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JAN 2015
THE UP-AND-COMING
ATV enthusiasts, I’ve stumbled upon your holy grail. And so did over a million other riders within the first week of MAD-RAMPS debuting! MAD-RAMPS is an invention by Iowa farmer and inventor, Matt Pelzer, that allows you to unload and ride in less time than it takes to start your machine. While hauling equipment on their corn and soy bean farm in Iowa, Matt and his dad noticed the need to have more space in the bed of their trucks for equipment, because, well, an ATV alone won’t grow your food. So as any good farmer would do, they fixed the problem. The father-son duo started manufacturing MADRAMPS in their very own shed on their farm just months ago in July of 2015 with the goal of designing ramps that would allow more room in the bed of your truck, even with your machine loaded. Durability, ease, and safety are the backbones to this invention. You need tough material when dealing with heavy machinery, and MAD-RAMPS met this need with 150 pounds of aluminum and steel, much sturdier than your average ramp. Two ladder ramps run through a sleeve that attaches to a pivJAN 2015
oting hinge so you can adjust your angle and length to accommodate your load. In six simple steps you can put your ramp together, attach it to your truck’s receiver hitch, and hit the road. No need to haul around a trailer or leave behind equipment because there’s no room in the bed (you know, the entire reason you got a truck in the first place). MAD-RAMPS leaves plenty of room for that.
No need to keep worrying if you have enough clearance to unload right where you are. MAD-RAMPS has a pivot feature and different settings for off-road and highway travel to ensure you’re good to go wherever. Not only that, but just contact MAD-RAMPS and they’ll help you custom-design longer ramps to fit the needs
of your vehicle. They’ll manufacture it for you right in the shed. Matt has employed a tight knit group of trusted employees, including two veterans, who design, build, test, and even help you attach your MAD-RAMPS if you’re in the Iowa area. No worries if you’re one of several international buyers interested in MAD-RAMPS, because the six installation steps are easy as pie and there’s a great demonstration video on their website. Right now they ship to 48 states and Canada, but it won’t be long before the pre-orders across the ocean can be fulfilled! MAD-RAMPS sell themselves. They’re created by hard workers for like-minded people. Keep an eye on MAD-RAMPS, because these inventors have their sights on meeting even more transportation and hauling needs. While you’re at it, take advantage of the January special where MAD-RAMPS are selling for a discounted price of $745 when they’re normally $995! Stop on by Matt’s Iowa based business or order online at www. madramps.com. //
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PAGE 7
WRITTEN by Steve Casper
P
erhaps only a handful of the 35 million passengers who pass through the Minneapolis– Saint Paul International Airport each year have any idea that lying beneath the two milelong, twenty-inch thick runways are the remains of a once great, but ultimately doomed, superspeedway. The site is perched on the bluffs above the Minnesota River, near its confluence with the mighty Mississippi. It sits on a corner of one of the great fortresses of the American frontier, Fort Snelling.
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From the turn of the last century, horse It was in this setting that the idea for a new These unknowns would eventually be one racetracks abounded. Every large town 2-mile superspeedway in the Twin Cities of the primary causes of it’s demise. had its own dirt racetrack, mostly 1/2-mile area came into fruition. The driving force and mile dirt or cinder tracks. It was to- behind it as far as design and money was Covered grandstands were erected 40 tally logical that entrepreneurs seized this one of the four founders of the Indianap- feet back from the track on the west side venue for promoting the next fad, motor olis track, Frank H. Wheeler (as well as to accommodate some 75,000 spectators. Open bleachers were built to hold car racing, and the next step would be the other investors). another 25,000. Three tunnels were exsuperspeedway. Though it hadn’t been done in the U.S., it cavated under the track to allow for anThe definition of a superspeedway generally was decided to surface the track with con- other 125,000 spectators to fill the infield. refers to a large oval, high-banked track of crete, including banked turns of 20 degrees A two-story timing box was constructed ¾-mile or longer. Brooklands, in England, (considerably steeper than the Indianapolis at the start/finish line. A row of open pits was the first high-banked specialized race- track). The track would be 60-feet wide on was arranged on the infield side of the track. It opened in 1907. It was, interest- the straightaways and over 80-feet wide on track opposite the grandstands. Though ingly enough, built of concrete which was the banked curves (also bigger than IMS). the pit area was open – continuous to the very unusual for the times. The