Memorial Go-Kart (MGK) Drivers
Stop at Kettle Moraine Bowl in Slinger today for the 10th Annual MGK Swap Meet and Wes Biswell Memorial Car Show from 9-1! Free Admission! Brat Fry benefitting MGK!
Tell us a little about yourself.
Cale: My name is Cale Heinonen. I drive the #17 Wiedmeyer Express kart. I am 14 years old and started racing here when I was 7. I was one of the first 7-year-olds able to race in MGK. Some of my hobbies are racing, baseball, and lifting weights.
Chase: Hi, my name is Chase Heinonen. I’m 12 years old and am in the 6th grade at Kewaskum Middle School. I have been racing at Slinger since I was seven. I enjoy playing baseball, basketball, football, and of course racing. I’m really looking forward to this season!
Tell us about the Memorial Go-Kart Inc. program.
Cale: MGK is about being a good teammate and a good sport. It is also about valuing the little things in life. MGK is very fun and I hope when I am done racing karts that I can still help out.
Chase: MGK is a program started I think around 2007 or 2008 in remembrance of Parker Klumb’s dream to build a go-kart and race it. A bunch of his friends reached out to some neighbors and, next thing you know, neighbors and local racers got together and made it happen It’s continued to grow each year. We were lucky enough to meet Parker’s friends, the original “dream team”, a couple summers ago at our other mentor, Brad Oelhafen’s, shop while we were working on the karts. It was really cool the stories they told and you could see it brought back happy memories for them. Along with trying to keep Parker’s dream alive, MGK is also responsible for raising money for scholarships for area youth. It’s really cool and fun to be a part of.
Why did you choose to start racing go-karts?
Cale: I heard about MGK from Randy Gindt. He reached out to my dad to see if we would be interested and of course my dad didn’t even finish the sentence before I said yes. I love racing and come most Sundays with my dad and brother.
Chase: My dad really loves racing and my older brother was racing and would tell me how cool and fun it was. It’s fun to learn how to fix things too (even though we goof around a lot).
What do you like about Slinger Super Speedway?
Cale: I love the food, especially the cheese curds. I love the smell of race gas and burning rubber. My dad and I always have to smell the race gas when we get there. And we are very spoiled to have some of, if not the best, short track racing on asphalt in Wisconsin only 15 minutes away.
Chase: Well, my dad has been bringing me to the track since I was probably two. I didn’t like the races much then, but I go with my dad almost every week now. I like how fast the track is and the side by side racing. My dad spots for Brad Keith and I like listening to them on the scanner. And who could leave out their awesome burgers and famous fries, possibly changing to T’s famous fries this season.
Who do you need to thank?
Cale: I need to thank my mom (Tracy) and dad (Brian), Brad and Heather Oelhafen, Randy Gindt, Corey. Also a huge thank you to my sponsor Pete Wiedmeyer from Wiedmeyer Express, and to all my fellow race fans.
I also want to say a special thanks to Kathy Fies, without your passion to help others I probably never would have had this opportunity. And thank you to the safety workers and everyone behind the scenes of MGK
Chase: Boy this list could go on forever, but I most certainly need to thank Kathy Fies for everything she’s done to get this started and going this long. I bet they never thought it would grow to what it’s become. I have to thank my mentors, Paul Sworske, Brad Oelhafen, my dad, and my brother; my sponsors: Let’s Get Roasted Pig Roast & Catering and Jugs Hitching Post; my mom; and of course all my fans. I also want to say thank you to all the other various sponsors who help all of us get to the track and race.
If you could bring one fictional character to life, who would you choose and why?
Cale: Bugs Bunny because why not? I mean who doesn’t want to hang out and meet Bugs Bunny, right?
Chase: I guess Rocky because I love his movies and he would be cool to hang out with.
How did you get your kart number?
Cale: When Randy asked me to race, that was the last kart that was available. Not real sure how it came to be. That’s all I really remember, I mean I was only seven!
Chase: As legend has it, Austin Sworske really liked Dale Earnhardt, Jr and he was in the 88 car at the time, so I guess you could say Dale Jr is how we got our number.
Which Slinger driver (past or present) do you respect the most?
Cale: I really respect Brad Keith. I really have fun watching and listening to him and my dad while he’s racing. And his car is one of the coolest looking.
Chase: I like Brad Keith; he’s always been really cool to me. He’s a good racer and I think he has been getting better every year. He drives hard and gives respect to the other racers. I do like Lowell Bennett too.
Do you see yourself moving into other divisions at Slinger after go-karts?
Cale: I would like to, but it depends on how my baseball future goes. I would love to go into Late Models or Super Late Models!
Chase: I would like to. To start out, obviously Slinger Bees, but it would be cool to be in a Late Model or Super Late Model!
What is your favorite memory at Slinger Super Speedway?
Cale: Lots of good memories! When my dad drove me in the ride-around for a few laps. He borrowed Scott Goetzke’s car and rode me around for a few laps!
Chase: There’s a lot! When I got my first win, that was pretty cool! I had been close to first so many times…I was so happy! Or, when I got second place at the last race – the Tribute Night last year.
