PORTAGE, Wis. (July 13, 2020) – Confidence is key in a winning race program.  Heading into the second TUNDRA Super Late Model Series event of 2020 this Saturday at Jefferson Speedway, Mike Lichtfeld has plenty to spare.

Lichtfeld is coming off perhaps his most impressive TUNDRA performance to date.  His fast time and Second Place finish to Dalton Zehr at Dells Raceway Park on July 4 propelled him to a one-point lead in the standings.  He credits a strong program, which includes the knowledge of former TUNDRA Champion Nick Panitzke.

“I am really confident in our program this year. I think we will be bringing a car to all six TUNDRA races that can compete for a win each night out,” Lichtfeld said. “Coming out of the Dells with the point lead is cool, but it’s early in the season and we have a long ways to go to even think about points.”

Jefferson has always been a wild card for TUNDRA racers, with very few of them having significant experience at the tricky quarter-mile.  That didn’t slow down Lichtfeld though.  In his first three appearances at Wisconsin’s Action Track, Lichtfeld recorded finishes of Fifth, Third, and Second.  They were his first Top Five and Podium finishes of his TUNDRA career.

“We have had some success at Jefferson in the past and I think that’s because the track fits my driving style,” Lichtfeld said “It’s an easy place to over drive the car and you have to be disciplined to hit your marks.”

Unfortunately, the last two stops in 2017 and 2018 were not as memorable.  Lichtfeld got caught up in a melee in 2017 and suffered issues in 2018.  Those two finishes don’t overshadow his success, and his eagerness to get back to Jefferson.

“Jefferson is one of my favorite tracks and I am thankful we get to have a Super Late Model race there,” Lichtfeld said “It’s a track where typically a few guys really surprise you and have very good runs at, so we will have to be on top of our game if we want to run up front.”

A couple of names Lichfeld expects to be up front with him are three-time TUNDRA Champions Dalton Zehr and Casey Johnson.  Zehr captured the season opener from Lichtfeld at DRP.  Johnson has won two of TUNDRA’s six races at the venue. He was also the crew chief of John Beale who won in 2018.

“Anytime Casey or Dalton are in the field, you’ll have your work cut out for you.  Those are two of the best in the Midwest,” Lichfeld said.  “It’ll be fun to mix it up with those guys on Saturday and put a show on for the fans. I think there will be some great racing and about a dozen guys who can win the race.”

Lichtfeld and the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series roll into Jefferson this Saturday, July 18 for what promises to be a 75-lap, gloves-off, action-packed affair.  Nearly 30 entrants are expected for the event.  TUNDRA will be joined by the Legends, Bandoleros, and Bandits.  Qualifying is set for 5 pm with racing at 7.

Jefferson Speedway is located at W8135 US Hwy 18 just outside of Jefferson, Wis.  For more information visit http://www.jeffersonspeedway.com

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. (July 4) – The tenth season of the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series began with a familiar face in victory lane, albeit four years and one day since that face had been there.

Dalton Zehr passed fast qualifier Mike Lichtfeld with 6 laps to go and held on to claim the North American Cup Dedicated to Carl Wegner. The win was Zehr’s first in TUNDRA since July 3, 2016 when he was victorious at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway.

Although Zehr pulled away late in the race, he back tracked initially.  He surrendered spots to fellow dash cars Jordan Devoy and Mike Lichtfeld, but patiently held himself in the top Five.  Despite the mayhem and a fair share of lead changes, Zehr knew he wanted to play the long game.  He and his team were sure to have the right strategy coming into the night after a forgettable run at DRP the week before.

“It really paid to race a week ago. We had a really good car, I thought, and went forward in the first 30 laps, but went to the trunk for the rest of the race,” Zehr commented.  “We focused on this car today. It might not be great the first 30, but it was good at the end.  I think we had the fastest car at the end of the race.”