first super- Over 300,000 cubic yards of dirt would racing surface itself - a concrete wall sepspeedway of any prominence arated the grandstands from in the U.S. was the Los Angethe track. A total of 1500 men les Motordrome, a 20-degree had been put to work buildbanked wooden board track “These unknowns would ... be one of ing the facility during a pewhich opened in 1910. riod of less than two months. the primary causes of it’s demise.” In fact, streetcar tracks from Though technically not condowntown Minneapolis to the sidered a superspeedway with northern edge of the speedit’s tame 9-degree banking, way grounds were hurriedly the 2 1/2-mile Indianapolis laid and finished just three Motor Speedway came into days before the race! being in 1909 as an oiled cinder track. The racing surface The weekend of the race— was quickly deemed unsafe the first weekend in Septemafter a series of accidents in ber, just before the State Fair the initial motorcycle and opened—the Minneapolis Triauto events. Paved over with bune wrote that hotel rooms millions of bricks in 1911, the were impossible to find in the Twin Cities; hoteliers were track saw the birth of the Inreferring unaccommodated dianapolis 500 that same year. visitors to private homes for a It was an immediate success place to sleep. It was said to and quickly became the most be the busiest weekend in the important race in the country, if not the world. be moved as the field was graded. Some history of Minneapolis hotels with guests 18,000 barrels of Chicago AA cement were arriving from around the country. The years 1910–1931 were the period of used, along with 10,000 cubic yards of Unfortunately for the promoters, drivthe board tracks. There were 24 outstandcrushed stone and 6,000 cubic yards of ers, and the legions of workers who coning board tracks in operation during these sand in making the 76,000 square yards structed the track and were not paid, years in the U.S. One was even constructed of concrete required. Cement was poured attendance was much smaller than hoped. on the site of what was the Montgomery over the course of the next few weeks to Society columns in the Tribune covered Ward Department Store on University Ava depth of six inches at the rate of 2,000 the rich and famous who attended the enue in the Midway of St. Paul. The high square yards a day. The operation required races, but the paper reported race attenspeeds of the board tracks helped advance 200 to 250 workers on each of two shifts, dance at only 28,000. engine development, tire and fuel techday and night. At this time concrete technology, metal alloys and supercharging. nology was brand-new. No reinforcing The 1915 race was a disappointment in Unfortunately, fires, hurricanes and rot all rods were laid to strengthen the concrete; just about every respect, beginning with worked against their permanence. There the method was virtually unknown and, as the fact that only 14 cars were entered. was no such thing as treated lumber in yet, not a standard. In fact, the track sur- The banked concrete track, heralded in those days. Only one or two tracks were face had not even been smoothed properly. advance as the fastest, smoothest, and safrebuilt after the wood rotted.
JAN 2015
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PAGE 9
est racetrack in the world, was in fact ex- That was essentially the end of the Twin tremely rough. The cars vibrated to pieces City Motor Speedway. Within two days and the drivers didn’t fare much better. the speedway had declared bankruptcy Adding to those problems was the price and never recovered. The speedway that of a seat-$4.50- which was quite a bit of cost more than $800,000 to build went money for the average Joe in 1915. into foreclosure in August of 1916. Carl Fisher, the owner of the Indianapolis Despite the close finish, the majority of Speedway, who was also a stockholder in the race was a real snoozer. It only takes the Twin City Motor Speedway, declined a glance at the race results to understand to purchase the track. By the spring of how tedious the day must have been for 1917 the track property was already being spectators. With the low entry count and mentioned as a possible site for an airfield most of them falling apart or dropping or training ground for the navy aviation out for mechanical reasons early on there corps. Both Dunwoody Institute and the wasn’t much action. Most spectators had University of Minnesota had proposed to left the grounds by the time of the nail-bit- begin training military aviators and a site ing finish (which was extremely rare at the was needed. time for such a long race) which was won by 1/5 of a second by Earl Cooper over Gil A group of race car drivers led by Louis Anderson, both Indianapolis 500 veterans. Chevrolet—yes, that Chevrolet—organized a final race at the track in 1917, The slow pace of the race, only 86 mph, which the Minneapolis Tribune called a dragged it out for nearly six hours, and the “revival” race. The patient was too far gone third place car was more than a half-hour to be resuscitated, despite a victory by Ira behind the leaders. The Tribune blamed Vail in the 100-mile race at the much-imthe