Strupp and Bennett Split Slinger Features!
By Lanae Weyer

August 22, 1999; Slinger, WI -  In the third round of the Mobil 1, Coca-Cola Triple Crown series Tony Strupp (West Bend) won the first of the two 50 lap features at the Slinger Super Speedway over a hard charging John Zimmerman (Markesan), Lowell Bennett (Neenah),Conrad Morgan (Waukesha) and Al Schill (Franklin). From his front row starting spot Zimmerman jumped out to an early lead while eventual race winner Strupp and Schill ran side by side at the onset. By lap 22 Strupp was hot on the heals of the Zimmerman machine, cutting down his early 3 car length lead. Zimmerman picked up the Mac Tools Half-Way Challenge bonus money by showing the point on lap 25. One lap later, Strupp who worked the inside lane, made the winning pass.

Bennett ran down the pair as the front runners began to come up on lap traffic. The trio ran bumper to bumper, while Morgan and Schill fought for the fourth and fifth spots. Strupp was unstoppable as he led the fast paced group to a caution free win as a few rain drops began to fall in the closing laps of the event .

Strupp's domination of the first 50 lapper, unfortunately for him, would not to carry over to the second feature, as Lowell Bennett (Neenah) backed up his third place finish by winning the second 50 lap event. " The car was just awesome, I was just waiting for a lane and being patient , we had a killer car!" Bennett who started on the outside of the sixth row worked his way through he 22-car field while Brad Mueller (Random Lake), Conrad Morgan (Waukesha), Rich Loch (Muskego) and Al Schill (Franklin) rounded out the top five finishers.

As part of the rules for the twin feature event, the lead lap cars would be inverted for the nightcap. The field made it tough for Bennett , as Wayne Freimund (West Allis) got a great start and pulled away to a 2 car length lead over Charlie Thon Jr. (Germantown). He increased his lead as Loch, Mueller, and Schill battled over the remaining top five positions. Mueller who worked to the inside of Loch made the pass for the position and started to run down the lead car of Freimund as a caution flag flew on lap 25 for an incident involving the previous feature winner Strupp. Following the restart, Mueller jumped around Freimund and into the lead with Loch keeping the pressure on for the top spot. The front pair of Mueller and Loch ran nose to tail as Bennett, Morgan and Schill lined up and started reeling in the duo. Bennett had his car dialed in and went to work on the outside of Loch as the two battled side by side with Bennett making the pass for the runner up spot on the 43rd lap. With laps dwindling, down Bennett had only Mueller to catch. He moved into position to make the pass with just three laps to go, putting his nose on the inside of Mueller. The pass was successful, which allowed Bennett to take the checkered flag and earn his first feature win of the season at the World's Fastest 1/4 Mile Oval, with Morgan finishing a close third.

Scott Schoeni (Slinger) jumped to an early lead in the 30 lap, late model semi feature. John Mueller (Markesan) moved around to take the point on lap 17 and led for the remainder of the event after squashing late race challenges of Schoeni and Fred Winn (Milwaukee).

In other late model action, Rick Ottman (Milwaukee) won the 15 lap consi feature, while Mueller claimed the Mac Tools Trophy Dash and Eric Fransen (Slinger) turned fast time with a lap of 11.739 seconds.

Points leader Dennis Prunty (Allenton) held off Brian Holtz (Franklin) to win the 30 lap Midwest Modified feature. Prunty and Holtz moved through traffic quickly and passed Mike Cayton (Butler) and Tom King (Watertown) for the top two spots on lap 8. Prunty and Holtz began to distance themselves from the field as Dale Prunty (Allenton) and Florian Wisinski (Greenfield)raced into the top five just past the halfway mark. Dale Prunty and Wisinski cleared their way into third and fourth with five laps to go, but Dennis Prunty and Holtz had too large of a lead as Dennis cruised to the win with Holtz finishing close behind in second. Almost 6 seconds behind the front pair, Dale Prunty held off Wisinski for third while Cayton finished fifth. Wisinski was fast qualifier with a lap of 12.331 seconds and Dale Prunty won the Eldorado Trailer Sales Trophy Dash.

Dan Prunty (Lomira) showed he was the class of the Slinger Stinger feature field as he stormed to the lead on lap three and cruised to the win. Craig Loiselle (Milwaukee) survived a torrid four car battle to finish second ahead of Lyle Messenger (Milwaukee), Michael Flairty (Jackson) and Roger Schmid (Stone Bank). Todd Branneis (Waukesha) and John Henning (Cedarburg) each won their respective 8 lap heat race.

