Lepak Takes Sno-Way 60 and Bamke Bests Field in Race of Champions! By Dan Margetta

(Slinger, WI); September 7, 2008 - Jeremy Lepak charged to his fourth victory of the season in the Sno-Way Snow Plows Mooses 4 x 4 60-lap late model feature while Collin Bamke shaded Lepak by inches to win the 30-lap late model Race of Champions Sunday night at the Slinger Super Speedway.

“David Prunty kept the pressure on, “Lepak explained after holding off the defending track champion for the win. “I was giving him everything I had and wasn’t saving anything there at the end as I didn’t want to even give him a chance to get up there. We ran really clean and the best car was going to win and that’s the way it ended up, but I was running all out at the end.”

Photo Highlights

Brad Mueller (#89) celebrates in victory lane after topping the Bob Fish 100 on Sunday evening at Slinger Super Speedway. Randy Schuler (#72) checks out victory lane after winning the Super Late Model Semi-feature contest. Collin Bamke battled right down to the last foot in the Race of Champions for the Super Late Models with Bamke getting the victory over earlier feature winner Jeremy Lepak. Collin Bamke (#27) enjoys his time in victory lane after winning the Super Late Model Race of Champions event. Jeremy Lepak sets fast time for the super late models. Scott Ascher in victory lane sporting his paint scheme from the Al Schill Jr. Memorial race a few weeks ago. Scott Ascher battles with Brad Keith on his way to winning the limited late model feature. Ryan DeSteffano wins the Limited late model dash. Jon Reynolds Jr. yet again, posted fast time in the Limited Late Model division. James Swan had alot to celebrate, topping the Midwest Sportsman feature race after earlier setting fast time for the class. Aaron Cain (#5) chalked up a feature win and a fast qualifying effort in the Thunderstocks.

Mike Meyerhofer launched to the early lead at the start over Nick Schumacher and Tommy Hromadka as the caution appeared early on lap four when a traffic jam in the middle of the field caused Conrad Morgan’s car to spin out. Meyerhofer held onto the lead over Schumacher on the restart as Collin Bamke and David Prunty entered the top five in fourth and fifth place. Lowell Bennett and Lepak followed close behind in sixth and seventh as another caution appeared on lap seven when Dan Jung and Jeff Way spun in turn four while trying to avoid a slower car. The top five remained stable as racing resumed and another quick caution flag flew on lap 14 for a spin by Hromadka and on the ensuing restart Schumacher used the outside groove to move to the lead as Prunty advanced to third with Lepak sliding into fifth.

Schumacher pulled away from the field but his run out front was short-lived as his car slowed entering turn one on lap 19 and he exited the speedway as behind him the field scattered in the fluid left on the track. Most of the several cars that spun in the incident were able to continue and as the green reappeared, Prunty charged to the front from the outside and Lepak and Bamke also used the groove to move around Meyerhofer to second and third respectively. Scott Schoeni spun in turn four to bring out the caution on lap 23 and with Prunty leading over Lepak and Bamke. Back to green, Prunty held the point but Lepak was on his tail as Brad Dahmer moved to third while Bennett entered the top five in fifth.

Lepak was able to edge to the inside of Prunty and the two battled door to door with Bamke right behind them for a few laps before Lepak pulled ahead for the lead. Dahmer developed problems and retired from the race after losing a tire on lap 38 as Brad Mueller moved into fifth while Lepak continued to hold off Prunty and Bamke out front. Bennett worked his way around Bamke for third on lap 49 as Prunty tried to keep Lepak in his sights. At the finish, Lepak drove to the win over Prunty and Bennett while Bamke and Mueller were fourth and fifth respectively. Mike Egan finished sixth followed by Dale Prunty and Mike Meyerhofer in seventh and eighth. Conrad Morgan and Josh Wallace rounded out the top ten finishers.

The 30-lap late model Race of Champions consisted of feature and dash winners from the season and Bamke edged Lepak in a thrilling photo finish for the victory.

“I just let him (Lepak) have the inside lane there because I knew my car was a little tight,” Bamke said after the winning by inches. “I knew that if I could just keep him down a little bit, we could probably make a run at it.”

