PRIETZEL BESTS STELLAR FIELD in TISLER SALVAGE RED RACE at WIR

Topics:  Bill Prietzel, Tisler Salvage 35

Matt Panure
Mid American Stock Car Series
June 9, 2007

A stout field of 30 Mid-American Stock Cars challenged the Wisconsin International Raceway on Saturday night in Kaukauna, WI. When the checkered flag fell Bill Prietzel of Richfield, WI had worked his way from his 11th place starting spot to take the win. Prietzel, who looked dominant in last August’s Blue Race only to suffer engine troubles, won his first feature of the 2007 after a lap 27 pass for the lead on Somonauk, IL’s Jeremy Spoonmore.

Muskego, WI’s Tim Schmitt and Deerfield, WI’s Andrew Kulka paced the field to the green flag in the Tisler Salvage 35. After a side by side battle, Schmitt wrestled the lead away as Kulka began to fade on the outside line. On lap five Kevin Damrow from Manitowoc, WI smoothly used the inside line to get around Schmitt. Damrow was followed by Wausau, WI veteran Lyle Nowak who swiped to lead from Damrow coming out of turn four coming back to lap six.

On lap eight a tangle between Roscoe, IL’s Kyle Shear and Schmitt brought out the first caution of the race. The veteran freight train of James Swan from Lake Geneva, WI, Prietzel and Oak Creek, WI’s Bobby Gutknecht were on the move to the front. On lap twelve the trio had moved into third, fourth and fifth respectively. Nowak was enjoying a comfortable lead over Spoonmoore until, on lap 15, lady luck frowned upon Nowak as an oil line failure sent him to the pits.

Spoonmore had to deal with the veteran trio immediately after he inherited the lead from Nowak. Prietzel and Swan swapped the second spot several times as Bobby Gutknecht began to pull away from Damrow in the fifth spot. When Prietzel took the second spot from Swan for the final time on lap 24, he began to reel in Spoonmoore and made the pass on the outside coming out of turn two. Spoonmore put up resistance coming back to the line, but on lap 27 Prietzel had taken the lead for good.

However, with three laps to go, Tony Habeck from Black Creek, WI looped his machine coming out of turn two to stack the field up for a three lap shootout. “I told Jan (Bill’s wife and spotter) that this isn’t over with three laps to go,” said Prietzel after the race. Spoonmore could not mount a challenge for the lead as Prietzel held strong. After the lap 32 restart, Swan, the series point leader coming into the Red Race, started to back track from his third spot and finished 11th. Swan blamed engine problems and a slowly deflating right rear tire for his late race fade. Spoonmore held onto the second spot as Bobby Gutknecht finished third. Damrow who was running in the top five for most of the race finished fourth for his second consecutive top five finish and Whitelaw, WI’s Daryl Gerke, who came into the Red Race only 21 markers back from Swan, rounded out the top five. Aside from Prietzel and Gutknecht, Dave Obermeyer from Slinger, WI made a hard charge to the 7th spot after starting 15th, finishing behind Reedsville, WI’s Maxwell Schultz.

The next event for the Mid-American Stock Car Series is on Saturday, June 30th as the Milwaukee Mile holds an open test session. The next regular event is scheduled for Saturday, July 7th at the Madison International Speedway as part of the ASALMS Mad Summer Meltdown. For more information about the Mid-American Series including results, standings, the 2007 schedule and driver info visit www.midamericanracing.com.

Tisler Salvage 35:
1. Bill Prietzel, Richfield, WI; 2. Jeremy Spoonmore, Somonauk, IL; 3. Bobby Gutknecht, Oak Creek, WI; 4. Kevin Damrow, Manitowoc, WI; 5. Daryl Gerke, Whitelaw, WI; 6. Maxwell Schultz, Reedsville, WI; 7. Dave Obermeyer, Slinger, WI; 8. Ryan Manthei, Green Bay, WI; 9. Jake Finney, Sycamore, IL; 10. Ryan Finley, Shabbona, IL; 11. James Swan, Lake Geneva, WI; 12. Kyle Shear, Roscoe, IL; 13. Scott Null, Lake Mills, WI; 14. Danny Powell, Polo, IL; 15. Andrew Kulka, Deerfield, WI; 16. Becca Kasten, Mequon, WI; 17. Gary Tisler, Menchalville, WI; 18. Troy Shear Jr., Roscoe, IL; 19. Tony Habeck, Black Creek, WI; 20. Tim Schmitt, Muskego, WI; 21. Lyle Nowak, Wausau, WI

15 Lap Last Chance
1. Finley; 2. Kasten; 3. Ross Zumbach, Racine, MN; 4. Habeck; 5. T. Shear; 6. David Verhagen, Green Bay, WI; 7. Don Wood, Maribel, WI; 8. Tim Warner, Malone, WI; 9. Louie Goss, Green Bay, WI; 10. Crystal Koenig, Maribel, WI

10 Lap Heat Races
Heat 1: Tisler; Kasten; Verhagen
Heat 2: Obermeyer; Wood; Warner
Heat 3: Nowak; Spoonmore; Gutknecht

Fast Time - Swan, 20.979 seconds