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WHEN THE BAD TURNS GOOD

 Milwaukee, WI (August 24, 2008)   The day was thought to be going well as everyone made it to Milwaukee on time and the car was finished and ready for practice.  But it didn’t take long for the Eilen Motorsports team to have their day turned up side down.  Jonathan was one of the first drivers out to practice, but after driving the first half of a lap he soon realized something was not right after loosing oil pressure.  Eilen pulled the car in for his crew to look at and to their disbelief they found a broken oil pump.  It was not possible for the crew to fix the pump nor was it possible for them to take it off the back up car due to the difference in motors.  This left the Eilen Motorsports team with one choice: use the back up car.  The crew quickly unloaded the back up car (which is mostly used for shorter tracks) and began working furiously to get it ready for the big Milwaukee Mile.

  Two hours later the Eilen Motorsports team had the car ready to race but there were many questions on their minds.  Is this car set up for this track?  How is it going to handle in a 100 lap race?  With no practice, the crew and Eilen were stuck with a lot of guessing.  They were very grateful for the help that came from various crews and are pleased with everyone’s generosity.   “Without the help we got we wouldn’t have been able set this car up in time for qualifying” stated crew chief Jason Cihawk.

  Eilen qualified in the 29th position putting him on the fifteenth row, inside for the feature race. “It isn’t exactly where we wanted to be,” stated Eilen “especially since we knew how fast the other car was, but we will do with what we have and hope for the best in the feature.”

   As the feature began, Eilen’s fans watched him move his way up through the pack of cars.  “This back up car might surprise all of us!” stated a friend of Eilen.  At the fifty lap break Eilen found himself sitting in the 18th position.  The crew changed a few things during the ten minute break and with some water for the driver they were all ready to go out for the next fifty laps. 

   The Eilen Motorsports team was blessed with a few cautions that tightened up the field of cars and the fans were again astonished with the way Eilen was driving.  Jonathan proved what a talented driver he is by driving his way to finish in the 10th position.  “Wow! To come from 29th and race to finish where we did is awesome” stated a happy driver “I couldn’t have done any of this without the help of my crew.  We all worked hard to get this car ready for this afternoon’s race and it definitely showed how dedicated we all are around here.  I am very grateful to have them all on my team.”

  Eilen and his crew will spend the next week getting both cars ready for another big weekend of racing.  On Saturday, August 30th the Eilen Motorsports team will race double features at Elko Speedway and then leave immediately following the races to Norway, Michigan for Sunday’s ASAMT race.  Jonathan is also looking forward to celebrating his father’s birthday on Sunday at the race along with his own birthday on Monday, September 1st.

 

A MINNESOTA RACE WEEKEND!

 Shakopee, MN (Sunday, August 17, 2008)  With temperatures in the mid 80’s, the Eilen & Sons Motorsports team, along with many other teams, were worried about their driver surviving the heat. It was a rough start practicing, qualifying, and the feature but they made it through alright.  Lots of water was passed around as the drivers lined up. Eilen was off to a good start for the day qualifying in the “lucky 7” position.  After the invert, Jonathan started on the inside of the third row for the feature race.

 As the race got underway it was obvious that the inside grove was the favorite.  Eilen quickly proceeded to third place where he would find himself sitting in for the first seventy-five laps before being able to get around Rich Loch.  As both Eilen and Steve Carlson passed Loch, Jonathan found himself trying to play “catch-up” to Donny Reuvers while trying to hold off Carlson.

 With a caution at lap 11 Eilen had the chance to catch Reuvers, but Reuvers’ car was too strong for Eilen to challenge. “I thought I might have a run for him, but he has a lot of laps on this track, and he probably knows this track like the back of his hand,” Eilen stated. “We have only run like three nights out here, all in all it’s a good night for us.”

 Jonathan finished second and was pleased with his run. “It was a real good run for us to finish second and hold off Steve (Carlson),” Eilen stated after the race. “Donny’s car is just a little bit better than ours and just glad to bring it home in one piece.”

