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Finally! Egan In Victory Lane At Slinger
By Dan Margetta
Slinger, WI-August 28—It wasn’t Daytona or Indianapolis but victory lane
at the Slinger Super Speedway Sunday night felt just as good to Mike Egan as
he finally notched his first feature victory of any type in the 60-lap late
model main event on Behling Racing Equipment Race of Champions Night.
“This is the first feature I’ve ever won in my entire career,” an
excited and emotional Egan exclaimed after nearly tumbling down the hood of
his car following a popular post-race victory dance on the roof. “I can’t
even talk, I’m so happy!”
Egan and Donavan Morgan led the field to the green flag with Egan leading
early while Nick Schumacher slid into second ahead of Mike Strupp, Morgan, and
Dennis Prunty. Schumacher was able to edge to the inside of Egan to make a
challenge for the lead by lap ten. Egan held his ground on the outside lane,
running the lane beautifully by taking care not to overdrive the corner on
entry and having enough momentum on the exit to maintain his position
alongside Schumacher as they battled for the lead. Eventually, Schumacher
eased ahead and Egan settled into second with Strupp, Dennis Prunty, and Dave
Feiler following as the first caution flag waved on lap 29 after defending
track champion Brad Mueller spun in turn one while racing for sixth with David
Prunty.
Schumacher led on the restart but Egan was ready as racing resumed and he was
able to get a run on the inside exiting turn four to pass Schumacher for the
lead heading into turn one. Behind the lead duo, David Prunty was the
driver on the move as he sliced his way forward, entering the top five just
past the halfway mark and grabbing third place from Strupp by lap 40. As Egan
began to pull away slightly, Prunty set his sights on Schumacher for second,
taking the position with an inside move by lap 50 while behind him, Strupp had
his hands full with Al Schill and Travis Dassow as he fought to maintain the
fourth spot. Schumacher’s race came to an end with mechanical problems on
lap 55 and his stalled car produced the final caution flag that allowed Prunty
to close to Egan’s bumper for the final five-lap shootout to the finish.
Unlike so many times in the past where the elusive victory somehow seemed to
slip away from Egan in the waning laps, this time he was able to keep his car
close enough to the bottom groove to turn back Prunty’s challenges and he
charged to his first career victory. Prunty’s close second place finish
enabled him to gain a number of points in the championship standings while
Schill edged Strupp for third place at the stripe. Dassow wrapped up another
impressive run with a fifth place finish. Lowell Bennett finished in sixth
place, just ahead of Dennis Prunty and Donavan Morgan while Ken Wills and Brad
Mueller completed the top ten.
David Prunty returned to dominate the 30-lap late model Race of Champions
driving away to nearly a straightaway margin of victory over Lowell Bennett
who edged Al Schill at the finish for second. Austin Konetski and Dave Feiler
rebounded from a first lap scuffle to finish in fourth and fifth place
respectively. Race McComb celebrated his birthday with a win in the
30-lap late model semi-feature over Tom Hromadka and Mark Bitzan. Collin Bamke
finished in fourth place and Ron Ragan was fifth. Al Schill scored the victory
in the late model fast dash and Brad Mueller blistered qualifiying with a lap
of 11.416 seconds to set fast time.
James Swan charged to the win in the 30-lap Midwest Sportsman feature, taking
the checkered flag ahead of Collin Bamke and Brad Keith.
Dean Olla scooted out to a sizeable lead in the early going while Swan, Bamke,
and Keith all worked the top-side of the track to advance through the field,
moving into the second through fourth spots just past the halfway point. Olla
appeared to be well on his way to the win until a tangle in turn four
involving Don Wood on lap 20 bunched the field together under the caution
flag. Olla tried to protect his lead on the inside but Swan, Bamke, and Keith
all proved to be too strong on the outside and they quickly moved to the front
of the field. The three moved ahead to settle the race amongst themselves with
Swan holding off Bamke for the win while Keith finished close behind in third.
Dave Thomas passed Olla late in the event to finish fourth while Olla took the
checkered flag in fifth place.
Thomas claimed the win in the Midwest Sportsman fast dash earlier in the
evening while Collin Bamke set fast time at 12.677 seconds.
Wes Biswell led flag to flag en route to the victory in the 25-lap Midwest
Modified feature but the win was anything but easy as he had to hold off a
hard charging Dale Prunty at the stripe.
