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Dennis Prunty wins Eden
Meat Market & Catering 75 at Slinger!
By Dan Margetta |
September
12, 2004; Slinger, WI - Dennis Prunty
became the 12th different face in victory lane during the 2004 season at the Slinger Super
Speedway as he claimed top honors in the season-ending Eden Meat Market & Catering
75-lap late model feature Sunday night.
“It took me to the end of the
season to get the car figured out and we did a lot of work,” Prunty stated
afterwards. “It may have took us all season, but we’ve got it ready for next
year.”
Prunty started alongside Travis Dassow on the front row for the start and used the outside
lane to grab the early lead. David Prunty also used the outside to slip into second place
ahead of Dassow, Ryan Mathews, and Dave Feiler. Brad Mueller experienced mechanical
problems on lap eight and dropped to the infield, but by taking the green flag for the
feature, he clinched his second consecutive track championship. Some intense racing
between Eric Fransen and John Mueller resulted in Mueller spinning in turn three on lap 15
and as the field slowed behind them, Brad Dahmer rode over the car in front of him and
made hard contact with the wall. The incident also collected the machine of Gregg Haese as
the caution flag appeared.
As racing resumed, the Prunty brothers paced the field with Dennis leading David as Feiler
began to work on Dassow for third place. Feiler looked for a way around Dassow for many
laps before eventually routing his way by on the inside on lap 25. With Dassow caught on
the outside, Mathews was also able to advance his way to fourth on the inside, bringing
Lowell Bennett with him as Dassow fell to sixth. Dassow’s misfortune continued when
he spun on lap 33 to produce the second caution flag of the race.
The Prunty brothers maintained their places at the front of the field for the restart and
the top five remained stable as the event was slowed for a third time on lap 38 when Fred
Winn and John Mueller tangled in turn four. Once again Dennis Prunty jumped out to a three
car length lead on the restart but this time Feiler began to pressure David Prunty for
second. Feiler was able to edge the nose of his car slightly to the inside, but each time
Prunty was able to close the door and turn back the challenges. On lap 49, Feiler got a
fender alongside Prunty’s rear quarter panel as they raced down the backstretch and
when they both tried to occupy the same space in turn three, Prunty spun, bringing out the
caution flag.
Back under green, Dennis Prunty again edged ahead to a three car-length advantage over
Feiler and Mathews while Bennett, Al Schill, and Austin Konetski battled for the fourth
position. The incident with David Prunty damaged Feiler’s right front fender slightly
and it hurt his car’s performance off the corners as Mathews began to challenge him
for second place. While Dennis Prunty extended his lead, Mathews turned up the heat on
Feiler for second, finally taking the spot with five laps to go. Prunty drove flawlessly
over the final laps and took the checkered flag to score his first feature win of the
season. Mathews finished a strong second followed by Feiler and Al Schill, who turned in a
late-race charge to finish fourth. Bennett crossed the stripe in fifth place and Konetski
was sixth. Conrad Morgan, Dassow, David Prunty, and John Mueller rounded out the top ten.
Robert Maynor notched his biggest win of the season by claiming top honors in the 30-lap
late model semi-feature after holding off Tony Strupp at the finish. Chris Ratajczyk
finished in third place ahead of Scott Schoeni and Chad Barker. Ryan Mathews won the fast
dash and Austin Konetski blistered the track in 11.381 seconds to nail down fast time
honors.
James Swan turned in a dominating performance to comfortably win the 40-lap feature that
comprised the third and final round of the Midwest Sportsman Championship Series.
Mike Graczkowski led the beginning laps over Scott Ascher and Colin Bamke as the yellow
flag appeared early when Gary LaMonte spun on lap four after contact with Jeremy Miller.
Despite the misfortune, LaMonte claimed his first track championship in the Midwest
Sportsman division. Graczkowski led on the restart over Ascher and Bamke, but Swan
immediately took to the outside groove and began to charge forward. By lap ten, Swan had
passed Bamke for third and was closing fast on Ascher for the second spot. John Senercia
was also using the outside lane to advance and he raced in Swan’s tire tracks, as
both were able to pass Ascher and Graczkowski to nail down the top two spots by lap 15.
Senercia’s race came to a halt two
laps later though when something broke in the front of his car and he coasted to the turn
two wall, drawing another caution flag. Swan easily led on the restart over Graczkowski as
Josh Bauer occupied the third spot after gradually making his way through the field while
Bamke and Brad Keith held down fourth and fifth respectively. As Swan pulled away out
front, Bauer made his way by Graczkowski for second. Bamke also was able to pass
Graczkowski for third place as the field began to string out. Swan easily drove to the win
nearly a straightaway ahead of Bauer who finished second. Bamke crossed the finish line in
third place while Graczkowksi and Keith completed the top five finishers.