pace on the fact that the cars of so proved average speed of more than 96 many of the “most daring” drivers were mph. Less than three months later the incapacitated. Those drivers included the Tribune reported that the receiver for the famous Italians Dario Resta and Ralph De bankrupt speedway had rented a portion Palma and the American “Wild” Bob Bur- of the grounds to a hog farmer who was man. The great Barney Oldfield was also fattening 500 pigs by feeding them Fort in the field, at one time relieved by future Snelling garbage. The speedway was finWorld War I flying ace and IMS owner, ished, but the land was about to be given Eddie Rickenbacker. over to the service of a whole different kind of speed— aviation. To avoid the fiasco of the first Minneapolis 500, the Speedway decreased ticket After the abandonment of the track as a prices for the 1916 Fourth of July event racing venue, some sections of the high and planned a series of much shorter races, banks still remained for many years. capped off by a 150-mile main event. Once Young men, eager to test themselves again the same troubles plagued the event; against the racing heroes of the day often a low car count, an even rougher track fol- challenged the track with their Model A’s lowing a Minnesota winter, and an atten- in the late 1920s. dance that was so low they had to scrap the preliminary sprint races because there Technically, the track design was correct. wasn’t near enough take at the gate to pay The straightaways had been wide enough the purse! for side-by-side racing and the corners engineered well enough that the cars stuck to
them like glue. The cars could barrel down the straight and dive into the corners without letting up on the gas. Of course one has to wonder what would have become of the Twin City Motor Speedway if a few things had gone differently. What if for the first race they had a nice field of 24 cars (the same amount that ran in the Indy 500 that year)? What if the concrete had been correctly reinforced and the track was smooth enough to allow higher speeds and less mechanical failures? What if the ticket prices had been set at a more reasonable rate and more spectators showed up to watch a more compelling race? We can only guess what may have happened in the next century to what was once such an innovative and promising motorsports venue in the Twin Cities. //
“1500 men had been put to work building the facility during a period of less than two months”
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WRITTEN by Nicole Clark-Erickson
LEAH PRITCHETT & QUAKER STATE®
JOINING BOB VANDERGRIFF RACING
IN 2016
Bob Vandergriff Racing will once again field a two-car Top Fuel Dragster team in 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Dave Connolly will be driving the C&J Energy Services dragster with new teammate, Leah Pritchett, driving a dragster backed by Quaker State® This will be Pritchett’s first full NHRA Mello Yello season since joining the Top Fuel ranks in 2013. Pritchett began her racing career at the young age of 8 years-old in Jr Dragster before moving on to a successful Nostalgia Funny Car and Pro Mod driving career. “The opportunity to run a complete NHRA Top Fuel season has been a goal that I have worked towards for a very long time,” said Pritchett. “I am beyond excited for the opportunity to focus on making the countdown next season, competing for a Championship, working alongside Bob Vandergriff Jr., and re-introduce the Quaker State brand back into the NHRA. This dream JAN 2015
is now a reality, thanks in large part to the vision of Bob Vandergriff Jr., as well as the support of great companies and people along my way to this personal and professional milestone, and of course my fans.” Quaker State will be the primary sponsor of five NHRA races with associate sponsorships on both BVR Top Fuel Dragsters. Vandergriff is working hard in the off-season to secure more sponsors for the remaining races on the schedule. Quaker State has a long history with NHRA dating back to the ‘80s. The last car they sponsored was Tony Pedregon’s Nitro Funny Car which won the 2007 NHRA Funny Car Championship. “Bob Vandergriff Racing has presented Quaker State with an opportunity to get back into the NHRA, and we couldn’t be more excited for the 2016 season,” said Gita Gidwani, Quaker State Global Brand Manager. “Quaker State is a hardworking motor oil that has great synergies for working with a hardworking
and dedicated driver like Leah Pritchett and we look forward to backing her as she continues her impressive NHRA career.” Dave Connolly returns to BVR to drive the C&J Energy Services Top Fuel Dragster in 2016. In Connolly’s first season in Top Fuel he went to the finals three times and finished #10 in points. Connolly is definitely excited for what 2016 holds for BVR. “I think this team continued to grow as the year progressed and even though we didn’t get that first win this year for Bob as a team owner, I know it’s coming in ’16. February can’t get here soon enough.” “We have two young drivers with extensive racing backgrounds, so 2016 should be an exciting year for BVR,” added Vandergriff. “Our goal is to put both Dave and Leah in the top 10 and take home the championship this year.” //
