Bennett Cuts Into Points Lead with Win! Prestay Records Double Win!
By Daryl Schultz

August 16, 1998; Slinger, WI -  Lowell Bennett (Neenah) won the Krueger Entertainment Center 65 Sunday night, August 16th, at the Slinger Super Speedway. Bennett took advantage of a mishap between the top two runners early in the race and held off David Prunty (Lomira) and Conrad Morgan (Wales) for the victory in the 65 lap main for the late model division. Bennett took command of the race after the third of four cautions flew on lap 16 which gave him the lead. He would show the way the remaining laps and claim victory over Prunty and Morgan.

Prunty would ride behind the leader and wait for a bobble by Bennett that never happened. Prunty was soon joined in the fight for the top spot by Morgan but Bennett never faltered as the three raced together for the last half of the race. Bennett edged ahead at the very end to a margin of 4 car lengths as the checkered flag waved. Bennett, Prunty and Morgan were followed in the top five by Brad Mueller (Random Lake) and Mike Strupp (Theresa). The fourth spot ended in a heated battle as Mueller was able to get around the Strupp ride after the two accepted the white flag.

Chris Ratajczyk (Menomonee Falls) won the 30 lap semi feature . The trio of Ratajczyk, Mike Egan (Slinger) and Jeff Holtz (Franklin) were all bumper to bumper as they came to the white flag. Positions remained unchanged as they crossed the line, giving Ratajczyk and EGA the transfer positions into the feature. Rounding out the top five was Jerry Eckhardt (Watertown) in fourth and Fred Winn (Milwaukee) in fifth. The race looked to be Jamie Wallace’s (Pell Lake) after he led the first 23 circuits of the race, but he suffered mechanical problems and was unable to finish the race.

Joe Gross (Milwaukee) lead from start to finish en route to a checkered flag in the consi race for the late models. Todd Thelen (Oconomowoc) rode in the second position from lap 2 but was unable to pass Gross for the lead in the 20 lap event. Rounding out the top five was Matt Raudabaugh (Menomonee Falls) in third, Russ Peterson (Hartland) in fourth, and Fran Prestay (Twin Lakes) in fifth.

Mueller set fast time with a lap of 11.618 seconds and Chad Barker (Caladonia) won the 8 lap Bumper to Bumper Trophy Dash.

Prestay, pulling double duty in both the late model and Midwest Modified Division, inherited the lead and would go on to win the 30 lap Midwest Modified Division Feature. Prestay took the lead on lap 22 after the third and fourth place runners, Jeff Holmgren Jr. (East Troy) and Florian Wisinski (Greenfield), were involved in the only caution of the event putting both to the rear. The leader at the time was also relegated to the rear for not obeying the flag man. Prestay who was looking both inside and outside for the lead when the mayhem started, made the most of his good fortune motoring to an easy win. The win, coupled with Wisinski’s mishap, vaulted Prestay back ahead of Wisinski for the divisional points lead. Prestay was followed in the top five by Roger Wittal (East Troy), Mike Bidlack (Elkhorn), Mike Cayton (Butler) and Chris Peterson (Cedarburg).

Wisinski (Greenfield) turned a lap of 12.381 seconds to be fast qualifier and Prestay made it a clean sweep for the Modified Division by winning the Eldorado Trailer Sales Trophy Dash.

Mike Pascavis (Sheboygan) took the checkered in the Slinger Stinger feature giving him his first feature win of the ‘98 season. Pascavis took the lead on lap 4 of the 18 lap event on his way to victory. Roger Schmid (Oconomowoc) tried the outside groove working lap 15 but was unable to make the pass and would hold on as a battle ensued for second. Rounding out the top five were Paul Wagner (West Bend), Dale Prunty (Allenton), and Dan Miller (Sussex). Wagner was fast qualifier with a lap of 13.554 seconds and Bill Shavlik (West Bend) and Schmid each won their respective heat races.

