Wisconsin natives seek to continue winning trend

Two years ago it was Johnny Sauter who cruised as one of only three leaders the whole race, running 162 laps up front and taking victory at The Milwaukee Mile as the race ended under caution.

Last year it was Paul Menard who led a race-high 85 laps and brushed aside a charging Kevin Harvick with three laps to go, which ultimately resulted in the aggressive Harvick spinning into a seven-car pileup while Menard rolled to victory.

The last two Wisconsin races ... two Wisconsin winners.

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Sauter, who is from Necedah, Wis., secured his third career Busch Series victory at his home track, and his most recent to date, when he won in front of the local crowd at the 1-mile flat oval. For Menard, who is from Eau Claire, Wis., it was the only win of his NASCAR career.

Neither Sauter nor Menard will be driving on Saturday. But Wisconsinites won't be without local flavor.

"I have been going to Milwaukee for as long as I can remember and watched my uncle race there along with Dick Trickle, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin," said Wausau native Scott Wimmer.

Wimmer is one of four Wisconsin drivers entered in Saturday's AT&T 250 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2).

It may be business as usual, but by no means is this a typical Busch race. Just four drivers will be commuting between the Cup race in Sonoma, Calif., and Milwaukee. And overall a season-low six Cup regulars are driving in Saturday's event, with Mike Bliss and David Reutimann opting to stay in Wisconsin the entire weekend.

The Milwaukee Mile has been kind to Busch regulars as just one full-time Cup driver has won at the track. With Stephen Leicht coming off his first career victory last weekend, that makes it a perfect storm for a repeat of last year when Busch regulars won consecutive races at the same point in the season.

And the Wisconsin natives want it to be three in a row for the hometown boys.

"The track itself is not one of my favorites just because I don't usually like the flat tracks very much, but winning there would be one of the best places to do it because it's home," said Todd Kluever, who is from Sun Prairie.

"I know that race means a lot to Todd since it's close to home, so we're going to do everything we can to make it a good weekend," added crew chief Eddie Pardue.

Mauston native Kelly Bires will be making just the third Busch Series start of his career by again filling in for Jon Wood. It will be his first NASCAR start at The Milwaukee Mile, although he has won at the track before in the American Speed Association Late Model Series.

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Bires said he can't wait to get back on the racetrack, but his main focus is continuing what Wood started earlier this season with his family's team, Wood Brothers/JTG Racing.

"I know it's not easy dealing with a rookie, but they've been real patient and that makes my job a little easier," Bires said. "We don't worry about going to the racetrack and trying to find speed. Our biggest challenge is to keep me under control.

"I have a lot of youthful enthusiasm, but so far they've done a great job keeping me from over-driving the car. That's going to be important this Saturday at Milwaukee."

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Frank Kreyer, a 37-year-old from Lyndon Station who has plenty of Late Model experience but will be making his Busch Series debut. He ran two Truck Series races at Martinsville and Mansfield to get certified to drive in the Busch Series.

"I don't feel any added pressure simply because I'll be racing at my hometown NASCAR track," said Kreyer, who said the Busch car handles much better than his Late Models or the trucks. "I've been racing long enough to handle the moment."

It's that moment that these Wisconsin natives seek -- that moment in the spotlight, winning at their home track in front of their hometown friends and family

"You name someone in racing and I watched them race there and win," Wimmer said of The Milwaukee Mile.

Now he wants someone else to say that about him.

"It would really be neat to win a race there," Wimmer said. "I think that any Wisconsin driver, no matter what series, wants to win there."