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Prietzel Clips Competition In Supercuts Dick Grall Memorial
By Matt Panure
(Francis Creek, WI) July 15, 2006 -- Three time and defending Mid-American
Stock Car Series champion Bill Prietzel from Richfield, Wisconsin took the
lead from Andy Casavant on lap 40 and pulled away to win his second
consecutive Mid-American race, the Supercuts Dick Grall Memorial 60 at the 141
Speedway in Francis Creek, WI. Prietzel won the last time the Mid-American
Series was in action at Madison International Speedway on June 23rd. The win
was the first by a Mid-American Series traveling driver at 141 since Jonathan
Eilan from Hampton, Minnesota won on May 15, 2004.
Jim Thorson of Sugar Grove, Illinois took advantage of the pole position to
grab the lead at the drop of the green flag from Maxwell Schultz of
Reedsville, WI. Thorson began to build an advantage over the field until his
lead was erased by a lap two incident involving Travis Groelle and Jimbo
Schleis both of Manitowoc, WI. By then former 141 Speedway Mid-American
champion Andy Casavant of Two Rivers, WI had moved up to second and snatched
the lead away from Thorson on lap 3. Prietzel kept working the outside line
and had moved up to fourth from his 8th place starting spot by lap four.
While Prietzel made his charge to the front the top two point getters in the
Mid-American Series James Swan of Lake Geneva, WI and George Schultz of
Bristol, WI were on the move as well. Swan started 16th after winning the
semi-feature and Schultz started 14th after accepting a provisional. Their
charges were slowed by a lap 16 incident between Cato, WI’s Gary Tisler and
Thorson. Schultz and Swan traded spots back and forth multiple times as they
worked through traffic but an overheating issue caught up with Schultz as he
pulled off on lap 58 due to an ignition failure. Swan would go on to finish
7th and take the point lead from Schultz.
Prietzel restarted second after a caution due to an incident involving Mike
Oswald of Manitowoc and Max Schultz on lap 21. Casavant pulled away in the
opening laps after the restart. However, the track began to come back to
Prietzel as he caught Casavant by lap 35. Prietzel continued to hound Casavant
for the next five laps until Casavant drifted going into turn number four.
Casavant’s bobble was all Prietzel needed as he took advantage of the inside
line to claim the lead on lap 40. “I have to give an awful lot of credit to
Andy Casavant,” said Prietzel, “he ran a very good race and gave me plenty
of room.” The remaining 20 laps went smoothly for Prietzel as he checked out
from the rest of the field. Casavant would hold on to second while current 141
point leader Daryl Gierke of Whitelaw, WI, Kevin Damrow of Manitowoc and
Reedsville WI’s Jeff Tisler would round out the top 5.
Prietzel certainly possessed the confidence of a champion during an on-track
interview with track announcer Tom Wagner before racing started claiming that
he would burn a trail to the front while working the outside line. “If you
want to go to the front here, you have to go to the outside,” claimed a more
modest Prietzel after the victory. “The car was good, but it wasn’t as
good as I would have liked,” he added.
Ten lap heats were won by Swan, Scott Null of Lake Mills, WI, and Gregg Marks
of Maribel, WI. Swan also won the semi-feature and transferred along with Gary
Tisler, Don Wood of Mishicot, WI and Richfield, WI’s Ron Weyer. However,
Weyer was involved in an accident while crossing the line to take the
checkered flag with Joe Kerkhoff of De Pere, WI. Weyer’s car was too badly
damaged to start the feature so Travis Rodewald of Manitowoc was allowed to
start in his place, as he was the next highest finisher. Qualifying took place
back on June 24th when Menchalville WI’s Monte Strouf took fast time with a
12.343.
The next event for the Mid-American Stock Car Series is the White Race at
Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, WI on July 22nd. For more
information about the Mid-American Series including results, point standings,
schedules and driver info visit www.midamericanracing.com.
60 lap feature: 1-10; Bill Prietzel, Richfield Wis; Andy Casavant, Two
Rivers, Wis; Daryl Gierke, Whitelaw, Wis; Kevin Damrow, Manitowoc, Wis; Jeff
Tisler, Reedsville, Wis; Bobby Gutknecht, Oak Creek, Wis; James Swan, Lake
Geneva, Wis; Jim Thorson, Sugar Grove, Ill; Travis Groelle, Manitowoc, Wis;
Monte Strouf, Menchalville, Wis; 11-20; Rod Dart, Luxemburg, Wis; Jimbo
Schleis, Manitowoc, Wis; Gary Tisler, Cato, Wis; Dennis Rabas, Maribel Wis;
George Schultz, Bristol, Wis; Lyle Nowak, Wausau, Wis; Mike Oswald, Manitowoc,
Wis; Travis Rodewald, Manitowoc, Wis; Maxwell Schultz, Reedsville, Wis; Don
Wood, Mishicot, Wis.
Semi Feature: Swan; G. Tisler; Wood; Ron Weyer, Richfield, Wis;
Rodewald.
Heat Winners: Swan; Scott Null, Lake Mills, Wis; Gregg Marks, Maribel,
Wis.
Fast Qualifier: Monte Strouf, Menchalville, Wisconsin: 121.343 (set
June 24th)
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