FRESNO, Calif. – Kerry Madsen has penned a deal to become the next driver of Roth Motorsports’ No. 83Jr sprint car, Madsen informed SPEED SPORT.
The Australian veteran who turned 50 years of age three weeks ago expects to run 40 to 50 races on the national scene next season, including the Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway and the Kings Royal at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway.
It’s a stable home for Madsen, who’s come and gone from Big Game Motorsports, Michael Barshinger’s now defunct team and Tony Stewart Racing in the past year.
He’ll work beside fellow Australian crew chief Paul Baines, who boasts 15 years of experience with Tarlton Motorsports.
“Beef Packers have always had fantastic teams, great teams,” Madsen told Sprint Car & Midget in a phone interview earlier this week. “It’s going to be fun to work with those guys.
Madsen’s debut in the car is set for March 11 at California’s Thunderbowl Raceway, part of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Sprint Car Series six-race swing in the Golden State.
Madsen reestablished himself in a big way this past year when he surged to seven wins – including six aboard Tony Stewart’s No. 14 – following his winless season and release from Big Game Motorsports.
It was the most wins for Madsen in a season since he won eight times during the 2018 season.
Three of his wins this year were with the World of Outlaws, another feat that hadn’t managed since he won four times on tour in 2017.
In a perfect world, Madsen would have liked to return with TSR.
But shortly after the World Finals, Stewart confirmed he’d shelve his No. 14 sprint carfor the time being to focus on his company’s new NHRA team.
“That would have been awesome,” Madsen said if his TSR situation never dissolved. “TSR has a lot going on with what they have over there. I get it. There’s only so much you can do with what it is.
“They have a lot going on. Unfortunately I was low-man on the totem pole. And I was just filling in for the year too, so I was never any long-term driver. I would’ve loved to have been. Here we are with Roth.”
Madsen and Roth Motorsports were supposed to log the first test session together last week at Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford, Calif., but inclement weather foiled that opportunity.
The team still hopes to complete at least one test session before its season starts in March.
“We don’t know what we got until we get out there,” Madsen said. “It’s as simple as that.”