Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Hall of Fame 2018 Nominees
Al Atkinson – Wilmot Late Model Sportsman Champion in 1986 & 1987. Wilmot Late Model Champion in 1988. Hales Corners Late Model Champion in 1992 & 1993. Manitowoc Expo Late Model Champion in 1994.
Mike Babicz– Waukegan Speedway PR & Scorer 1977. Wilmot Track Announcer since 1980. Directed the Let’s Go Racing Motor Sports Radio Show and Car Show.
Todd Behling–Track Announcer since the early 1980’s at Slinger and as well at Madison, Jefferson, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin Dells and the Milwaukee Mile tracks. Host of LTN radio show.
Jerry Eckhardt– Started his racing in the 60’s and continues to race today some fifty-three years later at the age of 75. Track Champion in the past at Jefferson and Columbus.
Joe Gresk – Sportsman Championships at Cedarburg (1979) at Hales Corners in (1979, 1980, 1993) and Wilmot in 1989. Milwaukee Area Sportsman Champion in 1979.
Howie Lettow–Local crew chief for many short track drivers at Slinger, Madison, Kaukauna, Jefferson and Columbus. As well as champion winning crew chief in ASA and ARTGO with drivers like – Pat Schauer, Ted Musgrave, Jimmie Johnson, Travis Dassow and others.
Mike (Lumpy) Lemke– Began his racing career as a race tech official with Bob Abitz at Kaukauna in 1980. Elevated to become a tech official at – WIR, Slinger, Madison, Norway and others. Then proceeded to lead the Tech at race series including, ARTGO, ASA, ARCA Midwest, MARS and Midwest Trucks.
Carmen Manzardo – Wilmot Super Modified Champion in 1977. Veteran driver of modifieds, super modifieds and sprint cars.
John McKarns – Began as the PR Director and Track Announcer in 1965 at Waukegan and later at Grundy County Speedway. Continued his career in officiating and scoring. Was the cofounder of ARTGO in 1975 bringing the short track series to almost every track in the Midwest. Wisconsin tracks included Slinger, Madison, Milwaukee Mile, WIR (Kaukauna), Columbus and Jefferson. The ARTGO Series was considered one of the best in the country.
Pat Moore – A veteran race official throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s and also the starter at Slinger, Cedarburg, Hales Corners and other tracks.
Larry Ninneman – MSC Modified Champion of 1974. Veteran driver of modifieds, super modifieds and late models throughout the Midwest. A successful Engine Builder in the Southeast Wisconsin area (Midwest Racing Engines)
Fran Prestay– Race driver who competed for more than thirty years throughout southeastern Wisconsin. Late Model Champion in 1994 & 1996 at Lake Geneva Raceway.
Ernie Rathke– A second generation driver who started racing in 1965 in Sportsmen cars with EWSC. Raced Late Models at Oshkosh, DePere, Shawno, Cedarburg and Hales Corners.