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*Manufacturer’s suggested retail price shown. Prices may vary due to supply, freight, etc. Actual prices set by the dealer. Product and specifications subject to change without notice. Availability subject to production, stocking, and Demand. MSRP for base Kodiak model. Kodiak 700 EPS SE shown from $8,899. Professional rider depicted on closed course. ATV models shown are recommended for use only by riders 16 years and older. Yamaha recommends that all ATV riders take an approved training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or call the ATV Safety Institute at *Manufacturer’s price shown. PricesFor mayyour varysafety: due toAlways supply,avoid freight, Actual prices set by dealer. to change without notice. subject to production, stocking, and Demand. MSRPand foralcohol/ base Kodiak Kodiak 700excessive EPS SE shown 1-800-887-2887.suggested ATVs can retail be hazardous to operate. pavedetc. surfaces. Never ride on the public roads.Product Alwaysand wearspecifications a helmet, eyesubject protection and protective clothing.Availability Never carry passengers. Never engage in stunt riding. Riding drugsmodel. don’t mix. Avoid speed. frombe$8,899. Professional depictedterrain. on closed course. ATV models shown are©2015 recommended useCorporation, only by riders 16 years and older. Yamaha recommends that all ATV riders take an approved training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or call the ATV Safety Institute at And particularly careful rider on difficult Shown with optional accessories. Yamaha for Motor U.S.A. All rights reserved. • YamahaOutdoors.com 1-800-887-2887. ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: Always avoid paved surfaces. Never ride on public roads. Always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Never carry passengers. Never engage in stunt riding. Riding and alcohol/ drugs don’t mix. Avoid excessive speed. And be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Shown with optional accessories. ©2015 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. • YamahaOutdoors.com
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USXC RACING PUTS ON EIGHT LARGE CROSS COUNTRY EVENTS EACH WINTER. The longest being a 600 mile event from Winnipeg MB to Willmar MN. This is a 4 day 600 mile race, a total payout of over 100,000 with 30,000 going to the Pro Class winner. All 8 events have different formats, different types of terrain and different conditions. Events draw from 200 to over 300 drivers, the 2 day events have 21 classes, The I 500 runs with 7 classes. All timing is electronic thru My Laps, most Pro finals are from 100 miles to 250 miles. USXC is owned and managed by Brian Nelson of Spicer MN. Nelson is a former professional driver with 45+ years in the snowmobile industry. //
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f a a r g ler
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yler Graaf has already racked up over 50 wins in his 7 year-long racing career, and there’s no signs of tapping the brakes anytime soon. It all started with a video games, and not long after Graaf was racing alongside the Indy 500 champions he once admiring from afar. His impressive list of accomplishments don’t stop on the racetrack, though. Graaf has been involved in multiple charities and even has started his own graphic design business that lends his talents events and fellow racers. Graaf is a young, mega accomplished racer to look up to both on and off the track.
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WOT // HOW WERE YOU INTRODUCED TO RACING? GRAAF \\ Around 1999 or 2000, my dad got a pack of EA Sports Games for the computer which included NASCAR SE 1998. He let me play a race at Talladega Superspeedway and I chose Jeff Gordon’s car because it was colorful. I never really looked back. I was hooked on racing from that point on. To say the least, I knew all of the drivers within an hour. WOT // HOW WERE YOU INVOLVED BEFORE YOU BECAME A RACER? GRAAF \\ I was a mega fan to say the least! WOT // HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RACING FOR? GRAAF \\ 9.5 years WOT // WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE RACING MEMORIES? GRAAF \\ My favorite racing memory overall would be winning my stint in the 2014 Dan Wheldon Memorial Pro-Am as a teammate to Marco Andretti. I crossed that finish line with my fist clenched in the air! I couldn’t help but become emotional in my helmet from realizing I just won a stint in a race that was dedicated to my idol. The stage I was on was super exciting. I was racing against some very fast…and much more experienced drivers. My second favorite memory would be winning my first race in the World Formula Open Class in 2013. I had been winning left and right in the KPV 100 class the past two years, but when I got in the WF Kart, I always had bad luck. The track was drying when the race started, and everyone was kind of skittish about what the conditions would be. Starting second on lap one, I took a pass for the lead in turn six and it stuck. I won the race. This one meant so much to me because I was still the young kid in class. Everyone else had over ten years of experience on me. These drivers basically taught me how to drive when I was running rookie karts and I looked up to them! To be honest, there’s nothing better than beating the ones you look up to. It’s a fantastic feeling to show them how much you’ve learned. My third favorite memory comes again at the Dan Wheldon Memorial Pro-Am event JAN 2015
