Racing Nuggets

In this episode of the Racing Nuggets Podcast, we sit down with Charlie Menard, a racer who has many wins and championships to his name and continues to keep a finger on the pulse of motorsports. Charlie reminisces about his time racing at his beloved La Crosse Speedway with Toby Nuttleman and the sport of racing itself. He also talks about mentoring and supporting the young phenom from Minnesota, Ty Fredrickson.

Bentley Thompson may only be 12 years old, but he has clinched SIX Bandolero Championships in the 2024 season alone. Listen to this reserved yet insightful young racer as he reflects on his season.

Dan Plan, proprietor of the Midwest Racing Connection and sometimes co-host of this podcast, sits down to let PJ ask him questions about his life in auto racing. He is, first and foremost, a fan of auto racing, and that passion comes through in all projects he is involved with to support the sport.

Andy Monday has been a fixture in the racing scene around the Midwest, particularly at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna. Last Tuesday, he competed in the 2024 Dixieland 250—now the Ganrude Auto Group 250—with the ASA Midwest Tour at WIR. During that event, he took an incredibly brutal hit to the inside retaining wall that completely demolished his race car. He managed to walk away from that horrific impact. 

When something like that happens, emotions tend to run high. However, Andy was calm, cool, and collected in an interview on the broadcast immediately afterward. He exuded a real positive energy in the face of disaster, and that struck many as powerful and highly respectable, given that most others would NOT be that positive in the darkness. 

Listen to learn more about Andy, his impressive character, and the values he brings to the track week in and week out. 

Gleason, Wisconsin's Justin Mondeik is this week's guest on the podcast. He is fresh off his big win in the Midwest Tour "Larry Detjens Memorial 125" at State Park Speedway in Wausau. The race could very well be the last for the Midwest Tour at the famed track, as it has exchanged hands, and its fate is unknown at this time.

Mondeik talks about how his family-owned team has grown, learned, and discovered more success in racing.

Tommy White, aka Tomasso Blanco, is our latest guest on the Racing Nuggets Podcast. Most people are familiar with Tommy as the flagman for several different series or venues, like the Midwest Tour and the Midwest Trucks.

Most people don't realize just how close he was to Midwest short-track legend Joe Shear or how much first-hand racing history he has been a part of from years of being around racing.

Sit back and enjoy some great stories from Tommy White.

Luke Fenhaus is our guest in this episode. He chats about his first experience driving in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for ThorSport and future events with the team. Learn some of the things that make this young hotshoe tick, a little more about his background, and his upcoming racing plans for the remainder of the 2024 season. 

Levon Van Der Geest joins us on the Racing Nuggets Podcast to chat about his efforts behind the wheel of the #23 super late model race car, how his learning curve is getting better for helping to set the car up for success, and his work with the Kulwicki Driver Development Program. ALSO: You'll never guess where the #23 comes from in his family!

In this episode of the Racing Nuggets Podcast, we sit down with photographer QC Willy, aka William Prutz. He often shoots photos at State Park Speedway in Wausau, Golden Sands Speedway in Plover, and many other venues across the Midwest.

Chris Weinkauf is arguably one of the most liked drivers in Wisconsin. He's seemingly a friend to everyone and always takes the time for fans after piloting his sweet-looking #75 around various tracks across the Midwest. Lately, Weinkauf has been focusing on mentoring and being crew chief to Levon Van Der Geest, an up-and-coming driver who has started making some noise in super late model circles. 

Listen in as we hear Weinkauf's racing origin story, his plans for 2024, and some of his adventures throughout his career, which started in 1990.