We have a star-studded lineup of drivers with extremely impressive resumes, tons of track championships, and one of our former greats making a cameo to prep for our ASA show on June 21.

Two-time Norway Speedway track champion Dan Lindsley of Norway will have his beautiful No. 79 Coca-Cola late model that looked impressive in practice. Two more track champions in attendance include last year’s champion and Multi Auto Value Super Stock Champion Joey Pontbriand from Norway. The 2023 Coca-Cola Late Model champion, Kingsford’s Scott Stanchina, has completely gone through his race car apparently not liking his second place finish last year and is coming locked and loaded.

Another local driver, Cory Cootware of Kingsford, really put the pressure on Stanchina last year vying for that runner-up spot falling six points shy. He will definitely be looking for his first Norway championship.

There’s a surprise entry for this Friday night and he’s a good one — 2022 Norway Speedway Coca-Cola Late Model track champion Justin Mondeik from Gleason, Wis., will be in attendance with his first-class family racing operation. I mentioned a few years ago that Mondeik was Wisconsin’s next NASCAR hopeful and since then he has competed in a few races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He’s as good as they get at our track when he is on his game.

(NASCAR photo) Friday’s field at Norway Speedway includes former track champion Justin Mondeik of Gleason, Wis., who has competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Spread Eagle’s living legend Bruce White will be competing in his 50th year of racing at Norway Speedway. What makes this an even greater feat is he can still race with the best of them on any given Friday night. The iconic orange and black No. 23 is a Norway Speedway Hall of Fame member.

Last year during the Dickinson County Fair 100 Escanaba’s Joey Stankowicz was in absolute complete control of the 100-lap main event leading it at the 50 lap mark by several car lengths. He is definitely a dark horse, but absolutely able of competing for his first championship.

Another surprising entry for Friday night is 2022 Coca-Cola Late Model feature winner Mike Lantagne from Vulcan. Lantagne was at the top of his game when he had to suddenly step away and focus on his career, which includes leaving the country on many occasions. Hopefully he’ll have some time off of work this summer where he can compete on a weekly basis.

Iron Mountain’s Parker Summerfield in his sophomore season definitely has the race car and team to perform at a very high level and win his first feature events. At the age of 17 he improved probably more than anyone from the beginning of the season to the end of last season. He will once again have a beautiful racy-looking top-notch car prepared by his father. He will need to avoid the sophomore jinx, which he is very capable of doing.

Norway Speedway’s late great Hall of Famer Alan Yelle, who had 60 years racing, has his granddaughter Abi carrying on the family tradition. Abi was another one of the surprises at practice last week putting down some amazing laps on used tires. Due to her graduation next Friday, her brother Zach who is a dirt driver will be running the car.

Another entry that started coming on late last year is Green Bay’s Alyssa Larson. She got her start by being a successful talented go-kart racer and went from Wisconsin sport trucks to late models successfully. She then stepped away from the sport to focus on schooling and returned last year and was shaking off the rust a little each week. She’s due for a breakout season.

So, like I said Friday night the stars are coming out and it should be a great field.

In the Auto Value Super Stock division defending champion Upper Pine Creek’s Ryan Wender is going to be defending his crown with a strong military presence. The U.S. Army and The Veterans Suicide Hotline Dial 988 have become major sponsors at Norway Speedway. Wender, a military veteran, is a three-time champion and will be returning in the Edelweiss Farm Camaro that was prepared by Mike Pontbriand. Wender will be missing three events in which multi-champion Joey Pontbriand will be pulling double duty.

Marquette County’s Jeremy Yelle had his breakout season last year and if it wasn’t for a few mechanical problems, he might have enjoyed his first track championship in the division.

Another strong candidate for their first track championship is the father and son team of Kevin and Lukas Peterson. I’m not sure what their plan is as far as who is driving and when, but when Lukas was driving last year at the end of the season, he may have been the fastest car in the field. The whole family is experienced, dedicated, talented, and they are ready.

Hermansville’s Dean Bellmore is another young driver with a great attitude and has experience in Victory Lane winning championships in the Whelen Fab 4 division and moving up in the Auto Value Super Stock division and winning his first feature in a short period of time.

Niagara’s Payton Linder, who won her first race last year in the Auto Value Super Stock division, is now pulling double duty and running a late model on Thursday at Wisconsin International Raceway and her super stock on Friday at Norway. Payton, a junior at Kingsford High School, also cut her teeth in the go-kart circuit and it’s paid big dividends for her. She has a beautiful car and a fresh motor and is determined to make a difference.

Our rookie class of the Auto Value Super Stocks is the biggest and best we’ve had in many years. Right now, it looks like Norway’s Andy Secrist and Kingsford’s, Zach Hanson have the upper hand and have been putting down some amazing laps in practice. Norway’s Joe Ostermann, Norway’s Tim Pollard, and Peshtigo’s Stewart Hornick all could create an immediate positive impact on the level of competition in the division.

Part-timers or actually Fast 5 competitors John Komp, Greg Anderson, Mike Bubloni and a couple others could show up and win on any given night.

Qualifying is at 5:30 p.m. Friday and racing starts at 7.

Dress like you’re going to a Green Bay Packers football game. But there is no rain in the forecast. See you at the track!