Jeff Storm captured the lead from fellow-front row starter and EPYK Media Rookie contender Kody Hubred.  Storm soon felt pressure from Justin Mondeik and Gabe Sommers.  As the duo pressured Storm, the outside line looked to be the preferred line.  Devoy set the pace, jumping around several machines and placing himself in the top four.

With the lead trio all but settled, Mondeik went to the high side of Storm.  As he did so, Sommers took a peek to the inside.  Mondeik was able to get around Storm, forcing Sommers to jump to the high side as well.  He followed Mondeik past Storm and began to place some pressure on the leader.

Shortly after the trio of Devoy, Zehr and Lichtfeld found their way past Storm and closed in on the lead duo to effectively make it a five car tussle for the top spot.  Sensing the pressure Sommers swung to the outside and grabbed the lead, bringing Devoy and Zehr along into Second and Third.  Lichtfeld and Zellmer made their way past Mondeik as well, just as the caution flew for an incident involving Curt Tillman and Darek Gress.

On the restart Sommers used the outside line to escape Devoy.  Lichtfeld used the inside line to his advantage, wrestling Third Place away from Zehr after a few laps of side-by-side dispute.  Devoy went to work on Sommers in hopes of grabbing the top spot, but could not find the line around him.  Lichtfeld took advantage and swung to the inside while Devoy was testing ways to get around Sommers.  Lichtfeld swiped the spot from Devoy by .004 seconds at the line before Wyatt Brooks’ left rear tire failed and he spun.

The following restart pitted Sommers and Lichtfeld in the front row.  Sommers again chose the outside line.  This time Lichtfeld was able to put the move on Sommers and jump away after the green flag fell.  Devoy tried to fend off Zehr, who eventually slipped past him on the outside.  Just a few laps later, defending TUNDRA Champion Casey Johnson swung past Devoy for Third.

As the laps continued to click off Zehr’s car seemed to be finding more and more speed.  He chased down Sommers and zipped past him with 15 laps remaining.  In short order he was on Lichtfeld’s tail and made the fateful pass with five laps to go.  Lichtfeld returned a challenge to the outside, but it fell short in lapped traffic.  Eventually Zehr slipped away.

“We got out to a five car-length and I started conserving.  I shouldn’t have done that, I should’ve put some distance between us.  Anytime you race with Dalton, he’s one of the best in the business,” Lichtfeld said.  “We’ll learn from it, regroup and get better next time out.”

Sommers followed the lead duo to the line to record a second straight podium in series action at DRP. Johnson was fourth, and Devoy rounded out the Top Five.

The win for Zehr came after a two-year hiatus from TUNDRA.  His last event was the finale in 2017 at Dells Raceway Park when he claimed his third series title.   It was Zehr’s 11^th overall series win and fifth at DRP. It was the first time he had won under the TUNDRA banner at the third-mile since August 25, 2012.

Due to his Second Place finish and claiming the Section 37 Axe House / Club Forest Bar and Grill “Axing the Competiton” Fast Qualifier Award, Mike Lichtfeld leaves DRP with a one-point advantage over the team of Zehr and John Beale. Johnson sits just 14 points back heading into his home track for Round Two, Sommers is Fourth just 15 points out of the top spot, and the team of Devoy and James Swan round out the Top Five only 17 markers down.

The next event for the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series is at Jefferson Speedway on Saturday, July 18. The night will also feature the Bandits, Legends, and Bandoleros.  The first green flag is scheduled to fall at 7 pm.

Jefferson Speedway is located on Highway 18 between Jefferson and Cambridge, Wis. For more information visit www.jeffersonspeedway.com

Full Results for Round One – The North American Cup Dedicated to Carl Wegner

PORTAGE, Wis. (July 1, 2020) – The wait is finally over.  After a nearly two-month delay, the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series begins its tenth season this Saturday, July 4 with the North American Cup Dedicated to Carl Wegner at Dells Raceway Park.

The event is dedicated to Carl Wegner, the founder of Wegner Motorsports.  Wegner was an incredible supporter of the TUNDRA series, and short track racing in general.  His son Casey has carried on his legacy of providing engines for top teams across a wide array of motorsports.

