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Adams and Hansen honor final group of Rice Lake Speedway champs under their track ownership

By Ed Reichert

RICE LAKE, WI (March 23) – Racers, crews, fans and employees of Rice Lake Speedway gathered on Saturday night, March 23 at the Elks Club in Rice Lake to hand out the awards and celebrate the official conclusion of the 2023 racing season. For former track owners Dave Adams and Mitch Hansen, it was a bitter sweet moment. It was their last official act as owners of the track following the announcement last month that the track had been sold to Rice Lake Speedway LLC and its new owners Kolby Kiehl, Dean Kiehl and Dick Kalow.

Master of Ceremonies for the event was former track announcer Ben Brost, who welcomed all to the banquet and made the introductions. Brost, who will returning to the track in 2024 as the announcer for the new owners, introduced Adams and Hansen, the former owners of the track from 2010 through February of this year. Both Dave and Mitch talked about their purchase of the track and shared some stories and observations of their time as the track owners.

Brost then introduced the new owners of the speedway, Kolby Kiehl, Dean Kiehl and Dick Kalow. Kolby, representing the ownership group, told the assembled crowd about some of the improvements that have already been made at the track and of other improvements and changes that will be coming soon. He also detailed the vision that the new ownership group has for the track and for racing in Rice Lake.

Brost then moved on to honor the top 10 drivers and the rookie of the year in each class at the speedway, based on their 2023 accomplishments.

The Pure Stock point champion for the third consecutive year was Ryan Olson, from Ladysmith. Olson had three feature wins, seven top-five finishes and nine top-10 finishes while earning 1003 points. Olson's run will end at three, as he is moving up to the Super Stocks in 2024. Second through 10th in the final standings were: Rob Grabon from Rice Lake; Trenten Holub from Rice Lake; Devin Fries from Phillips; Austin Fencl from Bruce; James Rahn from Poskin; Bob Wahlstrom from Chetek; Chris Gross from Turtle Lake; Mike Grover from Chetek; and George Richards from Mondovi. The Pure Stock rookie of the year was Leo Moos, from Rice Lake.

The Richards family set a track record in the Street Stocks, as father Danny and son Cole became the first father-and-son combination to finish first and second in points in any class. Danny, who is from Mondovi, won three feature races, had seven top-five finishes and nine top-10 finishes while recording 915 points. Son Cole, also from Mondovi, recorded one win and seven top-10 finishes. Behind them in the final standings were: Travis Loew from Barron; Eric Haupt from Trego; Dylan Baskin from Arkansaw; Adam Soltis from Ladysmith; Kevin Herrman from Rice Lake; Courtney Rose from Gordon; Joe Ott from Spooner; and Jenna Herrman from Rice Lake. Rose was the Street Stock rookie of the year.

Mike Schnider from Cameron won his first-ever Midwest Modified point title at Rice Lake Speedway. He earned three wins, and nine top-10 finishes. Second in track points was Shadow Kitchner, from Arkansaw. He was followed by: Blake Adams from Cameron; Kevin Herrman from Rice Lake; Tacoma Randall from Rice Lake; Aiden Hoffman from Rice Lake; Jake Stai from New Auburn; Brady Larson from Amery; Will Moelter from Elk Mound; and Jesse Young from Stone Lake. Adams was the 2023 Midwest Modified rookie of the year.

Eric Olson won his third straight Super Stock point title at Rice Lake, thus making it the third straight year that both he and his son Ryan won track titles at Rice Lake, a record. Eric won two feature races, recorded eight top-five finishes and nine top-10 finishes while earning 925 points. Tucker Quinn from Ladysmith had his best season ever, finishing a strong second in points. The Rusk county drivers were trailed by Leslie Leu from Medford; Josh Cappo from Almena; Mickey Anderson from Dallas; Mike Siewert from Rice Lake; Jackson Larson from Rice Lake; Austin Tilton from Turtle Lake; Clay Albrecht from Cameron; and Terran Spacek from Phillips. Larson was the rookie of the year.

Mike Anderson, the “Dirt Digger,” from Jim Falls, had his best season ever at Rice Lake, winning five feature races on his way to the Modified point title. He also recorded six top-five finishes and seven top-10 finishes. Simon Wahlstrom from Mikana, who was also crowned the rookie of the year in the Modified class, finished second in points to Anderson. They were followed by Travis Anderson from Colfax; Kevin Adams from Cameron; Kyle Helling from Rice Lake; Pat Hoffman from Rice Lake; Dave Mayala from Barron; Kennedy Swan from Chippewa Falls; Joe Chaplin, Jr. from Cameron; and Steve Hallquist from Fall Creek.

The evening concluded with numerous door prize drawings and fellowship.

Rice Lake names next group of track’s Hall Of Fame inductees

By Ed Reichert

RICE LAKE, WI – The voting committee for the Rice Lake Speedway Hall of Fame recently met to discuss and then vote on new inductees for the HoF. Under a new policy enacted for 2024, three drivers and one Friend of the Speedway/Promoter will be added to the HoF, which inducted its first members in 2011.

The inductees for 2024 are drivers Paul Gilberts, Tony Bahr and the late Dick Hessler. The Friend of the Speedway/Promoter named was Tammy Sirek.

The official induction ceremony for the new inductees will be on Saturday night, June 29, as a part of the racing program on that night. They will be treated to a meal at the track from new track owners, Kolby and Dean Kiehl and Dick Kalow, along with other members of the HoF who eturn for the ceremony. At intermisison, they will be presented to the fans in a ceremony of the frontstretch of the track where their biographies will be read and then they will receive their personalized plaques.