Ken Smart won the 18-lap Midwest Sportsman semi-feature over Bobby Giers and Jeremy
Bloomberg. Mike Borchardt Jr. was victorious in the dash and Swan set fast time on the
night with a lap of 12.599 seconds.
Dan Miller charged by Dale Prunty and went on to take the win in the 25-lap Eldorado
Trailer Sales Midwest Modified feature.
Dan Jung and Dan Prunty occupied the front row for the start and Jung led the first two
laps before Prunty got his car wound up on the outside to take the top spot on lap three.
The high side proved to be the fast way around the speedway as Dale Prunty, Miller, Steve
Schulz, and Jeff Holtz all used it to advance forward during the middle stages of the
event. Dale Prunty caught Dan Prunty for the lead on lap nine and once again used the
outside to drive around and take command of the race. Miller followed with a similar move
to take second a few laps later to take second place. Dan Prunty began to fade on the
inside as both Schulz and Holtz also made their way by and into third and fourth place
respectively by lap 12. Once in second place, Miller tracked down Dale Prunty and after
several attempts on the high side, moved to the low groove to pull alongside on lap 15.
Miller and Prunty battled side-by-side for many laps with Miller prevailing entering the
corners while Prunty made up the ground on the exits. Miller was finally able to ease
ahead in the closing laps and went on to take the checkered flag for the win. Prunty
settled for second and in the process, wrapped up his second consecutive track
championship. Schulz finished in third place, just ahead of Holtz and Jason Feyereisen who
rounded out the top five.
Schulz led flag-to-flag to capture the 30-lap Midwest Modified Race of Champions for
feature and fast dash winners on the season. Dale Prunty finished second and Jason
Feyereisen was third. Jeff Holtz and Dan Miller rounded out the top five.
Wes Biswell was the winner of the Eldorado Trailer Sales Midwest Modified dash and Schulz
set fast time for the second week in a row with a lap of 12.188 seconds.
Jamie Vetter, Scott Bundy, and Bob Losieniecki each claimed victories in the Slinger Bees
events while Josh Fisher scored his first feature win of the year in a highly competitive
Thunderstocks main event. Doug Pasbrig won the Spectator Elimination races in his 1991
Chevy Caprice taxi cab and Eric Ruell was the winner of the Port-A-John Speedway Guest Car
race. Shane Becker took top honors in the Figure 8 race and also wrapped up his first
track championship in the division.
For Complete results from the RACESTAT computer CLICK HERE (
Currently awiting RACESTAT Information)
Season Ending Enduro Special Set for the Slinger Super
Speedway
By Lanae Weyer
Special; Slinger, WI —
The Spectator 200 Enduro and the Compact cars/4 Cylinder Enduro Class 100-lap event is set
for this Sunday, September 19th with racing action to start at 2 p. m.
Drivers set to compete include the 2001 Spectator 200 Enduro winner Jeff Meulemans from
Kaukauna, and noted Enduro competitors Mark Fogel of West Bend, Booby Sipl and Dean Olla
from Milwaukee. Thunderstock drivers set to take on the high bank oval in the Spectator
200 include Les Wiedenhoeft of Jackson, and Chris Beine of Slinger.
The Spectator 200 Enduro pays $1400.00 to win and will start three abreast and will only
stop if the track is blocked as the drivers race to be the first to complete 200 laps.
The Compact Special 100 will close out the afternoon featuring four cylinder compact cars
racing in a 100-lap event. Drivers slated to race include Jason Meulemans from Neenah and
Slinger Bee’s Competitors Ryan DeStefano of Colgate, C.J. Corallini from North Lake,
and Joseph Bentfield of Waukesha.
The starting line up’s for both events will be determined by the order in which the
entry forms are received at the Speedway. Interested novice drivers may find out more
information by stopping in or calling the track office.
Spectator gates open at noon, for this Sunday’s event with racing scheduled to begin
at 2 p.m. This will conclude the 2004 Racing Season for the Speedway. The Slinger Super
Speedway is located ¼ mile West of Highway 41 on Highway 144 in Slinger. For more
information, call the track office during normal business hours M-F 9-5 at (262) 644-5921
or check out the track website at www.slingersuperspeedway.com
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