Morgan
Hangs on for Win! August 30, 1998; Slinger, WI - Conrad Morgan (Wales) took command of the points battle at the Slinger Super Speedway Sunday night, August 30th, as he won the 60 lap late model feature. Morgan who will lead the points chase heading into the final night of competition during the Labor Day Weekend Special, held off Brad Mueller (Random Lake) and Tony Strupp (West Bend) as the two made a late charge at the defending track champion. At the drop of the checkered, Morgan pulled to a 2 car length victory after having enjoyed a 3-1/2 second lead with two-thirds of the race completed. The duo pulled up to a side by side battle for the third position just passed the mid-way point. Mueller and Strupp would pull into second and third, respectively, while working lap 34 and set their sights on the leader. Morgan would give back some of his comfortable lead while he was slicing through lap traffic with the laps winding down. The caution that both Mueller and Strupp were hoping for never materialized as the race would end caution free. The two kept charging and with just three circuits remaining had closed the gap to 10 car lengths. Morgan’s lead continued to evaporate as he diced through lap traffic. Morgan would hold on for the victory as Mueller and Strupp would settle for second and third. The top five was rounded out by Al Schill (Franklin) and Eric Fransen (Franklin). Morgan, who started outside row 3, motored to the lead on lap 14 and slightly increased his points lead over Mueller. The two started the night only 72 points apart, with Lowell Bennett (Neenah) sandwiched in between. Bennett would suffer problems early in the feature and was the first car out for the evening. Morgan would claim the Mac Tools Half-Way Challenge and the $150.00 that goes along with it as he lead lap 30. Fran Prestay (Twin Lakes) took command of the 30 lap semi feature from his pole position, en route to his checkered flag. Second place finisher Charlie Thon Jr. (Milwaukee) was never able to mount a serious challenge to Prestay to contend for the point. Thon would however transfer into the feature along with Prestay. Jeff Holtz (Franklin) and Scott Schoeni (Slinger) made their way past Race McComb (Jackson) on lap 3 to take third and fourth place respectively. Last weeks feature winner, John Zimmerman (Markesan) was the car on the move as he went from his eleventh place starting position into the fifth spot on lap 23 of the 30 lap event. Matt Raudabaugh (Menomonee Falls) took the checkered in the consi race. Jerry Eckhardt (Watertown) was fast qualifier, his first and only of his career, with a lap of 11.685 seconds and Al Schill (Franklin) won the 8 lap Bumper to Bumper Trophy Dash. Brian Holtz (Franklin) made the winning pass 5 laps from the end of the 30 lap Midwest Modified feature, which was also run caution free. Holtz moved into second place on lap 9 and would follow early leader, Dennis Prunty (Allenton) until moving around him for the win. Prunty crossed the line for second and would be followed in the top five by Larry Reihbrandt (Wauwatosa) third, Fran Prestay (Twin Lakes) fourth and Florian Wisinski (Greenfield) fifth. Prestay set fast time with a lap of 12.434 seconds and Jeff Holmgren Jr. (East Troy) won the Eldorado Trailer Sales Trophy Dash. Paul Wagner (West Bend) moved up from his fourth starting spot to take the point on lap 5 of the Slinger Stinger feature. Wagner would pace the field the remaining 9 laps and would pull to an easly win. The bottle neck was for the second spot as John Wandrey (Allenton), Peter Wiedmeyer (West Bend) and Dave Berndt (West Bend) were in a heated battle of the position. Berndt turned sideways exiting turn four and collected a lap car which ended his chase for a top five finish. Wandrey would survive and finish second with Wiedmeyer third, Bill Shavlik (West Bend) fourth and Dale Prunty (Allenton) fifth. Berndt and Dan Miller (Sussex) each won their respective 8 lap heat races and Miller turned fast time with a lap of 13.469 seconds. The ten car starting field for the Figure 8 feature was quickly wittled down as two drivers lost wheels on back to back laps to start the night. Dan Gracyalny (Little Chute) outlasted the remaining field and claimed the win in the 10 lap event. In other racing action, Rob Meyers/Duane Olbinski won the Team Cruiser division, Roger Lomax won the Speedway Guest Cars, and Ben Jaeger (West Bend) won the Spectator Elimination races. Results Summary LATE MODEL FEATURE FINISH - 60 LAPS
FAST QUALIFIER -Jerry Eckhardt (Watertown) - 11.685 seconds SEMI FEATURE FINISH 30 LAPS
CONSI FINISH 15 LAPS
MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH - 30 LAPS
FAST QUALIFIER -Fran Prestay (Twin Lakes) - 12.434 seconds SLINGER STINGER FEATURE FINISH 18 LAPS
FAST QUALIFIER -Dan Miller (Sussex) - 13.469 seconds FIGURE 8 WINNER -Dan Gracyalny (Little Chute)- 12 laps TEAM CRUISERS -Rob Meyers/Duane Olbinski - 10 laps SPEEDWAY GUEST CARS - Roger Lomax - 6 laps SPECTATOR RACE -Ben Jaeger (West Bend) |