Oregon, WI- The Super Late Models return to ‘Wisconsin’s Fastest Half Mile’ this Friday night May 31 for the Capital Classic Twin 50’s. Fans will be treated to double features during Round 2 of the Alive for 5 Series, with 20 of the top Super Late Models in Wisconsin vying for the $3,500 top prize. Not to be outdone, the NASCAR Late Models will have a complete show along with the brand-new Dave’s White Rock MISfitz division which showcased Sportsman, Modifieds, 602 Late Models, Mid-Americans and Trucks all racing together on opening night. The Pellitteri Waste Systems Bandits will also contest double features on the ‘Ring of Fire’ this Friday Night.
Casey Johnson has been on a winning streak, including last Saturday Night’s Midwest Tour race at Jefferson and Round 1 of the Alive for 5 Series during the Icebreaker 100 at Dells Raceway Park. The current Alive for 5 Point Leader set a new track record during the opening night of Fox River Racing Club action at Wisconsin International Raceway, where he is the reigning Champion. Johnson is a two-time MIS Super Late Model Triple Crown Champion (2013, 2016) and has a pair of MIS wins in both Super Late and Weekly Late Model competition.
Amongst the favorites to claim the top honors is Rich Bickle, the 1985 and 1986 Capital Super Speedway Track Champion. Bickle has recorded 18 career Super Late Model triumphs at ‘Wisconsin’s Fastest Half Mile’ which was once known as Capital in Bickle’s Championship years but has been called Madison International Speedway since it reopened in 1992. Bickle finished second in the Joe Shear Classic 200 earlier this month and has had the hot hand as of late. Bickle last Super Late win came at MIS in 2017.
Austin Nason had a stellar season in 2018, not only recording his first tour triumph in the Joe Shear Classic at MIS but also laying claim to the MIS Super Late Model Triple Crown Title and adding the Kar Korner All-Star 100 at Rockford Speedway to his resume. The second-generation driver rebounded from mid-race contact which took him from the top spot in this year’s Joe Shear Classic to finish on the podium in third. Nason has two career Super wins here and has also notched a Big 8 Series win.
Currently second in the Alive for 5 standings, Andrew Morrissey returns to the site of twelve of his career checkered flags, including two Joe Shear Classics (2012, 2017). The 2011 Midwest Tour Champ also holds the fastest lap ever turned in a Late Model at Madison, recording a lap of 16.639 seconds/108.180 MPH in an Outlaw Late Model in 2017, needless to say he knows his way around the high banked oval. John Beale has four Weekly Late Model wins to his credit at MIS, now he is in search of his first Super Late Model trophy at his home track. With 2018 Midwest Tour Champ Dalton Zehr calling the shots for his #5 ride, Beale has shown a lot of speed this Spring. Zehr, will also make one of his limited appearances behind the wheel for the Capital Classic. Zehr, has had mixed results on the half mile, he will once again wheel his familiar #119.
No stranger to good finishes at Madison, former Slinger Champion and defending Alive for 5 Series Champion Dennis Prunty looks for another strong finish. Prunty, who recorded the 2015 Slinger Nationals and 2016 Dixieland 250 win, has a MIS career best third place following the 2016 Joe Shear Classic. His familiar #42 is always a threat at events across the nation, Friday night he will stay close to home for Round 2. Skylar Holzhausen will make a rare MIS appearance. His father Steve has one career win at MIS and the younger Holzhausen looks to add his name alongside his dad in the record books Friday night. Holzhausen was amongst the fastest in May practice sessions at the paved half mile and was the second place finisher at the Ice Breaker in April at Dells. Also entered is 2018 Wisconsin Challenge Series Champion Ryan Farrell. Farrell is quickly becoming a fan favorite across the Dairyland. He drove a great race during the Joe Shear Classic, mixing it up with the leaders and placing himself in contention late in the race before being sidelined with mechanical issues.
Paul Shafer, Jr has become quite popular not only at MIS but across the nation with Dale Earnhardt, Jr taking notice of this front running driver who finally recorded his first Tour win last May at Jefferson. The Indiana native recorded his one and only MIS win during the MIS Triple Crown in 2017. Shafer is the 2013 Illiana Motor Speedway Champ and sped to victory last September in the Bettenhausen at Grundy and is coming into Friday Night with a fast Chris Purdy prepared mount, which he wheeled to third last Saturday in Jefferson. Purdy is the 2001 MIS Late Model Track Champion. The #7 team is part of the Kulwicki Driver Development Program this season. Making only his second start in 2019 due to the birth of their third child, a son, Minnesota’s Jonathan Eilen recorded a Super Late win last July at Dells and was at the front throughout the fall last season. The 2012 Midwest Tour Champion is chasing the Alive for 5 title in 2019. Bobby Kendall also looks to add a MIS win to his resume, Kendall has won the last two Red, White and Blue State Championships at Wisconsin International Raceway.
