Local man takes one final lap around the track

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – On a sunny day at Golden Sands Speedway, the air buzzed with the usual sounds of race day: revving engines, excited chatter, the scent of hot rubber curling off tires. But this day was different. This time, the race was about more than just speed. It was about a man, a family and a final wish granted in the nick of time.
At the center of it all was Joe Sevenich, 74, a lifelong racing fan, father of five, grandfather of eleven, and devoted husband of nearly 55 years. Diagnosed with multiple lung diseases and nearing the end of his life, Joe’s only wish was simple: to go to the races one more time.
“Racing was what we did,” said his son, Joe Jr., who flew up from Georgia on two days’ notice after getting a call that time was running short. “Oreos on the way, cheeseburgers at the track, Dunkin’ Donuts after -- it was our thing. I just knew I had to be here.”
Joe’s wish was made possible by Compassus Hospice’s “One Thing” program, a last wish initiative for terminally ill patients. When hospice worker Ellen Bishop asked Joe what he wanted most, his answer came fast: to be back at the track.
Bishop reached out to Shannon Smiley, owner of Golden Sands Speedway. Without hesitation, Smiley said yes.

“How could I not?” Smiley said. “If I can do something to make someone’s day, especially someone who’s loved racing their whole life – it’s an honor.”
Smiley went further than just offering tickets. Joe was made the honorary fan of the night. He rode in the pace car for the opening laps. Racers shook his hand. Spectators stood in applause. And his family – kids, grandkids, even staff from his assisted living home – surrounded him.
“I didn’t even know he was nominated for this,” said Becky Sevenich, Joe’s daughter. “Hospice did it. It was such a gift. We weren’t sure he’d even be able to make it. But he’s strong. He’s a fighter.”
Joe worked for decades in a paint factory and a paper mill, breathing in chemicals and asbestos long before the dangers were widely known. He was diagnosed last Memorial Day and given six months. But he held on -- for birthdays, for grandkids, for moments like this.
He’s spent most of the past year making memories, even as his health declined. Until recently, he and his wife still lived at home in Wisconsin Rapids. Now, Joe lives at Our House Assisted Living in Wisconsin Rapids. His wife wasn’t able to attend the race due to her own health issues, but their bond remains unshaken. Their 55th anniversary is just days away.
“He’s a good man,” Becky said. “Goofy, funny, a little stubborn, but always there for us. Always.”
For a few hours at the speedway, the weight of illness lifted. Laughter returned. So did the spark in Joe’s eyes as the pace car rolled onto the track, the crowd cheering, the sun dipping low over the grandstands.
“It’s not about dying,” Bishop said. “It’s about living. This is what that looks like.”
And as the car eased into the final turn, surrounded by family, friends, and fellow race fans, Joe Sevenich got exactly what he asked for: one last lap.