By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News Sports Editor
Winning
championships is a way of life for the Prunty family at Slinger Superspeedway.
But this year is on pace for being a special season.
Dennis Prunty and Alex Prunty are the point leaders in their respective divisions, super late model and limited late model. Dennis Prunty is Alex's uncle.
With four weeks remaining, both have sizable leads in the point standings. And if they pull it off, it would be the second time in track history family members won a track championship in the same season.
The other time was in 2006 when Dale Prunty won the track's midwest modified championship and David Prunty won the super late model title.
"That'd be really cool," Alex Prunty said when asked what it'd mean to him and the family if two family members win a championship in the same season.
"We've been really fortunate," he added. "To be able to pull that off would be cool."
In all, the Prunty family has won 11 track championships at Slinger. The most recent was Alex Prunty's Slinger Bees championship in 2010.
Dennis Prunty won the 1999 and 2000 midwest modified title. Dale Prunty won four straight midwest modified championships from 2003 to 2006. Dan Prunty, Alex's father, won back-to-back Slinger Stinger championships in 1991 and 1992. David Prunty won the 2006 and 2007 super late model championship.
"When I was growing up, they were teaching me everything I know (today)," Alex Prunty said. "I thought maybe I could do this one day."
Prunty won five features en route to his first track championship in the Bees division in 2010. He admitted being a Prunty had some pressure tied to it before he won the title.
"Everybody's that's raced has won a championship," he said. "(The pressure) is always there. When I won the four-cylinder championship, everybody thought I could do better. The pressure is always there. I've just got to drive."
Prunty switched to the late model division before the 2011 season and early on, it was a struggle.
He struggled to break the top five and led just once for 23 laps in the first 14 starts. But on the 15th start, Prunty finally broke through and won his first career late model feature. He added a second victory in the season finale three weeks later.
"That was huge," Prunty said. "It definitely gave me a confidence boost going into this year."
There are plenty of similarities between that 2010 season and this season, despite it being a different division.
In 2010, Prunty's worst finish was fifth. He started every feature that season (19).
This year, Prunty's worst finish is 11th, but that was because he was involved in a late-race crash. But in the other 12 starts this season, Prunty's worst finish is fourth three times. He has won five features.
"Definitely my father," he said when asked what contributes to his consistency this season. "I can tell him what's going on with the car and he has a fix for everything. He's been doing this since 1990. He's got a lot of experience."
Prunty leads Ryan DeStefano by 81 points. Dennis Prunty leads Steve Apel by 44 points in the super-late division.
"Patience and consistency," said Alex Prunty when asked what the key will be to hold on to the lead for the final month of the season.
He's done a good job of that so far.
Saturday night is the annual SlamFest. On Sunday, a full race program is scheduled on Fan Appreciation Night.
q
Richfield's Jim Fuerst was first Saturday night in the legends 'A' main feature at Beaver Dam Raceway.
Eric Barth was second, followed by Ethan Ross and Joel Wyttenbach.
Brandon Schmitt, who used a three-race winning streak to surge to the top of the point standings, finished fifth.
Richfield's James Bucher was 10th, and Kewaskum's Bille Lehmann was 18th in the 19-car field.
West Bend's Matt Klenz finished 10th in his season debut in the modified division.
On Saturday is a full race program on Scout Night. All uniformed scouts and scout leaders will receive free admission.
q
Three divisions saw first time winners Saturday night at the Plymouth Dirt Track on the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds, while the fourth division got a five-time winner.
Gary Glander (grand national), Kyle Odekirk (late model) and Ken Jay Fiedler (sprint car) all won their first 'A' main features of the season.
Travis Arenz (outlaw compact) won his fifth 'A' main of the season.
Kewaskum's Shane Wenninger took seventh in the sprint car 'A' main, while West Bend's Paul Pokorski was 17th in the 22-car field.
On Saturday is a full race program and Bill Michaels, "The Big Unit," will be at the track.
q
Three-time midwest sportsman Slinger Superspeedway champion James Swan won his first career ASA race Saturday at Norway Speedway in Norway, Mich., which is in the upper peninsula.
With his victory, Swan, a rookie in the series, moved into the points lead. He leads John Wood by 16 points with three races remaining in the season.
The series is back in action Saturday night at Marshfield Motor Speedway in Marshfield.
q
Wenninger picked up a heat victory Friday night at the Manitowoc County Fairgrounds in the MSA 360 Sprints division. He went on to finish fifth in the feature.
West Bend's Kevin Karnitz finished 13th, while Pokorski crashed early in the feature and wound up 14th.
Wenninger trails Ben Schmidt, who finished third Friday, by 67 points in the division point standings.
q
The American Le Mans Series will be at Road America in Elkhart Lake this weekend. The other series' scheduled to be on-hand at the 4-mile road course is IMSA GT3 Cup, IMSA Lites, USF2000, SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am and the Unlimited Racing Championship.
