Benji LaCrosse
{{short description|American racing driver}}
{{Infobox racing driver
|award years=
|awards=
|best finish=
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1977|5|10}}
|birth_name=
|birth_place=Luxemburg, Wisconsin
|caption=
|car number=54
|championships=1
|crew chief=
|current series=IMCA Modified
|current team=
|engine=Baril
|first year=2003
|former teams=
|image=Benji LaCrosse 2020 Clash at the Creek.jpg
|image_size=320x181px
|last finish=
|name=Benji LaCrosse
|nationality=American
|poles=
|prev series=IMCA Stock Car
|prev series years=2000-2002, 2019-present
|spotter=
|related to=
|starts=500+
|title years=2006
|titles=IMCA Modified
|wins=100+
|year=
}}
Benji LaCrosse (born May 10, 1977 in Luxemburg, Wisconsin) is an American racecar driver. He was the 2006 IMCA Modified national champion, and the winner of the 2005 IMCA SuperNationals.
Racing career
=IMCA stock car=
After purchasing his first car for $2500 in 1999,{{Cite news|url=http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/sports/motor/2017/05/27/benji-lacrosse-shifts-focus-big-money-shows/351034001/|title=Benji LaCrosse shifts focus to big-money races|work=Press Gazette Media|access-date=2017-05-30|language=en}} LaCrosse began racing in the IMCA stock car division in his first full season in 2000. He was the track champion at the Door County Speedway in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
LaCrosse was the Wisconsin state champion in his second season in 2001. He won the points championship at his hometown track (Luxemburg Speedway). He finished second at Door County (then called Thunderhill Speedway) and the Seymour Tri-Oval. He finished second in the points at Thunderhill Raceway in 2002.
=IMCA Modified=
LaCrosse moved up to the IMCA Modified division in 2003. He won the rookie of the year at Luxemburg Speedway, Seymour, and Thunderhill.
LaCrosse won the Wisconsin state championship in the IMCA Modified division in 2004. He became the first driver ever to qualify a modified and an IMCA stock car at the IMCA Super Nationals.
He became the first Wisconsin driver to win the IMCA Super Nationals in 2005, when he won the IMCA Modified event.[http://www.speed51.com/2005stories/Dirt/Boone_Nationals.html Benji LaCrosse wins 23rd annual Super Nationals at Boone Speedway]{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}; speed51.com; Retrieved February 19, 2007[https://web.archive.org/web/20071009160405/http://65.36.177.191/Results.asp?TrackID=147&StoryID=166790 IMCA Supernationals Champion Lacrosse to be honored at his home track]; Joe Verdegan; WhoWon.com; September 15, 2006; Retrieved February 19, 2007 He received a parade by his hometown of Luxemburg, Wisconsin. He won the track championship at Luxemburg.Image:BenjiLacrosse2006.jpgLaCrosse was the 2006 IMCA Modified National champion,[http://www.imca.com/newsroom.php?newsid=458 LaCrosse heads 2006 IMCA national championship class] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061018194351/http://www.imca.com/newsroom.php?newsid=458 |date=October 18, 2006 }}; October 6, 2006; imca.com; Retrieved February 19, 2007 becoming the first Wisconsin driver to do so. He won the North Central regional championship, the Wisconsin state championship, and track championships at Luxemburg and Seymour. He was voted one of the Top 10 most popular drivers in IMCA at the All Star Invitational Race. As of the end of the 2006 season, LaCrosse has 45 IMCA Modified and 31 IMCA Stock Car feature victories.
Image:BenjiLaCrosseSeymour2007.jpgLaCrosse was the 2007 track champion at Thunderhill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. He finished second at Luxemburg, third at Seymour. The Luxemburg and Seymour season championships were won by 2007 IMCA Modified National champion Jared Siefert. On August 11 he had his first win at Shawano Speedway.[http://www.shawanospeedway.net/index_files/index_speedway_files/081107news.htm Shawano Speedway race report]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Bert Lehman, August 11, 2007, Retrieved September 12, 2007 He finished second in the Wisconsin state championship behind Siefert, sixth in the North Central region, and fifteenth nationally.[http://www.imca.com 2007 Official IMCA Modified points], Retrieved November 11, 2007 At the 2007 IMCA Super Nationals he won his heat race and last chance races before finishing 25th in the feature.[http://www.imca.com/raceresults.php?id=32#Modifieds 2007 IMCA Super Nationals results]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Retrieved November 19, 2007File:Benji LaCrosse interviewed by Joe Verdegan Badger Modified Tour winner Manitowoc 2012.jpg
File:54 Benji LaCrosse 2006 national 2005 Supernational.jpgHe started his 2008 season by winning his heat and the feature at Luxemburg. He won the feature on the following evening at Shawano.
