WISCONSIN CHALLENGE SERIES TO REKINDLE TRADITION AT DELLS RACEWAY PARK!
By Jeffrey Sachse

Monday, April 7, 2008 (APPLETON, WI) – Entering it's eight season of competition, the Wisconsin Challenge Series will be rediscovering it's roots for the upcoming racing season and the excitement ahead will be unveiled at the recently revamped Dells Raceway Park.  On Saturday afternoon, April 26th the Cabin Fever 100 will be unleashed and a new season of exciting asphalt super Late Model racing will begin for what can only be described as a retro year for the Wisconsin Challenge Series.

"We've had to take a long look at what has been successful for us in the past", stated Wisconsin Challenge Series events director Jeffrey Sachse.  "We always had a focus on producing exciting racing events with local weekly racing talent from around the state, and this upcoming season we are going to focus on that more than in the past couple years".

The 2008 Wisconsin Challenge Series schedule is a "lean and mean" schedule, comprised of single day events with a reduced travel distance.  "The goal for 2008 has been really simple, keep things as affordable for both fans and drivers, while providing an exciting race program, what you will see in 2008 is a throwback to what we've done very well in the past", noted Sachse.

The move to Dells Raceway Park for the opening event is part of the revamped series look for 2008.   WCS has held events at the third-mile semi-banked asphalt oval since it's inception and the track's support of the series in 2008 is a move to provide weekly racers affordable special events.  Dells Raceway Park has hosted several very successful season opening shows from 2003-2005.

The relationship with Dells Raceway Park began in 2001, when former promoter Luke Herring agreed to host the fledgling series at the facility.  39 cars from throughout Wisconsin would check into the pit area and fans were treated to a shootout of local starts as local favorite Rocky Breezer would outgun Don "Thunder" Turner and Mark Eswein for the victory in the 99 lap feature content, the distance set to honor Wisconsin Racing Legend Dick Trickle.   It would be Eswein taking the inaugural titles by a slim margin over Dells Raceway Park standout Ken Reiser.

So successful was the show, that the series grew and expanded every season thereafter visiting nearly a dozen tracks though out the state during the next seven years.  While the series continued to gain notability, the overall cost to compete also grew, along with the schedule and over the years the series has become a mix of weekly competitors and traveling stars.  The upcoming season is designed to appeal more to the weekly competitor.

"We redesigned the purse structure to appeal a lot more to the weekly driver.  It's not nearly as top heavy as it was in the past.  You will still win well over a grand to take the checkered flag in WCS competition, but the important thing to note is the purse pays much better throughout the balance of the feature", explained Sachse.  The can only be one winner, but it costs every driver to put on the show and the pay schedule has been adjusted accordingly to provide for as many as possible.

As such it is expected that the number of home track drivers at each of the 2008 Wisconsin Challenge Series events will increase this upcoming season, again making the series a "best of area weekly racing", style program.

The weekly competitors at Dells Raceway Park, which has presented WCS shows each of the previous seven season, has had a strong history of defending their home turf, as over the years home track drivers such as Breezer, Kevin Brescia, Jeff Kendall, Kyle Kinder, Kelly Biers, Dexter Bean and Frank Kreyer have given home track fans something to cheer for with a trip to victory lane. 

"Many of our events haven proven to do exactly what they have been meant to, and that is have a strong contingent of home track drivers try to defend the honor of their raceway, but beating the "outsiders" coming in.  Those outsiders have been the best weekly talent from other area tracks and that's exactly what you will see again in 2008", continued Sachse.

The Cabin Fever 100 will take place on a recently revamped raceway, as the third-mile Dells Raceway Park continues to undergo various upgrades including a new track entrance and exit.  The Cabin Fever 100, will mark the first event with the new look to the oval.

The fans have also been kept in mind with a solid lock on admission prices.  Adult ticket prices for the shows will range from $12-$15 for adults at most of the events.  "Not only will you see an exciting race at a Wisconsin Challenge Series contest, but you will get change back when you hand the ticket taker your $20 bill, our season will be about excitement and value", concluded Sachse.

To tack advantage of early spring weather on Saturday, April 26th, the Cabin Fever 100 will be a twilight show.  The pit gates will open at 10:00 a.m.  The grandstands will open at 1:30 p.m. to allow fans to grab their favorite seat.  Qualifying will take place at 2:30 p.m. and the first green flag of the day will drop at 4:00 p.m.

Additional information on the Cabin Fever 100 will be released in the upcoming weeks and fans are urged to visit the websites for the track at www.dellsracewaypark.com and the series at www.wisconsinchallenge.com for the latest news as we head toward raceday.