Apel wins super late model title

West Bend Daily News: Sept. 3, 2013

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News Sports Editor

SLINGER — Steve Apel will argue that he doesn't belong in the same category as Alan Kulwicki, Rich Bickle Jr., Tony Strupp and Joe Shear.
However, a history board near the start-finish line of the famed quarter-mile oval at Slinger Superspeedway will say differently.
Apel, a 25-year-old West Bend driver, finished second in Sunday's 100-lap super late model feature and secured his first career track championship in the super late model division. This after back-to-back runner-up finishes in the division the last two seasons, and the limited late model runner-up in 2008.
"It's absolutely amazing," said Apel.
He is the 16th driver to win a super late model championship, the third straight first-time champion and the fourth straight different champion. Slinger hasn't had a different champion in four consecutive years since 1981-84, when John Ziegler, Willie Goeden, Bickle and Schill won the championship.
The track has never had five different champions in a row, dating back to the start of the super late model division in 1974.
"When I first started racing, I was racing four cylinders," Apel said. "I never thought I could ever afford to run this."
There were too many people he needed to thank. He said one big thank you for everyone who helped him along the way.
Other drivers Apel joins as super late model champions at Slinger include Robbie Reiser, Conrad Morgan, Al Schill and Lowell Bennett, some of the greatest drivers to ever compete on Wisconsin's short tracks.
Rob Braun, Apel's only competition for the championship, fell out of the picture early. On lap seven, a brake bias adjuster broke and got stuck behind the throttle. Braun had to come into the pits. When he returned, he was 33 laps behind the leaders. Braun went on to finish 19th.
"I had a great season," said Braun, who won three features this season.
For most of the season, Apel didn't give thought to winning a championship. He missed the season opener. Each week until the Slinger Nationals, Apel repeatedly said he wasn't going to race for a championship. In the weeks leading up to the Nationals in July, Apel won four of five races. That was when he had the first thought of winning a championship.
"There was no pressure all year long," Apel said about the first half of the season. "We weren't running for points, just try to win (races)."
Going into Sunday's finale, Apel led Braun by 37 points, needing to finish sixth or better to clinch the championship. Apel was the division's fast qualifier, while Braun was fourth-quickest, extending the lead to 45 points going into the feature.
It was Braun who convinced Apel to go after a championship.
"I've really got to thank Rob Braun," Apel said. "He told me before the opener, 'Dude. Run every week, go win the championship.'"
Apel replied by telling Braun that it wasn't something he wanted to do. Braun is Apel's boss at Ellison Technologies.
"He was giving me (expletive) at work for a while," Apel said.
After the opener, Apel said Braun told him a championship was still possible. Apel didn't believe him. He didn't want to believe him.
Then on the heels of a championship Sunday morning, Apel was ready to accept the possibility of being a champion.
"I woke up and I said, 'I'm sick and tired of finishing second,'" Apel said. "To be able to finally do it is a dream come true."
It was an up-and-down year for Apel as he had a couple of controversial moments this season. He was disqualified after winning the Nationals for failing post-race inspection. Then, just two weeks ago, he was strip-searched for a suspected and illegal traction control device.
"It was something that was out of my control," he said. "This team did an awesome job with how they handled it.
"They could've tucked their tails between their legs and run away. They came face-to-face with the facts and manned up."
Apel and his crew believed they had to come back to prove a point. They didn't want people to believe they were cheaters, claiming silence would've been a sign of guilt in the eyes of their competitors.
"The team held together and did an awesome job," Apel said.
Braun had no hard feelings about losing the championship.
"I felt like he maybe was not thinking about racing and giving up," Braun said. "I thought he was too good for that."
The championship is also part of a big year for Apel off the track. He recently bought his first home and will get married next month.
"There's not anything more that can happen," Apel said.

RESULTS
Feature winners
Super late model: Dennis Prunty
Limited late model: Jeff Holtz
Area sportsman: Brad Hetzel
Slinger Bees: Grant Griesbach
Figure 8: Willy Van Camp
Fast qualifiers
Note: Due to weather, qualifying for area sportsman and Slinger Bees wasn't held.
Super late model: Steve Apel (11.465 seconds)
Limited late model: Braison Bennett (12.489)
Points standings
Super late model (FINAL): 1. Steve Apel 1,385; 2. Rob Braun -89; 3. Lowell Bennett -184; 4. Conrad Morgan -239; 5. Dennis Prunty -283.
Limited late model: 1. Ryan DeStefano 1,507; 2. Alex Prunty -32; 3. Mike Lichtfeld -46; 4. Braison Bennett -142; 5. Danny Church -290.
Area sportsman: 1. Kyle Chwala 1,735; 2. Kody Hubred -174; 3. Joe Shelby -547; 4. Nick Egan -585; 5. John Daley -728.
Slinger Bees: 1. Nick Schmidt 1,615; 2. Brandon Tackes -147; 3. Grant Griesbach -368; 4. Marty Tackes -456; 5. Steve Dickson -466.
Figure 8: 1. Willy Van Camp 1,725; 2. Scott Goetzke -5; 3. Joe Mueller -95; 4. Ron Schmitt -150; 5. Shane Becker -160.