Doug Zimmer PhotographyPhoto Gallery by Doug Zimmer

by Ed Reichert
Rice Lake WI, May 12 – After a one week break due to a rainout, the Rice Lake Speedway was back in action Saturday and four first time winners emerged in racing action, one for the first time ever. Winning their first feature races of the 2012 season at Rice Lake were Jason Gross, Cory Karshbaum, Jay Kesan and Mike Schnider while Shane Halopka became a repeat winner.

Gross, who is an infrequent competitor at the Rice Lake Speedway but always seems to make his rare visits meaningful, came charging up from the third row to pass Matt Leer with four laps to go and win a nonstop Modified main event.

Leer started on the outside pole and charged to the cushion immediately to step away from Steve Hallquist and take the early lead. Paul Brust then moved past Hallquist to take over second and he took off after Leer. Kevin Adams started outside row two but he jumped the cushion on the opening corner and lost several positions while Gross and Adam Hensel forged into the top five.

Leer continued to lead the field at the halfway point, running smoothly on the top side and keeping distance on the field. Gross caught Brust for second and they battled hard for the spot while Hensel continued in fourth as Adams moved back into the top five and tried to chase down the field.

Gross tried low but couldn’t make the pass work so he then moved to the outside of Brust and found the middle groove to work spectacularly for him as he motored by Paul and quickly began to close on Leer, who was getting a bit high in the corners.

Gross continued to reel in the leader and when Leer slid high in turn one, Gross drove under him to take over the lead. Leer tried to fight back but Gross held him off and then began to extend his margin. Late in the race Leer again went high and Brust drove under him for second. Meanwhile, Gross once again did like last year, when he quickly slipped into town one night and drove home with the win. Hensel rode home fourth ahead of Adams at the finish.

Doug Zimmer Photographyby Ed Reichert
Rice Lake WI, April 28 – While virtually every other race track in the region canceled for one reason or another Saturday, the Rice Lake Speedway hung tough and got in their second regular Saturday night of racing in the 2012 season. While a decent crowd of hardy fans on hand and a respectable number of racers in the pits, Ben Hillman continued to show that he will be a force to be reckoned with all season as he won his second straight Super Stock feature win at Rice Lake while also winning his second feature of the weekend including a Friday night win at Red Cedar.

The other four winners on Saturday were all first time visitors to victory lane and they included Mike Anderson, Sam Fankhauser, Shane Halopka and Jason Havel.

On a fast, multiple groove race track, Aaron Wilson jumped into the early lead and stretched it to several car lengths while a furious battle for second found Willie Johnsen Jr, Scott Lawrence, Andy Grymala and Randy Spacek battling for position. Lawrence and Johnsen ran a number of laps side by side with a group of about four other cars snapping at their heels.

Hillman started seventh on the grid, but he wasted little time moving to the cushion and it was clear that he was going to be a factor. He caught the big pack racing for second and with a bold move edged past the group on the extreme high side down the back chute. Once in second he set off after Wilson while the battle behind him continued to rage.

Eric Olson and Andy Davey also caught the pack and the scramble continued while Hillman was able to catch Wilson and motored by him on the outside to take over the lead.

Andy Grymala and Nick Oreskovich got together exiting turn four with only seven laps remaining which bunched the field for a restart. Hillman again shot into the lead and opened up some distance while Olson suddenly became a factor as he nosed under Wilson to take over second. The inside row got shuffled on the restart with Lawrence and Jason Forehand most hurt by that circumstance.

Hillman continued to lead the rest of the way for the win although Olson was able to cut into the deficit significantly before the checkered flag waved. Wilson held on to third over a charging Spacek with Johnsen Jr getting a fine, top five finish.

Starting Anderson on the pole was like giving the fox the keys to the henhouse, and Mike took full advantage of the opportunity as he led all the way for the Modified win. While he was comfortably up front most of the contest, there was a pleasing battle for second that raged throughout the event.

RICE LAKE, Wis. (April 23) – The Rice Lake Speedway played host to the stars and cars of the USMTS for the first time in its 54-year history last year during the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup, and a huge crowd was on hand to witness Ryan Gustin score the 46th win of his USMTS career and 22nd triumph of the season en route to claiming the title.

In 2012, two visits by the USMTS are on tap at the longest-running racetrack in Northern Wisconsin,
and it kicks off this Thursday, April 26, for the third leg of the USMTS National Championship Series.

The stakes are even higher this time around as the nation’s elite open-wheel dirt Modified drivers descend on the high-banked 1/3-mile clay oval for the first of three straight $4,000-to-win, $400-to-start events over three days.

