West Salem, WI- He won Fest in 1991 and again in 1992. Tom Carlson twice bested the ARTGO Challenge Series Oktoberfest field, joining Midwest racing legend Larry Detjens as the only back to back winners of the annual racing festival to that point. For the 51st annual Oktoberfest Race Weekend, October 8-11, 2020, Carlson and his familiar #51 will again compete at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway, now racing a new car and in a new division for the veteran driver who returned to racing in 2017 after a 17 year absence.
Carlson looks to pilot his recently built ‘602 Late Model’ to victory in Sunday’s (October 11) Gandrud Chevrolet Cratetoberfest Challenge. The winner of that event will pocket $1,000 as well as a brand new 602 crate engine from Gandrud Chevrolet with one additional competitor in the mixed field of divisions winning another 602 power plant via random draw. Carlson, who has run a part time schedule in the NASCAR Kwik Trip Late Models the past few seasons at LaCrosse as #55 has now turned his attention to the outlaw bodied, crate engine powered ‘602 Late Model’ division and will once again have #51 on his door.
“When I returned to racing, Justin Mullikin was using number 51, so 55 became my number. I never really had much luck with that number, so I am glad to be number 51 again.” Noted Carlson, the older brother of seven-time LaCrosse Late Model Champion Steve Carlson. To his credit, Tom Carlson, the 1987 ARTGO Rookie of the Year and two time Oktoberfest winner netted a thrilling LaCrosse Late Model last chance victory with a final lap pass on the outside at Fest in 2018 and has recorded a pair of heat race wins in the ultra-competitive division at the 5/8 mile paved fairgrounds oval since his return to racing.
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A total of 17 divisions of racing action will make up the 51st Oktoberfest Race Weekend October 8-11, 2020. For additional information including Schedules, Rules, Camper Village information, Registration and more, visit www.oktoberfestraceweekend.com or call 608-786-1525.