Biswell grabbed the lead immediately at the start of the event and began to
distance himself from the field as Steve Huelsbeck, Ron Schmitt, Steve Schulz,
and Prunty all raced in two-by-two formation for second with Schmitt and
Schulz working the outside groove and Huelsbeck and Prunty taking to the
inside. The four car battle over second straightened itself out when the
drivers encountered lapped traffic and Prunty came out on top of the scramble,
taking over second place with Huelsbeck squeezing in for third place ahead of
Schmitt and Schulz. As Prunty began to track down Biswell for the lead, Schulz
went to the outside and rim-rode his way around to pull alongside Schmitt for
second as Huelsbeck remained in the battle as well. Schulz’s drive toward
the front stalled on lap 19, however, as he slid high in turn four allowing
Huelsbeck and Schmitt to go by and bringing Jason Feyereisen into the top
five. Over the final five laps, Prunty closed the gap between himself and
Biswell for the lead, pulling to Biswell’s rear bumper at the white flag.
Prunty made a last attempt for the win on the outside in turn four but Biswell
was too strong off the corner and claimed the win with Prunty close behind in
second. Huelsbeck finished in third place while Feyereisen and Schmitt rounded
out the top five.
Huelsbeck took top honors in the Midwest Modified fast dash and Prunty set
fast time with a lap of 12.370 seconds.
Sam Haven lapped the field as he ran away with the win in the 25-lap Wisconsin
Sport Truck feature. Jeff Van Handel finished in second place and Mark
Ziegelbauer took the checkered flag in third. Jason Plutz and fast qualifier
Kyle Quella completed the top five. Eric Schuetz claimed the win in the
Thunderstock 12-lap feature over Andy Okrasinski and Dustin Krebs. Rick
Schaefer finished in fourth place and Chris Beine was fifth. Tom Berens and
Jake Vanoskey each won Slinger Bees 8-lap races and Jason Schill won the
Port-A-John Speedway Guest Car event. Sam Fischer topped the Spectator
Eliminator races in his Firebird and Donald Van Camp closed the evening by
winning the Figure 8 race.
Event: Behling Racing Equipment Race of
Champions Date: Aug. 28, 2005
Late Model Feature #1 60-laps
1. Mike Egan
(Slinger)
15. Fred Winn (Sussex)
2. David Prunty (Brownsville) 16. Tom
Hromadka (Brookfield)
3. Al Schill
(Franklin)
17. Brady Bennett (Larson)
4. Mike Strupp
(Theresa)
18. Race McComb (Jackson)
5. Travis Dassow (West Bend) 19. John Mueller (Hubertus)
6. Lowell Bennett
(Neenah) 20. Nick
Schumacher (Hartford)
7. Dennis Prunty (Lomira)
21. Dave Feiler (Sun Prairie)
8. Donavan Morgan (Oconomowoc)
9. Ken Wills (Milwaukee)
10. Brad Mueller (Random Lake)
11. Chad Barker (Hubertus)
12. Robert Maynor (Colgate)
13. Scott Schoeni (Slinger)
14. Randy Schuler (Mequon)
Late Model Race of Champions 30-laps
1. David Prunty (Brownsville)
2. Lowell Bennett (Neenah)
3. Al Schill (Franklin)
4. Austin Konetski (Janesville)
5. Dave Feiler (Sun Prairie)
6. Travis Dassow (West Bend)
7. Nick Schumacher (Hartford)
8. Brad Mueller (Random Lake)
9. Dennis Prunty (Lomira)
Late Model Semi Feature- 30 lap
1. Race McComb (Jackson) 4. Collin
Bamke (Slinger)
2. Tom Hromadka (Brookfield) 5. Ron Ragan (Hartford)
3. Mark Bitzan (Menomonee Falls)
Late Model Fast Dash- Al Schill (Franklin)
Late Model Fast Time- Brad Mueller (Random Lake) 11.416 seconds
Midwest Modified Feature 25 laps
1. Wes Biswell (Sussex)
4. Jason Feyereisen (Random Lake)
2. Dale Prunty
(Allenton) 5. Ron
Schmitt (Jackson)
3. Steve Huelsbeck (Milwaukee)
Midwest Modified Fast Dash- Steve Huelsbeck (Milwaukee)
Midwest Modified Fast Time- Dale Prunty (Allenton) 12.370
seconds
Midwest Sportsman Feature 30 laps
1. James Swan (Lake Geneva) 4. Dave Thomas (Franklin)
2. Collin Bamke
(Slinger)
5. Dean Olla (Milwaukee)
3. Brad Keith (West Bend)
Midwest Sportsman Fast Dash- Dave Thomas (Franklin)
