By: Kevin Ramsell
BURLINGTON, WI (Friday, July 25, 2008) – Every sport has a major event while some sports like auto racing has a few major events. The famed Dixieland race at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, WI is one of those major events when it comes to Midwest Super Late Model racing.

The famous event will return for its 27th running of the SCAG Power Equipment Dixieland 150 on Tuesday, August 5th featuring the American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment.

First, it’s about tradition. It’s always at the unique “D�-shaped ½ mile oval and it’s always run on the first Tuesday in August, and it always involved a NASCAR star or two or more.

Why Tuesday? That is a simple answer. NASCAR stars were always available to compete in it, no weekly paved tracks ran on Tuesdays, and it didn’t interfere with any other racing activities at WIR.

Some of the biggest names that have competed is among the Who’s Who in the history of the sport: Bobby Allison, Davey Allison, Terry Baldry, Lowell Bennett, Rich Bickle, Bobby Blount, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Steve Carlson, Landon Cassill, Kevin Cywinski, Erik Darnell, Justin Diercks, Bobby Dotter, Dale Earnhardt, Mike Garvey, David Green, Scott Hansen, Nathan Haseleu, Steve Holzhausen, Brian Hoppe, Ron Hornaday, Bobby Iverson, Matt Kenseth, Alan Kulwicki, Travis Kvapil, Stephen Leicht, Dave Mader III, Jimmy Mars, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Butch Miller, Ted Musgrave, Pete Parker, Adam Petty, Tony Raines, Bryan Reffner, Tom Reffner, Robbie Reiser, Jay Sauter, Jim Sauter, Tim Sauter, Tim Schendel, Larry Schuler, Al Schill, Al Schill Jr., Ken Schrader, Bob Senneker, Joe Shear, Jimmy Spencer, Tony Stewart, Dick Trickle, Kenny Wallace, Rusty Wallace, Darrell Waltrip, Dave Watson, Jim Weber, and Scott Wimmer.

In the past 26 running of the event, 13 different drivers would visit victory lane. Mark Martin (1981, 84), Jim Sauter (1982), Dick Trickle (1983, 87, 90, 91), Butch Miller (1985, 86, 88), Rich Bickle (1989), Steve Holzhausen (1992), Scott Hansen (1993, 99), Joe Shear (1994, 96), Bryan Reffner (1995), Steve Carlson (1997, 98, 2001, 03, 04), Brian Hoppe (2000, 2002), Stephen Leicht (2005), and Kyle Busch (2007).

“This was the cornerstone event for the ARTGO Challenge Series for many years,� John McKarns, famed ARTGO Promoter stated last year as he re-counted how a Tuesday tradition was established as the event was ran under the ARTGO banner from 1981 to 1997. The 1998 event was promoted by ARTGO Promotions and sanctioned by the now defunct NASCAR Re/Max Series. GameDay Sports Marketing promoted the event from 1999 to 2004. And the late Gary Vercauteren promoted the event in 2005 featuring the American Stockcar League cars.

In 2007, the ASAMT brought back this traditional Tuesday night event with NASCAR star Kyle Busch making a late pass on Dan Fredrickson to add his name to the list of great winners in this event.

“It was a pleasure to bring back this great event to the race fans in the Fox Valley area,� Steve Einhaus, ASAMT VP stated. “We are excited to do it again this year with bringing back the famous Dixieland name and having one of our great series sponsor SCAG Power Equipment as the title sponsor of this event.�

“Last year, the fans saw Kyle Busch win this event, and since that time he has become one of the hottest drivers in all of racing,� Einhaus said. “He is coming back to a track that he basically has an undefeated record at, and he his hungry for another win in the ASAMT.�

Last year, along with the Dixieland win, Busch also participated in the Fox River Racing Club’s traditional Thursday night program and won that feature as well.

The 27th Annual SCAG Power Equipment Dixieland 150 will take place on Tuesday, August 5th at Wisconsin International Raceway located on Hwy KK just east of Hwy 55 in Kaukauna, WI.

Joining the ASAMT will be the BRP Big 8 Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet. This will be the first appearance of recent Big 8 Series winner Ross Kenseth, son of 1993, 94 WIR champion Matt Kenseth. Also, joining Kenseth will be defending Series Champion Jeremy Miller, Michael Bilderback, defending winner Gary Bock and the best “Weekly Warriors� in the area.

Practice gets underway at 1:00 pm with qualifying at 4:00 pm. The racing action will get underway at 7:00 pm.

Tickets are $20 for ages 16 & up, $15 for ages 11-15 and ages 10 and under are FREE. Advance tickets can be purchased at DJ’s Speedzone trailer located at WIR during its Thursday night program. Or you can get your $3 off coupons at participating Kwik Trip’s, Papa John’s, and Arby’s locations in the Fox Valley area.

To learn more about the American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by Echo Outdoor Power Equipment log on to www.asamidwesttour.com or call the ASA Midwest Tour office at (262) 514-3880 or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@asamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@asamidwesttour.com.

To learn more of the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association Racing Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from all the racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association, visit www.asa-racing.com.