On Tuesday night, Super Late Model stars from across the country will converge at Slinger Super Speedway (WI) for the 41st edition of the Slinger Nationals. The marquee 200-lap event tests driver and machine in a grueling battle against the high-banked quarter-mile oval, producing incredible racing in the process.
To preview Tuesday’s race, we take a look “By the Numbers” at the history of one of Wisconsin’s biggest short track racing events.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE SLINGER NATIONALS
5: In his last five starts Ty Majeski has finished in the top four a total of four times, picking up the win in 2018.
7: Matt Kenseth is the only seven-time Slinger Nationals champion in the “Event Era” of the Slinger Nationals, which started in 2000. Kenseth has eight top-five finishes in the event era and actually has one win in the series era prior to 2000, when the Nationals champion was crowned over the course of three races.
9: Lowell Bennett is one of the most decorated drivers in the history of the Slinger Nationals. His four wins puts him among the elite, but his three second-place runs and his eight-year run of top five finishes are records that will likely not be topped anytime soon. Bennett has not run the race since 2015.
11: Rich Bickle has the most wins at the Slinger Nationals, as the event used to be three events prior to the year 2000. Bickle won two of the three races on three occasions.
200: The main event will be 200 laps again this year, like it has been for the last several years.
272: Ty Majeski has led 272 laps in the last four Slinger Nationals.
401: Matt Kenseth has led 401 laps at the Slinger Nationals.
600: Alex Prunty has completed all 600 laps in the last three Slinger Nationals. He has two top-five runs with a runner-up in 2017.
1397: Steve Apel has completed all 1,397 laps run in the Slinger Nationals since 2013. Along the way he has finished all of those events in the top 10 and five in the top five including a pair of third-place runs. Apel has led 281 of those 1,397 laps.
1988: Butch Miller won all three races at the Slinger Nationals in 1988, becoming only the second driver to do so, behind Dick Trickle who did it in 1982.
2011: Back in 2011 Kyle Busch, won the Slinger Nationals and 14 days later he won the Oxford 250. He was the only driver to win both events until Bubba Pollard did it in back-to-back years by winning Slinger in 2017 and Oxford in 2018.
Slinger Nationals Past Winners
2019 Matt Kenseth
2018 Ty Majeski
2017 Bubba Pollard
2016 Matt Kenseth
2015 Dennis Prunty
2014 Chris Wimmer
2013 Rich Bickle
2012 Matt Kenseth
2011 Kyle Busch
2010 Lowell Bennett
2009 Matt Kenseth
2008 Matt Kenseth
2007 Lowell Bennett
2006 Matt Kenseth
2005 Nathan Haseleu
2004 Lowell Bennett
2003 Rich Bickle
2002 Matt Kenseth
2001 David Prunty
2000 Lowell Bennett
Prior to 2000 the Slinger Nationals was run under a multi-event format. The champions are listed below.
1999 Conrad Morgan
1998 Tony Strupp
1997 Lowell Bennett
1996 Rich Bickle
1995 Butch Miller
1994 Matt Kenseth
1993 Joe Shear
1992 Rich Bickle
1991 Joe Shear
1990 Joe Shear
1989 Dick Trickle
1988 Butch Miller
1987 Joe Shear
1986 John Ziegler
1985 Dick Trickle
1984 Mark Martin
1983 Dick Trickle
1982 Dick Trickle
1981 Alan Kulwicki
1980 Lary Detjens
-Story by: Elgin Traylor, Speed51 Correspondent
-Photo credit: Speed51 Photo
