Prunty Gets First Win of the Year in Emily's 60 by Dan Margetta

(Slinger, WI); April 29, 2007 - Methodically working his way through the field to take the lead just past the halfway mark, David Prunty coolly drove to his first feature win of the season by capturing the victory in the Emily’s Wine and Dine 60 Sunday afternoon at the Slinger Super Speedway.

Photo Highlights

Defending track champion David Prunty is joined by Miss Slinger Speedway after topping the first points event of the 2007 season taking the checkered in the Emily's Wine and Dine 60. David Prunty (#1) works by Mike Strupp (#10) on his way to capturing the Super Late Model feature contest. John Mueller (#23) and Josh Bauer (#71) do battle during the Super Late Model main event. Matt Raudabaugh (#7) topped the Super Late Model semi-feature contest. Conrad Morgan (#92) got his season off to a good start topping the Super Late Model dash contest. Jeremy Lepak (#40) set the pace in qualifying taking the fast time in the Super Late Model division. Chris Ratajczyk (21) turned in the fastest qualifying effort in the Limited Late Model division and later came back to win the main event. Dave Thomas (#19) turned in the fastest lap in Midwest Sportsman qualifying and later came back to finish second in the feature contest.

“The track is really slick and slippery,” the defending track champion declared from Victory Lane,” The crew knew just how to tighten the car up. I’ve really got to thank them.”

Mike Strupp set the pace on the start over Nick Schumacher, Mike Egan, and John Mueller while Prunty set sail from the eighth position. While Strupp continued to lead the way, Prunty’s car worked well on the inside and he picked his way around Mueller and Egan to move into third place by lap 20 while further back, fast qualifier Jeremy Lepak also advanced forward into the top five. By lap 30, Prunty found himself in second place, gradually erasing the sizeable lead Strupp had built up while Lepak raced his way into the third slot. Prunty closed the gap to the leader significantly when Strupp experienced difficulty working lapped traffic and two laps later, he dove to the inside to take command of the race on lap 32.

With Prunty beginning to pull away from Strupp at the front of the field, Lepak and Schumacher battled over third while Egan held onto fifth place over Josh Bauer. Lepak’s bid for the win expired on lap 44 when he suddenly slowed with mechanical problems and exited the event. The lone caution flag of the race waved on lap 48 when Race McComb spun in turn three with Prunty leading Strupp, Schumacher, Bauer, and Egan.

Prunty chose the inside lane for the restart, leaving Strupp to take the top side and as racing resumed Strupp drove his heart out, pitching the car hard in the corners in a valiant effort to remain alongside Prunty for the lead. Strupp’s gritty bid for the win eventually succumbed to handling issues with his car and Prunty moved comfortably out front on lap 52. As Prunty eased away from the field, Strupp and Schumacher put on an exciting side by side battle for second place that lasted all the way to the checkered flag. At the stripe, Prunty captured the win while Strupp barely edged Schumacher for second. Bauer finished in the fourth position just ahead of Egan and Lowell Bennett. Gary LaMonte, Dennis Prunty, John Mueller, and Fred Winn rounded out the top ten finishers.

Matt Raudabaugh held off Randy Schuler to win the 30-lap late model semi-feature while Jon Reynolds Sr., Robert Maynor, and Tommy Hromadka rounded out the top five. Conrad Morgan captured the win in the late model fast dash and Lepak set fast time at 11.477 seconds.

Chris Ratajczyk drove to victory in the 30-lap limited late model feature, holding off Mike McCabe and Jon Reynolds Jr. at the finish.

McCabe led at the start over Rob Braun and David McCardle while Reynolds battled with Chris Blawat and Jerry Eckhardt further back. The race was quickly slowed under yellow on lap two when Blawat and Eckhardt tangled on the backstretch leaving McCabe to lead Braun, Reynolds, McCardle, and Ratajczyk for the restart. As racing resumed, Reynolds used the inside line to grab second place and began to apply hard pressure to McCabe for the lead. The standings at the top of the field were shuffled a few laps later when McCabe took an unexpected trip through the edge of the backstretch grass as a result of assistance from behind. McCabe managed to save the car but upon re-entering the racing groove in turn three, forced Braun and McCardle to slow, costing them numerous spots. When the dust settled, Reynolds was at the head of the pack over Ratajczyk while McCabe regrouped in third ahead of Jim Schmittinger and Scott Apel.

Schmittinger began to experience mechanical problems on lap 20 and as he suddenly slowed, the field began to gridlock behind him with the end result being David Serchuk plowing into the turn two wall to bring out the caution flag. Reynolds led Ratajczyk for the restart and Ratajczyk used the outside groove to grab the lead a lap after racing resumed. The final caution of the race appeared on lap 23 when Apel and Dean Millikan tangled in turn four and collected Corey Funk and Tim Elfert in the process, setting up a seven lap dash toward the finish. Ratajczyk was perfect over the final seven laps and drove to the win over McCabe who prevailed in a tense battle with Reynolds for second. Ryan DeStefano and Jerry Eckhardt completed the top five finishers.

In earlier limited late model action, Reynolds took the win in the fast dash and Ratajczyk was the fastest qualifier at 12.278 seconds.

Kenny Joosten crossed the finish line first to win the 30-lap Midwest Sportsman feature.

Mike Borchardt launched into the lead from the outside front row starting position as the green flag waved while Joosten battled with Jay Shambeau, Mike Graczkowski, and Pat McIntee for positions behind him. Shambeau settled into second place a few laps later while Joosten edged McIntee for third while Dave Thomas entered the mix in fifth place. The race was slowed by the caution flag on lap ten when Graczkowski and Shawn Hoeffler tangled in turn two. As the green flag waved to resume action was able to work his way around Borchardt for the lead while Thomas fended off McIntee for third. Joosten continued to set the pace over Borchardt and Thomas while Graczkowski began to work his way back towards the front, running just outside the top five when the caution flag flew again on lap 26 when Jake Vanoskey looped his car on the frontstretch. Joosten was ready for the final sprint to the finish and he held off all challengers to take the win while Thomas nipped Borchardt at the line for second. Graczkowski raced his way back to the fourth position at the finish just ahead of McIntee, who completed the top five finishers.

Graczkowski also was the winner of the Midwest Sportsman fast dash and Thomas paced all qualifiers with a lap of 12.585 seconds.

Paul Konechee took the checkered flag first in the 18-lap Thunderstock feature but failed post-race technical inspection, leaving the event with no official winner. Dave Edwards finished second while Kyle Prestay, Aaron Cain, and Ryan Gutknecht rounded out the top five. David Krinn held off Bill Johnson to win the 8-lap Thunderstock semi-feature while Joel Steffen was third followed by Jerry Kulas Jr. and Samantha Krebs. Brad Norgard was the fastest qualifier with a lap of 14.180 seconds.

Tom Berens crossed the finish line with the lead in the Slinger Bees race but he also failed post-race technical inspection, leaving that event with no official winner. C.J. Corallini finished in second and Shawn Gavin took the checkered flag in third. Gavin’s car also failed post-race inspection and was disqualified. Ken Schraufnagel and Bob Losiniecki finished in fourth and fifth place respectively. C.J. Corallini was the fastest qualifier at 16.208 seconds.

Donald Van Camp closed out the afternoon with a victory in the ten lap Figure 8 race over Shane Becker.