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JOHN MUELLER TOPS MORE
THAN MILLWORK 75!
By Dan Margetta |
(Slinger,
WI) June 19, 2005 - John Mueller turned back a late race challenge by defending
track champion Brad Mueller and raced to the win in the More Than Millwork 75-lap late
model feature Sunday night at the Slinger Super Speedway.
“The car was
pretty good tonight,” Mueller stated after leading 42 laps. “I knew Brad
(Mueller) was good all night as well and yeah, I was nervous with him behind me but I just
did what I had to do.”
Travis Dassow jumped to the lead at the start and Rich Loch followed him in the inside
lane to take second while John Mueller, Dave Teske, and Dennis Prunty raced for third
place. Teske became caught on the outside and slipped back into a battle with Dave Feiler
as Dassow and Loch contested the lead. Loch made numerous looks to the inside of Dassow,
but the youngster was able to hold onto the top spot while farther back, Feiler took over
fourth place from Teske. Feiler’s car suddenly slowed on lap 16 and stacked up the
field but every driver was able to avoid him as the caution flag appeared.
Dassow led on the restart over Loch, John Mueller, and Dennis Prunty as Brad Mueller began
to move into the top five. Prunty and Brad Mueller tried the outer groove and were able to
pull alongside John Mueller while Dassow and Loch began to slightly pull away.
Prunty’s car began to lose the handle up high and he slid wide on lap 22, allowing
Brad Mueller to get by as John Mueller tracked down Dassow and Loch to set up a three car
battle at the front. A spin by Fred Winn in turn one on lap 23 produced another caution
flag and when Conrad Morgan spun to avoid the incident, he was tagged by a sliding Scott
Schoeni. The race was stopped under the red flag momentarily as Morgan was transported to
a local hospital with an apparent arm injury.
Dassow continued to show the way as racing resumed and John Mueller was able to draw to
the inside of Loch for second place while Brad Mueller, Dennis Prunty, David Prunty, and
Austin Konetski battled for spots behind them. Winn and Robert Maynor made contact on lap
29 and left debris on the speedway which slowed the race under the yellow flag for a third
time. Dassow led John Mueller, Loch, and Brad Mueller on the restart and shortly after
racing resumed, both John and Brad Mueller took to the inside, forcing Dassow and Loch to
move outside. With Dassow and Loch caught on the outside, they began to slip back as John
Mueller took the lead on lap 33. Brad Mueller moved into second place as Dennis Prunty,
David Prunty, and Konetski all advanced ahead of Dassow and Loch.
Once out front, John Mueller maintained a steady lead while Konetski began to march
forward, taking fourth from David Prunty just before the caution flag flew for a final
time on lap 64 after Teske and Ken Wills tangled in turn four. During the caution period,
David Prunty developed mechanical problems and dropped from the event, advancing Loch into
fifth place. Brad Mueller made a serious bid for the lead on the restart, looking to the
inside, but John Mueller was able to hold off the challenge exiting the corners and kept
the lead. John Mueller led the final laps and scored the win, his first of the season
while Brad Mueller took the checkered flag in second. Konetski was able to make his way
around Dennis Prunty to finish third while Loch came home with a fifth place finish.
Mike Egan won the 30-lap late model semi-feature and advanced to the main event along with
Robert Maynor who finished second. Mark Bitzan was third while Jim Schmittinger and Jamie
Wallace completed the top five. Konetski won the fast dash and David Prunty set fast time
at 11.482 seconds.
Brad Keith turned in an impressive performance, leading nearly every lap en route to
victory in the 30-lap Midwest Sportsman feature.
Keith and Mike Borchardt paced the start of the feature with Borchardt leading the first
lap before Keith shot by on the inside to lead lap two. Borchardt’s car was loose off
the turns and Dave Thomas took advantage of the situation, also using the inside to grab
second place while Keith continued to lead. Nate Fick and Gary Tisler tangled in turn four
on lap eight, slowing the race under caution with Keith leading Thomas, Mike Graczkowski,
Rob Braun, and Gary LaMonte. LaMonte edged to the inside to get around Braun on the
restart as the caution quickly reappeared a lap later when Collin Bamke and Jan Kantner
collided and spun in turn four.
