2018 WISSOTA Street Stock National Champion Justin Vogel had some extra drive to try for his second national title during the 2023 season and was able to accomplish his ultimate goal by winning the ’23 championship after a long and hard-fought battle that came down to the final weekend of the season.
Vogel’s dear friend Asha Gregory’s battle with cancer unfortunately ended this past spring and after a conversation with her husband Dustin, the decision was made to wrap the car pink and try to win a national title for Asha in 2023. The goal was accomplished and Vogel was able to pay a special tribute to his friend in the process.
During the course of the 2023 season, Justin entered 71 events and won 24 times at 9 different tracks, including three of his first four starts to being the season. Several of his ‘big wins’ included several Street Stock Tour races, the special at Renegade Speedway, the Labor Day special at Viking Speedway and a WISSOTA 100 qualifying night at I-94 emr Speedway. Justin was also crowned as the Dirt Race Central Street Stock Tour Champion this season and won the Minnesota Street Stock State Championship as season’s end as well.
Several memorable moments Justin picked out from the season included ‘trading multiple slide jobs with Kolton Brauer at Fiesta City Speedway one night. Borrowing Bryan Crandall’s car and after sucking in the heat race to winning the b-main, starting 23rd in the feature and nearly winning it, coming home third. Trading slider after slider with Tucker Pederson at Buffalo River and winning the Autumn Classic in late September at Casino Speedway, which gave us the national point lead for good.’
When asked about what it means to win his second national title, Justin said ‘being able to back up winning a National Championship with a battle that was so close it came down to the last few nights and although it was the most stressful, at the same time it was the biggest adrenaline rush I’ve ever had as well.’
Vogel’s #10 Streeter carries sponsorship from Brooten Auto Parts, Minnesota Truck Headquarters, Extreme Auto & Gas, Wix Filters, Zorbas on the Lake, Custom Duct, Kandi Water Conditioning, JDR Performance, RJ’s Mini Mart, JS Small Engine Repair, Tom Kraemer Inc., Tom’s Backhoe, Zeuli’s Race Engines & Machine Shop, Red Line Graphix, First Rate Glass, Bonanza Valley State bank, Segaar Farms, Heartthrob Exhaust, Fauskee Oil Co., Pipe Detectives, Henke Farms, Anderson Farms, Grandma Lynn, Mid Central concrete, Derich Trucking, Lakes Area Design Metal works, Marvs Wheel & Brake, Busch Light, Madison Bottling Company, Fast Shafts and Mulder Fab. He is supported on and off the track by his family and friends Scott, Lauren, Andrew, Jackman, Dustin, Jean, Jessica, Jasmine, Kason and Aubrey.
The 2022 season was one of many races, miles, victories, but most importantly memories along the way. When asked to recap his season, Justin said ‘I’d like to shed some light on how incredibly strong the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place drivers are, all racing with either their father or mother battling cancer. It was truly an honor racing with all these incredible young drivers. I’d also like to address how insanely competitive the class has become. I’ve been racing since 2006 in a Streeter and I don’t think it’s ever been this competitive! The top 30 in national points can easily win on any given night.’
At the conclusion of the 2023 season, Vogel amassed 3325 points and was able to win the title by just 16 markers over runner-up Braden Brauer when the final points were tallied.
As of today, Justin plans to continue to compete in the both the Street Stock as usual and to get the Super Stock out for the first-time next year as well.
Congrats!
The WISSOTA Promoters Association exists to benefit its member tracks to enhance safe, profitable and successful dirt track racing, through unified, cost-effective rules, policies and procedures, enacted within a democratic environment.
The WISSOTA Promoters Association was founded in 1981 by eight track promoters in Wisconsin and Minnesota, with intent to offer uniform rules for the promoters and drivers involved in the Late Model division. Soon, the group decided to do the same for the growing Modified division.
In 1984 a voluntary steering committee was formed to oversee the business aspects that developed and to guide the future of WISSOTA’s racing divisions. That steering committee evolved into a board of directors, and the non-profit racing organization became incorporated in 1986.
Promoters who join the organization become, in essence, part owners of the racing organization and are expected to contribute to its overall success. Each November, the WISSOTA annual meeting is held; the member promoters gather annually in this forum to discuss the future of the organization. Member promoters are given the opportunity to vote on all organizational policies and procedures as well as rules for competition in the various racing divisions. WISSOTA’s member promoters and racing associations have spent approximately 30 years of hard work at the annual meetings crafting unique rules for each of the divisions, which are known as WISSOTA Late Models, WISSOTA Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks, WISSOTA Street Stocks, WISSOTA Mod Fours, WISSOTA Pure Stocks and WISSOTA Hornets.
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