CARROLL, Iowa – Creating a multi-day tour is a lot of work, but Tim Skaren has become a one-man band when it comes to the Midwest Madness Tour, a five-day series that runs IMCA-sanctioned divisions.
The Iowan resident has a management position at Harley Davidson in the town of Carroll and has continuously worked toward the upcoming season set for June 26-30.
Skaren is also looking into the possibility of promoting a race track, perhaps as early as next season.
The 32-year-old has never raced but has always been interested in the promotional side of the sport.
“I grew up going to race tracks with family and friends three of four times a week,” Skaren said. “Kind of a super fan, I guess you’d call it. In 2012 a group of friends and I started posting results of races we went to, then started touring around and going to different tracks, seeing how they were run.”
He created the Facebook page Western Iowa Racing Results, which serves as an outlet for the latest Midwest Madness Tour news.
The Midwest Madness Tour averaged 139 cars this past season and has shown significant growth the first three years.
“I run the tour by myself, pretty much, but I have six or seven people who help me out on the side, but I promote it myself, do all the advertising myself, and get sponsors,” Skaren said. “It started when Rod Olson (former Western Iowa promoter) called me three-and-a-half years ago and said he was going to get a tour together and he wanted me to help him out and co-promote it.
“It took us about two weeks to get set and have tracks on board that first year. That first year was kind of an entry level struggle kind of year and since then more sponsors have been added each year. The first year we lost money, we didn’t pay anybody (helpers) since we couldn’t. (The) second year we didn’t pay anybody either as we were able to just break even. Last year Rod didn’t have the time and dropped out so it was the first year I did it on my own.”
Last year, with more sponsorship on board, the tour turned its first profit and was able to pay the people who worked during the five-day series.
Skaren pays the point fund thanks to sponsors and continued growth of streaming income.
Other types of tours have been considered as an addition to the IMCA tour, such as a sprint car tour (RaceSavers) or late model tour.
There aren’t as many race cars in Western Iowa as opposed to the East Coast, so drawing cars from a distance would be necessary.
Skaren is still looking at another opportunity.
“I’ve been talking with a race track about promoting it next year,” said Skaren, “if I get the lease done soon. It’s in Onawa, Blackbird Bend Speedway, which closed back in 2010 because of the floods. The Missouri River flooded the casino and track but since then they put a berm around the track so if it flooded again it would protect the casino.
“I want to run a limited schedule, five races is what we talked about with the tribe, similar to Spencer on Monday nights, unsanctioned and not competing with Spencer. I think the location is pretty good, it’s between Omaha and Sioux City and can draw cars from north and south.
“The facility is good, stands are still there, all the lights and PA system work, still have concession stands and bathrooms and everything is good there, and they have some of the equipment still there,” Skaren added. “I have been talking with Brad Appleton who is the general manager for the casino.”
But Skaren said timing might make it more difficult to secure an arrangement. One item is the berm needs a rebuild and that cannot be done until early spring.