PAGE DESIGN: June 24, 2014

Gaughan wins for 1st time

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: June 24, 2014

Gaughan wins for 1st time

Las Vegas native used to race in Wisconsin

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

Daily News

ELKHART LAKE — Tension rose when the clouds over Road America opened up and poured rain on the four-mile, 14-turn road course at about the halfway point of Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Gardner Denver 200 Fired Up by Johnsonville.

Brendan Gaughan just smiled and laughed.

“I haven’t smelled blood in a long time; that’s something I’ve been lacking lately — that killer attitude,” he said.

Despite three trips off the racing surface and hard contact with Ryan Reed, Gaughan picked up an emotional victory, holding off a hard-charging Alex Tagliani in a green-white-checkered finish for his first career Nationwide Series victory in his 98th start. It was also his first victory in a NASCAR race since winning a truck race in 2003.

Often flamboyant, talkative and always smiling, even a bit of a goofball, the 38-year-old Las Vegas native was speechless.

“I’m floored right now,” he said moments after the race. “I’m just so happy. I’m speechless for a change.”

There were plenty of reasons for that; in some respects, he may not have deserved to win the race.

“I booted this race twice,” Gaughan said in victory lane. “Thank you (to the crew) right here. They still believed in me. (Crew chief) Shane (Wilson), as (angry) as he was at me, he kept making changes, trying to keep us in a right rhythm. For the adversity we had to go through to still be here in victory lane, it’s amazing.”

The victory brought some tears to Gaughan’s and Wilson’s faces. Wilson was Gaughan’s crew chief in 2003 with the truck series.

“It’s very special,” Wilson said.

Tagliani, who started the race on the pole, went on to finish second. Kevin O’Connell was a career-best third, followed by Chase Elliott and JJ Yeley to round out the top five.

“We had a shot at the win,” said O’Connell, who made just his fifth career NASCAR start Saturday in any division.

Gaughan admitted it has been frustrating of late and the results prove it.

Going into Road America, Gaughan had just two top-10 finishes in 13 starts.

He’s also lacked focus; however, one could forgive him for it. Gaughan’s grandfather, John “Jackie” Gaughan passed away March 12.

“I feel like I’d been letting my team down,” he said. “It’s been a very difficult year for me on many levels.”

Gaughan’s grandfather was a well-known hotel and casino operator in Las Vegas for much of the 1950s and 1960s. When Gaughan wanted to get into racing, it was Grandpa who helped out. And until his death, Grandpa was the biggest cheerleader for the Georgetown University graduate, who once gave thought to playing basketball.

Gaughan wanted to win a race for Grandpa. Where he got career victory No. 1 just made it all the more special.

Gaughan raced for much of his developmental years in Wisconsin, racing on the old offroad course inside the Road America facility. He’s also taught at the Skip Barber Racing school, which also has a facility at Road America.

Gaughan once called Road America and Wisconsin his second home.

“This is a special state to me,” Gaughan said. “A lot of my fans and friends are in Wisconsin.”

Just beyond the halfway point, rain fell over the 640-acre facility, forcing NASCAR to have the drivers switch from traditional slick tires to grooved wet tires. When that happened, the race strategy for every crew chief shifted.

It was no big deal for Gaughan and his team. They’ve already had to do that a couple of times with Gaughan’s off-road excursions. Gaughan called his driving at points embarrassing.

It was just the third time in series history a race was run in wet conditions. The other two instances were in 2008 and 2009, both in Montreal.

“You’ve just got to capitalize on what you’ve got,” Wilson said.

As the laps wound down, fuel became an issue, as did a drying race track as it stopped raining with about 10 laps to go. Wet tires are softer than slicks, so those tires burn up twice as fast, meaning less grip.

Gaughan was in the 2009 race at Montreal and has other roadcourse experience in the rain. He drew off those experiences to help him and his crew make the crucial final call to stay on the wet tires, rather than go to the slicks, despite the track rapidly drying.

Just before the final restart, more than half of the field stopped in the pits to change from wets to slicks. Gaughan didn’t do that. He had a gut feeling.

“You’ve got to almost play it by ear,” he said.

After the struggles early on, Gaughan was ready to pounce on the lesser experienced drivers in the rain when the rain started.

“When it started raining, I started to smell blood and I said, ’I’m coming,’” he said.

Richfield’s Prietzel accomplishes rare double feature at Slinger

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: June 24, 2014

Richfield’s Prietzel accomplishes rare double feature at Slinger

First to win 2 features in one night since ‘93

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

Daily News

SLINGER — At Slinger, you know you’ve done something if it was last accomplished by Al Schill.