Chris Price won his third Figure 8 feature of the ‘98 season, as 12 cars started the 12 lap hair raising slugfest.

In other racing action, Dan and Mark Jung won the Team Cruisers, Brian Feyereisen won the Speedway Guest Cars, and Roger Lomax (Ashippun) won the Spectator Elimination races. Lomax was later disqualified as his car was found to be modified for racing. The Spectator Elimination Cars must be totally stock, hold a current registration and be driven to the track.

The Allison Legacy Cars made a guest appearance to round out the action on the World’s Fastest 1/4 Mile Oval Sunday night. The 16 lap feature event went to Randy Coates (Racine). Bobby Giers (Ingleside, IL) turned fast time, Doug Rieckly (Waukesha) won the dash, and Jeff Goodwin (Waconda, IL) won the heat race.

Results Summary

LATE MODEL FEATURE FINISH - 65 LAPS

1.Lowell Bennett (Neenah) 11.Mark Schroeder (Green Bay)
2.David Prunty (Lomira) 12.Chris Ratajczyk (Menomonee Falls)
3.Conrad Morgan (Wales) 13.Dan Mills (Menomonee Falls)
4.Brad Mueller (Random Lake) 14.Mike Loesche (Pewaukee)
5.Mike Strupp (Theresa) 15.Race McComb (Jackson)
6.Jeff Kendall (Montello) 16.Tom Hromadka (Brookfield)
7.John Mueller (Hubertus) 17.Chad Barker (Caladonia)
8.Al Schill (Franklin) 18.Cindy Peterson (Butler)
9.Eric Fransen (Franklin) 19.Mike Egan (Slinger)
10.Rich Loch (Muskego) 20.Tony Strupp (West Bend)

FAST QUALIFIER - Brad Mueller (Random Lake) - 11.618 seconds
FAST DASH -Chad Barker (Caladonia) - 8 laps

SEMI FEATURE FINISH 30 LAPS

1.Chris Ratajczyk (Menomonee Falls) 4.Jerry Eckhardt (Watertown)
2.Mike Egan (Slinger) 5.Fred Winn (Milwaukee)
3.Jeff Holtz (Franklin)

CONSI FINISH 20 LAPS

1.Joe Gross (Milwaukee) 4.Russ Peterson (Hartland)
2.Todd Thelen (Oconomowoc) 5.Fran Prestay (Twin Lakes)
3.Matt Raudabaugh (Menomonee Falls)

MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH - 30 LAPS

1.Fran Prestay (Twin Lakes) 4.Mike Cayton (Butler)
2.Roger Wittal (East Troy) 5.Chris Peterson (Cedarburg)
3.Mike Bidlack (Elkhorn)

FAST QUALIFIER - Florian Wisinski (Greenfield) - 12.381 seconds
FAST DASH -Fran Prestay (Twin Lakes) - 8 laps

SLINGER STINGER FEATURE FINISH 18 LAPS

1.Mike Pascavis (Sheboygan) 4.Dale Prunty (Allenton)
2.Roger Schmid (Oconomowoc) 5.Dan Miller (Sussex)
3.Paul Wagner (West Bend)

FAST QUALIFIER - Paul Wagner (West Bend) - 13.554 seconds
HEAT 1 -Bill Shavlik (West Bend) - 8 laps
HEAT 2 -Roger Schmid (Oconomowoc) - 8 laps

FIGURE 8 WINNER -Dave Haferkorn (Sussex) - 12 laps

TEAM CRUISERS - Dan Jung/Mark Jung - 10 laps

SPEEDWAY GUEST CARS - Brian Feyereisen - 6 laps

SPECTATOR RACE - Roger Lomax (Ashippun) (DQ’d)

ALLISON LEGACY CARS-
FAST QUALIFIER-Bobby Giers (Ingleside, IL)
DASH -Doug Rieckly (Waukesha) - 4 laps
HEAT -Jeff Goodwin (Waconda, IL) - 8 laps
FEATURE-Randy Coates (Racine) - 16 laps