Meet the RaceStar Correspondents

Below is a list of the dedicated individuals who help RaceStar to bring you the lastest in area racing news coverage. It is with their fine work that RaceStar is able to bring you the best stories possible. Would you like to join Team RaceStar?

Name: Tony Baranek Hometown: Worth, IL What do you do for RaceStar?: Provide stories about Illiana Speedway. What track do you generally cover? For the Southtown, I cover Grundy and Illiana, and the NASCAR events at Joliet. Favorite kind of racing: Oval Who is your favorite professional driver: Haven't really had one since D.W. retired. Full time or personal Occupation: Sportswriter for Daily Southtown Newspaper Hobbies: Baseball

Name: Jeffrey A. Bayless Hometown: Reynolds, IN What do you do for RaceStar?: Correspondent What track do you generally cover? Dirt tracks abroad Favorite kind of racing: Dirt Track Who is your favorite professional driver: Mark Martin & Tony Stewart Full time or personal Occupation: Work at SIA in Lafayette, IN Hobbies: Football, Racing, and Jesus Christ

Name: Paul D. Bayne Hometown: Valparaiso, IN, formerly of Lockport, NY What do you do for RaceStar?: I submit results, points, and recaps from area racing events. What track do you generally cover? Crown Point Speedway Favorite kind of racing: Probably Dirt Late Models, with DIRT modifieds a close second. Also like UMP modifieds and USAC midgets. Who is your favorite professional driver: Has to be Jeff Gordon. On a more regional level I'll say Wes Steidinger and Ryan Dauber. Full time or personal Occupation: Investment castings press operator and parent. Hobbies: Spending loads of time with my daughter, watching TV, movies, dining out with friends, rest & relaxation.

Name: Rich Boteler, AKA RacerRich Hometown: Shelby, Indiana What do you do for RaceStar?: Racing Articles, Driver Stories, Track Reports What track do you generally cover? Shadyhill, Illiana, Kamp and any others I can get to. Favorite kind of racing: Dirt track ovals, NASCAR Racing & Indy 500. Who is your favorite professional driver: Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart & Ryan Newman Full time or personal Occupation: Truck Driver & Team Owner of R & D Racing. Hobbies: Most sports, especially Auto Racing, Enjoying my 2 Grandsons and Granddaughter, Beer Can Collecting. Personal website: www.Racestarpublications.com/racerrich.html

Name: Tom Botos Hometown: Indianapolis, IN What do you do for RaceStar? Writer/Photographer What track(s) do you generally cover?: I mostly cover Anderson Speedway and Mt. Lawn Speedway but travel to others when I can Favorite kind of racing: I love pavement and dirt late models and street stocks Who is your favorite professional driver?: My favorite driver is Flyin' Brian Ross from Plymouth, IN Full time or personal occupation: I am a warehouse stockfloor clerk since 1994 Hobbies: I like racing chat, karaoke, movies, music, going shopping, flea markets

Name: Jenna Clows Hometown: Sarasota, FL What do you do for RaceStar?: Photographer What track do you generally cover? Any one I'm at :) - Mostly Florida tracks Favorite kind of racing: NASCAR, Midgets, Sprints Who is your favorite professional driver(s): Kasey Kahne Full time or personal Occupation: Systems Analyst Hobbies: Racing TQ midgets, Traveling, Football, Hockey

Name: Sherry DePoy Hometown: South Bend, Indiana (originally from Shelbyville, Michigan) What do you do for RaceStar?: Provide race results articles and miscellaneous driver profiles. What track do you generally cover? Favorite kind of racing: Local stock car racing, ARCA, NASCAR, NHRA Who is your favorite professional driver: Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Ryan Newman, David Stremme. Full time or personal Occupation: Officer Assistant for the Vice President and General Counsel at the University of Notre Dame. Hobbies: Camping, attending boys sporting events, spending time with my friends.

Name: Kevin Fox Hometown: Mishawaka, Indiana now residing in Venice, Florida What do you do for RaceStar?: Editorial motor sport columns and coverage of Florida Speed Weeks What track do you generally cover? Charlotte County Motorsports Park, East Bay Raceway Park, Desoto Super Speedway Favorite kind of racing: Any type of Asphalt and Dirt circle track racing Who is your favorite professional driver(s): David Stremme, Tony Stewart, Jeep Van Wormer, Don O'Neal Full time or personal Occupation: Master Certified Service Administrator and Master Certified Automotive Technician for Mercedes-Benz Hobbies: Auto Racing, Auto Racing Journalism, Working on Cars, Collecting Auto Racing Memorabilia, R/C Racing, Watching Ice Hockey

