In more than 35 years of racing, John Halvorson of Warren, Minn., has raced in almost every class.
He started in the Outlaw Streets in 1988 and has raced everything from late models to A mods to B mods to super stocks to street stocks, among several others.
“I’ve ran 11 different divisions,” Halvorson said. “It’s a big learning curve to go from one car to the other. It was wanting to move up and try something new. In all 11 classes I’ve ran, I’ve won in all 11 of them.”
The only class he hasn’t raced, he says, is 410 sprints.
“I’ve ran everything but that,” Halvorson said.
Halvorson, 49, is a fixture in the Wissota Street Stock class at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks and at Greenbush Race Park and has been for a long time.
He was the 2019 River Cities Speedways point champion in the street stocks and the 2018 Greenbush champion. Since 2017, he has 12 street stock feature wins and has compiled 82 top five finishes (which also include some in the Midwest modifieds). His experience has paid dividends when it comes to the results.
“It doesn’t hurt driving these cars for as long as I have,” Halvorson said. “Every time I climb in a car it’s just a routine. I don’t get really nervous; if I get first or third, it’s just another race to me.”
Aside from the late models, he’s built his own cars over the years. He has another reason for continuing to race in the street stock class – he has built them for other drivers, and they provide research and development opportunities.
“I build these cars for other people; I’ve got quite a few of them out there that I’ve built,” Halvorson said. “For me to get in these cars, and do some R and D and run them, it helps me to be able to make changes or set them up differently or build them differently. I can’t do that if I’m not behind the wheel.”
And when one of the cars he’s built finds victory lane, it brings him satisfaction.
“I take as much enjoyment seeing other people win in my cars as I do winning myself; probably more,” Halvorson said.
Halvorson won at Greenbush on May 27 and has three top fives in four starts this season as he has started the 2023 season, his 36th behind the wheel, in a strong fashion. Racing
“I’ve pretty did it all my life since I was 13 years old,” Halvorson said. “I don’t really know a whole lot else. As far as summer fun and activities go, I don’t know what a boat is to go fishing. This is my pastime.”
Driver Profile
John Halvorson
Age: 49
Wissota Street Stock #35
Residence: Warren, MInn.
Sponsors: Tri-Steel Manufacturing in Grand Forks, Taco John’s, Rogers Renovation, Budweiser, Halvorson Welding Repair and Fabrication
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