CRA Racing Press
After five months of waiting there is life again at the historic Nashville Fairgrounds racetrack with the announcement that Nashville native Tony Formosa has an agreement to promote events at the famous high-banked facility for the 2010 season. Formosa announced during the CRA drivers meeting at Gresham Motorsports Park on Saturday that he will promote the All American 400 Weekend that will be sanctioned by the CRA Super Series.

“We were very happy to hear there would be racing at the Nashville Fairgrounds track again in 2010,” remarked R.J. Scott, Managing Partner of Champion Racing Association. “We have been holding the October 2nd and 3rd date open on our schedule with hopes of working out a date for the All American event. When Tony reached out to us, we offered CRA’s support in any way to help continue the legendary All-American Weekend at its traditional home in Nashville. It is really exciting news for us that this event is going to happen!”

When racing at the Nashville Fairgrounds was in doubt, Montgomery Motor Speedway officials announced their intentions to bring the All-American 400 to Montgomery, a traditional racing home for event founder, the late Bob Harmon. With the news that Nashville would be hosting the event again, track owner Bobby Knox and his officials backed away from their plans for 2010. According to Knox, “As long as the track at Nashville Fairgrounds is open and hosting an All-American event, we want to support that event and its history there. In the unfortunate situation that racing at the Fairgrounds would ever end, we plan to bring the All-American 400 to Bob Harmon’s long time home at Montgomery Motor Speedway.”

Santa Fe Banquet 1969 (Illinois Vintage Racing Photo)by Stan Kalwasinski (Originally Posted on IllinoisVintageRacing.com)

The voice was distinctive, the delivery was unique and anyone who ever heard Jan Gabriel announce a race program at Santa Fe Speedway near Willow Springs will always remember the style and entertaining manner of the longtime Chicago area announcer. Gabriel, 69, passed away on January 10, 2010 suffering from polycystic kidney disease.

Art “Fireball” Fehrman of St. Charles, Ill. had known Gabriel since the late 1960’s when Fehrman was a rookie in the stock car action at Santa Fe and Gabriel was the new announcer at the “Track of Clay.” Fehrman was a front-running competitor in Santa Fe’s sportsman division before moving into the faster late model ranks in 1973. Fehrman drove his last late model race and won it in 1992 and came back to run a modified stocker for a bit in 2004 before calling it “quits.” More recently, Fehrman has been guiding his successful Illinois Vintage Racing stock car organization with his “back in the day” stock car tour visiting numerous race tracks in the Midwest.

With Gabriel’s passing, Fehrman reminisced about his friend.

“We became friends when I started racing at Santa Fe,” commented Fehrman about his 30-plus year friendship with Gabriel. “My dad (Art Sr.) use to have a racing party every year in the middle of January and Jan would always make it. He never let my dad down, driving through snow and ice storms just to get to my dad’s party. He’d fly in from California just to make it.

Great to see all of you who could make it out to last Saturday's meeting at Viking Lanes in Stoughton. I have posted the tire rules for 2010 below and I have made reference to a couple of changes in the ASA Educational Series program.

One notable change from 2010...if your division is running as a support division for a leased event such as the ASA Midwest Tour race on May 2nd or RK Promotions All Star Challenge on June 29th you will receive 30 points for running the event regardless of where you finish in the feature. This would apply to the Area Sportsman for the May 2nd event at this point.

General Manager Dave Grueneberg also discussed the 2010 schedule and his goals for the season. "We have made some schedule changes and are starting later this year. Traditionally the Friday nights in May have not been good weather-wise and we really have to watch our expenses. The racing business is battling many challenges and we are not immune to those at MIS. We are making some changes in how we do things and it's important that we all work together."

Dave Oswald, technical director, reviewed the rule revisions in the Late Models, Area Sportsman, Hobby Stocks, and Bandits. The Legends will follow their national series rules just as they have in the past.

Pete Raskovic also discussed some marketing tips for racing teams. "If you have kids on your team through ASA Educational Series get to your local media. They love stories about your efforts with the kids. This mentor relationship is so valuable for all involved."

Drivers' Checklist...Fans too!

Sign up for the Madison International Speedway Facebook group today.
To receive Twitter updates follow MISRacing
Driver Info / Membership forms are available at our website

Why Should You Be a Member?

Travis Sauter and Team in Victory Lane at the 2009 Oktoberfest Race Weekend. (Credit: Doug Hornickel Photo fastlapphoto.com)By: Kari Shear-Carlson (ASAMT Media)
Photos By Doug Hornickel (fastlapphoto.com)

Travis Sauter finished in the top five three times in only four starts with the ASA Midwest Tour in 2009. One of those top five finishes was in victory lane where he captured the biggest victory of his career and first ASAMT win. Sauter claimed the victory in the 40th Annual Oktoberfest 100 at Lacrosse Fairgrounds Speedway after a hard-fought battle with 2010 ASAMT Champion, Steve Carlson. Not a bad way to end the season. In 2010 Sauter will have even more opportunities to make it to victory lane. Travis is set to run the full season with the American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and Grandstay® Residential Suites Hotels.

Chances are if you are from the Midwest, you have heard of a Sauter. The family of racers hails from Necedah, WI and several have made the move to one or more of the NASCAR racing series. Travis is the son of Tim Sauter, 1999 ASA National Champion and a competitor in all three NASCAR series throughout his career. Travis has already proven that he has what it takes to follow in his grandfather, uncles’, and father’s footsteps.

The driver of the #5 Hamke chassis is looking forward to racing the full season in 2010. When asked what he was most looking forward to, Sauter’s matter-of-fact response was, “Just racing more in the top touring series in the country!” Travis would not be able to race the entire season without the support of his sponsors. Along with long-time sponsor Cranberry Creek Cranberries, Sauter is happy to announce that Habelman Bros. Company, the world's largest fresh cranberry grower and packer, has teamed up with Travis for 2010.

The second Mid-American Stock Car Series Webisode has now been posted at the video-sharing site Youtube.

The video can be viewed by following this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD2hnXbfP-0

This installment features two standout Mid-American veterans planning on making a return to the series this season. Jeremy Spoonmore, who recorded six top five finishes in six starts last season, and four-time MASCS champion James Swan discuss their plans and the competition they will face in 2010.

The first event for Mid-American’s 18th season is schedule for Sunday, April 18 at Rockford Speedway in Loves Park, Ill. Mid-American will join the BRP Big 8 late models for the 33rd Annual Spring Classic.

Rockford Speedway is located at 9572 Forest Hills Road seven miles north of downtown Rockford, just two miles west of Interstate 90 at the intersection of Forest Hills Road and Highway 173 in Loves Park, Ill. For more information visit www.rockfordspeedway.com

For more information about the Mid-American Stock Car Series, including results, the final 2009 standings, and driver information please visit www.midamericanracing.com.