Name: Gary Gasper Hometown: Valparaiso, IN What do you do for RaceStar?: Part-time, semi-professional race photographer Tracks I cover: Shadyhill, Kamp, Hartford, Illiana, Kokomo and more to come! Favorite kind of racing: Any kind - Loud and Dirty! Favorite Professional driver: I prefer the guy or girl that works on their car all week to race on Saturday nights for the fun of the sport! Gary's E-mail - GaryGaspix@hotmail.com Full time or personal Occupation: Lab Technician for a Major Oil Company, Joke Teller Hobbies: Music, golf, photography, auto racing since I was 6 years old, and lampooning everything on TV

Name: Betty Glynn Hometown: LaSalle, IL What do you do for RaceStar?: I write stories about racing events I attend, usually at LaSalle Speedway. What track do you generally cover? LaSalle Speedway Favorite kind of racing: Dirt anything but mostly Late Model also Nascar. Who is your favorite professional driver: So many so little time; Tony Stewart - I love his I'm not here to be your role model attitude. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - He is so talented and down to earth. Billy Moyer - Because he is a class act!. My husband Mike Glynn - he may not be a professional driver but his passion for racing is obvious! Full time or personal Occupation: Office Administrator of the Analytical Services, Unimin Corporation Hobbies: Racing, writing racing stories, movie going with my son, Brandon, vacationing, shopping and spending time with my family and friends.

Name: Ron Harner Hometown: Niles, MI What do you do for RaceStar?: Weekly photos at various tracks What track do you generally cover? M40 Favorite kind of racing: Any Who is your favorite professional driver: Don't have one Personal Website: www.SuperchargedPhotos.com

Name: Stan Kalwasinski Hometown: Munster, IN What do you do for RaceStar?: Correspondent What track do you generally cover? Various tracks Favorite kind of racing: stock car racing Who is your favorite professional driver: Can't really zero in on one or two drivers Full time or personal Occupation: Manager - Patten Industries, Inc., Hammond, IN Hobbies: My son Jack's stock car racing, along with writing columns for several racing publications - Midwest Racing News and National Speed Sport News and developing the www.chicagolandautoracing.com website

Name: Mike Kingma & Amy Geruska Hometown: Lowell, IN What do you do for RaceStar?: Photographers What track do you generally cover? Any track we are participating at Favorite kind of racing: Duh, Dirt Track!! Who is your favorite professional driver: Mike doesn't have one; Amy loves Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick Full time or personal Occupation: Mike is a mechanic and Farms full time/ Amy is a legal assistant and a photographer Hobbies: RACING, taking photos and just plain tinkering around the farm

Name: Kris Leach (aka MizzK) Hometown: DeMotte, IN What do you do for RaceStar?: Columnist for I-MOD Association What track do you generally cover?: Wherever I-MOD travels to Favorite Kind of Racing: I-MODs of course

Name: Steve Parkes Hometown: Gary, IN What do you do for RaceStar?: Columnist - "From the Flagstand" What track do you generally cover?: All tracks Favorite Kind of Racing: Sprints & Midgets Who is your favorite professional driver: Steve Kinser Full time or personal occupation: Auto Mechanic Hobbies: hockey, fishing & music

Name: Rocky Ragusa Hometown: Pontiac, IL (formerly Durham, NC) What do you do for RaceStar?: Photographer / write race results of events I attend What track do you generally cover?: Fairbury, IL (American Legion Speedway) but attend other tracks too Favorite kind of racing: I like it all Who is your favorite professional driver No favorite Full time or personal occupation: Material Handler at R.R. Donnelly Hobbies: photography, music, University of Maryland sports, Carolina Hurricanes hockey

Name: Kevin Ramsell Hometown: Stoughton, WI What do you do for Racestar?: Write the stories for Rockford Speedway What track do you normally cover?: Rockford Speedway, Big 8 Series, and RK Race Promotions events. Favorite kind of Racing: Stock car...anything from a weekly show to NASCAR Who is your favorite Professional Driver: Matt Kenseth, Todd Kluever, Travis Kvapil, Scott Wimmer...need to support the local boys Full Time or Personal Occupation: Work for an American Family Insurance agent, also write the weekly auto racing column for Wisconsin Sports Weekly, and do Public Relations for Rockford Speedway, Big 8 Series and RK Race Promotions Hobbies: Going to Disney Theme Parks and cheering on the Colorado Avalanche

