MONROE - Michael Raskovic, 17, of New Glarus wants to be more than a NASCAR race truck driver: He wants to be a leader in spreading the message of the benefits of using ethanol fuel racing in the Super Truck Series.
He is in his fourth year as a race car driver in the Super Truck and Late Limited Model classes at the Madison International Speedway. Raskovic, the son of Urban Force Race Team founder Pete Raskovic, has been testing his new race equipment. He plans to race in the Slinger Nationals that will include Matt Kenseth and other top drivers on Tuesday, July 15.
"It's hard to go a week without running to the track," the teen said. "I will get into racing whether it's driving or crew chiefing. I want to really focus on racing and moving my way up. There are a lot of pro-ethanol sponsors we hope to build on."
As a young development driver, Michael jumped at the chance to compete in the Wisconsin Corn Growers SuperTruck Racing Series in the half-mile Madison track this summer. The Wisconsin Corn Growers Association is the driving force behind the racing ethanol project. In addition, several of the state's ethanol plants have backed Michael as sponsors, including Badger State Ethanol, UWGP Ethanol and United Ethanol LLC.
Other sponsors for Michael's racing team include the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board, Pathfinder Chassis, Haas Grain Farms, Juda Grain, American Lung Association, Odyssey Greek Yogurt, Bio-Vet, TD Graphics, Sugar River Bank, the Bank of New Glarus, Figi Financial Services, Sugar River Pizza and GA Motorsports Media.
Testing with Wegner Motorsports of Markesan this spring showed that E98, which is 98 percent ethanol, powered by GM 602 crate motors produced more power and operated at a cooler temperature than those powered on standard methanol racing fuel.
"It burns cleaner even though people say it smells like beer," Michael said. "There is a lot more torque coming out of the turns. There is a lot more power on the straight-aways."
The new SuperTruck Racing Series at the Madison International Speedway is one of the first in the Midwest to go green. Michael, who will be a senior at New Glarus High School in the fall, is already using the E98, but every driver will be required to use the sustainable, renewable, domestically-produced fuel next year.
Michael's father is the technical and marketing director of motorsports for the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association. Pete said there are many fallacies when it comes to using ethanol fuel in race cars.
He scoffs at the notion that ethanol is a poor fuel that will destroy engines.
"Our primary goal for Michael and our sponsors is to make the public and racing community aware of the benefits of ethanol," Pete said. "Ethanol is a cleaner burning gasoline. It's so much safer for the environment."
Michael isn't a rookie when it comes to racing. He has been involved in pit crews and racing since he was 9, helping his father's Urban Force Race Team. Michael also works at the Pathfinder Chassis shop in Sun Prairie. He was a student in Pete's hands-on auto technician course he teaches at New Glarus High School. Pete started the course along with ABC Supply founder Ken Hendricks in 2007 to give students a chance to learn the basic facets of race cars while being educated to become automotive technicians.
The focus is on racing now, but Michael has sought opportunities to work in pit crews for other race car drivers. Michael was the youngest crew member to work on the ARCA Race Team in 2011 when he was invited to work on the team owned by NASCAR legend James Hylton.
Michael is confident he wouldn't be where he is at racing today without the support of his father.
"He (Pete) has taught me everything," Michael said. "He runs my team and controls the sponsorships. Without him letting me start and work on his race team, I would not have had the knowledge to go out and work crews on my own."
He is in his fourth year as a race car driver in the Super Truck and Late Limited Model classes at the Madison International Speedway. Raskovic, the son of Urban Force Race Team founder Pete Raskovic, has been testing his new race equipment. He plans to race in the Slinger Nationals that will include Matt Kenseth and other top drivers on Tuesday, July 15.
"It's hard to go a week without running to the track," the teen said. "I will get into racing whether it's driving or crew chiefing. I want to really focus on racing and moving my way up. There are a lot of pro-ethanol sponsors we hope to build on."
As a young development driver, Michael jumped at the chance to compete in the Wisconsin Corn Growers SuperTruck Racing Series in the half-mile Madison track this summer. The Wisconsin Corn Growers Association is the driving force behind the racing ethanol project. In addition, several of the state's ethanol plants have backed Michael as sponsors, including Badger State Ethanol, UWGP Ethanol and United Ethanol LLC.
Other sponsors for Michael's racing team include the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board, Pathfinder Chassis, Haas Grain Farms, Juda Grain, American Lung Association, Odyssey Greek Yogurt, Bio-Vet, TD Graphics, Sugar River Bank, the Bank of New Glarus, Figi Financial Services, Sugar River Pizza and GA Motorsports Media.
Testing with Wegner Motorsports of Markesan this spring showed that E98, which is 98 percent ethanol, powered by GM 602 crate motors produced more power and operated at a cooler temperature than those powered on standard methanol racing fuel.
"It burns cleaner even though people say it smells like beer," Michael said. "There is a lot more torque coming out of the turns. There is a lot more power on the straight-aways."
The new SuperTruck Racing Series at the Madison International Speedway is one of the first in the Midwest to go green. Michael, who will be a senior at New Glarus High School in the fall, is already using the E98, but every driver will be required to use the sustainable, renewable, domestically-produced fuel next year.
Michael's father is the technical and marketing director of motorsports for the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association. Pete said there are many fallacies when it comes to using ethanol fuel in race cars.
He scoffs at the notion that ethanol is a poor fuel that will destroy engines.
"Our primary goal for Michael and our sponsors is to make the public and racing community aware of the benefits of ethanol," Pete said. "Ethanol is a cleaner burning gasoline. It's so much safer for the environment."
Michael isn't a rookie when it comes to racing. He has been involved in pit crews and racing since he was 9, helping his father's Urban Force Race Team. Michael also works at the Pathfinder Chassis shop in Sun Prairie. He was a student in Pete's hands-on auto technician course he teaches at New Glarus High School. Pete started the course along with ABC Supply founder Ken Hendricks in 2007 to give students a chance to learn the basic facets of race cars while being educated to become automotive technicians.
The focus is on racing now, but Michael has sought opportunities to work in pit crews for other race car drivers. Michael was the youngest crew member to work on the ARCA Race Team in 2011 when he was invited to work on the team owned by NASCAR legend James Hylton.
Michael is confident he wouldn't be where he is at racing today without the support of his father.
"He (Pete) has taught me everything," Michael said. "He runs my team and controls the sponsorships. Without him letting me start and work on his race team, I would not have had the knowledge to go out and work crews on my own."