Forum Activity for @paul-bassett

happy hollidays

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to all yall happy hollidays & please dont drink & drive !!!
updated by @paul-bassett: 12/03/16 05:48:04PM

nascar & country music

-RacersReunion® OUTREACH

there is a new site yall will injoy if ya like counrty music its mycountryspace.com everyone knows nascar & country music go together so go check it out
updated by @paul-bassett: 12/03/16 05:48:02PM

KK raceway continued

Current NASCAR

It was a cold March evening in 1972. The snow had begun to melt, but winter was reluctantly losing its grip.I rang the door bell and a 50-year-old man opened the door while talking on the telephone, stretching the cord to reach the door knob.He looked at me quickly and said, "You must be Gary What's His Name."His attention returned to the phone. "I'm not paying that ----- high rate and you know it. I got somebody in my office. If you've got a better price, call me back." With that, Joe Van Daalwyk hung up the phone, took a couple of puffs on his cigar and looked back at me."Take off your coat and sit down," he said. I knew he was in charge right off the bat. He quickly outlined the history of his race track -- Wisconsin International Raceway. Most of it was familiar to me. I had attended nearly every race at the track for the past several seasons and knew that Joe was trying to rebuild a financially troubled and later bankrupt KK Sports Arena.Track manager Ted Schmalz arrived later and we discussed putting together a late model stock car series for Wisconsin drivers."Those USAC boys are just a big pain in the ---," Van Daalwyk said. "I think they'll dry up in a couple of years. That's why we've got to do something different."Joe was right. The USAC stock car division is no more and his Red, White and Blue State Championship Series is thriving.An idea became a reality that year in spite of the fact that dirt track racing was drawing big crowds at fairground speedways in Shawano, De Pere, Oshkosh and Seymour.Dick Trickle, driving a 1970 Mustang, won the first race in the series on a perfect, sunny afternoon. He went to the outside of John Rank on the 26th lap and won by three car lengths. Trickle, of Wisconsin Rapids, went on to establish a national feature win record of 67 victories that year.A crowd of 7,832 viewed the first race as some 52 cars competed on the half-mile paved oval. Madison's John Ziegler established a new one-lap track record of 21.74 during time trials.And, Joe was pleased. He even smiled. After all it was his first profitable stock car race since taking over the track in 1971. Several USAC events were large financial losers.Schmalz released a statement to the press the following week canceling a remaining USAC stock car event."We're dropping USAC in favor of our Red, White and Blue state championship," Schmalz said. "The fact that Dick Trickle was not in the lineup for our first USAC race this year cut our attendance in half.""USAC doesn't have enough races on its schedule to allow any of the good drivers to make a living," he added.Perhaps the most famous statement came when Schmalz said," You can't sell a $6.00 show when there's a better one down the street for $3.00."Schmalz's statements were of course all carefully orchestrated by Van Daalwyk. Joe pulled the strings. He ran the race track. Smoking his cigars, he spent long hours in his office.There were many long meetings. Hours and hours were spent discussing rules, payoffs and promotions. Joe was a successful businessman. His construction, real estate and restaurant firms were all making big money.The raceway was perhaps his biggest challenge. It was dead and he revived it. He loved every minute of it, from screaming at radio station owners for running ads after the races had been run to watching his traditional booming fireworks at the start of every race.The Red, White and Blue series was the start of the turnaround.In 1975 Joe joined forces with the Fox River Racing Club to promote weekly races at Kaukauna. The drivers raced for 100 percent of the ticket sales for the first full season to get the thing rolling.It wasn't easy.At the first meeting, one of the car owners said,"100 percent of nothing is nothing. Ain't it?" Joe heard about the comment and fumed for a couple of days. "What does that son-of-a- ------ think. I've got a million bucks sunk in that place out there," he steamed.A few days later he settled down and a deal was signed with the Fox River Racing Club.Today the Kaukauna raceway is considered one of the most successful short tracks in the nation. It's unique design was Joe's idea. He wasn't one to copy someone else. His ideas were originals.There were times when he'd talk to Hugh Deery, of the Rockford Speedway, over the phone. Most of the talk centered around selling popcorn, hot dogs and beer.They both had something in common. They were both originals and will never be duplicated.Joe passed away in 1984, but the sounds of racing engines roaring will continue at his track. He left the world having conquered his biggest challenge.MORE NEWS FROM:
updated by @paul-bassett: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM

KK raceway

Current NASCAR

[[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

Great site

Current NASCAR

thats great I know I miss KK raceway from the early 70 's were a lot of them guys raced it was so much fun me & my friends use to go every weekend.

Great site

Current NASCAR

This site is so great I love it !it has great pic, vidios , people & everything a nascar fan could want.so what do you like about this site???Thank you Racers ReunionPaul Bassett
updated by @paul-bassett: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM

who is your favreot driver & why

Current NASCAR

Mine was Richard Petty till he retired now its Jeff Gordan & ive always liked Dale Earnhardt & now I love the new Hendricks motorsports team!
updated by @paul-bassett: 01/06/17 11:00:55PM