Richfield’s Bill Prietzel won both of his features Sunday at Slinger Superspeedway, winning the area sportsman and midwest sportsman feature events.

Not since Schill in a midwest modified and a super late model in 1993 had one driver won two features in the same night. Many others have tried and have come close, but never come through with the double.

“I think it’s really special no matter what company you’re in to get two wins in one night,” Prietzel said.

Prietzel wasn’t supposed to race in two features Sunday. Kenny Richards was supposed to race the area sportsman car, but was unable to attend. Prietzel found out he was going to have to do a double about six hours before race.

What was just as impressive about winning two features in one night, he did it consecutively.

The midwest sportsman division was the first group of cars to go trackside for its feature race of the night.

Scott Shambeau led the opening 15 laps of the 35-lap feature. Prietzel took over the lead from Shambeau and led the rest of the race.

He was so strapped for time, Prietzel couldn’t even pay Miss Slinger a visit in victory lane. He quickly drove off the track, into the pits and quickly got settled into his area sportsman car for a 30-lap feature.

Prietzel and West Bend’s Brad Hetzel, the 2012 thunderstock division champion, went back-and-forth for the lead until Prietzel took it over for good on lap 15.

“Winning one feature in any division in one night is special,” Prietzel said. “Two is double special.”

The victories Sunday were Prietzel’s second and third career victories at Slinger. His only other victory came in the 2004 season opener in the midwest sportsman division, driving the same car he drove to victory lane Sunday.

Now granted Prietzel has only raced eight times since 2010 at Slinger, he wasn’t going to take anything away from the difficulty to win one feature at Slinger, let alone two.

“It’s tough to win here,” Prietzel said.

That’s even more the case when you start talking its been 21 years since anybody was able to do it twice in one night.

“It’s tough to win here in anything,” Prietzel said. “What makes more special is we only come here a couple times a year. That makes it really special.”

It wasn’t the biggest highlight of his career. He still attributes his one and only start with the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2012 at Road America as the highlight of his career. He finished 27th at that race. This accomplishment is in the same category as his victories in various cars at Daytona, the Milwaukee Mile and at Road America.

While it’s been rare to pull the double at Slinger, it’s not the first time he’s done. In 1997, he won two features in the same night at Oktoberfest in La Crosse. He won a feature with the Mid-American Stock Car Series and a truck race.

“It’s tough anytime,” he said of winning a race.

Prietzel said he wants to give NASCAR another try. He was close to having something in line for Saturday’s race at Road America.

Prietzel will be back July 13 at Slinger for The Prelude to the Nationals event with the Mid-American Stock Car Series. It’ll be a points race for that division.

Earlier this season at The Milwaukee Mile for ARCA Fest, Prietzel finished second. “We struggled really bad at Milwaukee,” Prietzel said. “I went through the car and I couldn’t find anything. I ran it here to see if I missed something. I guess we just missed it at Milwaukee.”

After four-plus decades of racing, any victory now will be special.

“You cherish every one because one of these is going to be the last one,” Prietzel said. “It’s not like I’m going to run another 30 years. We enjoy every single one because it could be the last one. It’s coming someday.”

Also picking up feature victories Sunday were Steve Apel (super late model), Steve Dickson (Slinger Bees) and Scott Goetzke (Figure 8). The limited late model division was off.

Dickson tied Nick Wagner as the winningest Bees driver in track history (13).

Tagliani excited for opportunity with top team, fast car

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: June 21, 2014

Tagliani excited for opportunity with top team, fast car

Driver in car that won last year’s event

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

Daily News

ELKHART LAKE — Lately, prestige has grown with the No. 22 black, white and red Discount Tire Ford race car at Road America.

Last year, AJ Allmendinger drove the car to victory lane for his first career NASCAR touring series victory. Former Indianapolis 500 and Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve finished sixth in 2012 and third in 2011, and Brad Keselowski finished fourth in 2010. In four Road America appearances, that car hasn’t finished worse than sixth.

That’s not what puts the pressure on Alex Tagliani.

It’s the name “Penske” on the car and his jacket that makes him a bit more nervous.

“For me, they’re a standard,” Tagliani said after Friday’s practice session, which was paced by former Penske IndyCar and NASCAR driver Sam Hornish Jr.

“As a team, they’re very loyal,” Tagliani added. “They have a lot of continuity in their program. They win wherever they go.”

