BENNETT TAKES TOP HONORS ON REUNION NIGHT & MISS SLINGER SPEEDWAY PAGEANT NIGHT PRESENTED BY THE U.S. ARMY AND ENDERS CONSTRUCTION AT SLINGER

[img_assist|nid=47|title=|desc=Al Graf Photo – lowell bennett with army reps and new miss slinger ashly.|link=node|align=right|width=220|height=146]By Dan Margetta
Slinger, Wis., June 14-Lowell Bennet held off a late race charge from Steve Apel to win the 60-lap super late model feature Sunday night at the Slinger Super Speedway on the Miss Slinger Pageant/Reunion Night presented by the U.S. Army and Enders Construction.

“We got a little bit loose there towards the end, and I had my hands full,” Bennett explained from victory lane. “But with our win earlier in the week in the Red Race at Kaukauna, to have back-to-back victories made it a great week for Bennett Motorsports.”

Pete Wiedmeyer and Apel shared the front row at the drop of the green flag and the outside lane was the groove to be in as Apel rushed to the lead followed by Jamie Wallace and Bennett while Wiedmeyer raced with Mike Egan for fifth. Debris on the frontstretch produced the caution flag on lap 11, allowing Wallace to line up to the outside of Apel for the restart.

[img_assist|nid=46|title=|desc=Al Graf Photo – Lowell bennett takes the lead from #16 steve apel in super lates feature.|link=node|align=right|width=220|height=146]As racing resumed, Wallace maintained his position locked alongside Apel’s door and the pair battled side by side for the top spot before Wallace was able to prevail with a better run off the corner two laps later. Bennett immediately went to work on Apel and after five laps of hard effort, wrestled away the second spot while Wallace chased out to a sizeable lead on the field. Behind the top three, Egan was joined by Conrad Morgan and Dennis Prunty in a hard battle over fourth place. By lap 25, Prunty held the fourth position and began to close on Apel while Bennett slowly cut into Wallace’s lead. At the halfway mark, Wallace enjoyed a comfortable advantage over Bennett as Prunty raced his way around Apel for third while Morgan held steady in the fifth spot. Wallace’s lead evaporated on lap 33 when a spin by Cardell Potter in turn one brought out the second yellow flag of the race, tightening the field for the restart.

[img_assist|nid=44|title=|desc=Al Graf Photo – car #16 steve apel battles with 22 pete wiedmeyer for lead in super lates feature.|link=node|align=right|width=220|height=146]Bennett leapt into the lead as the green flag appeared as Wallace slid into second, between Bennett and Prunty in third. The top three ran nose to tail with Wallace able to gain a little entering the turns, but slightly losing ground to Bennett on the exit as Prunty stayed on the gas tucked against Wallace’s rear bumper in third. The battle for third ignited on lap 44 when slight contact between Prunty and Wallace sent Wallace’s machine looping around in turn three, drawing a caution flag and sending both to the rear of the field. The incident moved Apel into second behind Bennett while Egan, Dale Prunty, Morgan, and David Prunty followed. As racing resumed, Bennett and Apel charged ahead of the field with Apel glued to Bennett’s rear bumper. Apel wouldn’t let Bennett get away and made several attempts to duck inside for the lead and at one point, the two made contact in turn two but despite both cars kicking sideways, both drivers retained control and continued their battle for the lead. Apel made a valiant effort to challenge for the win, but he was unable to catch Bennett in the closing laps and the defending track champion took the checkered flag for his third feature win of the season. Apel finished a strong second while David Prunty sliced his way forward late in the race to finish in third place while Conrad Morgan and Dale Prunty completed the top five. Mike Egan crossed the finish line in sixth place ahead of Tommy Hromadka and Brad Dahmer while Randy Schuler and Dennis Prunty finished ninth and tenth respectively.

[img_assist|nid=45|title=|desc=Al Graf Photo – 22 weidmeyer battles with 89 mike egan for the 5th spot in feature.|link=node|align=right|width=220|height=146]Rick Corso won the 30-lap super late model semi-feature over Cardell Potter and Ron Ragan. Larry Epright finished in fourth place and Jerry Eckhardt was fifth. Brad Dahmer scored the victory in the Strange Brew super late model fast dash while Collin Bamke was the fastest qualifier at 11.638 seconds.

Steve Apel scored a convincing win in the 35-lap late model main event, leading flag to flag en route to the victory.

Apel charged to the lead at the start over Rob Braun while Brad Keith, Chris Blawat, and Trevor Dassow raced in close quarters for third. Apel and Braun were able to drive out to nearly a straightaway advantage as the rest of the field remained in a cluster with Keith holding a slight edge over Blawat in third. Behind Keith and Blawat, Dassow, Steven Schulz, Scott Ascher, and Ryan DeStefano all jockeyed for position in a tight side by side formation while Apel and Braun continued to pull away. The event ran caution free and there was no catching Apel who drove to a sound and convincing win while Braun took the checkered flag in second. Keith held off many challenges to cross the finish line in third place while Blawat and Dassow completed the top five. Earlier in the evening, Keith scored the win in the Strange Brew late model fast dash while Dassow circled the speedway in 12.398 seconds and was the division’s fastest qualifier.

Dan Church led the opening laps over Tom Elsinger and Brian Holtz while Jimmie Evans, Mark Kissinger, and Mike Graczkowski followed in their tire tracks. With Church continuing to lead, Holtz and Kissinger were able to move around Elsinger for second by lap ten and a lap later, contact between the two triggered a multi-car incident in turn four that sent numerous cars spinning. Most of the cars involved were able to continue with the exception of Scott Shambeau, as his machine sustained severe damage and was done for the night. Church held the lead as racing resumed, but Elsinger was able to mount a charge and two laps later, made his move around Church and into the lead. Behind the top two, Borchardt raced his way into third place by lap 15 as Bobby Giers followed to take over fourth place with Jeff Holtz moving up to fifth. Borchardt’s car worked well on the inside and he dove to the inside to snag the lead from Elsinger on lap 21. Giers was also able to work his way around Elsinger to take second just before the caution flag waved again on lap 22 when Gregg Pawelski’s car spun and collected Andy Haver in turn two. Borchardt was on the point for the restart and he maintained his lead over Giers during the final laps while Jeff Holtz worked to track down the top two. Borchardt charged to the win followed by Giers and Holtz while Mike Graczkowski and Elsinger rounded out the top five. Earlier, Dave Thomas was the winner of the Strange Brew Midwest Sportsman fast dash and Giers took top time honors with a lap of 12.833 seconds.

Aaron Cain drove to the win in the 18-lap Thunderstock feature.

Jacob Sproehlich paced the opening laps before Andy Welter took the top spot on lap eight. Stephanie Losiniecki took her turn at the point a few laps later while farther back, Aaron Cain and Ryan Farrell began to march their way forward. Farrell and Sproehlich tangled in turn four on lap 12 to produce the caution flag with Losiniecki leading over Cain, Welter, and Jerry Kulas Jr. On the restart, Cain was able to outgun Losiniecki into turn one to take the lead. Cain would never look back from there as he drove to the win while Losiniecki finished close behind in second. Andy Welter finished third while Eric Lingford and Rick Schaefer rounded out the top five. Earlier, Losiniecki was the winner Strange Brew Thunderstock fast dash and Cain turned a lap of 13.633 seconds to top qualifying.

Joe Lang made a last lap pass to win the 16-lap Slinger Bee feature over David Schmidt and Carl Benn. Derek Hoerig and Mike Lang were fourth and fifth respectively. Joe Lang was also the fastest qualifier at 15.967 seconds. Tom Petierski was the winner of the Speedway Guest Car race and Carl Trapp drove his Chevy Nova to the win in the Spectator Eliminator events. Willie Van Camp took top honors in the Figure 8 race.