For more than a decade, through Fans Fund, fans have pooled their money together to help bring drivers to the USA Nationals. This year, the World of Outlaws Late Models event takes place August 3-5 at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wisconsin.
The concept began in 2008, when founder Rich Olson raised funds to help Bill Frye make the race from Arkansas. Now, fans donate online and vote for their favorite drivers who they want to see race that weekend. Fans Fund then contacts those drivers to invite them to Cedar Lake Speedway.
This year, funds exceed $20,000. Those funds will be dispersed among 12 drivers competing in the Fans Fund Dash on August 3. Winner takes home $2,500, runner-up $2,400, third $2,300, down to last place taking home $1,600.
In addition, the highest finisher in the Fans Fund Dash that does not make the USA Nationals main event will receive a provisional to start 27th. The feature pays $3,000 just to take the green.
“The drivers are excited,” said Tony Olson, volunteer administrator of the Fans Fund. “They think it is awesome that fans are willing to donate their hard-earned money to help them get here.”
The Fans Fund exists independently of Cedar Lake Speedway. Nevertheless, the track rewards fans who contribute to the fund. Each fan who donates $30 or more gets a free T-shirt and entrance to a luncheon with the drivers.
“We realize that it isn’t easy to get drivers from across the country to haul here,” said Chris Heinbuch, co-owner of Cedar Lake Speedway. “We appreciate the fans’ efforts. [We] have a luncheon for them inside our motorcross arena on the next day. The 12 drivers will meet the fans. The drivers usually donate gifts — from T-shirts and hats, to autographed photos and door panels. [Those items get] raffled as each fan gets a ticket upon entry to the luncheon.”
This year, the 12 drivers are:
- Tyler Clem
- Jason Feger
- James Giossi
- Trevor Gundaker
- Kaede Loudy
- Dillon McCowan
- Cody Overton
- Ricky Thornton Jr.
- Drake Troutman
- Ricky Weiss
- Daulton Wilson
- Ashton Winger
Fans can still donate and cast votes for their favorite driver among the 12 above by visiting https://fans-fund.sportngin.com/ . The driver with the most votes starts pole, second-most second, third-most third, and so on.
Mike Adaskaveg has written hundreds of stories since the website’s inception. This year marks his 54th year of covering auto racing. Adaskaveg got his start working for track photographer Lloyd Burnham at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway in 1970. Since then, he’s been a columnist, writer, and photographer, in racing and in mainstream media, for several outlets, including the Journal Inquirer, Boston Herald, Stock Car Racing, and Speedway Illustrated. Among Adaskaveg’s many awards are the 1992 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Ace Lane Photographer of the Year and the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) George Cunningham Writer of the Year.