The winner of the first Midwest Tour event held at MIS, Brandon Hill has entered as has Super Late Model favorite Jeff Storm who has one Super win at MIS, John DeAngelis, Jr who led the most laps during the 2019 Joe Shear Classic and Kevin Knuese who has won in Truck action. The last two Champions from State Park Speedway (Wausau) have also filed entries as MG Gajewski and Luke Fenhaus will represent Central Wisconsin. Curt Tillman will make the trip up from Illinois and Jake Zellmer will try to find some luck at Madison.
The Capital Classic marks the first visit to MIS for the ‘Alive for 5 Series’ which calls Dells Raceway Park home. The Alive for 5 Super Late Models will be joined by a full night of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action featuring the NASCAR Late Models, Dave’s White Rock MISfitz and Pellitteri Waste Systems Bandits. Pit Gates open at 2:30pm, Practice begins at 4pm, Spectator gates open at 6pm, Time Trials are set for 6:15pm with the first race at 7:30pm. Adult general admission tickets are $20, Whelen Heroes/Seniors $18, Students (12-17) are $15, Kids ages 6-11 are $5 with ages 5 and under admitted free. Get up to two adult admissions and up to four admissions for ages 17 and under for $50 with the MIS Family Pass. Madison International Speedway is located at 1122 Sunrise Road in Oregon, WI, just south of Highway 138. For additional information including tickets please visit www.misracing.com.
“Expected Entries
Capital Classic Twin 50’s
Alive for 5 Series
Friday May 31, 2019
Madison International Speedway”
20 as of 5/28/19
|
# |
Name | Hometown | State | Sponsor | Make |
| 4 | Luke Fenhaus | Wausau | WI | Schulz Masonry/Dun-Rite/US Chrome/Jim Nick- Am Fam Ins | Chevrolet |
| 5 | Casey Johnson | Edgerton | WI | Hougan Farms/UAW Region 4/Montgomery Ward/Swift Springs | Chevrolet |
| 5 | John Beale | Verona | WI | WI Corn Growers Assoc/Evenson Farms/TJ Harron Photography | Chevrolet |
| 7 | John DeAngelis, Jr | Hubertus | WI | DeAngelis Construction/D+H Demolition | Ford |
| 7 | Paul Shafer, Jr | Portage | IN | Paul’s Auto Yards/ClassyChassisTrucks.com | Chevrolet |
| 11 | Bobby Kendall | Montello | WI | Interstate Sealant & Concrete/American Family Insurance | Chevrolet |
| 14 | Austin Nason | Roscoe | IL | Haase Builders/Erickson Auto Parts/Nason’s Landscaping | Ford |
| 22 | MG Gajewski | Wausau | WI | Tiffin Motorhomes/King’s Campers/KZ Towables | Chevrolet |
| 25 | Jeff Storm | East Troy | WI | Great Lakes Components/Duramax Trucking/Storm Trucking | Chevrolet |
| 33 | Kevin Knuese | Waukesha | WI | Campus Cycle and Sport Shop/I know Squatch/Fleet Worthy Sol | Chevrolet |
| 34 | Brandon Hill | Genoa City | WI | Qwik Mag/Stinebrink’s Piggly Wiggly/Bruno’s Liquors | Dodge |
| 39 | Andrew Morrissey | DeForest | WI | Club LaMark/B&B Racing Engines/MRI, Inc | Ford |
| 40 | Curt Tillman | Roscoe | IL | AllTrucksUSA.com | Chevrolet |
| 42 | Dennis Prunty | Knowles | WI | Anderson’s Pure Maple Syrup/Stone Mt Access/West Bend Dyno | Toyota |
| 45 | Rich Bickle, Jr | Edgerton | WI | B&B Lawncare and Snow Removal | Chevrolet |
| 77 | Jonathan Eilen | Hampton | MN | Eilen & Sons Trucking & Landscape/Graber Auto Body | Ford |
| 78 | Skylar Holzhausen | Bangor | WI | Kempf Logging/Wehrs Machine/Fechner Motors | Ford |
| 80 | Ryan Farrell | Big Bend | WI | Berge Plumbing Plus | Chevrolet |
| 99 | Jake Zellmer | Burlington | WI | David Michael Production/Mug-Z’s Pub & Grill/The Depot | Chevrolet |
| 119 | Dalton Zehr | Daytona Beach | FL | WI Corn Growers Assoc/Coleman Race Products/Evenson Farms | Chevrolet |