From Bryan Gapinski
West Bend, Wis.—Increasing vendor entries, an awards ceremony, and the annual racing round table discussion highlight the upcoming Wisconsin Racing Expo, trade show and swap meet. The event will be held on Saturday February 27 from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm at the Washington County Fair Park in West Bend. Presenting sponsors of the event are Behling Racing and Diamond Racing Wheels.
For the second straight year the event will be held at the spacious building which allows greater exhibit space and offers free parking to all show attendees. The list of exhibitors include: parts manufacturers and distributors, race track/sanctioning organizations, race teams and racing memorabilia dealers. The Washington County Fair Park is located at 3000 Hwy. PV, just off US Highway 45.
“Stars of Wisconsin Racing Past & Present” will be an open round table discussion moderated by well-known open wheel announcer and writer Bryan Gapinski and will feature some of the best known racing participants in Wisconsin Racing History. Among the featured panel are:former Indy Car Owner/current midget car owner Ralph Wilke, multi-time IRA Sprint Car Champ Gib Wiser, former Mid America Champion Bill Prietzel, former driver/historian Pat Heaney, and racing parts designer/radio personality Ed Cluka. The round table will be from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm with open questions from the attending crowd followed by an autograph session with the participates. Various product seminars will be given by company representatives throughout the show.
Previous to the roundtable will be the Wisconsin Motorsports Awards Ceremony at 1:45 pm. Four driver will be honored for their 2009 performance including: Craig Priewe (modified), Lowell Bennett (pavement late model), T.J. Luedke (sprint car) and Craig Schuffler (dirt late model). Also being honored for lifetime contributions to Wisconsin Auto Racing will be Bill Behling, and Wilke. Eastern Wisconsin Racing Association will be honored as Promoter of the Year.
Admission will be $5, exhibitor space remains available and can be obtained by contacting show organizers Bill Tandetzke at (414) 481-7139 or Craig Hemmen (262) 679-3461.