Midwest Sportsman Fast Time- Collin Bamke (Slinger) 12.677 seconds
Wisconsin Sports Trucks Feature 18 laps
1. Sam Haven (Kaukauna) 4.
Jason Plutz (Appleton)
2. Jeff Van Handel (Appleton) 5. Kyle Quella
(Appleton)
3. Mark Ziegelbauer (Milton)
Wisconsin Sport Trucks Fast Time- Kyle Quella (Appleton) 13.160 seconds
Thunderstocks Feature 15 laps
1. Eric Schuetz
(Slinger) 4.
Rick Schaefer (Kewaskum)
2. Andy Okrasinski (Colgate) 5. Chris Beine (Slinger)
3. Dustin Krebs (Hartford)
Slinger Bees Heat #1 8 laps
1. Tom Berens
(Slinger) 4.
Travis Buchholz (Hartland)
2. Jamie Vetter (Oak Creek) 5. Troy Martingilio
(Sussex)
3. Josh Benner (Hartford)
Slinger Bees Heat #2 8 laps
1. Jake Vanoskey (Hartford) 4. Steve
Paukner (West Bend)
2. Sonny Okrasinski (Colgate) 5. Frank Verhunce (Mayville)
3. Dustin Oostberg (Slinger)
Port-A-John Guest Cars Winner- Jason Schill
Spectator Elimination Winner- Sam Fischer
Figure 8 Winner- Donald Van Camp (Seymour)
Season Point Standings
Late Model Division: 1. Brad Mueller (Random Lake) 1016 2. David Prunty
(Brownsville) 957; 3. Lowell Bennett (Neenah) 918; 4. Dave Feiler (Sun
Prairie) 831; 5. Austin Konetski (Janesville, WI) 780; 6. Dennis Prunty (Lomira)
738; 7. John Mueller (Hubertus) 732; 8. Nick Schumacher (Germantown) 719; 9.
Mike Egan (Slinger) 669; 10. Travis Dassow (West Bend) 602; 11. Al Schill
(Franklin) 569; 12. Rich Loch (Franklin) 530; 13. Fred Winn (Sussex) 523; 14.
Scott Schoeni (Slinger) 512; 15. Ken Wills (Milwaukee) 501; 16. Randy Schuler
(Mequon) 490; 17. Mark Bitzan (Menomonee Falls) 466; 18. Robert Maynor
(Colgate) 453; 19. Tommy Hromadka (Brookfield) 377; 20. Donavan Morgan
(Oconomowoc) 336.
Midwest Modified Division: 1. Dale Prunty (Allenton) 1657; 2.
Steven Schulz (Menomonee Falls) 1601; 3. Ron Schmitt (Jackson) 1576; 4. Steve
Huelsbeck (Milwaukee) 1509; 5. Jason Feyereisen (Randon Lake) 1337; 6. Wes
Biswell (Sussex) 1262; 7. David McCardle (Menomonee Falls) 970; 8. Russ Grade
(Hartland) 937; 9. Joe Houpt (Mequon) 826; 10. Russ Moberly (West Bend) 711.
Midwest Sportsman Division: 1. James Swan (Lake Geneva) 1243 ; 2. Brad
Keith (West Bend) 1075; 3. Collin Bamke (Slinger) 1007; 4. Gary LaMonte (West
Allis) 919; 5. Pat McIntee (West Bend) 721; 6. Dave Thomas (Franklin) 694; 7.
Jay Schambeau (Hubertus) 689; 8. Mike Graczkowski (Jackson) 657; 9. Scott
Schambeau (Milwaukee) 605; 10. Gary Tisler (Reedsville) 557.
Figure 8: 1. Donald Van Camp Jr. (Seymour) 1280; 2. Scott Goetzke (Iron
Ridge) 1120; 3. Shane Becker (Iron Ridge) 1075; 4. Willy Van Camp (Appleton)
810; 5. Paul Williams (Hartford) 800.
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