2022-23 Round 1
Trokan Cup 500 - Mini Milwaukee Mile - Greendale, WI
September 8, 2022
Round 1 of 17
Black Scores Win In 30th Season Opener
Greendale, WI – The 30th season of the IndySlotCar Series kicked off with the contesting of the Troken Cup 500 at the ultra quick Mini Milwaukee Mile short oval.
New to the drivers this season is the second version of the Daboiler body named TS-22. The slightly longer version is even more representative of the full scale counterpart. Handling and strength of the new body were put to the test at the oval.
When all was said and done CBD’s Bill Black was the victor, kicking off the season with a dominating performance.
Qualifying was won by the defending champion of the race, Chris Spehret who made his second start for Angry Squirrel Speedsport in as many years. Spehert was first on the track and his four lap time of 6.179 seconds held up all the way till the eighth driver to hit the track tied his time. But Black’s quickest lap of 1.486 seconds couldn’t top Spehert’s 1.471 seconds. The rest of the drivers were unable to get close to Spehert and for the third time in his IndySlotCar career, Spehert was on the pole. Black maintained the second spot followed by Mike Kristof, Matt Hayek and John Wiedemann.
Black took on Wiedemann, Kristof and CBD teammate Pete Dorn in the first heat. Continuing the pace that he showed in qualifying, Black easily took the win. Leading by 29 laps at the halfway point and by 47 at the end, the field was no match for Black in what started out as a crashfest in the first half of the race. Wiedemann was able to hold off Kristof for second with Dorn finishing fourth.
Heat race two set Michael Shank-It Racing’s Joe Heitz against Angry Squirrel Speedsports’ Mike Lack, CBD Racing’s Brad Core and Squirrel Shagged Enterprises Steve Rist. In a race where the drivers seemed more in control of their rides, Lack and Heitz jumped to the lead and had a tight battle throughout the race for the top spot. With a four lap lead at the halfway point, Lack dropped the hammer and pulled away in the second half to take the victory. Heitz maintained second and set the mark for the transfer position with Core and Rist finishing behind him.
The final heat race featured defending series champion Dean Strom pitted against last year’s race winner and pole sitter Spehert as well as oval specialists Dan Margetta and Matt Hayek. Hayek led early and often, building an 11 lap lead over Strom at the halfway point. That lead would go away in the second half as carnage, amazingly not involving Joe Heitz, descended on the speedway. With constant crashes involving the leaders over the final minute of the race, no one was sure who won when the race ended. But, it was Hayek holding on to take the win just a lap ahead of Strom. Margetta stopped on the track in turn three prior to the finish of the race but still was involved in the wrecks but ended up third, 11 laps behind the winner.
The final was set with ballistic Bill Black taking on “flood gates” Joe Heitz and Angry Squirrel teammates Mike Lack and Matt Hayek. All drivers would run a segment in each lane and Black chose to start the race in the super quick inside lane. Taking advantage of a fast handling chassis, Black won the opening segment leading Hayek by 8 laps. Each segment following the first one turned out the same at the front with Black leading each and every one. Behind him it was a battle of the teammates with Lack moving ahead of Hayek in the second segment and solidifying his hold on second. In the third segment, Heitz made his move by passing Hayek for third. When the checkers flew at 500 laps, Black took the win over Lack, Heitz and Hayek.
The victory was the fourth of his IndySlotCar career and his first win at the Mini Milwaukee Mile. Also, with the win, Black is positioned nicely in the “Founder’s Five” championship. The other races included in this special 30th season championship include the Halloween Havoc, Turkey Trot, Christmas Classic and the HO Indy 500.
Up next is the Fall Brawl at Badger Raceway on September 22nd run at the Road Course at Badger Raceway. Defending Series Champion Dean Strom was the winner of this event last season.
