I think all people who are into dirt-track racing – drivers and fans alike – have a certain “happy” place when it comes to racing. It’s a place that every time you are there, it provides an escape from the stresses and headaches of day-to-day life.
For some it’s attending their local track every week, sitting in the same spot next to the same people, enjoying the same food, and following their favorite driver, who could be a friend, relative or neighbor. For some it's going back to the track they grew up going to after being away from it for years.
I probably have two tracks I would call my happy places. One is Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis.; the other is Deer Creek Speedway near Spring Valley, Minn. Each for different reasons – Cedar Lake for late model racing, Deer Creek for the modifieds.
I was at the first USA Nationals at Cedar Lake in 1988. A guy named Billy Moyer won that year. He became my favorite late model driver ever. Another one of my favorites finished second that year – Ohio driver Donnie Moran.
I lost track of how many times I’ve been to the USA Nationals – I’m guessing it is at least a dozen. I didn’t go as often when I lived in South Dakota from 2007-12. I have been to seven in a row, and two memorable ones are when Rick Aukland won in 1997 and when Moran went from the back to the front to win in 1998, which is still one of the best single-race performances I’ve seen in a late model.
I did miss it one year for a college friend’s wedding, and all I can say is she must have been a good friend because normally I wouldn’t miss that event if I had that weekend free 😊
In 1999 I lived in western Wisconsin, and Cedar Lake was an hour away. I got to go to the weekly show there several times plus the Wissota 100 that year. It was a phenomenal three-car battle between Rick Egersdorf, Kerry Hansen and Pat Doar that Egersdorf prevailed in, might have been the best Wissota race I ever saw there. They used to get 30 late models a night weekly and about 15 were capable of winning. The modifieds were often a battle between Ron Schreiner and Craig Thatcher, and I remember Dale Gangl was awfully good in the super stocks. Yes, I have a good memory.
I went to Deer Creek for the first time in either 2003 or 2004 for the USMTS Jamboree. I had read about the place but had never been there and have to say I walked away beyond impressed. I’ve been to the Jamboree three times, including in 2020, and attended several USMTS shows at Deer Creek. I attended the World Modified Championships there the year Brad Waits topped Ryan Gustin, who was dominating USMTS at that time, for the big prize. Tim Donlinger’s USMTS win in 2008 was the best performance I’ve ever witnessed in a modified race. It’s my favorite place to watch modifieds, period.
It's hard to explain what kind of an escape it provides me as a fan. Certainly, the quality of racing is a huge allure to me – USA Nationals and USMTS Fall Jamboree provide tremendous competition with some big-time drivers attending. But when I go there, those events truly feel like a big deal. The ceremonial stuff (intros, fireworks, etc.) is part of it, but being a part of massive crowds who are loving every second of the weekend is awesome, too.
Cedar Lake has so much history, and you sort of feel that the minute you walk on the property. Deer Creek hasn’t been around as long but in terms of modified racing has certainly earned its reputation as a premier track in the Midwest.
I was at the USA Nationals earlier this month. Walking through the pit area on Saturday, I got goosebumps. And walking amongst the crowd, and seeing so many people (for the record I am not a crowd person at all) there, well that’s about heaven for a race fan.
I hope everybody in racing has a track or event that provides them with that feeling.
Howie Schill Memorial Set for This Week at Red River Valley Speedway
The 3rd Annual Howie Schill Memorial is a two-night event this year at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo. The first night, which is Thursday, is a regular NLRA Late Model show paying $1,250 to win (regular NLRA purse and show); the second night is Friday and a $2,404 to win show, with $444 to start. RRVS will run three of its regular classes each night.
Howie Schill was a well-respected guy in the region’s racing ranks and was the winner of the first NLRA race. His son, Cole, currently competes in the late models in the region. Howie died in 2020 and is missed by his family and the racing community. I hope late model fans get a chance to check out at least one of the two nights as there should be excellent fields of cars on hand.
Full disclosure I'm friends with Cole and he and his wife Erica have been loyal RaceChaser sponsors. The Schills are a great racing family and very supportive of NLRA and other late model events in our region.
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