Bennett Holds Off Prunty For Victory At Slinger Speedway By John Weidemann

(Slinger, WI); June 15, 2008 - Lowell Bennett won the Late Model feature on Reunion and Scout night at the Slinger Speedway on Sunday night. Bennett, the current points leader, led the final twenty-five laps of the race holding off a hard charging David Prunty to capture his second win of the season.

“I just love this place,” exclaimed Bennett after the race. “It’s fun every time I get in the car here.”

Photo Highlights

Lowell Bennett (#2) joines Miss Slinger Speedway in victory lane after chalking up another victory in Super Late Model action. Current Super Late Model point leader Lowell Bennett (#2) salutes the crowd after exiting his car in victory lane after winning the feature contest. Defending champion David Prunty (#1) tests Lowell Bennett (#2) for the lead in the Super Late Model contest. Tommy Pecaro (#9) enjoys a well earned victory in the Super Late Model dash. Nick Schumacher (#16) garbbed fast qualifying honors in the Super Late Models. Tommy Hromdaka (#3) scored a victory in the Super Late Model semi-feature contest. Ty James (#27) shortened his car up during the Limited Late Model feature event. Things got a little too close during the Limited Late Model feature. Fast qualifier and defending division champion Jon Reynolds Jr. (#10) took a hard hit during the Limited Late Model feature, but fortunately, though shaken, he was unhurt. Jon Reynolds Jr. (#10) started the evening with a feast qualifying effort in the Limited Late Models. Al Stippich (#66) earned top qualifying honors in the Thunderstock division.

Al Schill led the Late Model field to the green flag in the sixty-lap feature event. Bennett immediately started his run to the front using the outside groove to pick up positions. By the tenth lap, Bennett took over second place with an outside pass of Conrad Morgan and set his sights on Schill. Caution was displayed after an incident in turn one involving Jeremy Lepak, Jeff Way and Gary LaMonte. Tommy Pecaro and Fred Winn had contact in the third turn sending Winn spinning and collecting Scott Schoeni, bringing out the second caution. Bennett restarted first but Schill was able to slip past to resume the lead.

Morgan’s night came to an abrupt end as his car spilled fluid all around the track, again slowing the field under caution. Having a rod go through the oil pan was found to be the problem with Morgan’s ride. The green flag flew with thirty five laps left and found David Prunty battling on the outside of Schill for the lead of the race. As Schill cleared Prunty for the top spot, Bennett moved into the second spot. With twenty-five laps to go, Bennett took over the lead for the final time in the race. Prunty took the second position from Schill who, caught on the outside, fell all the way back to a battle for the fourth spot with Mike Strupp.

The final laps of the race clicked off with Prunty closing in to Bennett’s bumper on every turn and Bennett pulling away on the straight by a car length. Bennett maintained the position and took home the win leaving Prunty to settle for second. Fast Qualifier, Nick Schumacher charged into third from a ninth place start while Strupp and Dale Prunty completed the top five.

Tommy Hromadka won the Semi Feature and transferred into the feature with Mike Egan took the second spot away from Jerry Eckhardt by a nose at the finish line. Tommy Pecaro won the Dash race.

The Limited Late Model feature race turned in to a game of survival as six of the nineteen cars that started the race were the only ones to make it to the checkered flag. The beginning laps of the race featured a side by side battle at the front of the pack with Jerry Eckhardt running on the outside of Ty James. Just as James seemed ready to separate himself from the battle, the caution flag flew with spins by Trevor Dassow and Brad Joecks on the frontstraight and Tim Elfert on the backstraight. Brought back together for the restart, James and Eckhardt continued their battle for the lead. Two laps later the second caution flag of the event was displayed when Jimmy Dragich found the backstraight wall after contact with Brad Keith.

It only took a lap for the third caution flag to fly with more cars spinning in turn four. Steve Apel and Jon Reynolds Jr. were involved in this incident. Right after the restart, the fifteenth lap of the race, the caution flag needed to make another appearance. The race leaders got together at the front of the pack sending both James and Eckhardt into the wall. Chris Ratajczyk who had restarted in third was also involved and was too damaged to continue.

The term “cautions breed cautions” was proven as the leaders got together again. This time it was Cory Funk making contact with race leader Dave McCardle, ending Funks night. John Ovadal Jr. led the field on the way to the final caution which flew after 15 year old Brett Moffit got together with Reynolds Jr. sending both cars hard into the turn three wall. At this point the checkered flag flew with the caution flag ending the race at twenty-five laps. Ovadal Jr. took the win, his second in a row at the speedway.

Corey Funk captured the Limited Late Model Dash from the pole position. Reynolds Jr. was the top qualifier with a lap of 12.327 seconds.

Dave Thomas jumped to the inside and took over the lead of the Midwest Sportsman feature race on the fourth lap and never looked back as he cruised to the checkers. Only one caution period slowed the field allowing Thomas to stretch out his lead to a half straight over Jeff Holtz at the finish. Holtz had charged his way up the ranks to second from an eighth place start but could not run down Thomas. Mike Borchardt Jr. finished third while Mike Graczkowski and Dash winner James Swan battled for the fourth spot with Graczkowski prevailing at the line. Ken Joosten took the top qualifier honors with a 12.742 second lap.

Fast qualifier Al Stippich picked his way through the Thunder Stocks field in the feature race to take the lead at the halfway point. After that is was pedal to the floor time for Stippich as he drove away from the field to take the victory. Pole sitter, Jesse Knutson, held on for second and Bernie Leonard, John Daley and Jack Stern rounded out the top five.

A confusing finish added to the fun of the Slinger Bees race when the leader of the race received the black flag for excessive contact but wouldn't leave the track. Tom Berens even drove into victory lane and had his picture taken before it was explained to him that he actually didn’t win the race. Officially, Ken Schraufnagel made a last lap pass to capture the actual win, and eventually had his picture taken in victory lane as well. Schraufnagel started tenth and took the white flag in third but snuck by Derek Hoerig and Jason Hennes in the confusion and contact of the last lap. Fast timer, Hennes recovered to finish second with Hoerig crossing the line in third.

Pepsi Challenge 60 and Miss Slinger Speedway Pageant
$1000 to Miss Slinger Speedway –
Plus $3000 added to the Racer Purse

(Slinger, WI) Sunday Night June 22nd, it’s the Pepsi Challenge Round 2 and Enders Construction Design 2 Construct Miss Slinger Speedway Pageant. See all Slinger Speedway divisions in action including the Late Model, Limited Late Model, Slinger Bee’s, Thunderstock, Figure 8, Midwest Sportsman, One on One spectator eliminator, and the Suburban Motors Modified. The Wisconsin Street Rods will also be on hand taking parade laps during intermission. Gates open at 3:45, qualifying at 4:15, and racing at 6 pm.

$3000 added to drivers purse: Enders Construction is adding $3000 to the Purse! The extra cash will be divided up throughout the lineup.

2008 Miss Slinger Speedway Pageant: Enter for the chance to be crowned the 2008 Miss Slinger Super Speedway and win $1000. Contact the Slinger Speedway office at: 262-644-5921 or email: slingerspeedway1@aol.com for more information.

Don’t forget our NEW 6 pm Start Time!