HISTORY
Wendt Racing Enterprises LLC was started in 1998 as an
outlet where Wendt Construction Employees could get together in their off time
and do something that would build team spirit and teach co-operation.
In 1999 we
purchased a new Grand American Modified and Jason Kerby was the driver, Son of
our Project Manager Fred Kerby. We
finished that season second in points. Our Crew Chief Jeff Lee won “Crew Chief
of the Year” that year.
Jeff Lee “ 1999 Crew Chief of the Year”
In 2000 we built
another new Grand American Modified and Mark Welch was the driver, We won the
track championship at Stockton 99 Speedway and won the Nascar Pacific Coast
Regional Championship and attended the Nascar Banquet in Orlando Florida.
Our
winning 2000 Race Team
Our Grand American Modified 2000
In 2001 We started my 16 yr old son Michael in the Pure Stock division after he served as a crewman on a Modified car for one year. This was a learning division that Michael was required by the team to learn in for as long as it took to see if he had what it took to move up. He ended that year as “Rookie of the Year” and “Sportsman of the Year”.
In 2002 Michael started his second season at Stockton 99 Speedway, He got his first career win and finished the year as “Most Improved Driver”.
In 2003 we built
Michael a new car and he took off that year like an old veteran, He broke the
track record three times, had six trophy dash wins and three main event wins. He was leading the points division with three races to go
when he decided to sit out the last two weeks of the year. He ended up
finishing third in points.
Michael went on to win the West Coast Open Show Championship that year, here is the article from the win.
Wendt Wins Western States Open Show Championship
Old pro Pete Anderson Sr., #85, of
Stockton, a past champion in the division, made it look like old times by
leading 34 laps, but young gun Michael Wendt,
#1, of Lodi passed him on a
restart on lap 41 and led the final nine laps to collect a big trophy and
$1,000.
Wendt, who also was fast qualifier,
celebrated with a tremendous smoke show along the front stretch. 
''My dad said I'd better or he was going to keep my money,'' Wendt said. ''He said I better do something.''
Anderson nearlylost it in turn two following the restart and was passed for second by Kannai Scantlen, #8, of Stockton.Donny Darter, 9x, of Manteca was fourth and Cindy Freitas, #9, of Lodi fifth.
.
In 2004, we felt like it was time for Michael to move up to the premier division at the track, Michael had put in his time in pure stock 3 years and proved he was ready for a real ride.
We purchased a used car for his rookie year and spent some time refurbishing it, He did really well his first two races, finishing 11th and 7th respectively. On his third race he passed a car for 5th and brushed the wall in turn two and broke a tie-rod end, going into turn three, the car didn’t turn and he hit the wall at 80 miles an hour, Michael suffered whiplash and a concussion and we were out for the year.
In 2005 we had a new car built and we started out slow to try and help Michael re-build his confidence and get more seat time. Michael ran 5 races and got his confidence back and finished the year with no damage.
In 2006 the Team
joined a touring series called “Westcar” that travels all over the state to
different race tracks. This is a semi-professional series and it takes a lot of
money to run it. We did 6 races without a major sponsor, Michael had 1 top 5, 1
top 10, led a race and won his first trophy dash as a semi-professional driver.
See westcarseries.com