Saturday’s expected field is full of drivers who will be gunning for this season’s TUNDRA title. Among the drivers are three-time series Champions Casey Johnson and Dalton Zehr.  Both will be chasing a fourth title this season, although Zehr will be team driving with John Beale.

There are a number of drivers who will try to make them wait for another title.  Gabe Sommers, Jordan Thiel, Mike Lichtfeld, Justin Mondeik, and Colin Reffner have all enjoyed Top Five TUNDRA point finishes in the last three seasons.  The first three in that listing have recorded TUNDRA wins at Dells, with Sommers claiming the checkered flag last season.

Plenty of other contenders for the title will hope to get off to a fast start.  Chad Butz, Wyatt Brooks, Jordan Devoy, Darek Gress, and Jake Zellmer had strong runs during the 2019 season.  Consistency throughout the 2020 year could propel them onto the scene and into title contention.  Also look for Steve Lichtfeld and Dennis “Barney” Smith to make plenty of noise this season as they continue to step up their programs.

New faces to the TUNDRA series include Minnesota’s Michael Ostdiek, former Late Model front runners Kody Hubred, Brock Heinrich, and Riley Stenjem, and returners Chad Devine and Josh Wallace.

Visitors to TUNDRA for this Saturday’s event include former Alive For Five/TUNDRA winner at DRP Jeff Storm, nine-time Golden Sands Champion Mark Eswein, CWRA standout Monte Gress, Curt Tillman, and Adam Oxborough making his TUNDRA debut.  Other entrants have expressed interest in attending and will be added to the strong field on race day.

For more information on the North American Cup Dedicated to Carl Wegner and TUNDRA Super Late Model Series visit http://www.tundrasuperlates.com

PORTAGE, Wis. (May 29, 2020) – After a prolonged off-season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series Powered by Wisconsin Potatoes has opened registration for the 2020 season.

Despite the postponement of two events, the series will hold six events at six different tracks.

Drivers may use the registration form to sign up for the entire season or for a single race.

The opening event of 2020 is now scheduled for Saturday, July 4 at Dells Raceway Park. Round One, The North American Cup Dedicated to Carl Wegner, will also include the DRP Sportsman and Northern Vintage Racing Series plus a huge display of fireworks. Racing is scheduled to begin at 6 pm.

Other stops include Jefferson Speedway on July 18, State Park Speedway on August 8, Marshfield Motor Speedway on August 29, Golden Sands Speedway on September 7, and Wisconsin International Raceway on September 20.

The following forms are now available at the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series web site:

The Unified Northern Drivers Racing Association (TUNDRA) Super Late Model Series was formed in 2011 as the Alive For Five Super Late Model Series at Dells Raceway Park.

TUNDRA’s business plan is based on a sustainable program for promoters and race teams alike, while still providing high-quality Super Late Model entertainment to fans.

TUNDRA’s web site is currently under construction. For more information on TUNDRA including news and more visit http://www.tundrasuperlates.wordpress.com. Also, interact with us on Facebook (facebook.com/TundraSuperLateModels) or Twitter (@TUNDRAslms).

PORTAGE, Wis. (May 20, 2020) – Officials from the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series and Marshfield Motor Speedway have agreed to postpone the series’ event originally scheduled for June 6.  The Bev Aschenbrenner Memorial is now scheduled for Saturday, August 29.

“When the state released its plan for reopening, a June 6 date with fans didn’t look feasible, so we began looking at other dates,” said series representative Matt Panure. “We got pretty far along in planning around the rescheduled date, and feel it’s best to pursue that so we can put on the very best show for the fans and drivers.”

TUNDRA will now begin its season with the Tribute to Carl Wegner on Saturday, July 4 at Dells Raceway Park.

“We’re very encouraged to see tracks opening their weekly programs and to see racing getting started,” Panure said. “We look forward to joining in the fun with our opener on July 4.”

