LEPAK EDGES PRUNTY TO WIN THE PEPSI CHALLENGE 80 PRESENTED BY RUSS DARROW TOYOTA!!!
By Dan Margetta

 

Slinger, Wis., Aug. 12— Jeremy Lepak out-dueled David Prunty in a thriller Sunday night at the Slinger Super Speedway to win the Pepsi Challenge 80 presented by Russ Darrow Toyota by a car length.

“I had to work pretty hard for that one,” Lepak told an excited crowd following the event. “It was real exciting there and I’m glad we put on a good show for the fans as he (Prunty) made it interesting.”

Steven Schulz battled Fred Winn for the lead at the green flag before Winn used the outside to gain the top spot on lap two. Mike also moved forward, taking over the second spot by lap ten while David Prunty followed in third, just ahead of Dale Prunty and Schulz. David Prunty was able to work his way into second by lap 14, just before a spin by Nick Schumacher in turn two produced the first caution flag. Winn was able to maintain the lead on the restart but three laps later, Prunty was able to track him down, passing him to take the lead and opening the door for Egan to grab second.

As Prunty began to extend his lead, Lepak methodically picked his way through the field, entering the top five by lap 20. Utilizing his car’s ability to turn well on the inside exiting the corners, Lepak used the lower groove to race into third place by lap 30 before charging around Egan for second on lap 32.  The leaders approached lapped traffic and Lepak began to cut into Prunty’s advantage while Egan battled with Matt Kocourek over third. A spin by Race McComb in turn two on lap 49 brought out the yellow flag and bunched up the field for the restart with Prunty choosing the inside lane, leaving Lepak to line up alongside on the high lane.

Prunty was on the mark for the restart and kept the lead while Lepak made serious challenges for the top spot in the high groove, moving alongside, but not able to clear Prunty’s car as they exited the corners. On lap 51, Lepak finally made the move stick and he edged by to take the lead while Kocourek advanced into third place and Nick Schumacher began to charge ahead and into the top five. Lepak was unable to shake Prunty as the defending track champion remained in his tire tracks when a tangle between Winn and Egan in turn four brought out the caution flag for the final time on lap 60.

The final 20 laps produced some of the best racing of the season as Prunty used the inside lane while Lepak worked the top as they battled for the lead. The two remained close together for the final laps with Prunty able to pull up to Lepak’s rear quarter panel only to have Lepak ease ahead with a better run off the corners. On the final lap, Lepak was able to maintain his advantage, taking the win with Prunty nearly alongside at his rear bumper. Schumacher recovered from the earlier spin to impressively come home with a third place finish while Kocourek and Dale Prunty rounded out the top five. Al Schill took the checkered flag in sixth place ahead of Mike Strupp and Gary LaMonte while Nick Hammer and Race McComb completed the top ten finishers. 

Tommy Hromadka captured the win in the 30-lap late model semi-feature over Mike Meyerhofer who edged Brad Bennett in a photo finish for the final transfer spot into the main event. Joe DeStefano Jr. and Jerry Eckhardt were fourth and fifth respectively. Matt Kocourek was the winner of the late model fast dash and Nick Schumacher was the fastest qualifier at 11.458 seconds.

Jon Reynolds Jr. took home top honors in the limited late model feature that finished under caution with 18 laps in the books.

Jerry Eckhardt and Ryan DeStefano traded the lead in the opening laps before Eckhardt was able to take sole possession of the spot by lap five. A spin by Mike Schmitz in turn four on lap six slowed the event under the caution flag with Eckhardt leading DeStefano, Corey Funk, Chris Blawat, and Steve Apel. As racing resumed, Eckhardt continued to lead as Funk raced his way into second place and Apel charged forward into third. Behind the leaders, Reynolds was beginning to slice his way towards the front, entering the top five by lap nine. Several single car spins strung out the field and the caution flag appeared again when Blawat and DeStefano tangled in turn four. As the green flag reappeared, Funk and Reynolds used the outside lane to charge around Eckhardt and into first and second place respectively on lap ten. One lap later, Reynolds worked his way around Funk to grab the lead while Eckhardt held onto third and Apel raced with Rob Braun and Scott Ascher for the fourth spot. On lap 13, Braun’s car got out of shape exiting turn two and as he attempted to save it, the front of the car clipped Apel in the right rear, nosing Apel’s car hard into the turn three wall as the yellow flag waved. Reynolds maintained the lead on the restart over Eckhardt as Chris Ratajczyk raced into third just in front of Funk and a hard charging Chris Purdy. As the white flag waved over Reynolds and Eckhardt, Purdy made contact with Ratajczyk, touching off a multi-car incident in turn four, effectively ending the race under the caution flag. Reynolds took the win over Eckhardt with Ratajczyk, Scott Ascher, and Funk rounding out the top five.

