History
Welcome to our History Page... As an organization started in early 90's in Northern Wisconsin under the premise of High Mileage Vehicles to today's multi-state Energy Efficient Motorsports events with a Non-Profit status and Board of Directors - we have alot of history. Much of this page is gathered from various sources over the years and documented when able. IF you have history to add or change to this page - please email us :)
2022
ChallengeUSA Board voted and approved to increase affiliation and race fees.
2019
New website is unveiled in January - www.CUSAMotorSports.org
CUSA purchases a custom built 20ft enclosed trailer from I90 Enterprises (Dealer) and Partnership Bank (Financing) to replace the salvaged WEEVA Bus.
UW-Platteville is moving their Challenge Day (Saturday) location to Fennimore, WI. The previous location (Behind Menards) continued to have houses built in the sub-division and was getting overcrowded by growth of participating teams and how much traffic was coming into the neighborhood. The new venue in Fennimore will be a closed course track.
2018
ChallengeUSA is the new face and name of WEEVA (Wisconsin Energy Efficient Vehicle Association) effective February 12th, 2018.
A new Fall event is hosted at Lacrosse Fairgrounds Speedway in West Salem with 26 vehicles competing from Wisconsin and Iowa.
The WEEVA Bus broke down on the way back from Joliet, IL in April and was eventually sold for scrap on August 9th, 2018.
2017
Lauri Domer becomes the new Executive Director of WEEVA.
UW-Stout moves their venue to the Menomonie Municipal Airport for logistical reasons, proving to have more space and a better track. Event is still coordinated by UW-Stout Tech Ed students.
2016
Autobahn Country Club hosts their first event in April, 2016 in Joliet, Illinois. Coordinators Dan Weidner and D214 staff with the help of Al Gomez from STEM Academy.
Cashton hosted a one-time Fall Event at local industrial park on October 1st, 2016. Coordinators were Mike Schmitz and Harvey Mehn.
2015
WEEVA implemented a new Vehicle Identification Numbering (VIN) system for all teams/cars. Each school/team was assigned a 10 sequential numbers (i.e., 90-99) to use for their team for their many years to come. This helped eliminate the problem every fall of what team gets what numbers when they register - and returning cars having to renumber themselves every year.
2014
UW-Platteville hosts their first Spring Event (Dr. Frank Steck Coordinator).
2012
WEEVA celebrated 20 years in Wisconsin!!! (Since Supermileage was started at UW-Stout)
2010
WEEVA purchases a School Bus and converts it to the Mobile Headquarters for hosting and running events around Wisconsin.
2009
The first "FALL EVENT" was hosted by Wisconsin Dells (Larry Martin Coordinator) at Dells Raceway Park. This event lasted 3 years.
2008
WEEVA becomes the official name of the organization in February of 2008. Wisconsin Energy Efficient Vehicle Association is a better fit as Electrathon is brought under the same organizational control with Supermileage. A new website is created to better draw both organizations - www.ChallengeWisconsin.org
2006
Wisconsin Supermileage Association, Inc. is formed as a State-Wide non-profit organization to help organize and bring consistency to the 3 events in Wisconsin (UW-Stout, FVTC and Road America). Website is created www.WisconsinSupermileage.org
2005
Meetings begin in March for an "HMV State Committee" with hopes of bringing consistency and one set of rules to Wisconsin's Supermileage Events. Meetings continued thru 2006 when WisconsinSupermileage will be formed.
2002
The Fall of 2001, FVTC was approached by NE-Wisconsin schools asking if it would be possible to have an event on this side of the state. With collaboration from the TECA Students and Dr. Kenneth Welty at UW-Stout, the inaugural event went smoothly in the Spring of 2002. The first Fox Valley Technical College HMV Challenge was host to 17 High Mileage Vehicles on a very hilly and challenging course on the FVTC Campus. FVTC has been host to various strong supporters from the beginning including Fox Valley Area Porsche Club and Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. The Porshe Club provided countless hours of volunteers for inspections and competition time while Miller provided equipment and expertise in cutting and joining technology during both inspection and competition days. Other various student clubs and staff at FVTC have also been a mainstay in providing inspectors, recovery vehicle drivers and more. The event grew quickly and by the third year, the challenge day site had moved to an area that surrounded the colleges truck driving skid-pad in order to accommodate the volume of participants. With the addition of Wisconsin Electrathon teams in 2005, more complexity was taken on with the larger volume of the event. By 2007 the event organizers decided that the challenge day portion had outgrown the facilities and grounds on the campus of FVTC and moved that portion of the event to Wisconsin International Raceway (WIR) in Kaukauna, a fifteen minute drive from the college. The half-mile speedway was an instant hit with that years 63 registered vehicles. The speedway offers their facilities for the students to use at a very deep discount and FVTC and WEEVA are surely appreciative of that.
Wisconsin Supermileage celebrated 10 years since they began at UW-Stout!!!
2000
Road America - first year
Funding
Early
Years
UW-Stout HMV was not self-sustaining the first few years through entry fees alone. With the help of Dr. Kenneth Welty, TECA advertised and sold Motor Packs along with curriculum to Wisconsin Technology Education Programs. The UW-Stout Technology Education department received a donation of several pallets of Small Motor Packs from a local industry. TECA advertised to WTEA Conferences and through WTEA Newsletters these Motor Packs. This promotion generated dozens of orders and TECA had all the money they needed to run the HMV with funds to spare. The sale of Motor Packs generated thousands of dollars for TECA. After several years, TECA eventually ran out of motor packs. However, the HMV Competition was then large enough to support itself annually through entry fees, shirt sales and consessions during the event.
1993
The first High Mileage Vehicle Challenge in Wisconsin was conducted by a handful of TECA students at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in the Technology Park in Menomonie, WI, in the Spring of 1993. UW-Stout TECA/HMV hosted 6 cars their first year on a very rainy day. The event did not generate enough money to sustain itself, however the start-up funds from the foundation offset most of the costs for their second year as well.
1992
In 1992, Technology Education Collegiate Association (TECA) students at the University of Wisconsin-Stout wanted to put on an event similar to the one run by Technology Education Teachers in the state of Minnesota. The TECA students at the time did not have the time or knowledge of writing such a proposal to raise the funds. A Graduate Student in the Masters Degree program at UW-Stout at the time, Steve Hoersten, took on the task in the Fall of 1992. With the assistance of Dr. Kenneth Welty and Dr. Ed McDaniel (TECA Advisor in 1992), Steve submitted the proposal to the UW-Stout Foundation. The proposal was successful and TECA was awarded the funds needed to start the First HMV Competition. (Vague references to amount being $2,500.00)