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Trokan Cup 500 Fast Facts
Race date: Thursday, Sep 8
Track: Mini Milwaukee Mile, 1 mile bull-ring oval in Greendale, WI
Race distance: 500 laps
IndySlotCar Website: indyslotcar.com
2021 race winner: Chris Spehert (No. 98 Angry Squirrel Speedsport)
2021 P1 Award winner: Bill Black (No. 5 Black Atom Racing) 5.687 seconds
One-lap qualifying record: Ev Kamikawa, 1.102 seconds, 2006
Four-lap qualifying record: Mike Lack, 5.070 seconds, 2019
Race record: Dan Margetta, 12 minutes 39 seconds, 2020
YouTube Broadcast: IndySlotCar Channel
At-track schedule (all times local):
6:00 – Gates open
6:30 – Driver introductions
7:00 – Drivers’ meeting
7:05 – IndySlotCar Series Practice
7:30 – Qualifying for the P1 Award (single car/four laps, total time)
8:00 – Heat races
8:30 – Trokan Cup 500 (500 laps)
Race Notes:
· The 30th season of IndySlotCar racing begins with one of the “Founder’s Five” events, these are the five races that date back to the first IndySlotCar season, in addition to the The Trokan Cup 500, there’s Halloween Havoc, Turkey Trot, Christmas Classic and the HO Indy 500. This will be a championship within the Championship.
· Dean Strom will begin his Husarsbilt Cup championship title defense at a track he has made the final five times in 14 starts. Considering he finished 9th to start the season here last year, means improvement only means trouble for the other contenders.
· Chris Spehert is expanding his participation in the 30th season, the Trokan Cup 500 defending race winner is joining Angry Squirrel Speedsport in the #98 KULR car, representing Marco Andretti, for four or possibly five race deal, mainly at the oval events.
· There are very few off-season changes to the driver/car/team line-ups, Spehert maybe the most significant, but look for previously retired driver John Shea to make his return this season, likely joining Ev Kamikawa at PenskeHO Racing. Expect to see the rest of your favorite drivers in familiar places, although we have yet to confirm what car number defending champion Dean Strom will run and what Dan Margetta’s team will be called this season.
MINI-MILWAUKEE MILE HISTORY (26 events, 1996 - Present):
Date Race Winner Event Name
1/4/1996 Arnie Lueders Firestone 400
9/26/1996 Chad Sorce Ford 500
10/6/1997 John Baas Ford 500 (2 races in the
1/8/1998 Ev Kamikawa Firestone 400 97-98 season)
9/17/1998 John Baas Ford 500
10/7/1999 Ev Kamikawa Aero Race Wheels 500
9/21/2000 Phil Cianciola Aero Race Wheels 500
9/20/2001 Dan Margetta Aero Race Wheels 500
9/19/2002 Jim Iverson Chancery Restaurants 500
9/18/2003 Mike Kristof Krispy Kreme 500
10/21/2004 Phil Cianciola Milwaukee Mile presents the Mini Mile 500
9/8/2005 John Shea Milwaukee Mile 500
9/7/2006 John Shea Trokan Cup 500
9/7/2007 Chris Spehert Trokan Cup 500 presented by the Milwaukee Mile
10/2/2008* Mark Walczak Trokan Cup 500
9/10/2009* Ev Kamikawa Trokan Cup 500
9/23/2010* Ev Kamikawa Trokan Cup 500
9/8/2011* Mark Walczak Trokan Cup 500
9/6/2012* Mike Fitzlaff Trokan Cup 500
9/5/2013 Mike Lack Trokan Cup 500
9/3/2015 Dan Margetta Trokan Cup 500
9/8/2016 Dan Margetta Trokan Cup 500
8/31/2017 Mike Lack Trokan Cup 500
9/6/2018 Tom Spehert Trokan Cup 500
9/12/2019 Matt Hayek Trokan Cup 500
9/10/2020 Dan Margetta Trokan Cup 500 – In Wauwatosa
9/9/2021 Chris Spehert Trokan Cup 500 – returns to Greendale
*- From 2008-2012 the Mini Mile was renamed RJ Foyt’s All American Raceway
Most Wins – Ev Kamikawa, Dan Margetta-4; Chris Spehert, Mike Lack, Mark Walczak, John Shea, Phil Cianciola, John Baas-2
Previous TROKAN CUP WINNERS:
Date Race Winner Event Name Track
9/8/1997 Dave Austin Trokan Cup presented by Harley Davidson The Shrine Track
9/3/1998 Dan Margetta Trokan Cup presented by Harley Davidson The Shrine Track
9/9/1999 Dan Margetta Trokan Cup Shrine Desert Road Course
9/7/2000 Phil Cianciola Trokan Cup Shrine Desert Road Course
9/6/2001 Dan Margetta Trokan Cup presented by Harley Davidson Shrine Desert Road Course
9/5/2002 Jim Kaehny Trokan Cup Shrine Desert Road Course
9/4/2003 Larry Rotter Trokan Cup Shrine Desert Road Course
End