Schumacher Scores First Feature Win of Season in Lagina Plumbing/PPC 75! By Dan Margetta

(Slinger, WI); July 13, 2008 - Nick Schumacher drove to his first feature win of the season Sunday night at the Slinger Super Speedway as he took top honors in the Lagina Plumbing/PPC 75-lap late model main event.

“I thought as long as this race stayed green, I could probably hold them off, “Schumacher said from victory lane after taking command of the event following an intense battle with Al Schill. “It was tough going door to door with (Al) Schill, “Schumacher continued. “We also tried a new set-up tonight and it worked.”

Photo Highlights

Nick Schumacher wins his first Super Late Model feature of the 2008 season and has a seat on his throne. Nick Schumacher (#16) fends off the challenges of Al Schill (#14) during the Lagina Plumbing/PPC 75 lap Super Late Model main event. Dennis Prunty (#42) topped the Super Late Model semi-feature contest. Al Schill (#14) was victorious in the Super Late Model dash event. Brad Dahmer (#45) scored fast time for the first time this season in Super Late Model action. Michael Bilderback (#2) earned a trip to victory lane after winning the Limited Late Model feature contest. Jim Dragich (#71) topped the Limited Late Model dash event. Defending Limited Late Model champion Jon Reynolds Jr. (#10) turned in the fastest lap in Limited Late Model qualifying. Andy Harver collected his first career Midwest Sportsman feature win at the Slinger Super Speedway. Kenny Joosten (#47) was victorious in the Midwest Sportsman dash. Mike Graczkowski turned in the fast lap in Midwest Sportsman qualifying. Aaron Cain topped the Thunderstocks feature race. Al Stippich was the evenings fast qualifier in Thunderstocks action. Dr. Dick Berggren takes a ride in the Slinger 2 seater. Justin Poenitsch wins the roll over contest.

Schumacher started from the outside of the front row and used the outer lane to grab the lead from fellow front row starter Dan Jung while Schill slotted into the third spot. A few laps later, Schill moved into second place while Jung battled with David Prunty and Tommy Pecaro. The caution flag waved on lap eight as Jamie Wallace looped around in turn four after racing in a tight pack of cars while Schumacher continued to lead over Schill. Schumacher chose the inside lane for the restart and Schill lined up outside as racing resumed. Schumacher maintained the lead as Schill eventually lined up behind the leader and began to work the low side. On lap 12, Schill ducked to the inside of Schumacher and both drivers raced side by side for the top spot with neither being able to gain ground. Schumacher and Schill swapped the lead as they continued to circle the speedway door to door as behind them Lowell Bennett and David Prunty began to gain ground in third and fourth place respectively. Schumacher’s persistence in the upper groove gradually paid off as he was able to fend off Schill’s challenges and keep the top spot by lap 16. Schill kept Schumacher in his sights and made another challenge for the lead, briefly taking the top spot on lap 24 before Schumacher as able to retake command of the race on lap 29. While the leaders continued their intense tussle for the lead, Bennett and Prunty drew even closer and were on Schill’s bumper as Schumacher took the lead. Schill’s car appeared to begin to falter off the corners and both Bennett and Prunty were able to race around him as Schumacher began to stretch his lead. Schumacher began to catch lapped traffic and continued to put lapped cars between himself and Bennett during the race’s second half as the best battles on the speedway were over the fifth spot between Dan Jung and Jamie Wallace and over seventh between Dale Prunty and Collin Bamke. Schumacher was able to work traffic well over the final laps as he drove to the win over Bennett and Prunty. Schill finished fourth while Wallace edged Jung for fifth. Dale Prunty crossed the stripe in seventh while Bamke, Brad Dahmer, and Mike Egan rounded out the top ten.

Dennis Prunty drove to victory in the 30-lap late model semi-feature, holding off Jeff Way for the win. Jerry Eckhardt was third ahead of Josh Wallace and Ron Ragan. Al Schill won the late model fast dash and Brad Dahmer was the fastest qualifier with a lap of 11.519 seconds.

