Nathan Haseleu's racing season took an unexpected turn last month when his car owners, Gary and Jo Schultz, decided to depart the racing business, leaving the 30-year-old Marshall native to run on his own for the rest of the year.

"They decided to do something different," Haseleu said of the split, which occurred in the days following the June 1 ASA Midwest Tour event at Dells Raceway Park in Wisconsin Dells. "To do it in the middle of the year was kind of a surprise. ... It caught me off guard."

For many drivers, such a situation might mean the end of their season. But with three cars of his own, a dedicated crew and solid backing from his primary sponsor, The Swiss Colony, Haseleu will continue to race in the ASA Midwest Tour and the super late model division at Madison International Speedway.

"Without The Swiss Colony I'd probably be a one-car operation and race 15 times a year," he said. "With The Swiss Colony and all they do for me, I can run the ASA Midwest Tour, and Madison and some specials."

First and foremost on the defending ASA Midwest Tour champion's racing mind, though, is getting back to regularly running well and competing for victories in his signature series, following a slow start that left him well behind in the points race.

Haseleu, who logged seven top-10 finishes -- including six top-5s -- in 11 races last season en route to the title, has three top-10s in the last four Midwest Tour races after finishing 19th and 27th in the first two events of the season. Included in the recent stretch of improved success was a second-place finish last Saturday at I-94 Raceway in Sauk Centre, Minn. That performance advanced Haseleu to ninth in the points standings -- 253 back of leader Dan Fredrickson -- with eight races to go.

And depending on what happens after this season, Haseleu might be driving for a new owner next year.

"I've had two or three people call me and ask and inquire about what 's going on,'' Haseleu said. "I told them we'll see where we are at the end of the summer and where they are at the end of the summer."

Pit stops

Ross Kenseth, the 15-year-old son of Cambridge native and NASCAR Sprint Cup series star Matt Kenseth, won his first limited late model feature July 2 at Dells Raceway Park. ... Hospitality ticket packages are still available for the Wisconsin All-Star 100 with Matt Kenseth Aug. 24 at the Milwaukee Mile. The $75 package includes a grandstand ticket, autographed hospitality pass, food and drink and a question-and-answer session with Kenseth. Order forms are available at www.mattkenseth.com.