The Beginnings: Like all true race fans, F.W. thought it
would be fun to have a race car. While watching the Mid
America race at WIR with friends in 93 we talked about getting
a car and having a friend drive it. We all agreed we would do
it for the next season. I bought a used car, had a motor
built, bought a shop and outfitted it with all the necessary
tools & equipment and built the car. While all of this was
happening my friend was going to drive it. He was all for it.
Being a former motorcycle racer, we thought he would be the
best candidate for the driver. We finally got the car done,
loaded it on the trailer and headed for WIR for our first
race. We registered the car and driver, paid our fee's and
headed for the pits. When we were ready to go out to hot lap
the driver said he could not run it. Something told him not to
drive it. So, here we are all ready to run the car and the
driver says he can't do it. After much discussion about it, we
decided that since I would fit in the seat,, and I owned the
car that I should drive it. Well, I explained that I really
didn't have a desire to drive it but that due to the
circumstances I would give it a try. Of course it was a slow
process getting used to driving a race car with no experience
at all (it's much harder than it looks), but I settled in and
began to enjoy it.
I guess it worked out for the best because I really found out
it was more fun to drive rather than to just watch. I raced
the next 2 1/2 years and had some of the best times of my
life. The people in the Mid-American series were some of the
greatest people you ever could meet. We traveled a 5 state
area racing, which took us away a lot on the weekends. My
children enjoyed it for a while, but then got tired of it so I
decided to sell the race car and spend more quality time with
them. We bought a camper and substituted camping for racing. I
believe at the time that was the most important & best
decision I ever made. The Mid-American series was a lot like
the Busch Grand National division, with asphalt tracks of 1/4,
1/3, 1/2 and 1 mile in length. We also ran a race on a road
course at Black Hawk Farms in IL. The field was a 30 car
starting line up. We started on the outside of row 15 (30th)
because of a bad qualifying time. We ran the race very consistently
and finished 13th with motor and car still in tact. My first
win came at Plover, WI on the banked 1/3 mile oval. The car
was just hooked up. Dick Trickle also won many races there
before moving on to Winston Cup. When I got out of the
Mid-American series I thought my racing career was over and I
was over that part of my life. Then Oshkosh built a dirt
track, my kids are older and now it won't interfere with my
time with them. No more traveling and weekends are still open
for family. After the first season I decided I could not just
sit in the stands and watch anymore. So after much talking
about it again I thought I would give dirt a try. I contacted
Dotter Racing Chassis and had a chassis built. I got the car
late in the season and missed the first 11 races. We're ready
now and are looking forward to a fun season. Look for us in
the brightly painted #9 Zone Street Stock every Friday night
at The Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway in Oshkosh, WI.