in 2015. I was on Jay Howard’s team and we were starting in the back. I managed to drive from 16th to 2nd with the fastest lap of the event and came within feet of winning the stint. The memories came more so from off the track. So many compliments from Indy Car drivers and other figures in the sport happened on my drive to the front. It showed me that all of my hard work testing was really paying off behind the wheel. WOT // WHAT WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU GOT INTO A RACING VEHICLE LIKE? GRAAF \\ My first time in a kart was in a little blue rental kart at my local track, Stockholm Karting Center. I was 11 at the time and the kart felt fast right off the bat…but I soon realized the 5 horsepower motor was too slow, so I was pushing the kart as hard as possible. It was enough to get me hooked. Two weeks later, we got a Merlin Chassis with a World Formula Rookie motor on it and I finished 3rd in my first race! My first time in a car was at the Skip Barber Driving School at the Streets of Willow in California. The first session we had was an auto cross around the short circuit and skid pad of the track. We were not allowed to leave first gear in auto cross session. Right away I could tell the car had a lot of power, but it felt like a shifter kart with flat tires, and it had way too much understeer on entry and oversteer on exit due to the power the car had. I had a lot of fun sliding that car off the corners. Once we were able to open up the power, the car drove amazing! I really enjoyed and learned a lot in my first experience in a racecar. WOT // WHO TAUGHT YOU THE ROPES OF RACING? GRAAF \\ Over my years of karting, two drivers at my local track, Stockholm Karting Center, helped me with just about everything. These two actually ended up being my bosses for about four years while I worked with the rental kart program at the track. Those two guys are Chris Slinden and Ted Fasching, and they helped me with everything. They basically taught my dad and I how to work and tune on a go kart the correct way, which really is the first step to winning races. My
first few weeks Chris taught me so much behind the wheel. I’ve learned even more over the past four years, as I’ve been racing in the same class as Chris. Ted taught me so many tips and tricks on the mechanical side. Ted and Chris always were there to help me out and I’m so grateful to both for teaching me so much. WOT // HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR CLASS? GRAAF \\ I always choose the classes we thought would be the most competitive and I’d learn the most in. I prefer the 2 Cycle classes because they’re faster, but the past few years, I’ve spent most of my time racing in the World Formula Sr. classes because the competition is so close. I’ve learned a lot about driving in that class. WOT // WHAT’S YOUR UNIQUE RACING STRATEGY? GRAAF \\ I’m not sure if my strategy is unique, but I sit on grid before the race. I try to simulate in my head where I’m going to make my passes, or where I’m going to pass those few guys that are off the pace for races with inverted starts. Other than that, I just try and stay calm and make my way up through the filed…making passes one by one, and watch and take advantage of other drivers’ mistakes. In a longer race I’ll wait for things to string out so I’m not forcing any unnecessary passes. In a short sprint race I’ll stay as clean as possible but do everything I can to get myself to the front; 95% of that is making sure you get in the right lane on the start. WOT // HAVE ANY PRE-RACE RITUALS? GRAAF \\ I always pat the faring or nose of the kart three times before I climb in for a race. WOT // WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST RACING STRENGTH? GRAAF \\ I’m very aggressive with my decisions in races, practices, and tunings. I’ve had enough time racing in big packs where I can turn on and off when I’m going to push the kart and myself to pass someone cleanly and not cause a wreck. I can find that extra two-tenths to get at the leader’s back bumper. In practice, I push my kart to the very edge so I know what it can do in a race and I experiment
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with different ways to drive the kart. Do I enter the corner gingerly, or is it more of a flick of the wrist to just throw the kart in the corner? A few times this year there were things I was doing on the track that made me a little bit faster, so other drivers ended up catching on, too. I try to be just a bit different so there’s something that only I’m trying, like a lower gear or setting the rear width completely opposite and using it to my advantage. WOT // WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TRACK TO RACE ON? WHY?
