Al Krause

Allan G. Krause loved auto racing, from the first race he saw in the old coliseum on the Wisconsin State Fair Park Fairgrounds in 1936 to the gathering of Milwaukee area short track legends that gathered at the old race track in Cedarburg last summer. For 71 years Al enjoyed, recorded and researched auto racing. Al credited his childhood friend Otto Klumpp as the one who got him interested in racing. Even with the deafening noise and blue smoke as Al once recollected from that day in March of ?36, racing was in his blood. Al?s professional racing career began after his service in the 1st infantry division that served in Europe during World War II.

Al was one of many who after the war was going to college and looking for work. In 1948 on the urging of his wife Mary Ann, Al approached Tom Marchese who was the promoter of auto races at Wisconsin State Fair Park. Tom saw Al?s passion for the sport and Al was initially hired as an assistant in the publicity department. However after receiving his degree in journalism from UW-Madison in 1950, Tom promoted Al to Director of Publicity.

Al continued to serve at the track in a variety of roles from statistician and eventually as historian for over fifty years. Al also served as Editor of Midwest Racing News in the mid-1960?s. Midwest Racing News was one of the most respected weekly auto racing papers when Al was at the helm. Eventually Al went to work for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. working out of their New Berlin, WI wholesale center until his retirement in 1986. Al continued to be a respected free-lance writer with his specialty of the Milwaukee Mile and auto racing?s early history.

Al?s work can be found in many magazines and Milwaukee Mile programs dating back to 1958. Al also contributed to a pair of books, Race Car Flashback, published by Krause Publications (no relation) in 1994 and Wooden Rails and Rooster Tails a compilation of excellent historical stories with Earl Fabritz which was published by Pit Stop books in 2003.

Al?s zeal for auto racing can be traced to this quote he wrote in 1969, ?Every fan has his particular thrilling race moments to remember. And every racing buff is apt to agree that the deafening silence following the race is something that one must experience to be a true racing enthusiast.?

Al Krause passed away Monday, February 4th at the age of 86.

Steve Zautke

Steve Zautke, a Milwaukee, WI native, was raised in the sport of auto racing. His father, Bill, was a movie photographer that shot racing footage at tracks such as the Milwaukee Mile and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 1960’s and 1970’s Steve’s first professional job in racing was as an Emergency Medical Technician at tracks such as Angell Park and Hales Corners Speedway (1988-1991). Steve has also worked for the Milwaukee Mile as videographer, in media relations and historian (1993-2011). Steve also has worked as a reporter for Racing Information Systems (RIS) and has written features for ‘Vintage Oval Racing’ and ‘Victory Lane’ magazines. Most recently, Steve has written a book on Road America for Arcadia Publishing. ( http://www.amazon.com/Road-America-Nascar-Library-Collection/dp/1467111457 ) Steve co-hosts “Sparky’s Final Inspection” a motorsports-based radio show with hosts, Steve “Sparky” Fifer and “NASCAR Girl” Summer Santana on Sports Radio 1250AM in Milwaukee and is also available on the internet at www.Sportradio1250.com. A member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Induction Committee, Steve follows all types of racing from the dirt tracks to Formula One.

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