West’s Stier ready to move into new role

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: July 2, 2015

West’s Stier ready to move into new role

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

Daily News

At one point, Scott Stier thought about being a psychologist. Even that was iffy when he graduated from West Bend West High School in 1990.

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in college,” Stier said.

However, education always seemed to find a spot in Stier’s heart when he was growing up. He admired how teachers he had could connect with their students and colleagues.

Once he realized that was something he could do, he found his niche.

“For some, it was their expertise,” said Stier when asked which teachers left an impression on his eventual career choice. “But the ones we remember the most are the ones who build relationships with kids. That’s what stuck with me.”

“When we figure out our niche and identify with what we’re good at, there’s that level of excitement,” he added. “You don’t look at it as work, but as who you are.” Last month, Stier announced he was resigning as the West athletic director after seven years to become an assistant principal for the high schools.

“I got into education because I love teaching kids in the classroom and I love coaching,” Stier said. “I miss my contact in the classroom.”

Stier finished coursework at Concordia University-Wisconsin in Mequon to become a principal in the winter, which he said accelerated his desire to leave the AD’s office.

It was something he considered for a couple years.

“I gave it a good deal of thought,” he said.

Stier got his bachelor’s degree in science from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He got his master’s in education from National Louis University in Chicago.

Stier’s first teaching job was at Badger Middle School.

“I saw myself teaching for 40 years and coaching,” he said.

He also coached track and field, football and basketball at Badger, and coached baseball and basketball at West.

In 2008, the athletic director’s job at West became available.

A three-sport star at West (baseball, basketball and football), Stier saw an opportunity to be the athletic director at his alma mater.

“I viewed it as an exceptional opportunity,” he said. “I knew I was going to miss the classroom; it was just a matter of how much.”

Stier oversaw an athletic program that enjoyed success at several levels in several sports, including baseball, volleyball, wrestling, cross-country and track and field.

“The goal was just to put kids at the forefront of everything we do,” Stier said. “I think our coaches and teaching staff at West have done just that.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with people that I worked with and the accomplishments of our student-athletes.”

He quickly earned respect from his peers.

“I had the privilege of working with him as an AD,” said Bill Greymont, West Bend high schools principal and former athletic director at Beaver Dam. “He was always knowledgeable, up front, a good team player, easy to work with and finding the solution that’s best for kids; that’s what you want as an assistant principal.”

Stier was also an asset for Shane Hansen, who took over as the East athletic director July 1, 2014.

“Scott was very helpful with questions that I had,” Hansen said. “He did a nice job helping me in the transition and the West Bend dynamic, which is very unique. He had a good handle on that.”

To be the athletic director at West was a thrill for Stier. But it was also time consuming, which had an influence on his desire to become an assistant principal.

During the school year, it’d be normal for Stier to leave his office, go home for dinner then go back to the school to help host sporting events, such as football or basketball games.

He admitted it was tough on him and his family, but he also credited and thanked them for their support and willingness to put up with oddball hours he’d have to work.

Stier gladly admitted he won’t miss the headaches of scheduling buses for games or make-up games because of weather, especially in the winter.

As for his legacy, he said he’ll let other people be the judge of it.

“I know I gave it my all,” Stier said. “I feel very fortunate to have worked with the staff and coaches at West. I have a greater appreciation for our coaches.”

Stier went into education because he liked the diversity of opportunities it offered and so far it’s worked out for him.

He’s had the opportunity to be a teacher, a coach, an athletic director and now an administrator.

And his former teachers should pat themselves on the back.

“They had a profound effect on me,” Stier said.

As for his replacement, the School District announced June 18 that Brian Heimark would take Stier’s place. It is effective Aug. 1.

“I’m thrilled Brian is going to be the next athletic director; they don’t make them better than him,” Stier said.

Hansen said, “I appreciated working with Scott in this capacity and all the advice he’s given.”

Photos of World of Outlaw Sprint Car Series at Beaver Dam Raceway: June 27, 2015

Schatz gets long-awaited victory at Beaver Dam

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: June 30, 2015

Schatz gets long-awaited victory at Beaver Dam

BEAVER DAM — Donny Schatz ended one of his rare droughts Saturday night at Beaver Dam Raceway.

The Fargo, North Dakota, native won the 40lap Jim “JB” Boyd Memorial with the World of Outlaw Sprint Car Series, passing Daryn Pittman with seven laps to go and coming from a 10thplace starting position to do it.