Back to green, Keith once again maintained his lead over Thomas while Mike Graczkowski,
LaMonte, James Swan, and Pat McIntee all began their march toward the front.
Borchardt’s car continued to get loose and by lap 12, he faded as Graczkowski,
LaMonte, and Swan all passed by him. The caution appeared once again on lap 15 when fluid
on the track scattered the leaders in turn three, resulting in damage to
Graczkowski’s car which dropped him from the race. Before the event could restart,
LaMonte’s car dropped off the pace and he too retired from the race while Keith led
Thomas, Swan, and McIntee for the restart.
Keith began to ease away from the field as racing resumed and by lap 22, he worked lapped
traffic beautifully to further extend his lead over Thomas, Swan, and McIntee.
Keith’s advantage was erased when the yellow flag flew again on lap 24 after Bamke
and Gary Tisler made contact, sending Tisler spinning off the backstretch. Keith was
unchallenged during the final six laps while Swan was able to take second place from
Thomas. McIntee finished fourth while Jay Schambeau completed the top five finishers.
Thomas took top honors in the fast dash and LaMonte led all qualifiers after turning in a
lap of 12.651 seconds.
Russ Grade took advantage of a late race bobble by Joe Houpt and drove to his first
feature victory of the season in the 25-lap Midwest Modified main event.
Houpt outgunned Roger Schmid at the drop of the green flag to claim the lead while Grade
and Ron Schmitt filled the gap on the inside lane to shuffle Schmid back to fourth in the
early laps. Schmid spun on lap eight while running fourth but the race remained under
green with Houpt leading Grade, Schmitt, Jason Feyereisen, and Steve Schulz. The top five
ran nose-to-tail as the lead pack encountered lapped cars with Houpt remaining in command
of the event, in search of his first career Slinger feature victory. However, the handling
on Houpt’s car began to fade in the waning laps and he began to kick loose exiting
the corners, opening up the inside for Grade to make a bid for the lead. With two laps to
go, Grade made his move and muscled his way around Houpt to take the top spot. With Houpt
caught on the outside, Schmitt and Feyereisen were also able to get by as the white flag
was displayed. Grade held his line and drove to the win over Schmitt and Feyereisen while
Houpt had to settle for a fourth place finish, just ahead of Schulz who crossed the stripe
in fifth.
Earlier in the evening, Schmitt captured the victory in the fast dash and Feyereisen
turned in a qualifying lap of 12.302 seconds and was the evening’s fastest qualifier.
Bob Gigstead held off Joe DeStefano Sr. to win the 12-lap Thunderstock feature and Slinger
Bees races were won by Bob Losiniecki and Jacob Vanoskey respectively.
Sam Fischer was the winner of the Spectator Eliminator race and Scott Goetzke capped off
the night by scoring the victory in the Figure 8 race.
For Complete results from the RACESTAT computer CLICK HERE
EWALD’S
HARTFORD FORD, LINCOLN, MERCURY/RI 70
(Slinger, WI) June 26th
Sunday Night - Ewald’s Hartford Ford, Lincoln, Mercury/ RI Corporation 70. The night
will feature a 70-lap Late Model Race and joins the regular Sunday program that includes
Midwest Modified, Midwest Sportsman, Thunderstocks, Slinger Bees, Figure Eights, Port A
John Speedway Guest Cars and the Spectator Eliminators. Plus: The Wisconsin Street Rod
Show! Come out and check out classic street rods taking laps during intermission. Limited
Late Models will return to Slinger July 10th, August 7th, and September 11th. Gates open
at 4:45, Qualifying at 5:15, and Racing at 7:00.
Ewald’s Hartford Ford Lincoln Mercury sells more because we sell for less! Located on
Hwy 60 between Hartford and Slinger, we will meet or beat ANY advertised price on any new
car, truck, or van we sell of lease. RI is a Residential and Industrial floor-coating
specialist that is your one stop shop for custom vinyl chip, decorative quartz, or
heavy-duty epoxy. RI is located in Slinger, WI you can contact Mike at: 262-224-2366.
There are select advertising and sponsorship opportunities as well as company and group
outings available for the 2005 season. For more information, contact the speedway’s
public relations department at: 262-370-0440, the track office at: 262-644-5921 or visit
our web site at: www.slingersuperspeedway.com. |