The August 29 date will mark the third time the series visits Marshfield for the Bev Aschenbrenner Memorial.

“We’re very thankful Brandon and the Aschenbrenner family are able to stick with us in rescheduling the race,” Panure said. “As shown by the pure emotion by Eugene Gregorich’s race win last year, Bev meant a lot to many racers. We’re honored to be part of the event.”

TUNDRA will be joined by the Northern Vintage Racing Series and Sportsman division at Dells Raceway Park for the opener on July 4.  After the races have concluded there will be a large fireworks display.  Racing will begin at 6 p.m.

Dells Raceway Park is located at N1070 Smith Road just north of Wisconsin Dells off Highway 12/16. For more information visit http://www.dellsracewaypark.com.

PORTAGE, Wis. (April 17, 2020) – The TUNDRA Super Late Model Series Powered by Wisconsin Potatoes in conjunction with officials from Wisconsin International Raceway have postponed the series’ visit to the half-mile until Sunday, September 20.

“Due to Mr. Evers’ decision to prolong his ‘safer at home’ order in the state of Wisconsin, we have been forced to reschedule our May 16 event at WIR,” said TUNDRA representative Matt Panure. “Thankfully, we were able to find a date that worked for both the series and the track. This will provide a unique scenario where we crown our Champion at WIR for the first time.”

TUNDRA is now scheduled to open its season with the Bev Aschenbrenner Memorial at Marshfield Motor Speedway on Saturday, June 6. 

PORTAGE, Wis. (March 24, 2020) – If not for a couple bad-luck moments in the middle section of the 2019 TUNDRA Super Late Model Series schedule, Chad Butz may easily have been further up the final point standings than his Tenth Place finish.  He and his team are hoping to see better results this season, and may have some extra help on their side too.

Butz is a semi-finalist for the Kulwicki Driver Development Program.  Drivers such as Ty Majeski, Reagan May, and Justin Mondeik have carried the program through TUNDRA seasons in the past.  Butz is hoping 2020 will provide his turn to bring the program along for the ride.

“So many guys from the Midwest have run it and won it in the past years here,” Butz said. “I feel like we have all the pieces in place to do the exact same thing.”

One of those past Champions from the Midwest is Majeski – who won the first KDDP Cup in 2015.  Just a few years prior, Majeski drove for Butz’s family team in weekly action at Wisconsin International Raceway.  Chad, his brother Matt, and parents Mike and Patty were all part of that team, forming a relationship that Butz values dearly, seeing Majeski as a mentor of sorts.

“I look up to Ty the most.  He’s the most level-headed driver and person I’ve met,” Butz said.  “You can talk to him now just like you could five years ago.  He’s very humble and that’s what I like about him.  To see him go through the Kulwicki Program too is something really special.”

Modeling his career in much the same way, Butz has taken his program on the road and has been learning at many different tracks.  He says he enjoys the challenge of going to new venues and sees TUNDRA as a great avenue to satisfy that craving.

“In my opinion TUNDRA is one of the best series in the country and the car count shows it,” he said. “Traveling helps a ton, just learning different lines and getting into the groove of the car and the setup side of it.  It’s good to fill notebooks and gain experience.”

The results on the track spoke volumes for the development Butz has begun to see.  After a full-time season at WIR a couple of years back, he had a breakout effort with a Sixth Place finish and an appearance in the dash in the TUNDRA season opener.  Although WIR is his home track, and he has the most laps around the half-mile, Butz was again quick to credit traveling for his improvement.

“I think traveling makes you a twenty-times better driver,” he said.  “Kaukauna is one of my home tracks.  That’s a place where you have to drive it in hard as you can and then get it to the floor again as hard as you can.  But then you go to a place like Wausau where you have to be easy in and you never really get to full throttle, so that helps with car control.  I just take everything I learn at different tracks and try to apply it to all the different places we go.”

What adds to the intrigue of Butz’s success is his tight-knit team, which is composed of his family members.  He says that’s a huge advantage because they know exactly how to trust and communicate with each other.

