[[Image:WIROvals.jpg|thumb|right|300px|1/4 mile oval and [[Figure 8 racing|Figure 8] tracks, plus most of the 1/2 mile ovals]The '''Wisconsin International Raceway''' (WIR) is a stockcar racing [[oval] and [[drag strip] in [[Kaukauna, Wisconsin|Kaukauna], [[Wisconsin], [[United States|USA].==Stockcar track==The main track is a half mile D-shaped paved oval. Inside the half mile track is a quarter mile paved conventional oval. The half mile track was added around the existing quarter mile in 1969.{{cite book |title=The Golden Age of Wisconsin Auto Racing |last=Grubba |first=Dale |year=2000 |publisher=Badger Books |location=[[Oregon, Wisconsin] |isbn=1-878569-67-8 |pages=page 45}} The corners for the quarter mile track double as the corners for a [[Figure 8 racing|Figure 8] track.===Stockcar weekly divisions===There are six divisions at the track. The Super Late Model and Limited Late Model divisions race on the half mile track. The Super Stock, Wisconsin Sport Trucks, and Sizzlin 4's (stock four cylinder) divisions race on the quarter mile track. The Figure 8 cars end programs on the Figure 8 track. A automated timing and scoring system was set up for the 2007 season, and each racecar carries a [[transponder].The Fox River Racing Club began helping promote the weekly events in 1975.Image:WIRSuperLateModel.jpg|Super Late Model - [[Lowell Bennett]Image:WisconsinInternationalRacewayLimitedLateModel2006DougMahlik.jpg|Limited Late Model - [[Doug Mahlik]Image:HudsonRacecar.jpg|Super StockImage:WisconsinInternationalRaceway2006SportTruckQuella.jpg|Wisconsin Sport TruckImage:WIRFigure8.jpg|Figure 8 carsImage:WIRSizzling8s.jpg|Sizzling 4 winner===Stockcar special events===The track had an annual [[American Speed Association] event. The track resumed hosting ASA events after the series was reorganized, and it will host an event in 2007.The track has hosted the annual "Red, White, and Blue State Championship Series" for super late models since 1973. The series consist of three race nights in June (red), July (white), and August (blue). The series was part of the [[Midwest Challenge Series] (formerly ARTGO). The blue race is now part of the [[Wisconsin Challenge Series]. 7,832 people watched [[Dick Trickle] win the first red race.===Famous drivers to race on the stockcar track===All of the following drivers appeared at the track before moving on to at least one of the big three [[NASCAR] divisions (Cup, Busch, Truck):*[[Lowell Bennett] (1991 and 1998 track champion)*[[Rich Bickle]*[[Scott Hansen] (1985-89 track champion)*[[Matt Kenseth] (1994 and 1995 track champion)*[[Todd Kluever]*[[Alan Kulwicki] (1979 track champion)*[[Dave Marcis]*[[Mark Martin (NASCAR)|Mark Martin] (Red, White, and Blue champion)*[[Ted Musgrave]{{cite book |title=The Golden Age of Wisconsin Auto Racing |last=Grubba |first=Dale |year=2000 |publisher=Badger Books |location=[[Oregon, Wisconsin] |isbn=1-878569-67-8 |pages=page 201}}*[[Robbie Reiser]*[[Jim Sauter (NASCAR)|Jim Sauter] (1981 track champion)*[[Tim Sauter]*[[Jason Schuler]*[[Dick Trickle] - (many Red, White, and Blue championships)Trickle had so many wins that the track dedicated the Dick Trickle Pavilion in Turn 2.===List of late model track champions===*2007 Tim Rothe*2006 Tim Rothe*2005 [[Rod Wheeler]''Appleton Post-Crescent'' newspaper, [[May 21] [[2006], Racing Report (page B-8)*2004 [[Terry Baldry]*2003 Terry Baldry*2002 Terry Baldry*2001 Terry Baldry*2000 Terry Baldry*1999 Terry Baldry*1998 [[Lowell Bennett]*1997 Terry Baldry*1996 [[Mark Schroeder (WIR driver)|Mark Schroeder]*1995 [[Matt Kenseth]*1994 Matt Kenseth*1993 Terry Baldry*1992 [[Jim Weber (WIR driver)|Jim Weber]*1991 Lowell Bennett*1990 [[J.J. Smith (WIR driver)|J.J. Smith]*1989 [[Scott Hansen]*1988 Scott Hansen*1987 Scott Hansen*1986 Scott Hansen*1985 Scott Hansen*1984 Terry Baldry*1983 Terry Baldry*1982 Terry Baldry*1981 [[Jim Sauter (NASCAR)|Jim Sauter]*1980 [[Alan Kulwicki]*1979 Alan Kulwicki*1978 [[Rich Somers]*1977 [[J.J. Smith (WIR driver)|Jerry Smith]*1976 [[Larry Schuler]*1975 [[Rich Somers]=== Trivia ===*Parts of the 2004 independent film "Dare to Dream: The Alan Kulwicki Story" were shot at Wisconsin International Raceway during Thursday Night Thunder. The film crew used a 1982 Chevy Camaro to re-create the WLPX racing Camaro [[Alan Kulwicki|Kulwicki] used in the early 80's. Other cars used in the film were from the Lion's Club racing group.==Dragstrip==[[Image:WIRDragStrip.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Looking down the drag strip]The dragstrip is a 1/4 mile paved track. It is one of three operating dragstrips in Wisconsin.===Dragstrip weekly divisions===There are six weekly divisions that compete on Saturday nights: Top Eliminator Class, Hot Rod Eliminator, Street Eliminator, Pro-Bike and Snowmobile, Street Bike, and Junior Dragsters.Image:WIRDragStreetEliminators.jpg|Street EliminatorsImage:WIRHotRodEliminator.jpg|Hot Rod EliminatorsImage:WIRDragSnowmobileProBike2.jpg|Snowmobile vs. Pro-Bike==Eve of Destruction==The track has hosted an annual "Eve of Destruction" each September since 1993. The 10,000 seat raceway is packed. [[The Post-Crescent], [[September 16] [[2006], "Crash fans covet Eve of Destruction" (page A1) Drivers compete in a variety of unusual events such as chain races (two cars are chained together), spin to win (race backwards and then spin around forward for the finish), trailer races (part of the trailer must remain intact to continue racing), etc. Ten school buses compete in a survival-of-the-fittest competition, where the last bus standing wins. Track owner Roger Van Daalwyk described the Eve of Destruction: "We kind of wreck everything." [[The Post-Crescent], [[September 16] [[2006], "Crash fans covet Eve of Destruction" (page A3)==Media=={{Listen|filename=Figure8RacingWIR07192007.ogg|title=Figure 8 racing|description=[[Figure 8 racing] at Wisconsin International Raceway 3.3 MB|format=[[Ogg]}}==References=={{reflist}}==External links==*[ http://www.wirmotorsports.com/ Official website]*[ http://www.frrcracing.com/ Fox River Racing Club website]*[ http://www.sportrucks.org/ Wisconsin Sport Truck division website]*[ http://www.racingwisconsin.com/midam060731.htm Article on the Red, White, and Blue state championship series beginnings], accessed August 2006[[Category:Drag racing venues][[Category:Motorsport venues in Wisconsin][[Category:Outagamie County, Wisconsin]
updated by @paul-bassett: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM