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Prunty Gets First Win Of The Year In Emily's 60
By Dan Margetta
(Slinger, WI) April 29—Methodically working his way through the field to
take the lead just past the halfway mark, David Prunty coolly drove to his
first feature win of the season by capturing the victory in the Emily’s Wine
and Dine 60 Sunday afternoon at the Slinger Super Speedway.
“The track is really slick and slippery,” the defending track champion
declared from Victory Lane,” The crew knew just how to tighten the car up.
I’ve really got to thank them.”
Mike Strupp set the pace on the start over Nick Schumacher, Mike Egan, and
John Mueller while Prunty set sail from the eighth position. While Strupp
continued to lead the way, Prunty’s car worked well on the inside and he
picked his way around Mueller and Egan to move into third place by lap 20
while further back, fast qualifier Jeremy Lepak also advanced forward into the
top five. By lap 30, Prunty found himself in second place, gradually erasing
the sizeable lead Strupp had built up while Lepak raced his way into the third
slot. Prunty closed the gap to the leader significantly when Strupp
experienced difficulty working lapped traffic and two laps later, he dove to
the inside to take command of the race on lap 32.
With Prunty beginning to pull away from Strupp at the front of the field,
Lepak and Schumacher battled over third while Egan held onto fifth place over
Josh Bauer. Lepak’s bid for the win expired on lap 44 when he suddenly
slowed with mechanical problems and exited the event. The lone caution flag of
the race waved on lap 48 when Race McComb spun in turn three with Prunty
leading Strupp, Schumacher, Bauer, and Egan.
Prunty chose the inside lane for the restart, leaving Strupp to take the top
side and as racing resumed Strupp drove his heart out, pitching the car hard
in the corners in a valiant effort to remain alongside Prunty for the lead.
Strupp’s gritty bid for the win eventually succumbed to handling issues with
his car and Prunty moved comfortably out front on lap 52. As Prunty eased away
from the field, Strupp and Schumacher put on an exciting side by side battle
for second place that lasted all the way to the checkered flag. At the stripe,
Prunty captured the win while Strupp barely edged Schumacher for second. Bauer
finished in the fourth position just ahead of Egan and Lowell Bennett. Gary
LaMonte, Dennis Prunty, John Mueller, and Fred Winn rounded out the top ten
finishers.
Matt Raudabaugh held off Randy Schuler to win the 30-lap late model
semi-feature while Jon Reynolds Sr., Robert Maynor, and Tommy Hromadka rounded
out the top five. Conrad Morgan captured the win in the late model fast dash
and Lepak set fast time at 11.477 seconds.
Chris Ratajczyk drove to victory in the 30-lap limited late model feature,
holding off Mike McCabe and Jon Reynolds Jr. at the finish.
McCabe led at the start over Rob Braun and David McCardle while Reynolds
battled with Chris Blawat and Jerry Eckhardt further back. The race was
quickly slowed under yellow on lap two when Blawat and Eckhardt tangled on the
backstretch leaving McCabe to lead Braun, Reynolds, McCardle, and Ratajczyk
for the restart. As racing resumed, Reynolds used the inside line to grab
second place and began to apply hard pressure to McCabe for the lead. The
standings at the top of the field were shuffled a few laps later when McCabe
took an unexpected trip through the edge of the backstretch grass as a result
of assistance from behind. McCabe managed to save the car but upon re-entering
the racing groove in turn three, forced Braun and McCardle to slow, costing
them numerous spots. When the dust settled, Reynolds was at the head of the
pack over Ratajczyk while McCabe regrouped in third ahead of Jim Schmittinger
and Scott Apel.
Schmittinger began to experience mechanical problems on lap 20 and as he
suddenly slowed, the field began to gridlock behind him with the end result
being David Serchuk plowing into the turn two wall to bring out the caution
flag. Reynolds led Ratajczyk for the restart and Ratajczyk used the outside
groove to grab the lead a lap after racing resumed. The final caution of the
race appeared on lap 23 when Apel and Dean Millikan tangled in turn four and
collected Corey Funk and Tim Elfert in the process, setting up a seven lap
dash toward the finish. Ratajczyk was perfect over the final seven laps and
drove to the win over McCabe who prevailed in a tense battle with Reynolds for
second. Ryan DeStefano and Jerry Eckhardt completed the top five finishers.
In earlier limited late model action, Reynolds took the win in the fast dash
and Ratajczyk was the fastest qualifier at 12.278 seconds.
Kenny Joosten crossed the finish line first to win the 30-lap Midwest
Sportsman feature.