 The Eilen & Sons Motorsports team will travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin next weekend to race the ASAMT All Star 100 featuring Sprint Cup driver Matt Kenseth.

 Elko, MN (Saturday, August 16, 2008) Tonight was the first Race for the Championship which put the top twelve drivers thus far this season, back to zero points.  Jonathan started the night off qualifying in the fifth position putting him in the third row for the feature race. 

 Eilen started sixth in the heat race and was able to drive his way to a third place finish. “We are hoping we can finish in the top three cars with our old tires, but it will be a challenge since most of the other drivers have newer tires” stated Eilen after the heat race.

 As the feature started Jonathan was able to hold on to fifth place for the first few laps before the old tires began taking a toll on the car’s handling.  Eilen was able to finish a respectable ninth although he hoped for better. “I am just glad we are able to leave here with a top ten finish and the car in one piece” said the relieved driver “I am really looking forward to staying close to home for tomorrow’s ASAMT race at Raceway Park.”

 

Kaukauna, Wisconsin   August 5, 2008

Eilen was off to a great start Tuesday evening! He qualified tenth putting him on the pole for the feature race after the invert. “I have a good feeling about tonight” stated Eilen during the autograph session “the last time I started on the pole (in Jefferson) we lead all 100 laps and took home our first ASAMT win this year.”

  As the race started and Jonathan fell to second place, but it was only a few short laps before he would take the lead.  Eilen lead the rest of the 75 laps up to the scheduled ten minute break.  As the second half of the feature started (another 75 laps) Eilen was off to a good start, leading the first eight laps before being passed by Steve Carlson.

  Shortly after being passed, Eilen’s throttle spring broke leaving him with the choice to stay out and try to hold on or to pull off and call it a night.  Eilen without a doubt chose to continue the race and try to finish within the top ten cars without wrecking anything.

  Jonathan was able to hold on and finish a reasonable 9th place position.  “It stinks that we had to break the throttle spring, I know my car would have been a top three car with how great it was running” said Eilen after the race.

Elko Speedway -August 2nd

  It was another weekend close to home for the Eilen team as Jonathan, once again, proved that he has what it takes to be a talented driver.

  After qualifying second to Nick Murgic by two hundredths of a second, Jonathan was set to start on the front row for the heat race.  He raced his way to a first place finishing a few car lengths between him and the second place driver.

  "The car is running really well tonight" stated Eilen as he climbed from his car "I am excited to see how well it does in the feature."

  The Eilen Motorsports Team decided to take "The Challenge" and start from the back row in the feature in hopes of gaining enough points to make The Race for the Chase. For each car Eilen would pass he would receive five points.  Jonathan needed twenty extra points plus finish ahead of the driver who was currently sitting ahead of him in the point standings, to make The Chase for the Championship.

  “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy to pass everyone, but it was the chance I needed to take to gain the points needed for the Chase” exclaimed a happy driver after driving from seventeenth position to finish a respectable fifth place.  “Man! The car was awesome!” he stated with a big smile.

  The Eilen team will travel to Kaukauna, Wisconsin for the ASA Midwest Tour race on Tuesday, August 5th where guest star Kyle Busch will also be racing.

MAGNIFICENT WEEKEND FOR THE EILEN TEAM! 

Cedar Rapids, Iowa - The ASA Midwest Tour hosted their “Western Swing” this weekend.  This included races at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday night and Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa on Sunday night.

The 36th Annual Keith Fleck Miller 100 at Hawkeye Downs Speedway was a re-scheduled race that was supposed to be held on the 13th of June.  However, the event was postponed due to the recent flooding in the area.  The Eilen team did really well in all of the practices, but the car did not handle the same in qualifying as it did in practice due to a small amount of moisture on the track and a slight temperature change.  Only the top sixteen drivers are guaranteed a position in the feature, and Jonathan qualified 21st.  In order to advance to the feature, Jonathan needed to place first or second in a qualifying heat.   

