K. Shear Dominates Mid-Am Tisler Salvage White Race

Topics:  Kyle Shear

Tom Wagner
Mid American Stock Car Series
July 19, 2008

(Kaukauna, WI) July 19, 2008 - The fact that Kyle Shear won the Mid-American Series Tisler Salvage White Race Saturday night at Wisconsin International Raceway wasn't all that surprising.

Afterall, the Series sophomore had entered the event third in points, and had registered top five finishes in three of the six races heading into the night, including a solid fourth during the running of the "Red Race" at the historic venue back in June.

But what did raise eyebrows was how he did it.

Shear proved to be the class of the field, leading 39 of the 40 laps without a serious challenge en route to his second career, and first of the season, Mid-American feature win. He also became the seventh different winner in the seven 2008 Series events.

The only other driver to share the spotlight at the point was Jeremy Spoonmore, who paced the initial circuit. Shear wasted little time dispensing with Spoonmore, slipping to the inside on the second lap. From there he steadily built what turned into an insurmountable cushion.

Spoonmore proved to be nearly as tough, breaking free from the rest of the field while trying to keep Shear in his sites.

With the top two checking out, eyes focused on the battle for third, where Kyle's brother, Troy Shear, Jr, held firm despite heavy pressure from veterans Lyle Nowak, James Swan and Bill Prietzel, who set a new track record earlier in the night.

Chasing both Troy Shear and Nowak, Swan and Prietzel, the two point leaders, swapped fifth and sixth back and forth, often side by side by for nearly 20 laps.

Up front, Spoonmore appeared to have one last shot at the leader as Shear encountered lapped traffic with the race heading into the final 10 laps. He did manage to close somewhat, but then got an even better break with six laps to go as Mikie Breiner slipped from the highline in the second turn bringing out the event's only caution.

Shear may have been a little nervous with the lead wiped out, but probably didn't need to be. "I knew the restart was going to go against me," he said. "But I took it slow and got a good jump. Jeremy told me he didn't have anything for me."

As the green flew, he steadily pulled away, breezing through the final six laps unchecked.

Spoonmore stayed put in the second position with Nowak edging Prietzel and Swan for third. Jake Finney, the winner of the Red Race, was a factor late, moving up to finish sixth.

The run of the night may have come from the driver finishing ninth, Kenny Smart. Forced to take a provisional, Smart started the headliner in the 22nd spot on the grid.

The win solidified Shear as a bona fide title contender as the Series heads into the second half of the season. But in order to catch the two three-time champs ahead of him, there's still some work to do.

"We've got to get the qualifying down a little better," he said. "We lose points qualifying."

The next race on the Mid-American schedule is the Hankscraft Dells Duel Part II, July 26th, at the Dells Raceway Park in Wisconsin Dells. Prietzel took the checker at the Dells during the first visit of the season there in May.

The Mid-Americans will return to Wisconsin International Raceway for the Tisler Salvage Blue Race on August 16th.

For more information about the Mid-American Series including results, current standings, the remaining 2008 schedule, and driver info, visit www.midamericanracing.com.

SUMMARY

Mid-American Tisler Salvage White Race 40 Lap Feature: (1-10) Kyle Shear, Roscoe, IL; Jeremy Spoonmore, Somonauk, IL; Lyle Nowak, Wausau; Bill Prietzel, Richfield; James Swan, Genoa City; Jake Finney, Sycamore, IL; Brian Back, Rudolph; Bobby Gutknecht, Oak Creek; Kenny Smart, Eagle; Darren Wolke, Belle Plaine, MN

(11-20) Rod Brewe, Menomonie; Tom McClintok, Onalaska; Mark Pluer, Brookfield; Ross Zumbach, Racine; Andy Casavant, Two Rivers; Travis Rodewald, Manitowoc; Kevin Damrow, Manitowoc; Troy Shear, Jr, Roscoe, IL; Scott Null, Lake Mills; Ryan Gutknecht, Oak Creek

(21-22) Mikie Breiner, Johnsburg, IL; Jim Thorson, Sugar Grove, IL

Last Chance Qualifier: (1-10) Rodewald; Thorson; Casavant; Null; Breiner; Ryan Gutknecht; Crystal Wood, Denmark; Hank Tews, Batavia, IL; Tony Habeck, Black Creek; Mark Kissinger, West Bend;

(11-14) Butch Mierendorf, Waterloo; Mark Brooner, Warrens; David Verhagen, Green Bay; Mark VanRite, DePere

Consolation: Brooner; Kissinger; Mierendorf; Tews; Habeck; Verhagen

Fast Qualifier: Prietzel - 20.829 (new track record)