Pluer Plugs Along to a MASCS Win at the Milwaukee Mile |
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Topics: Mark Pluer, Howie Lettow Memorial 30
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Jordan Kuehne
Mid American Stock Car Series
July 10, 2013
(MILWAUKEE, Wis.) – There was no track that Mark Pluer wanted to win at more than the Milwaukee Mile, and on Tuesday night, the local driver finally cashed in on a Mid-American Stock Car Series victory, fending off Bill Prietzel’s late-race charge and collecting the trophy in the Howie Lettow Memorial 30 on America’s Legendary Oval.
When the green flag finally waved on the Mid-American Stock Car Series Keith’s Marina/Gordy Boucher Ford of West Bend 30, Brian Holtz hustled into the top spot, easing past Ron Vandermeir as the 29-car field went three- and even four-wide behind him. Drivers continued to try and maneuver around America’s Legendary Oval as Holtz paced the tightening pack.
The leader fell off the pace a little on lap five and Wisconsin hotshoe Marv Flick closed up behind, peeking to the inside before Holtz slammed the door shut. Longtime series veteran Bobby Gutknecht took advantage of the track’s wide racing surface and utilized the high side to shoot past Flick for the bridesmaid’s position while Holtz extended his edge to five car lengths.
With lapped traffic coming into play, 1996 MASCS champion Mark Pluer powered past Gutknecht and the sliding Holtz for the lead and a traffic jam ensued in turn two. Seconds later, Holtz was turned into the backstretch retaining wall and Don Wood couldn’t avoid him, making contact as he spun in front of a majority of the field. Showing their driving skill, everyone managed to navigate around Wood’s stopped machine and the yellow waved with 13 laps in the books. Caution laps were counted after early afternoon rain showers delayed the racing program, and racing resumed with just nine laps to go.
When the green flag waved, Pluer peddled his hot rod into the lead ahead of Gutknecht as fast qualifier Bill Prietzel wasted no time jumping into a podium spot in third. The “Franklin Flyer” had his eyes trained on a bigger prize, though, and Prietzel used the low line of the mile-long oval’s asphalt racing surface to push past Gutknecht. Jeff Holtz followed him into third as Pluer desperately tried to hold on up front.
As the scoreboard turned over to the 26th circuit, Prietzel trimmed the gap between himself and the leader to just two car lengths as Holtz closed up behind him to make it a three-car fray for the top spot. Prietzel’s efforts to push Pluer off the top spot weren’t enough, however, as the Brookfield, Wis., driver finally broke through and held on for his first win of the 2013 season in the Mid-American Stock Car Series.
“This is one of the biggest wins of my career,” Pluer said in AJ Foyt Victory Lane afterwards. “This is my hometown, where I grew up, and I used to come here with my dad when I was growing up. I knew (Bill Prietzel) was coming, but I just did what I could there and it was enough.”
Prietzel settled for a hard fought runner-up finish, fending off third place finisher Jeff Holtz’s strong surge over the final laps. Brad Keith rebuilt his entire clutch system overnight and registered an impressive fourth place result while defending MASCS Champion Jeremy Spoonmore rebounded from a DNF at Jefferson, rounding out the top-five in fifth.