It was the first time the six-time and defending series champion won at Beaver Dam since 2002, a span of 16 races.

“These guys made the right call for the feature,” Schatz said. “They gave me a race car that could go anywhere on the race track. Everything just fell into place.”

Schatz became the fifth driver to win at the onethird mile oval in five years.

It was also the 189th victory of the future Hall of Famer’s career, his sixth in June — all in a two-week span — and the 17th of the season, far and away the most in the series this season. He won five straight features in seven days (June 13-20). “We’ve been here a lot of times since (2002),” Schatz said. “It’s hard to believe we haven’t gotten a win.”

Pittman was second, followed by Joey Saldana, Shane Stewart and Paul McMahan.

“It feels good to get a win here,” Schatz said. “It’s pretty awesome to win the Jim Boyd Memorial and put my name on that trophy. I’m pretty honored to have that situation here tonight.”

In the support races, Dan Mech won the legend feature for his first career feature victory, and Hubertus’ Nick Daywalt won the Wisconsin-Illinois mini-sprint feature. His brother, Kyle, was third.

For Mech, he was the seventh first-time winner in the legend division this season in 12 races of the Wisconsin Dirt Legends season, and the fourth in a row.

“It means a lot,” he said about winning his firstcareer feature.

En route to the series championship last season, Schatz won a career-best 26 features. He also won six straight races in one stretch, swept all of the season’s Canadian races — the first driver to accomplish that feat — won his eighth Knoxville Nationals and scored the most single-season points in series history, besting Steve Kinser’s 1991 record (11,236) with 12,427 points.

Schatz has a 210-point lead over Stewart, who is second in the series in feature victories as well (four).

“I don’t know if we’ve ever been in this position going into July,” Schatz said. “We’re enjoying the moment, but we’re also working for tomorrow, too.”

“This is the best season we’ve had to date,” he added. “That doesn’t mean it’s going to end that way. We’re going to work our butts off to make sure we finish as strong as we’ve been to this point.”

Schatz is the third winningest driver in series history.

❑

Moving up the board

Tom Berens won the 25-lap Slinger Bees feature Sunday for his 12th career victory and fourth this season. That moved him into fourth place all-time, breaking the tie with Brandon Tackes, the defending track champion.

The all-time victories leader in the division is Nick Schmidt with 15.

Steve Dickson is second with 14 and Nick Wagner is third with 13.

Also picking up feature victories Sunday were Mike Held (limited late model), Nick Egan (area sportsman) and Willy Van Camp (Figure 8). Egan won his third straight feature, sweeping the features in June.

Held used a trio of power moves to go from fourth place with nine laps to go to the lead in six laps and win his third limited late model feature of his career — all this season.

Steven Schulz had a commanding lead in the race before a caution with nine laps to go bunched up the field.

“I knew if I got one caution, it’d be interesting,” Held said.

Schulz went on to finish second, followed by Brian Holtz. Joe Bongiorno, the 2014 Beaver Dam legends champion, got his firstcareer late model top-five. He took fourth. Alex Prunty was fifth.

❑

Indiana driver preps for Nationals

Paul Shafer Jr. of Portage, Indiana, competed in Sunday’s super late model race as preparation for the July 14 Slinger Nationals. It was his Slinger debut and he finished 17th in the 19-car field.

Shafer, 18, was one of two cars to spin on lap 10 of the 75-lap super late model feature after John DeAngelis Jr.’s motor blew, leaving a trail of oil on the track. Shafer returned to the track one lap down and turned a couple laps before pulling off the track for good.

If Shafer returns for Nationals, he’s going to have clout on his resume.

He won the 2013 Illiana Motor Speedway super late model track championship when he was 16. Last season, he was second in the Rookie of the Year standings in the ARCA/CRA Super Series. He was fourth overall. His seasonbest performance was second at the CRA Fall Brawl at Lucas Oil Raceway in September in Indianapolis. He also had six top-10 finishes.

❑

Egan wins at Golden Sands

Slinger’s Mike Egan won the late model feature Friday at Golden Sands Speedway in Wisconsin Rapids.

Jim Sauter Jr. was second, followed by Paige Decker, Jeremy Lepak and Mark Eswein.

Reagan May, one of the seven Kulwicki Development Driver Program participants, was seventh.

Little brother wins

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: June 30, 2015

Little brother wins

Older brother Dennis Prunty takes 3rd place, Apel sneaks into 2nd

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

Daily News

SLINGER — Dale Prunty figured out how to beat his older brother, Dennis, and two-time defending super late model track champion Steve Apel: Borrow one of big brother’s shocks. And borrow is being used loosely.

“I might’ve kind of screwed Dennis tonight,” said Dale Prunty after winning the Interstate Sawing Independence 75 super late model feature Sunday at Slinger Superspeedway.

“Today in the shop, I needed some rear shocks and I kind of took them out of the 42 car. I’m guessing he didn’t check before he came,” he said.

Now here’s where it gets even more interesting.

Dennis’ regular car, the No. 22, was fourth-fastest in practice earlier in the evening. Then, toward the end of another practice session, the engine started to give way. So Dennis hustled home and got the No. 42 car, his backup, and returned to the track.

That No. 42 car is supposed to be the one Ross Kenseth will use for Slinger Nationals on July 14.

Instead, it wound up being used in Sunday’s feature by Dennis, who had the sixth-fastest qualifying time without any practice on it.

“We were almost where we needed to be at the end,” Dennis said.

Apel finished second, edging Dennis by 0.012 seconds.

“The car got really loose at the end and I knew I had a mirror full of Dennis,” Apel said. “I was just trying to hang on for as much as I could.”

“Lapped traffic kind of hurt me a little bit,” he added. “We lost some track time to Dale, but he did a heck of a job holding us off.”

Ryan DeStefano picked up his first career super late model top-five finish, finishing fourth. Danny Church, who’s in his first season in the super late division, also had his best finish of the season, rounding out the top five.

“It’s been tough this year,” DeStefano said. “I know we have a better car than where we’ve been finishing. We’ve been working hard. It wasn’t a lack of effort.

“Tonight we definitely showed where we are, which is good timing with Nationals coming up.”

It was Dale Prunty’s first victory since Aug. 10.

Going into Sunday’s program, Dennis and Apel had combined to win six of the eight features this season — three each. John DeAngelis Jr. was the only other driver to win a feature in a super late model this season, doing so May 17 and May 31.

Dennis also went into the event having won the last two races.

“It’s always fun watching him,” Dale said. “Obviously I’m a little bit farther behind so I can see where he’s going in front of me. He takes some chances that I don’t and sometimes I don’t get the finishes because of it.”

He added it wasn’t getting old seeing Dennis and Apel win so often.

“It gives you something to shoot for the next week,” Dale said.

Now depending on which story you believe, Dennis said he rented the shocks to his baby brother.

“Do you think I should raise the price for next week?” he joked.

Dale said he forgot Kenseth is scheduled to race in the car Dennis used Sunday at Nationals.

“He said I could use them last week,” Dale said. “He didn’t say I could this week. I just kind of went for it and took them for today. He’s OK with it. I talked with him after the race. It’s all good.”

It wasn’t like it was a fluke for Dale to win the race. He has been consistent throughout the season.

After Sunday, he has six top-10 finishes in eight starts, including four in a row. He missed the season opener April 26.

Dale finished sixth June 21, but fifthplace finisher Jeff Holtz was disqualified after the race.

Despite missing the opener, Dale is fourth in the points standings, 33 points behind Rob Braun in third place.

“I’m just trying to get my game here for the Nationals coming up,” Dale said.

Despite more than 20 track championships in the family, there is only one Slinger Nationals title (David in 2001). Last year, Dennis dominated the Nationals before a mechanical failure with less than 25 laps to go prevented a second family triumph.

Apel and Dennis Prunty will likely go into Nationals as the favorites.

But Dale Prunty’s consistency the last month has him thinking: Why not me?

“All year I’ve had car I can race,” Dale said. “The biggest thing is getting the car to qualify and I’m still struggling with that.”

Lowell Bennett and Dale started on the front row for the feature. Bennett led the first lap before Dale took over on lap 2. Two cautions came out in the first 10 laps. The final caution came out on lap 35 when Jamie Wallace’s car came to a stop near the pit entrance in Turn 2. At that point, Dale lead Dennis by almost a full straightaway.

“At that point in the race, I knew I had been up front and they had to race through traffic so I probably still had the better tires,” Dale said. “They’d been racing a lot of cars at the time.”

On the restart, Dale and Dennis were side-by-side for a couple laps before Dale cleared his brother on lap 37. From there, Dale carefully worked through traffic with 15 laps to go and held on for the victory.

“I thought Dennis was going to have something for me on the restart, but I got ahead of him and ran away with it,” he said.