“Most times at the track it’s just us as a family and no one else.  I think that helps in some aspects,” Butz said.  “My dad knows what to do to the car.  If I say it’s five out of ten tight in the center, he knows what adjustments are needed.”

However, it’s important to realize that family – while seemingly small compared to some other crews – is just as formidable and experienced.  They have worked with the likes of Matt Kenseth, Terry Baldry, Eddie Hoffman, Jeff Van Oudenhoven, and many others.  That success is starting to show through Chad.

“When we go to the race track, we go with the intention to win,” Butz said.  “I think we had a good car at the TUNDRA races last year.  In the middle of the season we had some wrecks ruin our finishes.  In 2020 our goal is to go for the Championship and get some wins.”

Should Butz fulfill his goal, he’ll feel as though it will parallel that of Kulwicki’s success.

“He started with essentially nothing when he went down south and slowly built up his team,” Butz said.  “I feel like we have a lot of correlation to that, with this being a family team.  Plus, we work our butts off in the shop.  We build other people’s cars and mount their bodies to help pay for this hobby.”

What’s more, Butz has proven to be savvy in the areas of social media and sponsorship promotion – something strongly promoted by the Kulwicki Driver Development Program.

“Social media is something that a lot of people look at, and it’s easy to use,” Butz said.  “In this day and age, it’s hard to find sponsors, so, the ones you do have and are loyal to you, you have to do everything in your power to keep them satisfied and happy.”

Butz and his team will welcome his fellow TUNDRA Travelers to his home turf at Wisconsin International Raceway for the season lid-lifter on Saturday, May 16.  TUNDRA will be joined by the Midwest Dash Series and Wisconsin Sport Trucks.  Racing is scheduled to begin at 2 pm.

Wisconsin International Raceway is located just beyond the intersection of highways 55 and KK outside of Kaukauna, Wis.  For more information visit http://www.wirmotorsports.com.

Jess Riedner (JR Photography) Photo

PORTAGE, Wis. (March 17, 2020) – When it comes to cutting his teeth this season, Stoughton’s Riley Stenjem has one mantra – discipline.  It’s a word the soon-to-be TUNDRA Super Late Model Series rookie uttered repeatedly when describing how he’s been successful and how he plans to be successful when he joins the series in 2020.

“There are a lot of tracks that are low grip on this schedule and a lot of different tracks,” Stenjem said. “That will be a totally different animal.  We’re going to need a lot of discipline at these places all year seeing as how different they are.”

Stenjem and his team decided to make the jump to TUNDRA this season after two strong years in weekly Late Model racing at Jefferson Speedway – the fourth stop of this year’s TUNDRA campaign.  He said he learned a lot battling with a stout field on the way to a Fifth Place finish in his rookie season and a Second Place point finish in 2019.

“It was really kind of a coming out for our team,” the Milwaukee School of Engineering student said of last season. Although they hadn’t planned to chase points, strong runs kept them in the hunt. “We got into the points battle in the middle of the season and thought we had chance at the Championship, so we kept running.  In August we had some mishaps and difficulty getting through the field.” 

Although he and his team fell shy of the title, last season proved two things for Stenjem.  It was an incredible learning experience and a major momentum boost to rev up his team for their first season in Super Late Model racing.

“If you want to learn discipline, I’d suggest going to Jefferson,” Stenjem said. “You’re racing side-by-side with a guy for a win on the last lap, and it’s crazy to think to yourself how disciplined you have to be to get off the corners and put yourself in position going to the checkered.”

Jefferson has proven to be a breeding ground for strong race drivers.  Three-time and defending TUNDRA Champion Casey Johnson began his Late Model career at the quarter-mile.  He has since gone on to become one of the most recognizable names in Super Late Model racing across the country.  Growing up in the stands, Stenjem was sure to pay close attention. He also may have been staring into a crystal ball.