“I wasn’t too nervous about the heat race since I have raced well here in past years” stated Eilen after placing second in the heat race placing him into Friday night’s feature race. 

Jonathan started in the eleventh row for the feature and raced his way up to finish in eighth place. 

“Man the car was fast!” said Eilen after the feature race. “I wish I would have qualified a little better, but I can’t complain about the car; it was awesome!” 

After the race at Hawkeye Downs Speedway the Eilen team packed up and headed to Newton, Iowa for Saturday’s practices. 

Newton, Iowa - The team encountered slight problems with the Eilen race hauler, and they were a little nervous for practice. “We have had pretty good luck the last few weeks, I just hope this doesn’t mean our luck is turning around” stated Eilen as he worked on unloading the race car. 

As practice began, the Eilen team was consistently within the top five fastest cars. “We made a few slight adjustments throughout the practices, but the car has been awesome all day.  I am anxious to see how tomorrow goes.” 

Jonathan Eilen was the second fastest driver at the end of Saturday’s practices, leaving the entire team excited for Sunday’s race. 

After a good night’s sleep, the Eilen team was ready for the Rasmussen Group Twin 75’s at Iowa Speedway..   

Morning practices went well for the Eilen team where Jonathan continued to stay within the top five fastest drivers. Without making many changes, the Eilen team was able to qualify fifth fastest with a time of 23.597, just behind Sprint Cup driver Matt Kenseth. 

“Qualifying well is defiantly a plus” stated Jonathan, “Now we need to get ready for the big race later on today.”   

With temperatures reaching the 90 degree mark, all of the race teams were worried about their driver’s health.  The Eilen team prepared for the heat with extra ice water on hand for the ten minute break between the two 75 lap races. 

After the inversion Eilen found himself sitting on the fourth row for the feature race.  As the race progressed, Eilen was consistently within the top ten drivers.  At the ten minute break Jonathan was sitting in second place and itching to get around the Sprint Cup driver Kyle Busch, who continually remained in first place.

“I know he is going to be hard to get around, but I really think our car is good enough to make it happen” stated Eilen in an interview during the break. 

Sure enough, he was right.  Eilen was able to inherit the lead for one lap before being passed by race winner Tim Schendel.  As the race continued, Jonathan was able to stay in second place holding off Matt Kenseth and Donny Reuvers. 

“The car was really tight in the beginning and when we came in for a caution, we made a couple of adjustments and the car was really good after that,” Eilen remarked after the race. “Tim was just a little bit better but I had a lot of fun, this is a great place to race at and I look forward to coming back here next year.” 

Eilen is looking forward to staying close to home racing at Elko Speedway after a wonderful weekend in Iowa.

A SPECTACULAR NIGHT FOR THE EILEN TEAM! 

 Elko, MN (Saturday, July 12, 2008) “The car was awesome in practice; I just knew it was going to be a good night” expressed the happy driver. 

Eilen qualified first with a time of 13.66, just short of the track record. 

Jonathan drove away in the heat race taking first place putting him in the front row for the feature. 

“Man was the car fast today!”  Eilen exclaimed as he got out of the car after placing second in the feature race.  Jonathan led the first thirty laps of the race until a car spun out bringing out a caution.  After the re-start Jake Ryan got under Jonathan and took over first position.  Another caution came out when a few cars got tangled, giving Eilen another chance to regain his first place position. 

"If I would have had a few more laps I may have caught him” stated Eilen. “The second grove is where everyone was running well and we both knew that, I just wish the cautions wouldn’t have come out.  Either way I am happy with the way we finished tonight!”"

EILEN POSTS A TOP FIVE FINISH AT I-94 RACEWAY, SAUK CENTRE, MN

Sauk Centre, Minn. (Saturday, July 5, 2008) "I am happy with where we finished (5th)" stated Eilen in post race celebration. "This is the best finish we have ever had at this track (I-94 Raceway)."

