REKINDLED RIVALRY SEES PRIETZEL PREVAIL

Topics:  Bill Prietzel, James Swan

Matt Panure
Mid-American Stock Car Series
April 17, 2011

NEWS RELEASE SPORTS/MOTORSPORTS
Contact: Matt Panure – Public Relations Director
(920)-360-7618
Mid-American Stock Car Series
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www.midamericanracing.com

LOVES PARK, Ill. (April 17, 2011) – Whether it’s for feature wins or championships, these two keep finding each other. Representing seven of the last 11 MASCS championships – many of which were contested head-to-head – Bill Prietzel and James Swan put on another show Sunday.

Prietzel and Swan captivated an eager crowd through all 50 circuits of the Mid-American Stock Car Series feature at Rockford Speedway with Prietzel performing a goal-line stand in the final laps to hang on for his first MASCS win at the quarter-mile.

“It was definitely a challenge all the way,” Prietzel said. “James is really good here, and he was a little faster than we were. But I was in the preferred lane and he just couldn’t get by us on the bottom.”

It wasn’t for lack of effort on Swan’s part. Closing the gap several times throughout, Swan made contact with Prietzel’s left rear quarter-panel in an attempt to shake the long-time MASCS veteran and three-time champion.

“I really, really wanted to pass Bill, you have no idea. But I wasn’t going to wreck him to do it,” Swan said. “I gave him a little shove here and there just to play with him, because I knew I had the better car. If I couldn’t pass him clean, I wasn’t going to pass him.”

No harm, no foul, Prietzel said. “He tried and bumped us a couple times, but that’s Rockford, it’s not an issue.”

The biggest break of the race for Prietzel happened before the green flag was in the hand of MASCS starter Dave Sankey. Prietzel was scheduled to start on the outside of the second row, behind Jake Finney. After his heat race, Finney noticed issues on his machine and decided it was not in race condition. Prietzel moved to the outside of the front row alongside Ryan Gutknecht.

With Swan in tow, Prietzel seized the lead at the drop of the green. Swan followed in his tire tracks, bringing Rick Corso and fast qualifier Travis Rodewald past Gutknecht. The four broke away from the pack with Swan and Prietzel left to duel for an uninterrupted first half of the feature.

The first caution of the race fell on lap 26 when Chris Storey spun up to the outside retaining wall in turn two. On the restart Prietzel chose to keep the high lane with Swan settling to his inside on the front row.

Prietzel said it was a no-brainer selecting the high lane. “Not here, not a chance,” Prietzel responded when asked if he considered the inside lane.

After the green fell, Swan clung desperately to the inside in an attempt to get position on Prietzel. As the duo raced into turns three and four Swan made contact with Prietzel. Both drivers slowed as they collected their machines.

The rest of the field stacked up behind, with Jay Foster and Scott Null getting the worst. Foster lost the nose on his machine while Null lost the battery from his. Foster continued along with the remainder of the field.

On the ensuing restart Swan and Prietzel again broke away from the pack. Travis Rodewald, who had been surveying ways to pass Corso, slipped into third. He brought 2010 MASCS champion Lyle Nowak with him into fourth.

Rodewald’s attempt to reel in the top two was stopped short when he slid into turns one and two and tapped the outside retaining wall on lap 30. He continued, but lost a spot to Nowak. Nowak felt the curse of the being in the third spot ten laps later when he lost his water pump, spun and stalled, ending his day.

Swan continued to harass Prietzel over the final ten trips around the high-banked facility, but could get no further than Prietzel’s door. Rodewald settled for a third-place finish, Jeremy Spoonmore was fourth and Brian Back slipped into the top five late.

With wins in a modified and two in his Midwest Super Truck at Rockford, Prietzel was happy to take the checkered flag for a victory lap for the first time in his stock car.

“It’s a great way to start the year,” Prietzel said. “A top five and coming home clean is a great way to start. To win is icing on the cake, it’s great.”

The next stop for the Mid-American Stock Car Series is Saturday, May 21 at Norway (Mich.) Speedway for the M-“eh” Main. Lyle Nowak is two-for-two in MASCS action at the third-mile on the Dickinson County Fairgrounds.

Norway Speedway is located on the Dickinson County Fairgrounds just off Highway 8 in Norway, Mich. For more information visit www.norwayspeedway.com

For more information about the Mid-American Stock Car Series, including the full 2011 schedule, results, standings and driver information visit www.midamericanracing.com.

RESULTS

Spring Classic 50-lap Feature:
1. Bill Prietzel, Richfield, Wis.; 2. James Swan, Lake Geneva, Wis.; 3. Travis Rodewald, Manitowoc, Wis.; 4. Jeremy Spoonmore, Somonauk, Ill.; 5. Brian Back, Rudolph, Wis.; 6. Tyler Bauknecht, Reedsville, Wis.; 7. Dan Church Jr., Big Bend, Wis.; 8. Rick Corso, McHenry, Ill.; 9. Mark Pluer, Brookfield, Wis.; 10. Adam Bendzick, Apple Valley, Minn.

15-lap Last Chance:
1. Tom McClintock, Onalaska, Wis.; 2. Frank Slabenak Jr., Palos Park, Ill.; 3. Bret Widdis, Manistique, Mich.; 4. Darrel Phillips, Esmond, Ill.

Heat Race Winners:
Slabenak, Ryan Gutknecht, Oak Creek, Wis.; Church

Fast Time:
Rodewald – 14.171 seconds