Morgan
Pads Points Lead! August 9, 1998; Slinger, WI - Conrad Morgan (Wales) won the 65 lap late model feature that highlighted the action during 76 Racing Fuel and Behling Racing Equipment Fan Appreciation Night, August 9th, at the Slinger Super Speedway. Morgan, who started outside row six, worked his way around John Zimmerman (Markesan) on lap 36 and went on to score the win by almost 2 seconds. Following Morgan and Zimmerman were Jeff Kendall (Montello), Brad Mueller (Random Lake) and David Prunty (Lomira). Morgan would slowly increase his lead over Zimmerman after taking the point as the top three maintained their intervals, with positions not being contested. The race was for the fourth spot as Mueller, Lowell Bennett (Neenah) and Prunty were bunched together as the laps wound down. Mueller was holding off a stiff challenge by Bennett as Prunty drove up on the pair. Prunty looked for a way around Bennett which allowed Mueller some breathing room and secure fourth position. Prunty caused Bennett to spin as they exited turn 2 for the last time which would earn Prunty a disqualification and a 21st finishing spot. Bennett, who is chasing Morgan for the points lead, wound up in the 15th position. Zimmerman lead form the drop of the green flag and had worked his way to a four second lead over Kendall until the only caution on lap 27. It brought Zimmerman back to the field and gave Morgan the break he needed. He moved underneath Kendall as they worked lap 31 and the defending track champion used the high groove to make the pass for the lead 5 laps later. Zimmerman and Morgan were the only race leaders for the night. Morgan was happy to make it to the main event for the late model division as his night got off to an ominous start. He encountered trouble during the Bumper to Bumper Trophy Dash, the first race of the evening, and owes the race win to his crew. After the accident, the crew had to repair the right rear trailing arm, driveshaft, front tie rod, strut arm and sheet metal to get Morgan ready for the feature event. Morgan’s win inched him closer to his fourth championship, but the battle is far from over as Bennett and Mueller are less than 100 points behind. Bennett deserved a better finish for the evening as he worked his way into the feature by winning the 30 lap semi feature. Bennett and Cindy Peterson (Butler) earned the transfer positions on the strength of their one two finish. Bennett would take over the point after race leader Rick Ottman (Milwaukee) got together with the second place car of Mike Strupp (Theresa) with both drivers being put to the rear. Ottman had led the entire race until the fifth and final caution flag flew on lap seventeen. Rounding out the top five behind Bennett and Peterson were Toby Rott (Slinger), Scott Schoeni (Slinger), and Burton Brown (Neenah). Matt Raudabaugh (Menomonee Falls) took the checkered in the 20 lap consi to earn a transfer spot into the semi feature. Eric Fransen (Franklin) set fast time with a lap of 11.676 seconds and Kendall won the 8 lap Bumper to Bumper Trophy Dash. Alan Keppert (West Bend) won his first feature ever in a Midwest Modified Sunday night. Keppert took the lead on lap three and gave himself a five car length advantage by lap 10 of the thirty lap event. The field was bunched back up when the first and only caution of the race flew on lap twenty. The caution came out when Larry Reihbrandt (Wauwatosa) and Florian Wisinski (Greenfield), who were running fourth and fifth at the time, got together in turn one. Four laps after the restart, Brian Holtz (Franklin) took the second spot from Mike Bidlack (Elkhorn) and set his sights on the leader. Holtz would catch the rear of Keppert on lap 28 but would not be able to seriously contend for the lead. Behind Keppert and Holtz was Dennis Prunty (Allenton) in third, Bidlack fourth, and John Kruschel (Butler) in fifth. Wisinski turned fast time with a lap of 12.491 seconds and Prunty took the checkered in the Eldorado Trailer Sales Trophy Dash. Dale Prunty (Allenton) won his second feature of the season in the Slinger Stinger Street Stock Division. Prunty took the lead on lap 3 and finished ahead of Peter Wiedmeyer (West Bend), Bill Shavlik (West Bend), Roger Schmid (Oconomowoc) and Dan Miller (Sussex) second thru fifth in the 18 lap feature. Mike Pascavis (Sheboygan) and P.J. Cain (Sussex) each won their respective heat races and Peter Wiedmeyer (West Bend) was fast qualifier with a lap of 13.468 seconds. Mark Ritger (St. Cloud) won the Figure 8 race after gaining the lead from Dan Gracyalny (Little Chute) who suffered a flat right front tire at the mid point of the 12 lap main. In other racing action, Ken and Joe Vanderheiden won the Team Cruiser division, Craig Wolf won the Speedway Guest Cars, and Tim Osowski (West Bend) won the Spectator Elimination race. Results Summary LATE MODEL FEATURE FINISH - 60 LAPS
FAST QUALIFIER - Eric Fransen (Franklin) - 11.676 seconds SEMI FEATURE FINISH 30 LAPS
CONSI FINISH 20 LAPS
MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH - 30 LAPS
FAST QUALIFIER -Florian Wisinski (Greenfield) - 12.491 seconds SLINGER STINGER FEATURE FINISH 18 LAPS
FAST QUALIFIER -Peter Wiedmeyer (West Bend) - 13.468 seconds FIGURE 8 WINNER - Mark Ritger (St. Cloud) - 12 laps TEAM CRUISERS -Ken Vanderheiden/Joe Vanderheiden- 10 laps SPEEDWAY GUEST CARS - Craig Wolf- 7 laps SPECTATOR RACE - Tim Osowski (West Bend) |