The 38th Annual Kent Pearson Memorial Stateline Challenge set for Friday night at Norway Speedway is considered one of the elite races in the Midwest. Johnny Sauter, above, will be driving a car owned by Coleman Racing Products of Menominee. (Nigel Kinrade Photography)

This Friday night at Norway Speedway will be the running of the 38th annual Kent Pearson Memorial Stateline Challenge. This is one of the elite races in the Midwest that challenges Michigan’s best late model short track racers against Wisconsin’s best short track racers.

Over the years the races attracted some of the best late model stock car drivers in the country, including NASCAR’s Dick Trickle, Matt Kenseth and most recently Johnny Sauter.

Sauter, who hails from Necedah, Wis., has raced at every level in NASCAR and was the 2016 and 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion. Also, he was the 2017 Oktoberfest winner and 2001 ASA (American Speed Association) National Tour champion.

Sauter will be driving a car owned by Coleman Racing Products of Menominee.

Other notable entries include: former Norway Speedway champion Dan Lindsley of Vulcan; WIR (Wisconsin International Raceway) champion Andy Monday of Appleton, Wis.; Appleton’s Louis Goss, who had a short stint in NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series; Marshfield Super Speedway’s former track champion Darren Jackson; Justin Mondeik of Gleason, Wis., who has won three features at Norway Speedway this year; 2021 track champion Chad Butz of Howard, Wis.; Neenah’s Braison Bennett, currently one of the hottest racers and coming off feature wins at Norway and Wisconsin International Raceway; and Brandon Reichenberger of Appleton, whose father, Mike, is a Norway Speedway champion and former Stateline Challenge winner.

Capable local drivers looking for their first Kent Pearson Memorial Stateline Challenge win include Kingsford’s Jason Wells, who is second in championship points; also from Kingsford, Scott Stanchina, who is currently ranked fourth in championship points; and Spread Eagle’s Bruce White will also be competing in his 38th Stateline Challenge.

Dark horse drivers that have shown promise include: Will Timmers of Kaukauna, Wis.; Cory Cootware of Kingsford; and Greg Haese of Manitowoc, Wis.; 2021 Super Stock champion Joey Pontbriand of Norway and Robby Iverson of Hyde.

That’s the current list. More drivers will be signing up between now and Friday.

Norway Speedway is located on US-8 in Norway and will have the area’s first fireworks display of the holiday weekend. The gates open at 5 p.m. Concessions will be available and carry-ins are allowed.

Adult tickets are $14, seniors and students are $10, Family Pass (2 adults and 2 students) $30, Active military and children under 6 are free.

For more information, visit online at www.norwayspeedway.com and www.facebook.com/norwayspeedway.

See you at the track.