WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. (May 8, 2011) – The so-called youth movement in the higher ranks of short-track racing has been putting younger drivers into the spotlight at local race tracks around the country. Dells Raceway Park is no different.

After 15-year-old Brandon Junget claimed the Bandit championship at DRP in 2010, a host of young drivers are prepared to piggy back on his success from a season ago.

One of the favored young drivers to make a run for the championship this season is 13-year-old Haley Kapp of Portage. Don’t be fooled by her age or her stature. Kapp will compete in her second full season as a bandit driver in 2011 and has already been through the school of hard knocks.

“It’s been a long learning experience,” Kapp said. “(Other racers) kind of push you around a little bit, but I kind of gave it back.”

Kapp struggled early in the season but hit her turning point toward the end of June when she found her way back into the feature event. After missing the feature the first week in July, Kapp recorded her first top ten on July 10. The following week was her best. She set fastest time and finished sixth in the feature.

“It’s been pretty fun and exciting. A lot of stuff has happened,” Kapp recalled. “I got in some pretty bad crashes last year, but overall it was a pretty good year.”

This season Kapp will have a new mount – she will be piloting the Ford Probe driven to second in standings last season by James Junget.

“We’re racing for mainly fun, but I would like to (be) Champion,” Kapp said.

One of her challengers will be a driver hoping to make an impact as fast as she did – West Salem’s Spencer Wilhelm. At the age of 12, Wilhelm already boasts a go-kart championship which he secured two years ago.

To keep his young career on the right path, Wilhelm will travel south to a track that allows younger drivers to participate. “This is the next step,” he said.

Wilhelm took advantage of the May 7 practice session at DRP to log some more time in the car before the season begins in two weeks. He said he enjoyed taking the opportunity for a little more seat time.

“The car was good, we needed to get the bugs out and get some practice in,” he said.

Most younger drivers face the challenge of moving from the smaller open-wheeled cars to the stock car. Still a few years away from Drivers Education, Wilhelm immediately felt the adjustment getting behind the wheel of his Isuzu Stylus. “This car has a lot more horsepower,” he said of the biggest difference.

Another young driver who was taking advantage of the practice to gain some seat time was 15-year-old Sparta driver Allison Pennel. Pennel has been watching her older brother Davey advance his racing career at Dells Raceway Park, and decided to jump behind the wheel in 2011.

“It looked like a lot of fun. It’s good for you,” she said of her reasons to race. “There is good competition and a lot of fun.”

Drawing from one of the more successful Late Model teams at DRP, Pennel said she had advice coming from every angle as she logged laps on practice day.

“Davey is coaching the driving part, but my dad is setting up the car,” she said. At one point Davey seemed prepared to jump into the car to test it, but Ali refused to give up the wheel. Perhaps for good reason, as Ali’s laps were trimmed by seconds from her first session to her last.

If the input from Davey is not enough, Ali also shares a friendship with Kapp. It is a friendship that was formed at the race track. Ali is confident a dust up on the track won’t jeopardize that. “We’re fine together, we’re friends. It’s all good.”

Although most youthful drivers dream of NASCAR, the young group at DRP seems to have focus on this year – they are ready to take these small steps before they start running.

Pennel said she has modest goals for the year. “I’m just going to take it as it comes, but I would like to go for rookie of the year here at the Dells.”

“I hope it goes far, but I can only wish,” Kapp said of her blossoming career. “I hope I can go somewhere, but I have a lot of fun.”

Wilhem is most looking forward to the experiences he’ll encounter this season. “(I’m) looking forward to having fun and meeting people who race in my class,” he said. Wilhelm also said he’d like to win a championship, and wouldn’t mind being the next Jeff Gordon.

The youngsters of Dells Raceway Park’s Bandit division get their start on Saturday, May 21 when DRP opens the doors for its 49th season. The evening's events begin with the Automotion Burnout contest at 5:30. In addition, the Vintage Cars will be joining the four weekly DRP classes. Qualifying is at 3:30, Racing is at 6:30.

Dells Raceway Park is located at N1070 Smith Road five minutes north of downtown Wisconsin Dells, Wis., off highway 12-16. For more information including the latest news, the 2011 schedule and more visit www.dellsracewaypark.com.