Name: Bill Satek Hometown: Unincorperated Cook County, Illinois What do you do for RaceStar?: Writer at Large What track do you generally cover? None at this time, I write about the experience of the Saturday Night Racer Favorite kind of racing: Dirt Oval, especially Open Wheel Modifieds Who is your favorite professional driver: Steve Francis Full time or personal Occupation: Power Plant Manager Hobbies: Racing, and Falconry

Name: Carl Smith Hometown: South Bend, IN What do you do for RaceStar?: Race results What track do you generally cover? Plymouth Speedway and M40 Favorite kind of racing: Local Stock Car racing, Nascar and ASA. Who is your favorite professional driver: David Stremme and Ryan Newman. Full time or personal Occupation: Manager for Car Rental. Hobbies: Racing Personal Web Address: www.stockcarextreme.com

Name: Dawn Starek Hometown: La Mirada, CA What do you do for RaceStar: I will be writing non-race report articles Favorite kind of racing: Stock Car Who is your favorite professional driver: Jr. in WC and Mike McLaughlin in Busch Full-time or personal occupation: Office Manager Hobbies: Reading, Writing & Racing (not necessarily in that order)

Name: Dan 'Racenut' Stewart Hometown: East Peoria, IL What do you do for RaceStar?: Stories/results What track do you generally cover? Farmer City Raceway Favorite kind of racing: Dirt Late Models, modifieds, sportsman, street stocks, hornets Who is your favorite professional driver: The hard working racer who has fun and truly enjoys racing Full time or personal Occupation: Warehouseman Hobbies: running my own racing related website www.midwestdirttrackfacts.com

Name: Jack Walbring Hometown: Quincy, Illinois What do you do for RaceStar?: Write stories and results. What track do you generally cover? Quincy Raceways Favorite kind of racing: Dirt Late Models Who is your favorite professional driver: I try to not to have any one particular driver, but if I must choose, it would be Kenny Schrader. Full time or personal Occupation: Manager of Instructional Technology at John Wood Community College, I get to play with lots of high tech toys. Hobbies: Racing and playing with my grand children.

Name: Sandy Westphal Hometown: Mishawaka, IN What do you do for RaceStar?: Write a column What track do you generally cover? Generally South Bend but also report on other tracks that we travel to, including NASCAR races Favorite kind of racing: "Stock" Car (which includes NASCAR of course), also love to watch the awesome World of Outlaws, so I consider myself diversified in the types of racing I like. Who is your favorite professional driver (i.e. NASCAR, CART, IHRA...etc.): Terry Labonte has been my favorite for years but also like cheering on Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart (I like Tony because he tells it like it is). Full time or personal Occupation: Administrative Assistant in the Engineering Department at Honeywell Aircraft Landing Systems in South Bend, IN Hobbies: Racing, Racing, Racing

Name: Tom White Hometown: Algonquin, IL What do you do for RaceStar?: Submit Stories, Press Releases, Info What track do you generally cover? Illiana Motor Speedway Favorite kind of racing: Asphalt Who is your favorite professional driver: Tony Stewart Full time or personal Occupation: Lowboy Heavy Earth moving equipment hauler Hobbies: Stockcar Racing

Name: Dennis Woods Hometown: Syracuse, Indiana What do you do for RaceStar?: Photos of Plymouth Speedway What track do you generally cover? Plymouth Speedway - Plymouth, Indiana Favorite kind of racing: Short Track Racing Who is your favorite professional driver: Mark Martin Hobbies: Racing, Fishing, and Photography

Name: Dennis Yohnka Home: Joliet, IL Track: I cover races for several papers and racing publications. Sometimes I'm at the nearby Chicagoland Speedway or the Rt. 66 Raceway (drags), and sometimes the Grundy County Speedway. I used to cover LaSalle, but now my favorite is the Kankakee Motor Speedway. It was a story from Kankakee that made it into "Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Fan." Kind of Racing: Dirt tracks -- that's what I fell in love with when I saw my first race 44 years ago. Favorite Driver: Professional drivers don't thrill me -- their hands are too clean; of the current crop, I prefer guys like Kevin Weaver, Dennis Erb or Dan Schlieper. Occupation: I'm the Coordinator of Research and Marketing for Joliet Township High School District; and hope to soon run a bed and breakfast in Joliet

Other dedicated correspondents:

Larry Boos - Eldora Speedway
Andy Grod Sr. - Grundy County Speedway
Andy Grod Jr. - Grundy County Speedway Photos
Rick Isaacson (Namgalf) - Vermilion County Speedway
Dick Nevins - Hartford Speedway Park
Jack Taylor - Vermilion County Speedway
John Wells - Madison International Speedway