Pure Stocks and Midwest Mods are also scheduled to compete. Race time is slated for 7 p.m.

The Rice Lake Speedway is a located 1 mile north of Rice Lake between Hwy. 48 and Barron County SS. The track phone number is 715-236-2002 and more information can be obtained by calling 715-205-2861 or by checking the speedway website at www.ricelakespeedway.net.

On Friday, April 27, Fastenal Company is joining forces with the Mississippi Thunder Speedway to present the USMTS National Championship Series as part of the track’s 2012 season opener.

The Mississippi Thunder Speedway is embarking upon its fourth season of top-notch dirt track action in Fountain City, Wis. The 3/8-mile dark clay high-banked oval is one of the best speedways in the upper Midwest, presenting dirt track racing in a fan and family friendly atmosphere every Friday night throughout the racing season.

by Ed Reichert
Rice Lake WI, April 21 – A slow moving cold front crawled into northwestern Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon, and the timing was such that light rain, mist and cold temperatures along with wind hit the Rice Lake area at mid afternoon and refused to move out of the area, thus canceling the racing program Saturday night at the Rice Lake Speedway.

Rice Lake Speedway Community Discussion

by Ed Reichert
Sixty consecutive years of any continuing activity is a long time, but when it comes to the operation of a dirt auto racing track, that length of time is unprecedented in northwestern Wisconsin.

Nevertheless, the Rice Lake Speedway will be celebrating sixty years of continuing dirt track racing when they open the gates for the first race of the 2012 racing season on Saturday night, April 14th .

Following a successful car show, interest is high in the area and a large crowd and big turnout of racers is expected for the opener. Since Adams-Hansen Inc. purchased the track, they have upgraded the race schedule and added a number of new, special events. Among the specials booked for this year is the George Rhoe Memorial race for Super Stocks, the Street Stock Little Dream race that will also include Late Models, the IRA 410 Sprint Cars, the UMSS 360 Sprint Cars, two appearances by the USMTS Modifieds, the Firecracker special on July 3rd and a two day Labor Day weekend event to wind up the season.

The regular season races will again feature five classes of cars, four of which are sanctioned by WISSOTA. Sanctioned classes include the Modifieds, Super Stocks, Midwest Modifieds and Street Stocks along with the Rice Lake Pure Stocks.

Four of the five defending champions are expected to return to defend their titles while one moves up to a different class.

Kevin Adams, defending Modified champion as well as defending WISSOTA national champion will return to the Modifieds with two cars at his disposal. Super Stock titlist Eric Olson will return with his trusty car from last year but will broaden his racing activities as he is expected to make a number of outings in a Street Stock as well. The Midwest Modified division will be wide open as defending champion Matt Leer has moved up to the Modifieds for 2012. 2012 Street Stock champion Doug Wojcik will take the summer off from his college studies to defend his title and will have two cars at his disposal in an attempt to retake the crown. Pure Stock champion Nick Traynor will also return to defend his first ever title.

by Ed Reichert
As has been a tradition for many years, the racing season at the Rice Lake Speedway begins with the annual car show. This year, the show will be returning to the Cedar Mall in Rice Lake with the cars being on display from the evening of April 4th until the close of the Mall on April 7th.

With the outstanding Spring weather , the drivers are getting their cars ready for the racing season earlier than normal, and a large field of cars in all divisions that race at the speedway are expected to be on display. Information about the upcoming racing season will also be available during the Mall show.

The actual on track activity for the speedway is coming up shortly also. The 2012 practice sessions at the Rice Lake Speedway are slated for April 11th and 12th from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Then, the first race of the sixtieth year of racing in Rice Lake will take place on Saturday, April 14th with the first green flag to drop at 6:30 p.m. WISSOTA sanctioned Modifieds, Super Stocks, Midwest Modifieds and Street Stocks along with the Rice Lake Pure Stocks will be in action on opening night.

Responding to the renewed enthusiasm for racing in Rice Lake, track owners Dave Adams and Mitch Hansen have booked one of the biggest and most varied schedules in track history. Beginning with the largest paying Modified race in track history when the USMTS Modifieds will race for $4,000 to win on Thursday, April 26th, the track will see special events for the Super Stocks, Street Stocks and Pure Stocks as well as events featuring the Late Models along with both 360 and 410 winged Sprint Cars.

For more information on the 2012 schedule, visit the speedway website at www.ricelakespeedway.net or give Dave Adams a call at 715-205-2861.