PLOVER, WI – Gabe Sommers Racing headed to the high banks of Slinger, Wisconsin this past Sunday for the ASA Midwest Tour’s opening event of 2024. A unique track layout and a near record car count made for a thrilling weekend at “The World’s Fastest Quarter Mile Oval”.
The weekend started off with a shakedown for Gabe and his No. 15 at Slinger Super Speedway on Friday, as one of a few teams electing to get some track time in before Saturday’s official practice for the event. As a track Gabe has previously admitted he had trouble figuring out at times in the past, the most important thing to GSR was getting their driver comfortable in his machine ahead of the 100 lapper at the 33 degree banked “soup bowl” style speedway. Multiple runs helped bring a form of comfortability to fruition, but some oil was put down on the racing surface by another car, and GSR decided to call it a day. Gabe and the crew elected to take some time Saturday to reset and get some work done at the race shop, eyeing Sunday as the next time they’d hit the track.
Bright and early Sunday morning the crew rolled up to the track, ready to square off against 35 other cars trying to make a 24 car starting field. Focusing on race pace in practice, Sommers would time in around midpack once he found his footing on a busy racetrack, getting up to 18th on the time charts before the end of the session. Qualifying was quick to follow the final practice and scuff session, with the top sixteen drivers locking into the show on time. Gabe would hit his lap and watch the cards fall, unfortunately slotting in at the nineteenth position and putting himself in a position to have to race his way into the feature event.
Gabe would roll off from the outside of the front row for his last chance qualifier, of which the top two finishers would transfer into the feature. The No.15 would also be eligible for a points provisional as the defending series champion, but elected to try to earn a transfer spot, stating; “We are here to race, so we are going to race as hard as we can to get into the show”. Calling his shot, he did just that, slotting down onto the bottom lane and in line beyond the leader, bringing it home in the second and final transfer spot of his qualifier. Officially, this would have him set to start from the 19th position for the Jerry Priesgen Memorial.
Starting deep in the field, the goal was clear for GSR from the start: make good choices, and try to find a way into the top ten by the end of the feature event. Some quick cautions dotted the first 20 laps, with Gabe keeping the nose clean even after a close call when a car slapped the wall hard right in front of him, stacking up the field. Luckily, most of the cars near the fracas were able to get through it unscathed. Already fifteenth before the Lap 20 caution, the No. 15 picked up three more spots through the attrition, up to P12 when the green flag resumed the race. With the field spreading out and everyone finding their groove, Gabe was able to crack the top ten by lap 40/100, already picking his way through early lap traffic. With around forty laps to go, Sommers would make his final pass for position of the day, popping up into ninth place with a lot of track between himself and the next closest racecar for position. With a boatload of long run speed, it looked like there was a potential for more gains, but GSR just ran out of laps to catch a gaggle of cars in front of the No. 15.
Overall, Gabe and the team were happy with the gains made during the feature after chasing the car earlier in the day, and feel strongly that they have something to build off of the next time they return to Slinger. For now, the team will turn their attention to the ASA Midwest Tour’s Joe Shear Classic on May 5 at Madison International Speedway, and the $15,000 reasons to go for the win at the famed half mile oval. You can watch live at TrackTV.com, or purchase tickets to see Gabe Sommers Racing in person on the ASA Midwest Tour website. Qualifying will kick off at 12:45 Pm, with green flag racing to follow at 2:00.