Eilen came into the event with confidence that he had a good race car. He proved this to be a fact when he qualified 4th with a time of 16.88, a mere 0.12 seconds behind the fast qualifier. With 14 as the inversion for the feature, Eilen started 6th row inside (11th) and never looked back. Picking off racecars one at a time in the 100 lap feature, Eilen moved forward through the tight competition to post a 5th place finish in the feature.

Next up for the Eilen team will be what is being dubbed "The Western Swing" which will consist of the rescheduled Keith Fleck Miller 100 at Hawkeye Downs Speedway on Friday July 18th and then on to the Iowa 150 on Sunday, July 20th at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.

EILEN TEAM AND OUTDOOR CONNECTION PARTNERING WITH RED CROSS TO RAISE MONEY FOR IOWA FLOOD RELIEF

Hampton, Minn. (Tuesday, July 2, 2008) Starting this Saturday, July 5th, with the July Spectacular 100 at I-94 Raceway in Sauk Centre, MN, 2008 the Eilen Team will be partnering with his sponsor Outdoor Connection in an effort to raise money for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

For every 250 tickets sold, one name will be drawn to win a hunting or fishing trip courtesy of the Outdoor Connection. Details and forms for obtaining your tickets are posted on the Outdoor Connection website. You may visit the Outdoor Connection website by clicking on the sponsor logo under the TEAM SPONSORS heading in the adjacent column.

Outdoor Connection is "The Worldwide Hunting and Fishing Authority." They provide the race fan with a resource for all of their outdoor travel needs. Outdoor Connection represents over 250 lodges, guides and outfitters located around the globe. Big game hunts, world-class wing shooting and fly-fishing destinations, along with the best fresh and saltwater fishing gives you, your hunting party, or your company and clients only the finest choices when it comes to planning your next hunting or fishing outing.

The trip drawing will take place on Sunday, July 20th at Iowa Speedway in Newton, IA.

EILEN TEAM REMAINS POSITIVE AFTER ALL-STAR CHALLENGE RACE

Madison, Wis. (Tuesday, June 24th, 2008) Luck was not on Jonathan Eilen's side for the All Star Challenge race in Madison, Wisconsin on Tuesday, June 24th.

"The car was completely opposite from Sunday's race." Stated Jonathan after finishing the race which included NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, and Kyle Busch.  "Practice went really well and we qualified sixteenth putting us in the feature, but in the feature the car started out really loose and towards the end became too tight."

Overall Eilen finished eighteenth only two cars behind Tony Stewart who finished sixteenth.

"Even though we didn't finish where we would have liked to it was still a blast to race with these three drivers (Kenseth, Stewart, and Busch). Hopefully our luck turns around for the fourth of July weekend" stated Eilen.

UPDATE FROM GRUNDY COUNTY SPEEDWAY IN MORRIS, ILLINOIS

 Morris, Ill. (Monday, June 23, 2008) Bad luck struck the Eilen & Sons Motorsports team again Sunday in Morris, Illinois

 “The car was really good in practice, leading us to qualify tenth which put us directly into the feature” stated Eilen.  “The car started out really tight in the feature and as the race went on loosened up too much.”

 Eilen held on without going a lap down to finish seventeenth in the feature.

 “We have a lot of work to do now before Tuesday’s race in Madison” said Eilen in hopes to turn his luck around.

 Eilen and his crew are on their way to Madison right now and are excited for the races Tuesday at Madison International Speedway where Eilen will compete in the All Star Challenge Race with Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, and Tony Stewart.

EILEN TEAM RESTED AND READY FOR ANY CHALLENGE

  Hampton, MN (Saturday, June 26, 2008) With a few weeks off from the ASA Midwest Tour, Jonathan Eilen and his team have kept busy racing at Elko Speedway’s weekly races.  On June 9th Eilen qualified third putting him on the front row for the heat race.  He placed second in the heat race and went on to place fifth in the feature.  On June 14th Eilen qualified tenth putting him in the middle of the pack for the heat race.  He drove his way to a third place finish before going into the feature race where he placed tenth. 