Jeff has such a drive to win and made sure he’s heard when he’s done wrong. He’s also a very humble and noble champion. Dan Wheldon was the first driver I ever met. I was 12 years old when I met him at the 2009 Kansas race. I had a postcard with him on it and my dad and I were on an infield track tour while the Indy Car practice was in session. We had walked past other drivers and they just ignored us. Dan pulled in and was getting out of the car and walking to the pit wall, then towards his hauler or somewhere in the infield. I ran up to him and asked him to sign my postcard. He took it from me and went to sign, but I didn’t have a pen. Dan went the extra mile for me to find a pen and give me his autograph and thanked us for coming out to the race. He made me feel like I was the only fan at that racetrack. Dan was as great as a person as he was on the track, and that’s how he inspired me and why I look up to him more than any other driver. Since his passing in 2011, I’ve ran as #77 as much as I could and I have his signature “Lionheart” on my kart helmet as a tribute.
GRAAF \\ There’s no place like home. Once my home track Stockholm Karting Center was repaved it quickly became my favorite track on race on. They added four more configurations to the circuit. There was one configuration that we called “The Kink” and this configuration runs in the clockwise direction, has a very sharp right hander where you’re very hard on the brakes, a technical chicane, the an uphill double apex that sweeps down into a difficult left hander which also happens to be my favorite passing zone. After a few more corners, we go down a long curvy WOT // WHAT HAS BEEN hill into the kink. This configuration YOUR GREATEST RACING actually cuts off two corners of the track, ACCOMPLISHMENT THUS FAR? but because of this, we are coming down a big hill at full speed into an off chamber GRAAF \\ This comes partially off track chicane where you get close to the tire actually. On the side, I design for my wall, clip the grass, and shoot into a long graphics business, Motorsport Graphic right hand corner to complete the lap. It’s Design. I was approached by a friend fast and it takes a lot of guts to be able to at my home track to do all the graphics hold the kink full throttle on cold tires. for the Dan Wheldon Memorial Pro-Am Karting Challenge races in support of GRAAF \\ WHAT DO YOU THINK THE Alzheimer’s Association. Since 2013, MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR TO I’ve been working with Susie Wheldon KNOW ABOUT THE TRACK IS? designing all of the kart graphics for all three of the DW Pro-Am events. I already GRAAF \\ It’s important to know where can’t wait for the 2016 event! For the past everyone else is hesitant and be the one three years I’ve been a part of a charity that pushes that part of the track the most. event in honor of someone I’ve looked up to for years. This also punched my ticket WOT // WHAT RACERS DO YOU to be able to take part in the event and ADMIRE THE MOST? WHAT DO YOU race on such a big stage. Winning my ADMIRE ABOUT THEM? stint in 2014 and almost win in 2015 have GRAAF \\ I grew up watching Dan been my best accomplishments. Honestly Wheldon and Jeff Gordon. I haven’t though, being able to help with the event gotten the chance to meet Jeff Gordon yet, and be such a big part of raising money or even see him race in person, but Jeff for such a great cause is much more of was always a bit of a superhero to me. His an accomplishment than anything I could driving and personality have always been possibly achieve on the track. viewed in a good and professional way. PAGE 48
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In 2015, I was able to start the CTFxC Drive to End Brain Cancer to raise awareness for brain cancer research. CTFxC is a Youtube channel owned by Charles Trippy, who has documented his life for over seven years. Charles has been battling brain cancer for the past three years and after talking with him, we started the Drive to End Brain Cancer and it’s been an amazing experience with all of the support it’s gotten and all of the support CTFxC has given me. WOT // WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR NEXT SEASON? GRAAF \\ Honestly, it’s just to be racing a car. I don’t have the funding to run a car next year and I know I have what it takes after my experience in a Skip Barber f2000 in 2015. I’m ready to move up and chase my dream. So if there’s anyone out there that has something with four wheels and needs a driver, hit me up…I’m more than ready! If I’m not in a car next year, I’ll continue karting around the Midwest and compete in the 2016 Karts to Cars Shootout. WOT // WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL AS A RACER? GRAAF \\ I want to make a living out of it. I don’t care if I’m racing a Formula 1 car or a Stadium Super Truck. I just want to race. My ultimate dream is to race the Indy Car Series and race the Indy 500, and hopefully someday win the Indy 500. WOT // WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT BEHIND THE WHEEL? GRAAF \\ I enjoy spending time with my girlfriend, friends, and family. I play the drums and design as much as possible. I also play video games, especially iRacing. I love tech gadgets. I work at a local cell phone retailer. I basically live on the internet otherwise. I love being connected to the world. Oh yeah, and I love music. I love Green Day. //
