjoyed a ton of success at Norway (MI) Speedway - winning five straight late model championships before hanging up his helmet. At 35, Kralovetz recently became the youngest ever inductee into the Speedway's Hall of Fame. Kralovetz revealed what drew him to tow north from Shawano County all those years to battle weekend traffic on Friday nights. Give i...

Norway, Michigan's Terry Mott got his start as a volunteer corner worker at Norway (MI) Speedway in the 1960's. The 2023 Norway Speedway Hall of Famer reflected upon his colorful career, which included racing, his famous Cadillac Seville in 1980, and serving in several capacities for the Dickinson County Racing Association. Give it a listen!

We recently caught up with 2023 Norway Speedway Hall of Famer Don Britton. The Marquette, Michigan native reflected upon his brief but successful racing career - one which saw him race four times in three days including twice on Sundays! Give it a listen!

Green Bay's Eddie Muenster is considered one of the pioneers of the northeastern Wisconsin IMCA modified racers dating back to the late 1980's. We recently caught up with this 2023 Shawano Speedway Hall of Fame inductee. Eddie reflected upon his career in motorsports, which actually began in motocross. Give it a listen!

Spooner, Wisconsin's Ed Reichert has been covering the short track racing scene on dirt tracks for decades in Wisconsin, Iowa and MInnesota. We recently caught up with the retired school teacher and we talked about the days of the popular racing trade papers, short track trends over the decades and much more. Give it a listen!

Gordie Seegert Jr. , a recent Shawano Speedway Hall of Fame inductee, had a solid career wheeling dirt late models at tracks like Shawano and Langlade County Speedway in Antigo. He actually cut his teeth at the long defunct Hales Corners Speedway near Milwaukee. We recently caught up with Gordie and he shared with us some great stories about his storied racing career. Give it a listen!

In our ninth and final segment with Scott Hansen we throw some names at Scott of fellow racers, friends and other players in the racing community and Scott provides his honest take on those folks. Everybody from NASCAR, ASA, ARTGO and many others. This one's a dandy folks and a great way to wrap up the "Titletown's Racing Champion" podcast series. Enjoy!

When the late '90s came about Scott Hansen partnered up with his old friend Kenny Schrader to do a little NASCAR Craftsman truck series racing. Hansen will be the first to admit it wasn't really his cup of tea - for a number of reasons. Enjoy episode number 8!

In the '90s the sponsor money flowed freely and the regional and national pavement short track scenes remained on solid footing. Scott Hansen, racing for Baker Motorsports and All-Star Racing, enjoyed racing for a living on the paved short tracks from coast-to-coast. Hansen talks about those experiences in episode 7. Give it a listen!

Green Bay's Scott Hansen, despite not having a Fox Valley zip code, managed to win five straight Fox River Racing Club (FRRC) late model track titles from 1985 thru 1989 at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. During that period he was able to land a lucrative sponsorship from Budweiser with Dean DIstributing, and even got into a bit of a tiff with ARTGO promoter John McKarn...

We recently caught up with Brian Ambrosius of Little Buckaroo Jr Motorsports Park in Cecil, Wisconsin. Brian talks about the upcoming season of Friday night karting in this podcast episode! Check it out!

In the early 1980's Green Bay's Scott Hansen continued to battle on the dirt tracks of northeastern Wisconsin. But it was a chance meeting with a Green Bay insurance agent at a car wash of all places which turned out to be an eventual game changer for the soon-to-be five time WIR late model champion. Check out episode # 5!