DARLINGTON - For 15 years, Jason Udelhofen was involved as a race car driver at the Lafayette County Speedway.
Udelhofen, 35, Potosi, will get a chance to take on a more prominent role promoting the track after he was named the new director of the Lafayette County Speedway in February. He replaces Jay Ethridge as the director of the county-owned raceway.
"I have always been looking forward to an opportunity like this," Udelhofen said. "Being a driver, I always found it as a conflict of interest to promote. I'm not driving any more. I want to give back to the community that helped me."
In 15 seasons as a racer, Udelhofen won eight track championships and racked up 45 feature wins. As a racer, he built race cars and currently works at Kohn's Auto Body in Platteville.
Udelhofen is bringing back Friday night stock car races instead of having them on Saturday at the raceway. The first race, "The Modified Spring Spectacular" is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. April 19. The winner of the IMCA Modified event will win $1,000. The season-opening race night will also feature sports modified and sports compacts. The 3/8-mile track has a 13-week season on tap.
"It's more for the spectators," Udelhofen said, of changing races back to Friday nights instead of Saturdays. "Last year we lost some of our local support when we switched to Saturday night. Saturday is in the middle of the weekend. That is when ... people go camping and there are wedding and graduations. You can come out to the races on Friday and you can still do family things or whatever you want the test of the weekend."
The raceway has been in existence since the 1950s and includes four divisions. The track closed after an accident during the 1970 Lafayette County Fair resulted in the deaths of three pit crew workers. The track reopened in 1999 and was moved further from the Pecatonica River. In addition, two corners were shortened and the backstretch was reconfigured into a 3/8 of a mile dirt track.
Udelhofen said, on average, there are 70 to 80 cars on race night and the bulk of drivers come from southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Udelhofen said the biggest challenge has been the wet weather in getting the track ready for the racing season.
"The big uphill battle is the money for a lot of drivers," he said. "Money is tight. It's tough to get sponsors to help with cars."
The races during the Lafayette County Fair are slated for Wednesday, July 10. The raceway also will host the Corn Belt Clash, a late model series race Saturday, July 27. Admission for the races is $10.
"I have been to a lot of tracks and I know how shows are run," Udelhofen said. "I think I will be able to put on a quick, well-run show. They can expect a good, clean family show."
Udelhofen, 35, Potosi, will get a chance to take on a more prominent role promoting the track after he was named the new director of the Lafayette County Speedway in February. He replaces Jay Ethridge as the director of the county-owned raceway.
"I have always been looking forward to an opportunity like this," Udelhofen said. "Being a driver, I always found it as a conflict of interest to promote. I'm not driving any more. I want to give back to the community that helped me."
In 15 seasons as a racer, Udelhofen won eight track championships and racked up 45 feature wins. As a racer, he built race cars and currently works at Kohn's Auto Body in Platteville.
Udelhofen is bringing back Friday night stock car races instead of having them on Saturday at the raceway. The first race, "The Modified Spring Spectacular" is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. April 19. The winner of the IMCA Modified event will win $1,000. The season-opening race night will also feature sports modified and sports compacts. The 3/8-mile track has a 13-week season on tap.
"It's more for the spectators," Udelhofen said, of changing races back to Friday nights instead of Saturdays. "Last year we lost some of our local support when we switched to Saturday night. Saturday is in the middle of the weekend. That is when ... people go camping and there are wedding and graduations. You can come out to the races on Friday and you can still do family things or whatever you want the test of the weekend."
The raceway has been in existence since the 1950s and includes four divisions. The track closed after an accident during the 1970 Lafayette County Fair resulted in the deaths of three pit crew workers. The track reopened in 1999 and was moved further from the Pecatonica River. In addition, two corners were shortened and the backstretch was reconfigured into a 3/8 of a mile dirt track.
Udelhofen said, on average, there are 70 to 80 cars on race night and the bulk of drivers come from southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Udelhofen said the biggest challenge has been the wet weather in getting the track ready for the racing season.
"The big uphill battle is the money for a lot of drivers," he said. "Money is tight. It's tough to get sponsors to help with cars."
The races during the Lafayette County Fair are slated for Wednesday, July 10. The raceway also will host the Corn Belt Clash, a late model series race Saturday, July 27. Admission for the races is $10.
"I have been to a lot of tracks and I know how shows are run," Udelhofen said. "I think I will be able to put on a quick, well-run show. They can expect a good, clean family show."
