Must See and Southern Sprints Join Forces for Southern Swing
May 5, 2026
Being selected as a finalist for the Kulwicki Driver Development Program is always special for aspiring Late Model competitors. For Penn Sauter, however, it hits a little closer to home.
The 16-year-old driver hails from Wisconsin, cutting his teeth on some of the same bullrings where Alan Kulwicki plied his craft. Before he was a NASCAR Cup Series champion, Kulwicki competed on battlegrounds such as Slinger Speedway, Wisconsin International Raceway, Madison International Speedway, the Milwaukee Mile and more throughout the state.
“That was super special when Ryan [Zeck] first called me and told me about it," Sauter told Racing America. "It was something that, when I first applied for it, I really honestly thought it was a long shot. I didn’t think that I had enough experience, I was kind of young compared to everyone else applying. Obviously, to get that call, super special.
"To be the one from Wisconsin, you know, Alan ran his own race team out of here. Being from Wisconsin, taking it to a Cup championship, the whole program is just special to me. We’ve got a couple of Kulwicki Memorial races up here, so I’m looking forward to working with charities and having some training calls and using their mentors for advice. Super cool to be a part of that and looking forward to the summer ahead.”
Sauter also comes from a long, storied racing lineage that also battled around the same racetracks Penn now faces. His grandfather, Jim Sauter, claimed two ARTGO championships and the 1980 National Short Track Championship among a long list of accomplishments. Many of Jim's sons also raced at a high level, including Penn's father, Johnny, who was an ASA champion before embarking on his prolific NASCAR career that included the 2016 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship.
With Penn Sauter named one of five finalists for the 2026 Kulwicki Driver Development Program, he now carries his own family's proud lineage along with the Kulwicki legacy.
“You could probably go on the internet right now and find 10 pictures of my grandpa running side-by-side with Alan at Madison. To know there’s so much more meaning than just going to the racetrack. I feel like those guys down south, they don’t really understand it. Alan raced at Kaukauna and Madison, places like that.
"My dad sat on the hill and watched Alan race, my uncles, and it’s cool to hear stories from them now that I’m part of the program, just the kind of guy he was and how he raced. How he had that no-quit attitude, and that’s something I've really strived to do ever since joining the program, and I feel like it’s helped me a lot, obviously.”
If early returns are any indication, that no-quit attitude will pay dividends in 2026. Last year was Sauter's first competing regularly in the Super Late Model world, and it came with plenty of growing pains. While he boasted plenty of speed, consistent finishes eluded the young driver.
A year of short-track education and majority are already paying off for Sauter to start 2026, including fourth-place finishes in both the Icebreaker at Dells Raceway Park and the Joe Shear Classic last Sunday at Madison.
“Last year, we made our junior voyage into the Super Late Model world," Sauter explained. "We had some speed at times, but never those breakout runs like we had Sunday. I feel like we just did our homework. On Saturday, during practice, we were really good, really didn’t make many adjustments. It's really cool to finally have a race go to plan, no part failures and be there in contention at the end.
“I felt like, in June last year, we had a couple strong runs, we had breakout runs that were good, but we were never able to finish them off. Over the offseason, I feel like I've matured a lot, physically and mentally, and it’s only helping us.”
Part of that education process has been adjusting to the grind of long-distance Super Late Model races. That was on display in Sunday's Joe Shear Classic, as Sauter bided his time during the 200-lap race around the Madison half-mile and put himself in contention for the win late.
“I’ve had to adapt a lot," said Sauter. "Last year at Madison at the ASA race, we ran second through the first two stages and ended up breaking a ball joint and stuff. Managing your stuff is something big that I’ve had to pick up on. A lot of the guys I was racing since then have been doing it for 10, 15 years. I’m obviously a little behind the game on them, but it’s only making me better racing those guys."
The Kulwicki Driver Development Program emphasizes finalists representing Kulwicki's legacy both on and off the race track. For Sauter, that will include continuing his ongoing efforts to support the Professoinal Fire Fighters of Wisconsin's Summer Camp for Burn Injured Youth, commonly referred to as "Burn Camp" for short.
“I’ve been part of the Burn Camp for the last two years, even before I thought about joining the [Kulwicki Driver Development] Program," Sauter said. "We just have a race car night out there about the beginning or middle of August, take our race cars out there. It’s just really cool to see, to be able to interact with the kids and show them something they’ve never seen before.
"A kid going through burn camp, you’re going through some really hard parts of your life being burned and stuff like that. It’s cool to come out and see race cars, I’m sure. We have parties in the parking lot before some of the races, raise money for that, sell hats, t-shirts, stuff like that."
Sauter also has plans to support another cause close to him and his family later this year.
"For another charity, at the end of the year, I’m looking forward in October to working with breast cancer awareness. My grandma beat that 10 years ago, so it’s something really close to my family.”
Sauter's 2026 season will include continued appearances with both the ASA Midwest Tour and the Alive for 5 Series at Dells Raceway Park. He also plans on competing in marquee events such as the Slinger Nationals and select ASA STARS National Tour events, both in Wisconsin and beyond.
-Photo provided by Kulwicki Driver Development Program
