The High School Racing Association (HSRA) officially closed out the 2023 race season in Wisconsin and Illinois with the presentation of the year-end awards, recognizing high school racers from the past season for their accomplishments.
The HSRA features high school-aged drivers in competition throughout the summer race season at both asphalt and dirt race tracks across Wisconsin and Illinois.
More than 30 high school racers competed between the eight participating tracks in 2023 and vied for the top spot. Ultimately, Mitchell Berg of Melrose-Mindoro High School was crowned the HSRA series and Wisconsin state champion for 2023 and recipient of scholarships from Wehrs Machine and the Racing for Jason #24 race team as well as a champion ring from Jostens. Ryatt Dobbratz of Royall High School finished two points behind Berg for second place, with Curtis Hellickson also of Royall finishing third.
2023 was the first season an Illinois State Champion was crowned with the addition of Sycamore and Macon Speedways. The inaugural Illinois State Champion was Garet Martz of Okaw Valley High School. Jackson Martindale of Stillman Valley High School finished second and Austin Adams of Shelbyville High School finished third.
Caleb Arneson of Melrose-Mindoro High School was awarded Rookie of the Year after his first season of competition.
In addition to individual points awarded by HSRA, school champions are also crowned each season. In 2023, Melrose-Mindoro High School was the School Champion, with Royall High School finishing third and Stillman Valley High School finishing third.
Jostens and Women in Motorsports North America partnered together in 2023 to present the SHEro award to recognize and celebrate women in the motorsports industry. We’re incredibly excited that one of our HSRA racers, Trinity Aasen of Whitehall High School, was selected for the 2023 Women in Motorsports SHEro Award.
Martindale competed in 19 HSRA races in 2023 from Sycamore and Macon Speedways in Illinois to Slinger, Madison and Beaver Dam in Wisconsin. He competed in the most races of all HSRA racers in the series and really put on the miles to race as much as he could. For these reasons, Martindale was awarded a Competition Achievement Award by HSRA Director, Jonathan Eckelberg.
Many of the HSRA sanctioned tracks crown track champions as well. Those champions for 2023 were:
Dells Raceway Park – Curtis Hellickson, Royall High School
La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway – Braydon Lockington, Melrose-Mindoro High School
Slinger Super Speedway – Jackson Martindale, Stillman Valley High School
Tomah-Sparta Speedway – Ryatt Dobbratz, Royall High School
The group’s goal is to provide young adults with an economical way to enter stock car racing and keep younger generations interested in the sport.
The HSRA features American Production six-cylinder sedans with various safety enhancements. The driver’s high school colors and mascot must be incorporated into the paint scheme of the car’s roof at a minimum. Students entering their freshman year of high school, current high school students as well as those just graduating from high school, with a minimum age of 14 and maximum age of 19 are eligible to compete. A complete set of rules and regulations can be found on the Official HSRA website at highschoolracing.org.
Racing facilities interested in hosting HSRA events, or students who want to learn more, are encouraged to contact Jonathan Eckelberg, HSRA Director at jon@highschoolracing.org or 608-769-3903.