“Growing up at Jefferson I saw Casey as the guy to beat there for the last 10 years.  He knows the place inside and out,” Stenjem commented.  “My car owner is Bruce Lee, who used to own Casey Johnson’s Super Late Models when he got into Super Late Model racing.  The car we’re going to be running is actually Casey’s first Super Late.”

If that’s not enough, Stenjem has been receiving advice from Ty Majeski, who he said is helping him learn the ins and outs of Super Late Model racing.  Stenjem is hoping Majeski also forged a path he can follow.  Majeski was the first Kulwicki Driver Development Program Champion.  As of this writing, Stenjem is in the hunt to become a finalist for the program.

“Making the top seven of the Kulwicki program would be huge for myself and my team.  It’s really the only way to get recognized at the national level while racing at the regional level,” Stenjem said.  “Not only that, you can use that recognition to represent Alan, as well, and tell his story to people who may not have heard it.  It’s just a really cool program that allows grassroot racers, family teams like myself, to get their names out there at the national level in ways they may not have been able to before the program started.”

Should he be accepted, he’ll be one (perhaps of several drivers) to carry on the KDDP legacy in TUNDRA.  He hopes that will be a boost of momentum for his team, which will be treading into brand new territory this year.  Although he knows Super Late Model racing brings many different variables, Stenjem said that TUNDRA is a great avenue to dip his toes in.

“We’re new to the Super Late Model thing.  It’s new to our team and it’s new to me,” he said.  “We decided, with the diverse schedule TUNDRA has, it’s the affordable way to run Super Late Models in the Midwest, and maybe across the country.  We can get great experience at all of the different tracks and there is a great core group of drivers who race the series every year.”

What’s more, he’ll get to welcome those drivers to his home turf on July 21.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Stenjem said of TUNDRA’s stop at Jefferson.  “It will kind of be the midway point of our Super Late Model season. Hopefully we’ll have learned some things by then and can have a really good run there.”

Ultimately, Stenjem believes some success is on the horizon.  He knows, however, that it will take hard work and discipline to achieve his and his team’s goals in 2020.

“Our goal is to win Rookie of the Year,” he said.  “Maybe if we can get our program rolling we’ll click off a Top Five or two, or maybe even a podium – that would be a win for us.  Running Top Ten at every race would be another great goal for us to achieve starting our Super Late Model career.”

Stenjem and his fellow Travelers of the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series begin the 2020 season on Saturday, May 16 at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wis.  TUNDRA will be joined by the Midwest Dash Series and Wisconsin Sport Trucks.  Qualifying is scheduled for 12:15 with racing beginning at 2 pm.

Wisconsin International Raceway is located just beyond the intersection of highways 55 and KK outside of Kaukauna, Wis.  For more information visit http://www.wirmotorsports.com.

PORTAGE, Wis. (March 6, 2020) – EPYK Media Inc., of Onalaska, Wis., will be the presenting sponsor of the 2020 TUNDRA Super Late Model Series Rookie of the Year program.  EPYK will provide bonuses at each race as well as to the series’ top rookie.

“I have been really impressed with the rookies each year in TUNDRA, and wanted to be a part of the program,” said EPYK owner and TUNDRA Race Director, Drew Kreibich. “It looks like once again the rookie field will be strong, and I can wait to see them battle it out on the track each round.”

The top rookie at each race will receive a $100 cash bonus on behalf of EPYK. The 2020 TUNDRA Rookie of the Year will get a $250 bonus at the year-end banquet.

EPYK specializes in marketing and brand management in the traditional and social space and strives to brand you and/or your company in more effective ways.  Among the services EPYK offers are: social media, vinyl, wraps, banners, photography, marketing proposals, strategies, and more.  For more information visit www.epykinc.com or follow them on any social media platform.

The TUNDRA Super Late Model Series begins on Saturday, May 16 with an afternoon lid lifter at Wisconsin International Raceway.  TUNDRA will be joined by the Midwest Dash Series and Wisconsin Sport Trucks.  Racing begins at 2 pm.