JAN 2015
RACER: tyler graff, #77
CLASS: Sr. Classes, Karting, 4 & 2 Cycle. Still working on car ride
HOMETOWN: becker, Minnesota
AGE: 19 RACING STATS: 40+ WINS SINCE STARTING RACING IN 2008 2009 NRKA WORLD FORMULA JR. STATE CHAMPION 2009 NRKA WORLD FORMULA JR. CHAMPION 2010 NRKA WORLD FORMULA JR. 3RD PLACE 2011 NRKA KPV 100 SR. CHAMPION 2012 NRKA KPV 100 SR. RUNNER UP 2012 MIDWEST SPRINT SERIES KPV 100 SR. LITE REGIONAL CHAMPION 2012 MIDWEST SPRINT SERIES KPV SR. HEAVY REGIONAL CHAMPION 2013 NRKA WORLD FORMULA OPEN RUNNER UP 2013 NRKA KPV SR. CHAMPION 2014 NRKA KPV SR. 3RD PLACE 2014 NRKA WORLD FORMULA OPEN 4TH PLACE 2014 DAN WHELDON MEMORIAL PRO-AM KARTING CHALLENGE 1ST IN STINT 2015 DW PRO AM 2ND PLACE IN STINT WITH FAST LAP 2015 WORLD FORMULA OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 3RD PLACE WITH 2 WINS
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RACING, BUSINESS & CHARITIES:
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Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin - Planning 10 bands for The second annual Northwest WisSnowBiz Snowmobile Raffle (UCP) consin Winter Fest and Games is now in full swing. Adding to the already Steller Kubb Tournament & Family Demo line-up of activities, Winter Fest and gamed is organizing a Guinness book of YMCA cool run (Eau Claire & Chip world record largest snowmobile parad pewa Falls YMCA) Billed as the ultimate winter experience attempt to benefit United Cerebral Palsy Auto Ice Race Saturday (International Northwest Wisconsin Winter Fest and of West Central Wisconsin January 30, Ice Racing Association) Games, Chippewa Falls Wis. is sure to 2016 on Lake Wissota near Chippewa become the Midwest’s ultimate race Falls, Wisconsin. The current world reATV/Motorcycle Ice Race Saturday venue…and then some. Stretching nearly cord is placed at 847 snowmobiles. Regis(Northwest Wisconsin Ice Racing) a mile the event offers some amazing rac- tration for this world record attempt can ing from groups like, Snowmobile Drag be found at www.winterfestandgams.com ATV/Motorcycle Ice Race Sunday Racing (ISD) Auto Ice Race Saturday (In- Cost of registration is only $10.00 and in(Central Wisconsin Ice Racing) ternational Ice Racing Association), ATV cludes a official world record keepsake & Motorcycle Racing from both North- badge and hat. ISD Snowmobile Drag Racing west Wisconsin Ice Racing, and Central Fat Wisconsin Ice Racing. These guys are Other additions to the event include ISDR Bike Race (Wisconsin Off-road Series) breaking all the rules, it’s not just motor drag racing, Radar Run, Hot Air Balloon sport, they’ve built in a Cold and Bold 5K glow, YMCA Cold and Bold 5K run and Hot Air Balloon Glow run to benefit two local YMCA groups. Lake View Fireworks display. A full schedule of activities, games and band There is also a Fat Bike Race to benefit Guinness Book World Record Attempt CORBA a local race group. And if you’re line-up can be found at www.winterfeup for some great music you can roll up standgames.com. Admission buttons for Northwestern Wisconsin Winter Fest to two large hospitality tents with 10 Winter Fest and Games are now on sale at and Games has opportunities for fundbands. Each local non-profit involved area Kwik Trip stores and online at www. raising and benefits many service clubs, with the event, such as UCP, the YMCA’s winterfestandgames.com. // non-profits, and local charities such as, and CORBA have an excellent venue to UCP and local YMCA’s. fundraise. We provide infrastructure and a vast amount of promotion to local non- FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION profit groups and they provide a steady flow of attendees. This is really the core Visit www.winterfestandgames.com January 29, 30 & 31, 2016 of Winter Fest and Games is all about. or our Facebook Page. Lake Wissota We love the fact that we can provide the community a fun event and by do so help Friday: 4pm-12:15am a number of non-profits raise money. AdSaturday: 9:30am-12:30pm mission is only $5.00 for the entire weekend and if you want to get up close to Sunday: 11:30am-4:30pm the race action Pit Passes are available for $10.00 at www.winterfestandgames.com
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