OREGON, Wis. — The Howie Lettow Classic 100 presented by First Business Bank will feature an astounding 14 drivers with Late Model Championships when the Stars and Cars of the ARCA Midwest Tour visit Madison International Speedway this Friday.
Capturing the $5,000-to-win event has proven to be a tough task. If Casey Johnson is able to complete the feat, he will pick up an additional $5,000 making it a $10,000 night for the current Tour point leader. A host of former winners and challengers have their sights set on winning The Howie, some for the first time, another for a third time.
The race will be broadcast live by SPEED SPORT affiliate MidwestTour.TV.
Tour Champion Casey Johnson
Johnson has won his last two Super Late Model starts at MIS and now seeks a $5,000 bonus on top of the $5,000 winner’s share Friday night if he can sweep the Super Late Model season at MIS. Johnson’s Tour season has been tough on his fellow competitors, second at Slinger, winning the Joe Shear Classic at Madison, third at Jefferson, winning at Milwaukee and a second earlier this month at WIR. In addition to three Jefferson titles, Johnson has amassed two track championships and two Red, White and Blue State Championships at Wisconsin International, two in Big 8, two Tundra titles, six Wisconsin State Championships at Jefferson, the 2013 and 2016 MIS Triple Crowns and two National Short Track Championships at Rockford Speedway.
NASCAR Champion Johnny Sauter
Sauter is back behind the wheel of his own Super Late Model, the same car that dominated the early going of the Gandrud Auto Group 250 just weeks ago at WIR before a mechanical failure ended the night for the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion. Sauter, a former winner of the Joe Shear Classic at Madison has big shoes to fill. Earlier this month his son Penn roared from the back of a 19 car Bandolero feature to claim the MIS checkered flag, becoming a third generation winner at the Oregon, Wis. speedplant. Sauter is currently sixth on the all-time Midwest Tour win list with 7 triumphs and led at the race’s midpoint, eventually finishing second in last year’s event.
Tour Winner Gabe Sommers
Sommers recorded his breakthrough win at the Larry Detjens Memorial at State Park Speedway in 2019, to date his only Tour win. He went on to become the 2019 Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year and backed up that effort with a runner-up points finish in 2020 and fifth a season ago. It has become commonplace to find the 15 car running up front, finishing second at Jefferson and Grundy while finishing third in the Gandrud Auto Group 250 earlier this month.. He currently sits second in Tour points.
Big 8 Champion Max Kahler
Kahler had the car to beat at Rockford’s Spring Classic and he delivered for his family operated team, dominating the 88 lap contest to start the Big 8 Season. Since then he has added a pair of weekly wins at the Northern Illinois quarter mile oval. The young pilot had quite the week in October of 2020, charging at the end and making a late race pass to win the National Short Track Championship at Rockford and then having trailed in the Big 8 point standings he put together an impressive run at Oktoberfest to claim the Big 8 Series title.
Tour Champion Jonathan Eilen
Eilen returned to Tour Victory Lane for the first time in over nine years at State Park Speedway in July, 86 events had passed. The 2012 ARCA Midwest Tour Champion and 2007 Tour Rookie of the Year has a total of six career feature victories including the first ever Tour event in 2007 held at his home track, Elko Speedway. Eilen, who is seventh on the all-time wins list will make his Tour Record 150th start on Friday Night. Jonathan sits third in the Tour Point Standings and won at MIS in Super Late Model action in June of 2019.
Tour Champion Ty Majeski
The all-time winningest driver in ARCA Midwest Tour history returns to Madison International Speedway looking for career Tour win No. 31. Majeski won the most recent Tour event, the Gandrud Auto Group 250 and nearly won the Detjens Memorial at Wausau until he and Johnson were sent to the rear of the field following a late race caution. The two-time Lettow Classic winner (2015, 2019) has his sights set on another big payday Friday. Majeski, a two-time Slinger Nationals winner, won the 2020 Snowball Derby at Five Flags (FL) Speedway and is in the championship battle in the NASCAR Truck Series.