Photos from NASCAR XFINITY race at Chicagoland Speedway: June 20, 2015

Waiting his turn

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: June 23, 2015

Waiting his turn

Ross Kenseth makes debut in NASCAR circuit with father in attendance

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

Daily News

JOLIET, Ill. — Ross Kenseth will now wait and hope he gets another shot.

The 22-year-old son of twotime Daytona 500 winner and 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth finished sixth in his NASCAR debut in Sunday’s Owens Corning AttiCat 300 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, with the XFINITY Series.

Ross’ weekend started with a spin in the first practice session Friday. Thankfully, he didn’t touch the wall during the spin.

Things improved for him after that.

“These last two days were a lot better than my first day here,” Ross said. “I felt like after practice we had a pretty decent car and qualifying gave us a little confidence going into the race.”

Ross qualified second, alongside Austin Dillon, and led the first lap of the 200-lap event, which was originally scheduled to be run Saturday but severe weather postponed the race to Sunday.

Sunday’s race was won by Erik Jones, Ross’ teammate. Ryan Blaney was second and Dillon was third.

Jones had a busy week, but a successful one. He won a late model race in Berlin, Michigan, on Tuesday, then won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Friday in Iowa.

As for Ross, he was in the top 15 for most of the race.

“I thought we had a real good car at the end; we just needed that last caution to come out,” Ross said. “I thought if we had some track position, we could’ve run third or fourth. I don’t think we had anything for (Jones) or (Blaney).
“The guys worked on it all day. I was sticking with it all day, just trying to be patient. ... We needed some more laps to get a top-five out of it.”
It is the only scheduled race Ross has with the XFINITY Series.
“For a one-off deal like this, I was happy,” Ross said.
Matt was at the track throughout the weekend as the Sprint Cup Series was off.
“I’m just thankful he’s getting this opportunity,” he said. “I’m excited it’s on an off week for me so I get to be a part of it; try to help out as much as I can.”
Throughout Ross’ career, Matt has played a more laid-back role, letting Ross learn on his own, much like he did at that age. But for this situation, it was hard to stick with that approach.
The deal for Ross to race at Chicagoland was announced in March. However, Ross didn’t get to test in the car between then and when he got to the track for the race weekend.
“I’ve definitely given more input and advice, observations, pointers, that type of stuff than I have at any other races just because he hasn’t been able to test,” Matt said. “He’s never been in an XFINITY car before. It’s so drastically different than anything he’s ever done and there’s very limited time to get ready.”
The closest experience Ross has to being in a XFINITY car is he’s made three career starts in the ARCA Series. Ross won the race at Michigan on June 12, which Ross said gave him a confidence boost going into the race at Chicagoland.
Matt said most of the information he’s tried to pass onto Ross in the limited time they’ve had is car setup, how to get around the track, etc.
Matt couldn’t have been happier with the situation Ross was in.
Ross will race a car that’s enjoyed plenty of success this season from several drivers, including two victories.
And Ross’ debut came on Father’s Day weekend.
“I’m excited to watch it and be a part of it,” Matt said. “He’s worked hard to try and get this chance he’s always wanted.”
Fellow competitors were also happy Ross got the chance to showcase his ability on a national level.
“I think he deserves it,” said Chase Elliott, who raced several times against Ross in late models. “I think he deserves a chance just as much as anybody else.”
For Matt, it was an interesting experience. It was a thrill to see his son accomplish a goal he’s longed dreamed of. At the same time, it was hard for the six-time Slinger Nationals champion to watch the car he normally races compete without him in the car, especially with his name on the car.
“I kind of don’t like that part,” Matt said with a smile. “It’s weird to be at the race track and not be driving.”
So what’s next for Ross?
Well, Ross will race at Slinger Nationals on July 14.
It’ll be Ross’ sixth appearance at Nationals and he’s enjoyed success at the event, albeit without a victory.
He won the limited late model feature on Slinger Nationals night in 2009. He finished third three times in the next four years (2010, 2012, 2013) in the main event super late model race and was sixth in 2012.
Last year, he was 19th with a mechanical problem.
Ross also finished fifth in a weekly show July 3, 2011, at Slinger.
Outside of last year’s result, Kenseth’s average finish at Slinger is fourth.
“I’m looking forward to going back this year,” he said last month.
He is also scheduled to make his fourth career ARCA start Sept. 25 at Kentucky Speedway, driving for Ken Schrader, the same team Ross won with at Michigan.
Other than that, it’s a question mark.
“That’s over my head,” Ross said, adding he hoped he did enough to earn another chance.