Dennis Prunty and Alex Prunty are the point leaders in their respective divisions, super late model and limited late model. Dennis Prunty is Alex's uncle.
With four weeks remaining, both have sizable leads in the point standings. And if they pull it off, it would be the second time in track history family members won a track championship in the same season.
The other time was in 2006 when Dale Prunty won the track's midwest modified championship and David Prunty won the super late model title.
"That'd be really cool," Alex Prunty said when asked what it'd mean to him and the family if two family members win a championship in the same season.
"We've been really fortunate," he added. "To be able to pull that off would be cool."
In all, the Prunty family has won 11 track championships at Slinger. The most recent was Alex Prunty's Slinger Bees championship in 2010.
Dennis Prunty won the 1999 and 2000 midwest modified title. Dale Prunty won four straight midwest modified championships from 2003 to 2006. Dan Prunty, Alex's father, won back-to-back Slinger Stinger championships in 1991 and 1992. David Prunty won the 2006 and 2007 super late model championship.
"When I was growing up, they were teaching me everything I know (today)," Alex Prunty said. "I thought maybe I could do this one day."
Prunty won five features en route to his first track championship in the Bees division in 2010. He admitted being a Prunty had some pressure tied to it before he won the title.
"Everybody's that's raced has won a championship," he said. "(The pressure) is always there. When I won the four-cylinder championship, everybody thought I could do better. The pressure is always there. I've just got to drive."
Prunty switched to the late model division before the 2011 season and early on, it was a struggle.
He struggled to break the top five and led just once for 23 laps in the first 14 starts. But on the 15th start, Prunty finally broke through and won his first career late model feature. He added a second victory in the season finale three weeks later.
"That was huge," Prunty said. "It definitely gave me a confidence boost going into this year."
There are plenty of similarities between that 2010 season and this season, despite it being a different division.
In 2010, Prunty's worst finish was fifth. He started every feature that season (19).
This year, Prunty's worst finish is 11th, but that was because he was involved in a late-race crash. But in the other 12 starts this season, Prunty's worst finish is fourth three times. He has won five features.
"Definitely my father," he said when asked what contributes to his consistency this season. "I can tell him what's going on with the car and he has a fix for everything. He's been doing this since 1990. He's got a lot of experience."
Prunty leads Ryan DeStefano by 81 points. Dennis Prunty leads Steve Apel by 44 points in the super-late division.
"Patience and consistency," said Alex Prunty when asked what the key will be to hold on to the lead for the final month of the season.
He's done a good job of that so far.
Saturday night is the annual SlamFest. On Sunday, a full race program is scheduled on Fan Appreciation Night.
q
Richfield's Jim Fuerst was first Saturday night in the legends 'A' main feature at Beaver Dam Raceway.
Eric Barth was second, followed by Ethan Ross and Joel Wyttenbach.
Brandon Schmitt, who used a three-race winning streak to surge to the top of the point standings, finished fifth.
Richfield's James Bucher was 10th, and Kewaskum's Bille Lehmann was 18th in the 19-car field.
West Bend's Matt Klenz finished 10th in his season debut in the modified division.
On Saturday is a full race program on Scout Night. All uniformed scouts and scout leaders will receive free admission.
q
Three divisions saw first time winners Saturday night at the Plymouth Dirt Track on the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds, while the fourth division got a five-time winner.
Gary Glander (grand national), Kyle Odekirk (late model) and Ken Jay Fiedler (sprint car) all won their first 'A' main features of the season.
Travis Arenz (outlaw compact) won his fifth 'A' main of the season.
Kewaskum's Shane Wenninger took seventh in the sprint car 'A' main, while West Bend's Paul Pokorski was 17th in the 22-car field.
On Saturday is a full race program and Bill Michaels, "The Big Unit," will be at the track.
q
Three-time midwest sportsman Slinger Superspeedway champion James Swan won his first career ASA race Saturday at Norway Speedway in Norway, Mich., which is in the upper peninsula.
With his victory, Swan, a rookie in the series, moved into the points lead. He leads John Wood by 16 points with three races remaining in the season.
The series is back in action Saturday night at Marshfield Motor Speedway in Marshfield.
q
Wenninger picked up a heat victory Friday night at the Manitowoc County Fairgrounds in the MSA 360 Sprints division. He went on to finish fifth in the feature.
West Bend's Kevin Karnitz finished 13th, while Pokorski crashed early in the feature and wound up 14th.
Wenninger trails Ben Schmidt, who finished third Friday, by 67 points in the division point standings.
q
The American Le Mans Series will be at Road America in Elkhart Lake this weekend. The other series' scheduled to be on-hand at the 4-mile road course is IMSA GT3 Cup, IMSA Lites, USF2000, SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am and the Unlimited Racing Championship.
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