Chris Blawat drove to the win in the limited late model fast dash and Jon Reynolds Jr. set fast time with a lap of 12.308 seconds.

Jeff Holtz captured the win in the 25-lap Midwest Sportsman feature, leading the final two laps en route to the victory.

Dan Church and Jay Shambeau swapped the lead at the beginning of the race as Holtz moved into third place ahead of Jake Vanoskey and Dave Thomas. Shambeau was able to ease ahead of Church to take the lead on lap seven while Holtz advanced forward to battle with Church for second. Holtz passed Church for second place on lap 17 and looked to close in on Shambeau for the lead while Thomas and Mike Graczkowski raced into the top five. Shawn Utphall spun on lap 22 to bring out the lone caution flag of the race with Shambeau leading Holtz, Church, Thomas, and Graczkowski. On the restart, Holtz took to the outside and moved alongside Shambeau in a bid for the lead. Holtz made the move work a lap later, using the outside to take the lead while Thomas worked his way by Church for third. At the stripe, Holtz drove to the win over Shambeau while Thomas, Church, and Graczkowski rounded out the top five.

Chris Beine drove to the win in the 12-lap Midwest Sportsman semi-feature over Mark Kissinger and Eric Schuetz. Tom Elsinger finished fourth and Shawn Hoefler took the checkered flag in fifth place. Dave Thomas won the Midwest Sportsman fast dash and Kenny Joosten was the fastest qualifer at 12.771 seconds.

Wes Biswell won the 25-lap Midwest Modified feature over Steve Schulz and Joe Houpt.

Roy Aitchison lead the opening lap before drifting wide in turn one on lap two following heavy pressure from Biswell for the top spot. Biswell took the lead on the second lap and soon found himself under pressure from Steve Huelsbeck by lap five. Biswell and Huelsbeck raced side by side with neither driver able to get enough of an advantage to clear the other as Steven Schulz charged ahead to join the lead battle up front. On lap 15, Huelsbeck slipped momentarily on the outside as Biswell took command of the event and Schulz moved into the second spot. Once out front, Biswell was never headed as he drove to the win over Schulz while Joe Houpt was able to edge Huelsbeck for third. Ron Schmitt finished in fifth place.

Steve Huelsbeck was the winner of the Midwest Modified fast dash and Steven Schulz paced qualifying after touring the speedway in 12.433 seconds.

Aaron Cain sliced his way forward from the tenth starting position to win the 16-lap Thunderstock feature.

Nathan Matz took the lead at the start and paced the event until lap 14 when Cain was able to race his way around for the lead. Cain drove to the win over Matz while Al Stippich charged from his twelfth starting spot to finish third ahead of Ryan Gutknecht and Seth Lootans. Cain was also the fastest qualifier at 12.878 seconds.

Tanya Manke raced her way through the pack to take the lead on lap ten before driving to a popular victory in the 16-lap Slinger Bee feature. Michael St. Martin finished in second place ahead of Jason Hennes while Stephanie Losiniecki started last and drove to an impressive fourth place finish. Matt Westphal was fifth. Earlier in the evening Stephanie Losiniecki set fast time for the night with a lap of 16.527 seconds.

Paul Polznanski was the winner of the Speedway Guest Car event and Brian Davis took top honors in the Spectator Eliminator races in his Subaru. Shane Becker captured the win in the Figure 8 race and Chris Minor was the last man standing in a ten-car demolition derby to close the evening.

 

Event: Pepsi Challenge 80 Presented by Russ Darrow Toyota

Date: August 12, 2007