Jeff Wickstrom loves racing his stock car. But, if his son and father weren’t involved in the sport, he probably wouldn’t do it.
“Family is what it is all about,” the college math teacher said.
The Wickstrom racing combo consists of Jeff’s father, Doug, and son, T.J. Doug got the trio started in the sport in 1985.
“We got into racing right after we got the junk yard,” Doug recalled.
Jeff said that he and Doug started J & D Auto Salvage and began piecing together a modified car, which is a faster type of stock car with a bigger, more powerful motor. Shortly after the car was built, Jeff started racing in the bomber class, which is slower paced than modified racing.
“We always had talked about racing,” Jeff said of the family interest in the sport. “I didn’t start driving until my second year of college when I found my first car for $75.”
After he found the 1973 Chevelle, Jeff hauled it to the salvage yard and “busted the windows out, threw in a roll cage and started racing.”
Jeff said he raced the Chevelle for two years to get the hang of how to drive the car and then built his own car from scratch.
“I found a 1968 Chevelle out in a field. I tore it apart and built it myself.”
Although Doug wasn’t behind the wheel of a stock car, he was at all the races, cheering on his son and helping in the pits.
After a few years of racing, Jeff moved to the modified class.
“It was time for him to go play with the big kids,” Doug said with a smile.
Break time
Racing quickly became a large part of Jeff’s life, however, he decided he needed a break.
“There was some stuff happening at the track, some health issues with dad, and T.J. was born,” Jeff said. “There was just too much going on.”
What Jeff and Doug thought would be a short break, turned into 10 years. During that time, Jeff sold his modified car.
After the decade-long lull, Jeff decided it was time to get back out to the track.
“When I was 10 years old, dad brought me to a NASCAR race in Michigan,” T.J. said.
T.J. said after helping Jeff in the pits, there was no hesitation when Jeff asked his 14-year-old son if he wanted to drive.
“I was always hoping to get back into racing, but he (T.J.) got it going again when he got so excited,” Jeff explained.
Third generation of racing
As the group got back into racing, they started street stock racing. Jeff purchased a car from a family friend only to learn the back end was from the modified car he sold during the break.
Two years later, a car for T.J. was purchased and last weekend, Jeff learned the roll cage was also from his modified car.
“The front part of the car is now laying out in my field,” Wickstrom said laughing. “After 10 plus years, the car found its way back to us.”
With T.J. involved in the sport, Doug and Jeff are both proud and excited to keep the family tradition alive, but it isn’t always fun and games.
Last year, Jeff’s car rolled and caught on fire right in front of Doug, who was in the pit.
“I wanted to go out there so bad, but you can’t,” Doug said.
Luckily, Jeff escaped the burning car unscathed and was back on the track two weeks later — as soon as the car was repaired.
And this year, T.J. was in two accidents.
“The first accident I had this year, I was on two wheels and that kind of scared me a little bit,” he said. “I almost rolled again the next weekend.”
Regardless, both drivers don’t let setbacks keep them away. They get right back behind the wheel.
Up against each other
As the youngest driver in his class, T.J., who turns 18 on Sunday, has been in races with Jeff, but has yet to beat him.
“I’m excited for the day that I’m running side-by-side with him (T.J.) for the win,” Jeff said. “I hope he eventually takes it from me.”
Just two weeks ago, Jeff pulled out three wins in a heat race, feature race, and bonus heat race at the Emo Speedway in Emo, Ontario.
“To pull out three wins was pretty difficult,” he said.
Winning at the Emo Fall Fair a few years ago stands out as one of Jeff’s favorite racing moments.
The highlight of T.J.’s fresh career came last year when he won a heat race against the track champion.
“I was pretty excited about that,” said a grinning T.J.
As for the future, the group agreed that they want to keep the sport fun.
“We don’t make it something we have to do,” Jeff said.
Doug agreed. “If I’d rather go fishing than go to the race, I go fishing.”
“I want to keep it going in the family.” T.J. said. “We’ll see what happens.”
T.J. added that he appreciates the advice Doug and Jeff give him and hopes it makes him a stronger driver.
“He’ll do just fine,” Doug said as he winked at his grandson.