“The car was fast” Eilen stated, “but due to the ‘one tire a night’ rule Elko has set, we ran on tires from the beginning of the year leaving us with a slight disadvantage to the other drivers.”

Eilen and his crew will travel to Illinois and Wisconsin during the week of June 22nd – 28th where he will race at Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Illinois on Sunday and then travel to Madison, Wisconsin to race on Tuesday.

“We are all really fired up for this up coming week with Grundy on Sunday and racing in the All Star Challenge race with Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, and Tony Stewart in Madison on Tuesday,” stated Eilen as he finished putting the final touches on the car.

EILEN FIGHTS BAD LUCK TO FINISH DELLS 100

 Wisconsin Dells, WI (Sunday, June 1, 2008) – It has been a tough start to the 2008 season for Jonathan Eilen and it appeared that streak would continue. Looking strong in both practice sessions, brought confidence to the 77 team.

Luck went in a different direction from qualifying through the end of the race. "The car was really good in practice but it got tight for qualifying. I knew we still had a good car for the race", stated Eilen. "We started the race 22nd and I brought the car up to 14th when the 75 car spun, we avoided the wreck, but the 99 came in hot under us and broke a break line."

This did not discourage the 77 team as they went to work in the pits to bring the car back out into the racing action. Re-entering the race 14 laps down, the 77 was strong enough to catch the leaders and just about gain back one of the lost laps. The 77 team, unfortunately, ran out of laps in the race in their quest to finish higher than 25th place.

The team is taking it in stride and will try to shake it off on Saturday, June 7th as they compete in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing action at Elko Speedway.

EILEN GOES WIRE-TO-WIRE TO GRAB HIS SECOND ASAMT WIN AT JEFFERSON

 By: Kevin Ramsell

JEFFERSON, WI (Saturday, May 17, 2008) – It has been a tough start to the 2008 season for Jonathan Eilen and it appeared that streak would continue.

 

But, luck would turn around for him as he would capture the Kwik Trip Stores 100 ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment event at Jefferson Speedway in Cambridge, WI.

 “Boy we really needed this,” a happy Eilen stated in victory lane. “We had our problems all day with the motor. We actually had the back up car out ready to go and we thought for sure we would have to go to that one, but this car was like a rocket on rails.”

Eilen started on the outside of the front row and got the lead from polesitter Adam Hensel. 

ASAMT officials hurried to get the start of this race going as rain was approaching the track. The caution flew on lap 27 when precipitation started to fall on the track causing a one hour and 28 minute delay. 

After the Jefferson Speedway Hobby Stocks and Bandits assisted with the drying of the track, the field of 26 cars took the green flag and was able to complete the event before the next band of showers hit the track. 

Eilen would work his way through lap traffic while Jamie Iverson worked on holding off Andrew Morrissey for the second position. “I didn’t think it was going to be easy, I thought it would be a little risky out there, but it worked out,” Eilen stated.                                                                                                 read more

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

 

Labor Day 100

Sunday - August 31st, 2008
 Norway Speedway - Norway, MI

__________

TEAM SPONSORS

Eilen & Sons Trucking

MAC Trailer Manufacturing 

B & B Racing Engines

Pathfinder Chassis

 

Mulvihill Excavating

Graber Auto Body

Donnelly Farms



 

Winona Diesel

 

 

 

EILEN MOTORSPORTS MIS RESULTS

HAMPTON, MN (Monday- May 5, 2008) After making a debut start with the new Pathfinder Chassis, the team were able to make it into the NO BULL 100 at Madison International Speedway, Madison, WI.  "We started in the back and were able to make it up to 10th before the battery went dead with just 25 laps to go", stated Eilen in a post race interview. "We were still able to limp the car to the end and finish the race in 18th place. Just when things seemed to start turning around, the next thing had to bite us but we are still thankful that we were able to bring it home in one piece".

