Doug Hornickel Photo | fastlapphoto.comby Matt Panure
Many consider Oktoberfest the climax of short track racing in the Midwest. While the majority of drivers put their race teams into hibernation for the season no later than Oktoberfest, several local heroes have decided to prolong their seasons and take a trip to the famed Snowball Derby at 5 Flags Speedway in Florida.
With top drivers from Florida, Georgia, Alabama and other powerhouse southeastern states grabbing headlines prior to the Snowball, several Midwestern drivers are heading down prepared to show the strength of their programs.
Among them is Dennis Prunty, who isn’t shy about accepting jeers when he grabs a feature win at Slinger. Prunty is preparing for his second straight December trip to Pensacola.
Last year he gained confidence with a 14th place finish and a 12th place qualifying effort. This year he returns with more respect, but still must face the fact that he is fielding a lower-budget team with little sponsorship help to keep up with the superstars of the south.
The biggest setback for Midwestern drivers is the cost associated with the travel and the expense of trying to compete. Prunty spent a total of $5,000 in his 2010 trip to the Snowball. For his 14th place finish Prunty was awarded $2,000. Not bad for a top 15 finish, but still – a total loss of $3,000. However, Prunty was satisfied with the experience.
“I felt last year that I did learn enough to make it worth spending $3,000,” he said. “All the different stuff you see that teams are doing really taught me a lot. It seemed to make me more confident too. I came back to Slinger and won seven features this year.”
Prunty has anything but an unlimited budget and found some ways to save a few bucks on the way to the Snowball last season. Thanks to family in the area putting him up and Wiedemeyer Express paying to transport his car from his shop in Knowles, Wis. to Florida, Prunty estimates that he saved what would have been an additional $2,500 in costs. His crew also paid their own way to get to 5 Flags.
The biggest cost for Prunty was his $3,800 tire bill. For the 300-lap race Prunty had 16 fresh tires in his rotation. He also purchased ten for practice. Although 26 tires seems like plenty for a weekend, Prunty still felt that he was at a disadvantage with some teams strapping on fresh rubber each time they hit the track for another practice session.
“It is frustrating when I go there to practice knowing that I can’t use 20 tires in practice like other teams,” he said. “This year I’m hoping to do practice on eight tires or less. It is frustrating because you’re not sure how your car is handling and you start to lose confidence.”
Another cost associated with a trip to the Snowball is the extra time spent in preparation for the trip. Prunty ended his season at Slinger in September. He took a trip to race with the CRA Super Series in Winchester (Ind.) in late October where he lost an engine and has been preparing for the Snowball since.
A good amount of time goes into preparing spare parts, as well. “When you’re 17 hours from home you have to think of everything you need. We had my truck and trailer full of every part you can imagine.”
This season Prunty hopes to make an entry into the Snowball a worthwhile trip financially. He feels confident that he’ll build on his 14th place finish from one season ago, which may have been better if not for a few struggles in the pits.
Prunty also said that his finish in the final race of 2010 may affect his plans for 2011. “I’m thinking that if I can come out of the Snowball Derby money ahead, my plans for next are the ASA Midwest Tour and three or four CRA races.” He said he wants to expand on what he has done at Slinger. “I want to get away from being a one-track wonder. I don’t want to be one of those.”
Prunty, however, is still looking for help for his 2011 bid in Florida. “It’s a struggle,” said Prunty, who has several local sponsors who support him for the season at Slinger. “Anything I do extra is out of my pocket. I’ll leave them on the car unless I find someone else, so it gives them a little extra exposure.” This year National Precious Metals will foot the bill for the transportation of Prunty’s racer, as for the tires and extra expenses, Prunty is still in search.
Even if he does go without sponsorship, Prunty is still looking forward to the trip. “People go on vacations for different things. This is no vacation, but the experience I had was good.”
If you want to get involved and help Prunty on his quest to the Snowball he is still open for sponsorship opportunities. Contact Prunty and show him support at www.dennisprunty.com or by e-mail at ddpmotorsports@yahoo.com
This article was posted to the website on November 26th, 2010 • Click to view all related content in the following categories