Michael Bilderback made his first appearance as Slinger a successful one as he charged to the win in the 30-lap limited late model feature.

Ryan DeStefano and Corey Funk led the field to the green flag and DeStefano lead the opening laps as he held off Funk until Funk’s machine spun exiting turn two on lap four to bring out the caution flag. DeStefano lined up on the inside for the restart while Jerry Eckhardt used the outside lane to quickly take the lead as racing resumed. With Eckhardt out front, Chris Ratajczyk worked his way to second place on lap eight and Bilderback followed suit a lap later to take over third place. The field was slowed under the yellow flag again on lap eleven when Wes Biswell slid to the wall in turn one after trying to avoid a near incident between the cars racing in front of him. As racing resumed, Ratajczyk and Eckhardt immediately went to battle for the lead, racing side by side with Bilderback close behind. As Eckhardt and Ratajczyk fought for the lead on lap 16, the cars made contact in turn one, resulting in Ratajczyk’s car nosing slightly against the wall to draw the caution flag. Bilderback became the new leader as the field went back to green as Dave McCardle and Rob Braun raced for second. Braun was able to secure the spot just before the field was slowed under yellow on lap 18 when Rob Myers hit the wall in turn four. As racing resumed, Bilderback was able to ease away slightly as Braun and McCardle renewed their battle for second. Bilderback was never headed over the final laps and he took the checkered flag for his first Slinger win while Braun was able to hold off McCardle for second. Steve Apel and Pat McIntee completed the top five finishers.

Jimmy Dragich took top honors in the limited late model fast dash and Jon Reynolds Jr. set fast time with a lap of 12.253 seconds.

Andy Haver charged to his first career feature win by leading from start to finish in the 30-lap Midwest Sportsman main event.

Haver jumped into the lead at the start with Mike Borchardt Jr. in second ahead of Adam Maas, Kenny Joosten, and James Swan. Maas worked his way into second place by lap 10 while Swan advanced to third place as Jeff Holtz and Mike Graczkowski entered the top five. With Haver continuing to lead the way over Maas, Holtz was able to pass Swan for third by lap 20 and a few laps later, Graczkowski also made the move around Swan to move to fourth. Holtz and Graczkowski continued to advance forward, working their way by Maas and into second and third place respectively as the laps clicked off with Haver comfortably in front. While Holtz and Graczkowski tried to close in, Haver was unchallenged the rest of the way and he drove under the checkered flag for his first career feature win. Holtz finished in second place ahead of Graczkowski and Maas while Swan crossed the finish line in fifth place.

Kenny Joosten was the winner of the Midwest Sportsman fast dash and Mike Graczkowski turned a lap of 12.671 seconds to nail down fast time for the division.

Aaron Cain held off Al Stippich to win the 18-lap Thunderstock feature.

Jesse Knutson paced the first three laps before spinning off turn two on lap four, handing the lead over to Ryan Farrell with Bernie Leonard and Jake Larson in second and third respectively. Farrell maintained the top spot while Cain and Stippich sliced their way through the pack, coming from deep in the field to take over second and third place by lap ten. Cain and Stippich gradually tracked down Farrell for the lead with Cain sweeping by to take the top spot on lap 15. Stippich quickly raced his way into second place and began to chase Cain for the lead. Cain was able to turn back Stippich’s challenges and he took the win. Bernie Leonard finished third while Jim Bentzler and Jake Larson rounded out the top five.

Ken Schraufnagel won the 18-lap Slinger Bees feature which was halted a lap early when the car of Jason Hennes lost a wheel in turn one. Tom Berens finished second ahead of Mike Lang, Austin Luedtke, and Brandon Tackes. Erik Long was the fastest qualifier in the Slinger Bees division. Chris Harmon drove his 1986 Buick Regal to the win in the Spectator Elimination races and Willy Van Camp was the winner of the Figure 8 event.