May 10th the Eilen Motorsports Team will return to Elko Speedway to run double feature night in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing event.

Next on the agenda for the ASA Midwest Tour will be Saturday, May 17, 20078 for the Jefferson 100 at Jefferson Speedway in Cambridge, Wisconsin.

OUTDOOR CONNECTION SIGNS ON FOR 2008 SEASON

HAMPTON, MN (Tuesday, April 29, 2008) Outdoor Connection is proud to be partners with Eilen and Son’s Motorsports driver and 2007 ASA Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year, Jonathan Eilen.  Outdoor Connection will be the primary sponsor of the number 77 at the two remaining ASAMWT races in Minnesota, the two stops in the state of Iowa, and two select races in Wisconsin, to include the Milwaukee Mile, which will feature NASCAR Driver Matt Kenseth, and the 2008 finale in LaCrosse.

"I'm really excited having Outdoor Connection on board with my team and I in the ASA Midwest Tour for the 2008 season" stated Eilen in a brief interview.

Outdoor Connection is an outdoor travel company originally based in Minnesota, with offices throughout the Midwest.

They are "The Worldwide Hunting and Fishing Authority", representing over 250 Lodges, Guides, and Outfitters around the globe.  The ASA Midwest Tour is a perfect fit for Outdoor Connection, as most racing fans love to hunt and fish.  They service not only the individual outdoorsman/woman, but also specialize in corporate travel, big and small.  Visit their website at www.HuntFishRace.com!

 

EILEN TRAVELS TO MADISON FOR TESTING

Excerpt by Kevin Ramsell (Monday, April 28, 2008) 2007 ASAMT Rookie of the Year, Jonathan Eilen and his team made the trek from Hampton, MN to break in his new super late model that included the Roltek Transmission he received for being the Rookie of the Year. 

Eilen, who put on a great battle with Dave Feiler to finish second in last year’s event, is looking forward to Sunday’s event. “That was really cool, because I have never been able to race on the outside with Feiler, especially for second place. It was really cool, we had a real good car here last year and I look forward to hopefully having a good finish next Sunday.”

EILEN FIGHTS A TIGHT CAR IN THE KWIK TRIP 125

ELKO, MN (Saturday, April 19, 2008)  Despite limited practice time before the KwikTrip 125, the Eilen and Sons Motorsports team were able to able to put the Eilen and Sons Trucking/Landscape Supply, Mac Trailer Chevy Impala in the race. The number 77 team qualified through time trials in the 15th spot with a time of 13.872 at a speed of 97.318 mph.

Forty Seven (47) cars showed up hoping to qualify for the starting field of 26 cars. The top 16 cars from time trials automatically qualified for the Kwik Trip 125. The remainder of the 26 car field was set by taking the top 2 from each of 3 qualifying heat races, the top 2 from the Last Chance race and 2 provisional starters

"The car was just tight all day, but we were able to bring it home in one piece", stated Jonathan after the race ending up 16th. "We look forward to Madison in a couple weeks".

EILEN READY TO DEFEND HIS 2007 ASAMT ELKO VICTORY THIS WEEKEND

By: Kevin Ramsell

BURLINGTON, WI (Friday, April 18, 2008)  I am ready and the car is just about ready, just need to put a few finishing touches on it," Jonathan Eilen recently stated. Eilen, the 2007 ASAMT Rookie of the Year, is getting ready to defend his 2007 ASAMT Elko victory this Saturday night at the Kwik Trip 125 at Elko Speedway in Elko, MN.

 Last year, Eilen found himself in a battle for the lead with 2007 ASAMT Champion, Nathan Haseleu throughout the 125-lap event. It was an event that Eilen will never forget.                        read more

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