By Dan Margetta

(Slinger, WI) April 23—Al Schill began the 2006 season with a bang by driving to a convincing win in the opening 75-lap late model feature and David Prunty simply dominated the second event during the Miller Lite Twin 75’s Season Opener at the Slinger Super Speedway Sunday afternoon.

                “I may have gotten lucky there when the outside groove didn’t go,” the 61-year old Schill exclaimed afterwards. “We took our 1997 car and had it redone for this season…just replaced the body and a few crooked pieces. I can hardly imagine it myself but it looks like we may having something for them this year.”

                Rich Loch and Nick Schumacher led the field of the first feature to the green and Schumacher sprinted to the early lead as Josh Bauer, Travis Dassow, and Rich Bickle quickly filled the inside groove, leaving Loch hung out up top. On lap nine, Loch’s car began to slip off the corner and he made hard side-to-side contact with Bickle while exiting turn four as the field remained under the green flag. The impact was enough to damage Bickle’s machine severely enough that he was forced to retire from the event as Schumacher continued to maintain his lead over Dassow, Bauer, and Schill who had worked his way into the top five after starting from the sixth row. Further back, Jeremy Lepak along with Dennis and David Prunty began to maneuver their way toward the front, entering the top ten just before the first caution flag waved on lap 21 for a tangle involving Matt Kocourek, Brad Mueller, and Colin Bamke in turn three.

            Schill went to work on the restart, positioning himself to the inside of Bauer and taking the third spot by lap 25 while Schumacher continued to hold off Dassow for the lead. Two laps later, Schill once again used the inside to snag second place from Dassow and then used the same move entering turn three on lap 31 to move around Schumacher for the lead. Behind the lead trio, David Prunty began to look to the inside of Lepak in a battle over the fourth spot, which culminated in the second caution flag of the race when Lepak spun in turn two after contact between the two cars. Schill once again edged out front on the restart while Dassow dove to the inside of Schumacher in an attempt to take second. Dassow’s effort paid off on lap 37 as he was able to take the spot, dropping Schumacher to third ahead of Dennis Prunty and Tony Strupp.

            With Schill continuing to lead, Prunty began to close in on Dassow and Schumacher while Dave Feiler advanced into the top five by lap 38 just before the field was slowed for a third time following a spin by Gary LaMonte in turn three. It was business as usual on the restart for Schill as he edged ahead of the field, leaving Dassow, Schumacher and Prunty to battle for second place. Dassow’s car skidded up the track in turn four on lap 44 after receiving a slight tap in the bumper and both Schumacher and Prunty were pass by into second and third place respectively. With Schill comfortably out front, Prunty began to pressure Schumacher for second place, taking the position with a bump-and-run type move on lap 61. Once into second, Prunty tried to track down Schill but was unable to close in as Schill took the checkered flag for the win with Prunty having to settle for second. Schumacher finished in third place while Dassow and Feiler rounded out the top five finishers. Loch finished in sixth place ahead of Lowell Bennett, visiting NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Erik Darnell, Jeremy Lepak, and Randy Schuler.

            David Prunty dominated the second 75-lap late model feature, leading every lap en route to the commanding victory.

“It was a goal of ours to lead all those laps, “Prunty stated from Victory Lane, referring to the lap-leading bonus he collected courtesy of T & M Landscaping. “This car is good but it’s not perfect yet…just wait until next week.”

As racing resumed, David Prunty and Mueller maintained their lead while LaMonte, Kocourek, and Strupp ran side-by-side for third as Bennett, Jeremy Lepak, Al Schill, and Rich Bickle followed close behind. Kocourek moved to the inside of LaMonte to grab third place on lap 25 just prior to the second yellow flag of the event which flew on lap 31 following a spin by Strupp in turn two while battling for fifth place. Prunty pulled away on the restart while Kocourek began to pressure Mueller for second as Schill and Bickle worked their way forward in the waning laps. A late caution on lap 65 for a spin by Mark Bitzan set up a ten lap run toward the finish, but no one had anything for Prunty as he steadily drove to the win ahead of Mueller who held off Kocourek for second. Schill finished in fourth place ahead of Bennett and Bickle. Gary LaMonte completed a strong run with a seventh place finish while Jeremy Lepak, Dave Feiler, and Rich Loch rounded out the top ten.