THURSDAY TIDBITS - 2008 MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE - SIGNUPS BEGIN!
By Jeffrey Sachse

Thursday, January 31, 2008 (APPLETON, WI) – Last week the Wisconsin Challenge Series detailed their 2008 season schedule.  Revamped from prior seasons to reduce costs and travel time to competitors the 2008 schedules returns to the "roots" of the series original intention, that is providing affordable racing entertainment for both the race fan and driver.

Memberships for the 2008 season have begun to arrive at series offices and already it appears the 2008 season is attracting both steadfast series supporters and drivers who are returning to make some starts after several years away.

Among the early birds using the electronic form placed online at the series website located at www.wisconsinchallenge.com include, Kevin Beyer of Menominee, MI has been a regular competitor at the Norway Speedway.  Beyer has consistently ranked near the front of the pack when he has competed in full seasons on the semi-banked third-mile oval.  Beyer was the first online membership received for the 2008 season.

Golden Sands Speedway and long time Wisconsin Challenge Series supporters Frank Nitzke of Berlin, WI and Brandon Selle of Dale, WI.  Nitzke whose lime green #18 machines have been a fixture at the high banked third mile oval always provides fans a trill at his home track with his desire to run the challenging outside line at his home track as he charges toward the front of the pack.  Selle, one of the speedway's young guns has developed into a front runner at the raceway finding himself in the points chase the past several seasons for the track championship.

Andrew Morrissey of Deforest, WI has proven to be tough whenever he hits the raceway winning races throughout southern Wisconsin including major special events at Madison International Speedway.  Last season Morrissey raced the majority of WCS events and came away with several runner-up finishes and a sixth place points effort.

Mark Eswein of Wisconsin Rapids, a two-time champion in the series and the series all-time point leader has also filed a membership for the 2008 season.  Eswein, whose strong performances at the end of the 2008 season make him among the early season title-contenders for 2008.   A victory in the final event of 2007 which was the third of his WCS career could be the springboard to a third series title.

Fellow Golden Sands Speedway competitor Chad Devine has also filed for a 2008 membership.  Devine and his father have most recently been helping Jim Duchow's efforts at Golden Sands Speedway and other special events.  Devine made many starts during the WCS formulative seasons back in 2001 and 2002.

Former NASCAR Midwest Series standout performer Tim Schendel of Sparta, WI can also be expected to attempt a couple WCS starts in 2008.  Schendel's experience in longer events should make him a serious threat to arriving in victory lane at whichever WCS events he appears at in 2008.

Another early entry into the 2008 WCS mix is Fox Valley hotshoe Andy Monday of Appleton.  Monday whose career is sprinkled with championships and rookie of the year titles since he first jumped behind the wheel has developed into one of the states standout Super Late Model performers.   Last season Monday was able to record his first career WCS victory and remained in the thick of the points chase until the final races of the season.  Ultimately finishing a career high fourth in the 2008 rankings.

Additional memberships are expected to be purchased in the coming weeks as the time for the 2008 season opening event continues to approach.

Drivers who wish to file for memberships will be eligible for race day entry discounts, inclusion in the WCS travel plan and point fun awards programs.  Memberships prices have again held at $40.  The online registration form is available at www.wisconsinchallenge.com

Opening the 2008 campaign will be a stop at Dells Raceway Park for the Cabin Fever 100 which will host the WCS contest on  Saturday April 26th.  The third-mile semi-banked asphalt oval hosted season opening shows during the seasons from 2002 through 2005 where the contests saw such notable winners as local favorite Kevin Brescia as well as standout competitors Erik Darnell and Charlie Menard. 

Updates on the 2008 season for the Wisconsin Challenge Series will be made on the series website at www.wisconsinchallenge.com, which will feature the Thursday News Tidbit.  The weekly feature which will be updated every Thursday will be designed to highlight various aspects of the series for both fans and drivers.