LaCrosse had several big money race wins in 2013. He won the $10,000 Clash at the Creek on the dirt at 141 Speedway in July.{{cite web|last=Verdegan|first=Joe|title=Super Nationals not about cash|url=http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20130829/GPG0202/308290400/Joe-Verdegan-racing-column-Super-Nationals-not-about-cash|publisher=Green Bay Press Gazette|accessdate=15 September 2013}} He won almost the same amount at the Night of 10,000 Stars at Hancock County Speedway in Britt, Iowa. LaCrosse raced in the Badger Modified Tour in 2012 and 2013.
LaCrosse won his 100th IMCA Modified feature on July 12, 2015 at Seymour Speedway.{{cite web|last1=Panske|first1=Dave|title=Benji LaCrosse Earns Career 100th Feature Win|url=http://www.widirtracin.com/2015/07/13/benji-lacrosse-earns-career-100th-feature-win/|website=WI Dirt Racing|accessdate=July 14, 2015}} In 2016, he won the $10,000 Clash at the Creek race at 141 Speedway over a field of IMCA Modified drivers from across the nation.{{cite web |url=https://www.imca.com/2016/06/24/lacrosse-earns-10000-for-career-second-clash-at-the-creek-checkers/ |title=LaCrosse earns $10,000 for career second Clash at the Creek checkers |author=Greg Aregoni |date=June 23, 2016 |website= |publisher=IMCA |access-date=2016-07-12 |quote=}}
File:Benji LaCrosse 2020 modified.jpg
In 2017, LaCrosse said that he would stop running full-time at tracks like Luxemburg and Seymour and focus more on high-paying races like the Cheesehead Triple Crown and IMCA SuperNationals. LaCrosse cited a lack of family time as the reason for stepping away from those weekly tracks.
=Spilt seasons=
While racing on a part-time schedule in Modifieds in 2019, LaCrosse switched chassis manufacturers from Madman to Vanderbuilt and also returned to the IMCA Stock Car division.{{cite web |last1=Verdegan |first1=Joe |title=Verdegan: Benji LaCrosse will be ready for Clash at the Creek despite pulling back in recent years |url=https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/sports/motor/2019/06/13/benji-lacrosse-aims-win-another-clash-creek-141-speedway-verdegan/1442799001/ |website=Green Bay Press-Gazette |publisher=Gannett |accessdate=September 8, 2020 |date=June 13, 2019}} The following year, LaCrosse earned a $5,000 payday by winning the King of the Creek IMCA Stock Car event 141 Speedway.{{cite web |title=LaCrosse rules King of the Creek at 141 |url=https://www.imca.com/2020/07/24/lacrosse-rules-king-of-the-creek-at-141/ |website=IMCA Racing |accessdate=September 11, 2020 |date=July 23, 2020}}
Personal life
LaCrosse was born in Luxemburg, Wisconsin, but later moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin. In 2021 he bought his dream home in Casco, Wisconsin and now lives there with his family. He also has two daughters Kendyl LaCrosse and Anika.Now Kendyl LaCrosse his daughter goes to Luxemburg Casco School where Benji LaCrosse also went as a child. {{cite web |last1=Verdegan |first1=Joe |title=Verdegan: Benji LaCrosse will be ready for Clash at the Creek despite pulling back in recent years |url=https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/sports/motor/2019/06/13/benji-lacrosse-aims-win-another-clash-creek-141-speedway-verdegan/1442799001/ |website=Green Bay Press-Gazette |accessdate=14 June 2019}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20180317085154/http://benjilacrosseracing.com/ Official website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lacrosse, Benji}}