Tagliani will hope to bring Roger Penske another NASCAR Nationwide Series victory today at Road America, with the Gardner Denver 200 Fired Up by Johnsonville.

“It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me in a long time,” Tagliani said of driving for Penske.

“I was super excited (Thursday night),” he added. “I had a hard time falling asleep. I wanted to be on the track and in the car. Driving for Team Penske is almost like an experience itself. I’m glad I have the chance to do it.”

For the driver better known as “Tags,” the Canada native is excited about this weekend’s opportunity.

He is in his first NASCAR race since 2012 when he competed at his home course in Montreal. He started that race on the pole, but finished 22nd. For his career, he’s made four NASCAR Nationwide Series starts with one top-five finish (second, Montreal, 2011).

At Montreal in 2011, he drove for Penske.

“To race for a team like this, for the 22 car that’s been so competitive in this particular series, it’s like getting a ride for Ferrari in Formula 1,” Tagliani said. “That’s the way I see it.”

Going into the weekend, Tagliani couldn’t wait to get to Road America and race for Penske, one of the most iconic name in motorsports.

“I was a bit worried last night; there was a lot of rain,” he said. “I wanted to get to the track so bad.”

Tagliani, 40, doesn’t believe he’s at a crossroads in his career. Quite the opposite. Tagliani hasn’t driven full time in any series in about three years.

Tagliani turned down an offer to race NASCAR for a couple of races last year because of schedule conflicts. When he was asked again, he immediately said yes, without knowing what was on his itinerary for the season.

Would he like to be in a race on a regular basis? Maybe not.

It offers him opportunities to race when he wants to and in cars he wants to. It’s easier on his wallet, too.

“I’m having a lot of fun,” Tagliani said. “I’m able to do IndyCar at (Indianapolis Motor Speedway), I’m able to please my sponsor in Canada and race the 22 car for Team Penske, and run prototypes when I’m free.

“What else can a driver ask for? I’m pretty stoked with the way things have turned out.”

While the numbers and results may not support a strong career by Tagliani, he’s had accomplishments he’s proud of.

In 2011, he won the pole position for the Indianapolis 500.

He’s also a former race winner at Road America, winning with the Champ Car World Series in 2004.

When asked about the difference between driving an open-wheel car at Road America compared to a stock car, he leaned back in his chair, flashed a smile and said “It’s a lot.”

What are the differences?

Well, in corners he remembered in an open-wheel car, say Turn 1, it could be done as a quick brake and a right-handed turn in fifth gear. That can’t be done in a stock car. The corner has to be taken in second gear.

Other differences include longer braking zones and longer waits to get on the throttle out of a corner.

“You have to completely block everything you’ve done in an openwheel car,” Tagliani said. “If you don’t, you can get in trouble very quickly. It’s unforgiving.”

“It almost feels like a different track,” he added.

Hope for Sprint Cup Series race at road course growing

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: June 20, 2014

Hope for Sprint Cup Series race at road course growing

Track, NASCAR talking

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

Daily News

MILWAUKEE — Road America is on the list of desired race courses for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. That list is short.

When NASCAR’s top series will make an appearance at the famed road course is up in the air. However, there appears to be headway in making it a reality.

“I know we’re on the list,” said George Bruggenthies, president and general manager at Road America, on Thursday at the Harley-Davidson Museum to promote Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race, the Gardner Denver 200 Fired Up by Johnsonville.

“Their schedule is so tight,” he added. “Something will have to go away.”

Bruggenthies said he’s met with NASCAR officials regularly about the prospect of adding Road America to the schedule. There is interest on NASCAR’s end. If and when NASCAR wants to bring its top-tier series, Road America is ready.

“We’ve been preparing for years,” Bruggenthies said. “We believe we could support a Cup race.”

Gardner Denver, the title sponsor for this year’s race, is an industrial manufacturing company focusing on air and gas compressors. It is an international company with facilities in Milwaukee and Sheboygan.

Gardner Denver Industrials Group CEO Luis de Leon said the company is excited to be associated with NASCAR.

The sponsorship deal for the race is a multi-year deal.

In addition to NASCAR, the track will host the Pirelli World Challenge Series and the SCCA Pro Trans-Am Series.

It is the fifth consecutive year the NASCAR Nationwide Series will compete at Road America. NASCAR returned to Road America in 2010, making its first appearance at the 4-mile, 14turn road course since 2001 in a one-time stop with the NASCAR Re/Max Series. Before that, NASCAR’s last visit to Road America was 1956 — one year after the facility opened.

Each year, the race has provided excitement and Road America representatives are confident it will happen again.

