2014-15 Round 3
Slots A' Fun 400 - Stardust Speedway - Greendale, WI
Round 3 of 15
October 16, 2014
Hayek Goes Two for Two
(Vega$) -- Matt Hayek is perfect for his efforts in the 2014-15 season winning both races he's entered, with a convincing win at the Slots A' Fun 400 at Stardust Speedway Thursday. Hayek won the opening round of the season at the Deckertring, missing the last race at the Lack Track, but leaving him two for two in his starts this season.
Out of the Box Racing's Hayek showed that his time off didn't affect his driving as he stormed to the pole by three tenths of a second over Mike Lack, his closest challenger. The pole win was the sixth of Hayek's career, tying for fourteenth all-time in the series.
With a solid field contesting Round 3 in the IndySlotCar season, three heat races were needed to determine the field for the Slots A' Fun 400. Lack took the opening heat race victory over Lack Wiedemann Motorsports teammate John Wiedemann. Heat race number two went to Hayek and Penske HO driver Ev Kamikawa captured the third heat race for his 79th of his career and moving him to number two all-time in series Heat Race wins. Wiedemann held on to the transfer spot, out distancing Burgetta Racing's Amy Butler by just two laps.
With quick two second laps being laid down, the feature race started with fierce competition. Hayek, Lack and Kamikawa exchanged the lead early while Wiedemann struggled in the inside lane. Lack led early but after lane changes and pitstops for the second half of the race, the battle was on between Kamikawa and Hayek. Most drivers pitted quickly and quietly with no major incidents involving any of the drivers. Only Kamikawa struggled with a slow stop. As the field raced to the finish, Hayek rode the high line around the track and lapped the field with Kamikawa trying to hold on to the lead. A couple of incidents in the turns involved all three top driver as Hayek worked to overtake the leader. With time running out, Hayek overtook Kamikawa for the lead and pulled out to a lap lead over Kamikawa when the checkers flew.
The second win of the season was the fifth of Hayek's career and third oval victory for the two time Indy 500 winner. The victory for Hayek moves him up into second place in the standings. Lack remains at the top in first place with Kamikawa and Wiedemann tied for third.
With a revision in the 2014-2015 schedule, the IndySlotCar Series returns to action on October 30th at the Road Course at Badger Raceway for the Duane Sweeney Memorial GP. This race is an "open-class" event, the second of three on the schedule. Last year's Memorial winner was track owner Dean Strom who dominated the event while mysterious maladies affected the rest of the field.
FAST FACTS
WHAT: Slots A Fun 400
WHERE: Greendale, WI
WHEN: Thursday, October 16, 2014 7pm
U.S. TELEVISION SCHEDULE: MBC Slotcar Network, YouTube
2012 CHAMPION: Mark Walczak
2012 POLESITTER: Mike Kristof
TRACK LAYOUT: “Bullring” Oval
RACE LENGTH: 400 laps
EVENT RECORDS: Qualifying – 2013 – Mike Lack – 9.876
Race – Mar 2013 – Dean Strom – 18:02.456
Fast Lap – 2013 – Matt Hayek – 1.696
RACE ROUND: 3 of 15 in the 2014-2015 IndySlotCar Series
INSTANT REPLAY:
Vega$ - Mike Lack took his third win of the season on the newly reconfigured D shaped oval at Stardust Speedway in Vegas. Lack held off a hard charging Ev Kamikawa while Dan Margetta faded late in the second half and John Wiedemann suffered from poor handling to finish fourth. Defending series champion Mark Walczak withdrew due to a family emergency, leaving Matt Hayek sixth, Chris Spehert held a small child throughout the race in one of the most remarkable performances to come home seventh, all the more remarkable when drivers who did not hold children finished behind him, Mike Kristof in eighth, who suffered a lengthy pit stop for body repair. Dean Strom came up last after pouting much like the small child that Spehert held, after disagreeing with a simple penalty call.
SLOTS A FUN HISTORY (2 events, 2012 - Present)
Year Race Winner
10/5/2012 Mark Walczak
10/10/2013 Mike Lack
Top Stories
Mike Lack is starting out strong in defense of his championship with a second place at the opener and a win last race at the West Bend Grand Prix. Lack holds a strong 25 point lead over Dean Strom.
Who’s Hot
Mike Lack with a second place and a win in the first two races.
John Weidemann is the only other driver besides Lack to make both finals this season.
Stats Watch
Mike Lack moves into a tie for seventh with Dave Austin on the all-time wins list, with 13.
Dean Strom equaled Tom Spehert for 14th on all-time Finals appearance list with 35.
Strom also moved into a tie with Tony Perkins for all-time starts, at 15th place with 102.
John Wiedemann moved to 18th on the all-time starts list with 97, breaking a long time tie with Matt Hayek.