Randy Theimer took the checkered in the Figure 8 feature event and took over the points lead in the division as a result.

In other racing action, Dan and Mark Jung won the Team Cruiser division, Dave Bornard won the Speedway Guest cars and John Engel (Oconomowoc) won the Spectator Elimination races.

Results Summary

LATE MODEL FEATURE #1 FINISH - 50 LAPS

1. Tony Strupp (West Bend) 13. Charlie Thon Jr. (Germantown)
2. Lowell Bennett (Neenah) 14. D.Q.
3. John Zimmerman (Markesan) 15. Jeff Kendall (Montello)
4. Conrad Morgan (Waukesha) 16. Donavan Morgan (Oconomowoc)
5. Al Schill (Franklin) 17. Matt Raudabaugh (Meno Falls)
6. David Prunty (Lomira) 18. Mike Strupp (Theresa)
7. Brad Mueller (Random Lake) 19. Dan Mills (Menomonee Falls)
8. Toby Rott (Slinger) 20. Tom Hromadka (Brookfield)
9. Rich Loch (Muskego) 21. Dave Teske (Menomonee Falls)
10. Mike Egan (Slinger) 22. Eric Fransen (Slinger)
11. Randy Schuler (Mequon)
12. Wayne Freimund (West Allis)

LATE MODEL FEATURE #2 FINISH - 50 LAPS

1. Lowell Bennett (Neenah) 13. Donavan Morgan (Oconomowoc)
2. Brad Mueller (Random Lake) 14. Dan Mills (Menomonee Falls)
3. Conrad Morgan (Waukesha) 15. Charlie Thon Jr. (Germantown)
4. Rich Loch (Muskego) 16. Mike Strupp (Theresa)
5. Al Schill (Franklin) 17. John Zimmerman (Markesan)
6. David Prunty (Lomira) 18. Tom Hromadka (Brookfield)
7. Wayne Freimund (West Allis) 19. Jeff Kendall (Montello)
8. Randy Rasmussen (Gillett) 20. Matt Raudabaugh (Meno Falls)
9. Tony Strupp (West Bend) 21. Jeff Holtz (Franklin)
10. Eric Fransen (Slinger) 22. Dave Teske (Menomonee Falls)
11. Mike Egan (Slinger)
12. Randy Schuler (Mequon)

FAST QUALIFIER - Eric Fransen (Slinger)11.739 seconds
FAST DASH - Brad Mueller (Random Lake) 5-laps

OVERALL MOBIL / COCA COLA TRIPLE CROWN SERIES POINTS

Conrad Morgan (Waukesha) 361
Lowell Bennett (Neenah) 320
Al Schill (Franklin) 254
Brad Mueller (Random Lake) 233
Rich Loch (Muskego) 225

SEMI FEATURE FINISH 30 LAPS

1. John Mueller (Markesan) 4. Jerry Eckhardt (Johnson Creek)
2. Scott Schoeni (Slinger) 5. Chris Ratajczyk (Menomonee Falls)
3. Fred Winn (Milwaukee)

CONSI FEATURE FINISH 15 LAPS

1.Rick Ottman (Milwaukee)
2.Steve Huelsbeck (Milwaukee)

MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH - 30 LAPS

1. Dennis Prunty (Allenton) 4. Florian Wisinski (Greenfield)
2. Brian Holtz (Franklin) 5. Mike Cayton (Butler)
3. Dale Prunty (Allenton)

FAST QUALIFIER - Florian Wisinski (Greenfield) 12.331 seconds
FAST DASH - Dale Prunty (Allenton) 8-laps

SLINGER STINGER FEATURE FINISH 16 LAPS

1. Dan Prunty (Lomira) 4. Michael Flairty (Jackson)
2. Craig Loiselle (Milwaukee) 5. Roger Schmid (Stone Bank)
3. Lyle Messenger (Milwaukee)

FAST QUALIFIER - Did not qualify.
HEAT 1 - Todd Branneis (Waukesha) 8 laps
HEAT 2 - John Henning (Cedarburg) 8 laps

FIGURE 8 WINNER - Randy Theimer

TEAM CRUISERS - Dan/Mark Jung

SPEEDWAY GUEST CARS - Dave Bornard

SPECTATOR RACE - John Engel (Oconomowoc)