Mike Borchardt launched into the lead from the outside front row starting
position as the green flag waved while Joosten battled with Jay Shambeau, Mike
Graczkowski, and Pat McIntee for positions behind him. Shambeau settled into
second place a few laps later while Joosten edged McIntee for third while Dave
Thomas entered the mix in fifth place. The race was slowed by the caution flag
on lap ten when Graczkowski and Shawn Hoeffler tangled in turn two. As the
green flag waved to resume action was able to work his way around Borchardt
for the lead while Thomas fended off McIntee for third. Joosten continued to
set the pace over Borchardt and Thomas while Graczkowski began to work his way
back towards the front, running just outside the top five when the caution
flag flew again on lap 26 when Jake Vanoskey looped his car on the
frontstretch. Joosten was ready for the final sprint to the finish and he held
off all challengers to take the win while Thomas nipped Borchardt at the line
for second. Graczkowski raced his way back to the fourth position at the
finish just ahead of McIntee, who completed the top five finishers.
Graczkowski also was the winner of the Midwest Sportsman fast dash and Thomas
paced all qualifiers with a lap of 12.585 seconds.
Paul Konechee took the checkered flag first in the 18-lap Thunderstock feature
but failed post-race technical inspection, leaving the event with no official
winner. Dave Edwards finished second while Kyle Prestay, Aaron Cain, and Ryan
Gutknecht rounded out the top five. David Krinn held off Bill Johnson to
win the 8-lap Thunderstock semi-feature while Joel Steffen was third followed
by Jerry Kulas Jr. and Samantha Krebs. Brad Norgard was the fastest qualifier
with a lap of 14.180 seconds.
Tom Berens crossed the finish line with the lead in the Slinger Bees race but
he also failed post-race technical inspection, leaving that event with no
official winner. C.J. Corallini finished in second and Shawn Gavin took the
checkered flag in third. Gavin’s car also failed post-race inspection and
was disqualified. Ken Schraufnagel and Bob Losiniecki finished in fourth and
fifth place respectively. C.J. Corallini was the fastest qualifier at 16.208
seconds.
Donald Van Camp closed out the afternoon with a victory in the ten lap Figure
8 race over Shane Becker.
Event: Emily’s Wine and Dine
60
Date: April 29, 2007
Late Model Feature 60-laps
1. David Prunty (Brownsville) 15.
Collin Bamke (Slinger)
2. Mike Strupp
(Theresa)
16. Race McComb (Hartford)
3. Nick Schumacher (Hartford) 17. Jeremy Lepak (Wausau)
4. Josh Bauer (Random Lake) 18. Wayne Freimund (Elkhorn)
5. Mike Egan
(Slinger)
19. Pete Wiedmeyer (West Bend)
6. Lowell Bennett (Neenah)
7. Gary LaMonte (West Allis)
8. Dennis Prunty (Lomira)
9. John Mueller (Hubertus)
10. Fred Winn (Sussex)
11. Matt Kocourek (Franklin)
12. Conrad Morgan (Waukesha)
13. Dale Prunty (Allenton)
14. Randy Schuler (Mequon)
Late Model Semi Feature- 30 laps
1. Matt Raudabaugh (Menomonee Falls) 4. Robert Maynor
(Colgate)
2. Randy Schuler
(Mequon)
5. Tommy Hromadka (Brookfield)
3. Jon Reynolds Sr. (Rockford, IL)
Late Model Fast Dash- Conrad Morgan (Waukesha)
Late Model Fast Time- Jeremy Lepak (Wausau) 11.477 seconds
Midwest Sportsman Feature 30 laps
1. Kenny Joosten (Wonder Lake, IL) 4. Mike Graczkowski
(Jackson)
2. Dave Thomas
(Franklin)
5. Pat McIntee (West Bend)
3. Mike Borchardt (Greenfield)
Midwest Sportsman Fast Dash- Mike Graczkowski (Jackson)
Midwest Sportsman Fast Time- Dave Thomas (Franklin) 12.585
seconds
Limited Late Model Feature 30 laps
1. Chris Ratajczyk (West
Bend) 4. Ryan DeStefano
2. Mike McCabe (New
Berlin)
5. Jerry Eckhardt (Johnson Creek)
3. Jon Reynolds Jr. (Rockford, IL)
Limited Late Model Fast Dash- Jon Reynolds Jr. (Rockford, IL)
Limited Late Model Fast Time- Chris Ratajczyk (West Bend) 12.278
seconds
Thunderstocks Feature 18 laps
1. Paul Konechnee 4. Aaron Cain
2. Dave Edwards 5.
Ryan Gutknecht
3. Kyle Prestay
Thunderstock Fast Time- Brad Norgard 14.180 seconds
ThunderStock Semi-Feature #1 8 laps
1. David Krinn 4. Jerry Kulas
Jr.
2. Bill Johnson 5. Samantha Krebs
3. Joel Steffen
Slinger Bees Heat #1 12 laps
1. Tom Berens (Disqualification) 4. Ken Schraufragel
2. CJ Corallini
5. Bob Losiniecki
3. Shawn Gavin (Disqualification)
Slinger Bees Fast Time- C.J. Corallini (North Lake) 16.208
seconds
Figure 8 Winner- Donald Van Camp (Seymour)
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