20-YEAR-OLD SKYLAR WRACKING UP BACK-TO-BACK TOP TENS IN THE ASAMT
(Wednesday, August 25, 2010) “I always knew that I wanted to be a race car driver.” These were the words of driver, Skylar Holzhausen from LaCrosse, WI. Skylar grew up in central Wisconsin spending his summers watching his dad Steve race at venues such Dells Raceway Park, LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway, and Marshfield Motor Speedway. What many do not realize is that Skylar is actually a third generation driver. The family tradition started with Skylar’s grandfather Bud, who raced midgets and open-wheel on dirt.
Skylar’s racing background has proven to have made an impact on the soon-to-be 21-year-old. In 1999, Holzhausen started racing go-karts. In 2001 he won 15 out of 18 events and a go-kart championship. In 2006 and 2007, Skylar started racing weekly late models at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway and in 2008 he changed venues racing weekly at Dells Raceway Park. As his career continued to grow, he found himself racing in both the Big 8 Series, as well as the Wisconsin Challenge Series in 2009. He wrapped up a weekly win at Marshfield and also won the Fall Spectacular at Marshfield Motor Speedway in 2009.
His recent third place finish in the American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and grandstay.net event at Marshfield should come as no surprise. In fact, during the race it felt like a routine event as he raced against other local drivers such as Mark Eswein and Eugene Gregorich Jr. It was not until the event was over that the caliber of drivers that he beat sunk in. “At the end of the race it was like I finally realized who I had actually beat. I was like, wow I beat Steve Carlson, Nathan Haseleu and Tim Schendel amongst others,” he said with modesty.
The Marshfield 100 was the third ASAMT event Holzhausen had raced so far in 2010. His first visit came at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids earlier this season, a track he had never been to. After qualifying 25th and working his way up to fourth in the last chance race, Skylar finished an impressive 13th in his first ASAMT event in 2010 and first ever visit to Hawkeye Downs.
On August 14th, the ASAMT headed to familiar turf for the Wisconsin Dells 100. His dad had a lot of success at the track over the years and Skylar has been following in those footsteps winning a weekly feature event in 2008. He qualified 12th for the Super Late Model event and finished in the top ten. However, he was less than satisfied with an eighth place finish. “I was not really happy with my performance at the Dells. I thought I had a better car than I did and I just couldn’t go anywhere.” While he may not have been pleased with his finish, his expectations going into each ASAMT was to finish in the top ten or top five. I would say two out of three is not bad.
As expected, Skylar’s heroes in racing were of course is father, grandfather and uncles. But even though he was young and his dad was his hero as most are at that age, spotting talent in other drivers is something that young drivers can not always keenly recognize. Many times young kids who are able to see how drivers on the track are driving the car, how the car is handling and their ability to move through the field are the ones who are able to apply those things when they get behind the wheel.
In fact, Skylar recalled an ARTGO event at the Dells when he was quite young. His dad had dropped out out early. With his dad out of the race, his mom asked him who was going to win and without hesitation he said, “Joe Shear!” He added, “As soon as my dad had wrecked, I remember watching Joe moving up through the field and the way he was driving and how the car looked, I just knew that he was going to the front and he was always my next pick to my dad.”
While he may have had other heroes as he grew up, there are certain things about his father’s driving style that he hopes to emulate. Steve Holzhausen has always been known as a smooth, consistent driver and that is something Skylar hopes he too will be recognized for. He would like to emulate not only his dad but other drivers, even some dirt drivers who are “smooth and never out of shape.”
As a young driver, Skylar Holzhausen has a very mature outlook on racing and his goals for the future. What he remembers most from each ASAMT event so far this year is not so much the things he did right, but what he could have done better and the things he learned that he can improve on for the next race.
Family traditions mean something different to each person. It is the deep racing roots and family traditions that motivate Skylar to keep racing. “I love listening to all of the old stories and all the fun after the races and I want to be able to continue to add to those memories and keep the family tradition alive.” Well he is certainly off to a pretty good start. Pending sponsorship, Skylar’s goals for 2011 include running the full ASA Midwest Tour schedule as well as some nationally known events, such as the famed Snowball Derby.
One thing is for sure, if Skylar Holzhausen joins the ASAMT full-time in 2011, fans are sure to see more of his expectations fulfilled and drivers will have another tough competitor who will be filling up their rearview mirrors and hoping to put them in his.
Update on Steve Holzhausen
On Saturday, August 14th at Dells Raceway Park, Steve Holzhausen made significant contact with the turns three and four wall during a practice session. He was transported to the hospital with a laceration to his chin and injuries to both his left leg and ankle. According to Skylar, his dad had surgery on his leg and ankle last Friday night and is now recovering at home. The Holzhausen family appreciates all of the thoughts and prayers for his recovery and we will continue to keep you updated as information is received.
To learn more about the American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and GrandStay Residential Suites Hotels and Crossings by GrandStay Inn & Suites, log on to http://www.asamidwesttour.com or call the ASA Midwest Tour office at (262) 514-3880 or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@asamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@asamidwesttour.com.
If you would like to learn more about the ASAMT series sponsors, please visit their websites: Kwik Trip, Inc. (http://www.kwiktrip.com), ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment (http://www.echo-usa.com), and GrandStay Residential Suites Hotels and Crossings by GrandStay Inn & Suites (http://www.grandstay.net).
To learn more about the Midwest Sportsman Tour log on to http://www.asamidwestsportsman.com.
To learn more about the ASA Midwest Truck Tour log on to http://www.asamidwesttrucks.com.
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