HIBBING—Few drivers turned as many laps on area dirt tracks as Tommy Waseleski.
With the Hibbing Raceway 2024 dirt track racing season just around the corner, the late Waseleski is being honored.
A Tommy Waseleski Memorial Race at Hibbing Raceway, Friday, July 12, will remember Waseleski, one of the areas most competitive and top-tier drivers
Waseleski, of Hibbing, passed away unexpectedly in September.
“When he died, I felt so bad for the family and the kids,” Jeff Provinzino, a Late Model driver from Hibbing said. “I was thinking we gotta’ do something for this guy. I just figured this guy deserves a memorial race. Everybody knew him and he was a fierce competitor for many years.”
After talking with Waseleski’s family, Provinzino forged ahead in helping organize the memorial race.
“Jeff brought it up to me after the funeral,” Tommy Waseleski Jr., one of Waseleski’s sons said. “He said, ‘We should do a memorial race for your dad’. He took the ball and started doing stuff. He’s good at drumming up money and getting people involved. He took it to the (Iron Range Racing Association) board and it was passed by the board.”
Waseleski competed in dirt track racing for more than three decades.
Of the more than 30 years, 27 years were in the high-powered Late Model division.
Waseleski wore the No. 1 on the side of his red race car.
In honor of Waseleski’s No 1., the 41-lap memorial Late Model feature race will pay the winner $11,111.
Overall, the memorial race Late Model purse will be more than $35,000, Provinzino said.
“It’s a good purse,” Provinzino said. “It’s probably the best purse they’ve ever paid in WISSOTA.”
Sponsors helped fund the purse, Provinzino said.
The Waseleski family also pitched in with a grass roots fundraising effort.
Dozens of friends and family are helping support the race by each sponsoring a lap for $100.
Waseleski Jr. said all 41 laps were sold quickly.
Provinzino said he expects some of the northland’s top Late Model drivers to compete in the race.
“I think you’ll see some guys you haven’t seen here for a while,” Provinzino said.
Provinzino also built a red No. 1 Tommy Waseleski tribute car for the event.
The tribute car will be at the memorial race.
“It’s tough when something like that happens,” Provinzino said of Waseleski’s passing. “At one time, he and I clashed for a year, but who doesn’t when you race. Then, we became good friends.”
Waseleski Jr. said the family is appreciative of all the support.
“It’s cool,” Waseleski Jr. said. “Up until the night of the funeral, I didn’t think about it. It’s good to honor someone. Not everyone gets a memorial race, so he must have done something special. I hope to see some of the people I grew up seeing coming to say ‘hi’ to him after the races.”
The memorial race is the same night as a city of Hibbing fireworks display.
“There’s going to be a lot of people there who haven’t been to the races in a long time,” Provinzino said. “It’s going to be a big deal. He had a lot of family and friends.”
Hibbing Raceway opens its regular season Saturday, May 11.
Grand Rapids Speedway
Grand Rapids Speedway opens its regular season Thursday, May 16.
A June 6, Midwest Modified Special pays $1,000 to win.
A June 13, Fast Lane Motorsports and Powder Coating Super Stock event is expected to a draw a strong field of cars.
A Thursday, July 11 Late Model Prelude to Hibbing Raceway’s Tommy Waseleski Memorial Race is also scheduled.
“I think it’s going to be a good season,” Ryan Aho, Grand Rapids Speedway scheduling director said. “Everybody is pretty excited to get back to racing. The track got a lot better last year. For years, it was hard to pass in three and four, but now there’s a top and bottom.”
Aho said the speedway encourages fans to visit the pits after the races.
“We want to urge people to stop down in the pits and meet the drivers,” Aho said. “That’s a big culture thing. It’s more of an event and you can find out what driver you want to cheer for.”
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