“It’ll be a lot of fun,” Bruggenthies said. “It’s been demonstrated that NASCAR roadracing events are very popular.”

Washington County could benefit from a Sprint Cup series race at Road America in terms of lodging revenue from fans and more media attendance. Outside of Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and West Bend are the next closest cities with attractive lodging options.

NASCAR visits the track annually to check on the facility. Among the things series officials look at are ample fan space, motor home space and track configuration, such as run-off areas.

“What’s also really motivating them is understanding and watching the ratings on the road course broadcast events are much higher,” he added. “They’ve had some difficulty, but I think I can help move their sport.”

Before NASCAR went to Road America in 2010, NASCAR competed annually from 1993-2009 at The Milwaukee Mile in West Allis.

The event at Road America has grown each year, including this year where advance tickets sales are up, Bruggenthies said.

“I had hoped this would be one of the largest events at Road America,” he said, adding it gave the track an opportunity to attract a different demographic. “Road America has always had international attention and considered one of the best road courses by all the famous drivers.

“Road America’s 58 years old. I want it to last another 58 years. We have to change things and you have to do new things. We’re very aggressive, but we’re very changing. We keep changing the business to accommodate what fans and new fans want.”

There is also mutual interest in IndyCar returning to Road America. The series hasn’t been at Road America since 2007.

The prospect doesn’t look as good for IndyCar as it does for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

“I talk to them twice a year,” Bruggenthies said. “Until they really change their package, pricing and deliver more value with the TV package, we’re not going to get together.”

There is slight hope, though.

“(Former IndyCar driver) Bobby Rahal — a good friend — he’s our ambassador in that court,” Bruggenthies said.

Teams proving its more than just a game

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: June 14, 2014

Teams proving it’s more than just a game

Benefit Game combines 2 Wisconsin traditions; fish frys and baseball

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

Daily News

Baseball fans were greeted to a pleasing smell at Regner Park on Friday night: a fish fry.

The Friday night fish fry has been a longstanding tradition for Wisconsinites. For more than 40 years, The Threshold Inc. Benefit Baseball Game was tradition in West Bend.

Sadly, the charity baseball game fell off the calendar for a number of years.

First played in 1955 and hosted by the West Bend Lithia Baseball Club, The Threshold Benefit Baseball Game was a key fundraising event for the not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities.

“It’s always been a part of the community,” said Willie Mueller Jr., who remembers being a bat boy at age 10 during the early days of The Threshold game.

“I had a great time,” he recalled.

The ceremonial first pitches were thrown by John Rozak, a longstanding West Bend Baseball Association board member Jason Conti and Ben Werner, representing The Threshold.

“It’s always difficult to make sure that we have money to support our programs,” said Laura Eggert, director of public relations and fund development for The Threshold. “It’s been challenging for us the last couple of years. But we are starting to come out of things and seeing more of an increase in donations, which is wonderful. But we could always use more.”

Since the game has slipped out of the community’s realm for so many years, those associated with organizing it have had to pick up some of the pieces left behind. And in most cases, without much knowledge of what may or may not have worked previously.

“It’s been stressful, but very exciting,” Eggert said. “What goes better with a Friday fish fry? So we thought what a great combination.”

For more than a generation, baseball fans were treated to intense baseball action, all for a good cause, helping those less fortunate.

“It was a way for the Lithia Beer Company and the teams to give back to the community,” Eggert said. “The importance of it is we rely on the support of the community to maintain our programs; making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities.”

The fish fry smell was just the first indication the once-proud tradition was back.

The West Bend Benders and the West Bend 7 UP on the diamond of Carl M. Kuss Memorial Field at Regner Park was the other reminder. The Threshold Charity Baseball Game was back and there is plenty of hope and optimism the event is here to stay for good.

John Beisbier and his wife, Arlene, were pivotal organizers for the event for more than 30 years as was Charlie Walter.

Throughout its storied history, the game featured some of the greatest baseball players West Bend has seen. It also featured some of the greatest and oftentimes heated games fans could put their finger on.

And the best part about those games was a lot of money was always raised.

“That’s what it was about; giving back to the community,” Mueller said. “It was always for a good cause and we’re very happy to do it.”

The West Bend Baseball Association is one of the organizations that wanted to get the tradition restarted to make it fun and memorable for baseball fans and those at The Threshold.

“Very excited,” Eggert said when asked how excited the organization is to have the charity baseball game back. “We feel that this is going to be a really good fundraiser for us going forward. We know that it’s been a success in the past and we hope it continues in the future.”