to the official website of Sawyer Effertz Racing
Welcome
SAWYER EFFERTZ
Since I first raced a go kart when I was 7 years old, I knew I would have a passion for racing. I began at Water and Wheels in Shawano, racing a go kart on a 1/10th mile oval and 1/2 mile road course. The third year I raced I won the track championship. I then switched to dirt track racing at GSR in Clintonville, and Meadowview in Hilbert. Both tracks were fun to run on. When I turned 11 I moved into a Bandolero and raced on 1/4 and 1/2 mile tracks around the Country. A week of racing at the Orlando Speed World Nationals was fun with a second place finish. I ran next at the Nashville Nationals but a race start crash resulted in an injury, stopping me from returning to the Nationals. Three weeks later I competed in the Rockford Little Car Nationals, and was caught up in a qualifying day accident but ran a back up car on race day and won the Nationals from the back of the field. I took a shot in go karts again in 2006, winning 28 of 33 evants in the Springfield Indoor Championships. It was really a great confidence booster.
In 2007 at 14 years old, I moved into a 4 cylinder class at Oshkosh Speed Zone. It was a great time learning how to drive a real car. Wisconsin International Raceway lowered their age restrictions to 14 years old so I could race there also. I got my first feature win the last night of racing.
In 2008 We ran a 1982 Monte Carlo Super Stock at Wisconsin International raceway. Again it was another learning experience. We did however get a Feature event win that year. During the winter of 2009 the Monte carlo was completly rebuilt under the close eye of Pete Berken. Pete has 40 years of racing experience. The car was quick right from the start. Each week during 2009 we had a top 5 qualifier and made the fast dash and feature each night. The car was a top 5 finisher every week. Again we had several Feature wins, ending up in 4th in the point standings. We finished the year at Slinger and again got wrecked in the Feature but managed to repair the car and finished 6th.
In 2009 we added a Super Late Model to the team. Sawyer had a chance to do some testing at WIR and ran the last 2 weeks at Golden sands in Plover. During the Winter the car was completly rebuilt frame up. In 2010 Sawyer will run this car as a Limited Late Model at WIR. We also added a Big 8 Late Model and plan on running a few races in that series this year. We are excited to have secured a top pit crew including Don Hawkins, Doug Dohr, and Pete Berken as crew chief and team manager. Sawyers friends Cody and JJ will also be joining the team and are eager to learn. We have secured Sponsors for this year that have been with our team since Sawyer first started racing at age 6, and added several more. take a look at our Sponsors page and be sure to mantion where you saw there add if you ever need their services.
2010 was my first year in a 1/2 mile Limited Late Model at WIR. We ended up with 2 feature wins and 6 top 10 finishes. For a rookie year we felt the year went very well.
2011 I was no longer a rookie. The year went great. Every week we finished in the top 5, and had won the Red and Blue Races of the Red White and Blue Series. There was only one wreck in the 4th week. We had several issues with VP Marty Nussbaum or we would have finished 3rd in points. Like in every sport you will find an Official, or Referee who just can't seem to do their job but manage to somehow stay in that position.
In 2012 we plan on competing again in the Limited Late Model division. We are moving into a brand new state of the art race shop by November 1st. With the new facility we hope to have the resources to bring the #2 car into the championship in 2012.
Letters of Recommendation:
1/7/08
Hooters Cup,
To whom it may concern;
I am writing on behalf of Sawyer Effertz who has been racing for many years now, yet is still only 14 years old. He tore up the go kart tracks in Wisconsin racing in go karts and bondeleros. This past season, we made an amendment to the Fox River Racing Club to allow drivers 14 and 15 years of age to compete on our ¼ mile track (our rule had been 16 years old). Sawyer was the main reason we made this amendment. We just didn’t think it made a lot of sense for us to not allow someone with as much talent as Sawyer to not move up to a race car. He did not disappoint in 2007, being a front runner in our 4 cylinder division. In 2008, Sawyer will be moving up a class to compete in the Super Stock division, which is our premier division on the ¼ mile oval. Sawyer’s future plans have him competing on the ½ mile in Late Models sooner than later. Sawyer is very mature for his age and I think you will be very impressed with the talent and skills that he will display if you give him a chance to compete in the Hooter’s Cup in 2008.
Thank you,
Clint Smith
Fox River Racing Club Officer (Secretary)
Wisconsin International Raceway Assistant Events Director
