2021-22 Round 7

Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix presented by Nordic Beef Farms - Road Course at Badger Raceway - Muskego, WI

December 9, 2021

Round 7 of 16

2021 Duane Sweeney Memorial GP

Lack Goes Back-To-Back

Muskego, WI – A year ago Mike Lack didn't find victory lane until the ninth round of the season, in the 2021-22 campaign, the seven-time and defending Husarsbilt Cup champion has now racked up three wins after cruising to the checkers at round seven, the Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix presented by Nordic Beef Farms at the Road Course at Badger Raceway.

Lack's second win in a row did not look to be easy at the beginning of the evening when hometown hero Dean Strom swooped in on the last lap of qualifying to take the Firestone P1 Award. The two started on the front row together and then were paired along with Strom's Squirrel Shagged Enterprises teammate Steve Rist, who qualified third. Rist crashed out early, finishing 11th on the night, after that, it was a fierce battle between the two survivors right down to the end when Lack's #28 Angry Squirrel Speedsport Daboiler-Honda was just a half-lap ahead of Strom for the win, but no one would be able to touch the lap total of the #1 car and would advance to the final.

The second heat saw Dan Margetta pull away from the field and ran a smooth quick race, while Pete Dorn, Mike Kristof and John Wiedemann fought it out for second, all three traded the spot, Kristof started to pull away but, coming out of turn four he dropped the hammer to soon and the #60 Michael Shank-It Racing car flew off the track, finishing tenth with the DNF, Wiedemann would continue on to fifth for the night, with Dorn close behind in sixth.

Matt Hayek streaked away at the start of the third heat, all the #7 CBD Racing of Bill Black and #06 Michael Shank-It Racing of Joe Heitz could do was fight it out for second in the heat, Black would hold on for seventh and Heitz, in eighth, was just pleased to have made it to the checkers for the first time at the Sweeney Memorial. Brad Core also kept it on track for a ninth place finish.

The final started with the same intensity as the first heat race ended with Lack and Strom passing back and forth, Strom fell back a bit and while pushing hard out of the pit straight, crashed out just 11 laps in, settling for fourth. Margetta would pick up the chase and sit just two laps back at halfway, while Hayek was ten down. But in the second half Lack maintained the lead, Hayek's #28 Angry Squirrel Speedsport car would start filling the mirrors of Margetta's MisFitz Motorsports #48. At the finish with Lack safely out front for his second win in a row and third this season, Margetta would hold on for second, his best finish of the season and Hayek his second podium of the season.

With the midway point of the season coming at the finish of the next round, the Styled Aesthetic Christmas Classic, Mike Lack has opened a 28 point on Dean Strom, with John Wiedemann 42 behind. None of those drivers have won at Bermuda Raceway, in fact, it's only been new winners at the tropical holiday event, we'll find out if there's another newbie who will take the checkers in a quick turn around, in one week.

Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix presented by Nordic Beef Farms Fast Facts

Race date: Thursday, Dec 9

Track: Road Course at Badger Raceway 3.25 mile natural terrain road course in Muskego, WI

Race distance: 20 minutes


Twitter: @indyslotcar


IndySlotCar Website: indyslotcar.com


2020 race winner: Dean Strom (No. 14 Squirrel Shagged Enterprises)

2020 Firestone P1 Award winner: Dean Strom (No. 14 Squirrel Shagged Enterprises)


One-lap qualifying record: Dean Strom, 3.853 seconds, 2020

Race record: Dean Strom, 268 laps, 2020


YouTube Broadcast: IndySlotCar Channel

At-track schedule (all times local):

6:00 – Gates open

6:30 – Driver introductions

6:55 – Drivers meeting

7:00 – IndySlotCar Series Practice

7:30 – Technical inspection

7:35 – Qualifying for the Firestone P1 Award (group qualifying/ fastest single lap)

8:15 – Heat races

8:55 – Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix (20 minutes)

Race Notes:

· Dean Strom set records for qualifying and total laps in winning the Sweeney Memorial last season, Strom has two wins this season and is 10 points behind Mike Lack in the Husarsbilt Cup championship.

· Lack is coming off a win at the Turkey Trot, his second win of the season. Lack and Strom have split the four road course wins this season.

· John Wiedemann has been in five of the six finals this season; no other driver has been in more than three.

· Stats watch: Amy Butler’s start at the Turkey Trot was the 157th of her career, breaking a tie with Jim Kaehny and moving in 13th all-time. Joe Heitz and Pete Dorn had their 11th DNF of their career at the Turkey Trot moving them into a tie with Jim Iverson in 23rd on the all-time list.

DUANE SWEENEY MEMORIAL GRAND PRIX HISTORY (18 events, 2004 - Present)

Date Race Winner Event Name

1/22/2004 Larry Rotter Duane Sweeney Memorial 500 - Edgewood Superspeedway (oval)

12/2/2004 Jim Iverson Duane Sweeney Memorial 500 - Bayside International

12/1/2005 Jim Iverson Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

11/30/2006 Jim Iverson Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

11/29/2007 Mark Walczak Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

12/4/2008 Ev Kamikawa Sweeney Stomp - Road Course at Badger Raceway*

12/3/2009 Mark Walczak Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

12/2/2010 Mark Walczak Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

12/1/2011 Mike Lack Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

11/29/2012 Mark Walczak Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

12/5/2013 Dean Strom Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

10/30/2014 Ev Kamikawa Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

12/3/2015 John Wiedemann Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

12/15/2016 Dan Margetta Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

11/30/2017 Dan Margetta Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

11/29/2018 Mike Lack Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

12/5/2019 Mike Lack Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

12/3/2020 Dean Strom Duane Sweeney Memorial Grand Prix

* - Track was built as Bayside International and moved to become The Road Course at Badger Raceway before December 2008.

Most Wins – Mark Walczak-4; Mike Lack, Jim Iverson-3; Dean Strom, Dan Margetta, Ev Kamikawa-2