1/7/2025
Midwest Legends Dirt Series
Meet the Team: Kayla Kittleson
The Midwest Legends Dirt Series could not operate if it wasn’t for some very dedicated people. This article series will spotlight the men and women behind the scenes who keep the wheels turning and races going.
Today, we meet the newest member of the MLDS team, Kayla Kittleson. Kayla joins the team after taking over for Shelly Ascherien in the secretary position. Kayla is always a laugh in the pits, always willing to talk and hang out. Let’s get to know her more!!
Name: Kayla Kittleson
Hometown: Beaver Dam, WI
Position in the Series: Secretary
How you got into Racing: I started in my younger years going with friends out to the Dodge County Fairgrounds as well as Beaver Dam Raceway to watch weekly racing. Through these friends I met a hometown Modified hero, the original Superman, Jay Schraufnagel. At first, I knew nothing regarding dirt track racing, but as time passed I started to find myself traveling with the group to keep up on all the big Modified events. I eventually broadened my horizons,
much to my Modified friends dismay, and fell in love with the open wheel world. I spent a lot of time traveling between Plymouth and Manitowoc with the 5J crew watching the MSA 360 series. I spent hours of those nights hanging in the pits with the famous Harry Neitzel. That eventually lead to me keeping up with the IRA 410s as well. Talyn was born shortly after discovering my love for sprint cars and he quickly fell in love too. Since then, we haven’t been able to stay away from many dirt tracks.
Thoughts on last season: Last year I was just a mom with a young Rookie driver and no position in the MLDS. I was extremely impressed with how the inaugural season went. The consistent car count this series was able to attract and retain was outstanding. The bar has been set high for the 2025 season, and we have big plans for even furthering the success.
Favorite Memory of last year: By far my favorite memory from last season was seeing my 13-year-old take his first checkered flag in a legend. It was extra special being with our traveling series at his hometown track where he grew up watching his heroes do the very same thing.
Favorite Part of the Series: The camaraderie, by far. Every racetrack we were at, there was no shortage of teams helping other teams. The drivers and their crews will do whatever they can to get everyone on the track. I think it was most apparent at Inex Dirt Nationals. This was obviously not a Midwest Legends Dirt Series event, but there were many drivers/teams from our series in attendance. I have never seen so many people in one pit area as I did after a teammate hit the wall in hot laps. It was remarkable to see everyone come together like they did at such a high level of competition.
I am excited to be a small part of a series that has done so much in its first year. I cannot wait to get to know everyone a little bit better as the season gets underway. 2025 is going to be great!
The MLDS is excited to have Kayla, and we can’t wait to see what she does with the series in 2025!!
For more information or to learn more about the series, find the series on Facebook today!!
Article Credit: Zack Krueger
Submitted By: Zack Krueger