Dale Prunty led at the start as Bamke raced into second on lap three while Lepak battled with Conrad Morgan and Brad Mueller behind them. Prunty paced the first eight laps before Bamke worked his way around and into the lead. Lepak was able to get by Prunty for second a lap later and began to track down Bamke for the lead. Lepak caught Bamke and the two battled side by side with Lepak on the inside and Bamke working the top. Lepak was able to pull even entering the corners and appeared to have the advantage in the center of the turns, but as the two exited the corners, Bamke was able to edge ahead slightly. Behind them, Brad Mueller, Dale Prunty, and David Prunty disputed the third slot as the laps wound down. Bamke and Lepak took the white flag locked door handle to door handle and remained that way all the way around the final circuit. Working the high line, Bamke won the drag race to the checkered flag, taking the victory by inches over Lepak. Mueller was third followed by Dale Prunty and David Prunty.

Jerry Eckhardt captured the win in the 30-lap late model semi-feature over Jim Jeshowshek and Ron Ragan. Cardell Potter made his Slinger Speedway debut with a fourth place result ahead of Duane Langlois in fifth. David Prunty won the late model fast dash and Jeremy Lepak set fast time at 11.445 seconds.

Scott Ascher held off Jon Reynolds Jr. to take top honors in the 35-lap limited late model main event.

Jerry Eckhardt led the opening laps over Brad Keith, Ascher, and Ryan DeStefano. Jake Vanoskey looped his car in turn one after assistance from behind on lap three but the race remained green with Eckhardt continuing to lead over Keith and Ascher. Keith began to pressure Eckhardt for the top spot, taking command of the race on lap ten while Ascher moved up to challenge for second. Ascher worked his way around Eckhardt for the runner-up slot two laps later and a lap later, Chris Blawat also got by Eckhardt for third. Reynolds sliced his way through the field, entering the top five by lap 15 as Ascher continued to stalk Keith for the lead. Keith was able to turn back Ascher’s charge until lap 20 when Ascher slipped by for the lead as Reynolds advanced to fourth. Four laps later, Reynolds was in third and on lap 28, he charged into second, setting his sights on Ascher for the lead. Ascher was able to turn back Reynolds’ challenges and he raced to the checkered flag for the win, leaving Reynolds to settle for second. Keith finished a strong third while Blawat and Rob Braun completed the top five.

Ryan DeStefano won the limited late model fast dash and Reynolds set fast time after circling the speedway in 12.195 seconds.

James Swan won his second consecutive Midwest Sportsman feature, taking the checkered flag first in the 30-lap main event.

Andy Haver paced the beginning laps over Brian Holtz, Jeff Holtz, Mike Graczkowski, and Dave Thomas. Jeff Holtz charged to second on lap ten as Brian Holtz and Mike Graczkowski became caught on the outside, allowing Swan to move to third. With Haver maintaining the lead, Swan and Jeff Holtz battled for second, allowing Haver to creep away slightly. Swan eventually won the battle and took over second place on lap 22, immediately beginning to close the gap between himself and Haver for the lead. Swan made a charge on the outside as the white flag flew and Haver held tough on the inside down the backstretch. In the middle of turns three and four on the final lap, Haver’s car swapped ends and he spun around as Swan raced to the win. Jeff Holtz finished second while Dave Thomas was third. Brian Holtz and Dan Church were fourth and fifth respectively.

Kenny Joosten was the winner of the Midwest Sportsman fast dash and Swan was the fastest qualifier at 12.556 seconds.

Aaron Cain won the 18-lap Thunderstock feature, leading the final seven laps. Jacob Sproelich led the first lap before Jesse Knutson took over the lead on lap two. Knutson held the point as Cain began to work his way forward, moving to second by lap ten. Cain took over the lead on lap 11, as Knutson battled with John Daley for second. Cain charged to the win over Daley as Knutson smacked the turn three wall on the final lap after racing three-wide with Al Stippich and Ryan Farrell. Stippich finished third ahead of Farrell and Joel Steffen. Aaron Cain was the fastest qualifier after a lap at 13.569 seconds.

D.J. Schroeder scored his first win of the season in the first Slinger Bees 18-lap race. Joe Lang finished second ahead of Erica Knutson and Alex Knoebel. Nate Strobel finished fifth. Ken Schraufnagel won the second 18-lap Slinger Bees race over Matt Klenz and Erik Long. Brandon Tackes and Andy Welter rounded out the top five.

Jeff Schwitz was the winner of the Speedway Guest Car race and Chris Purdy was the winner of the Spectator Eliminator races. Willie Van Camp captured the win in the Figure 8 event.