Alex Prunty Fastest in Slinger Nationals Qualifying

2018 Slinger Super Speedway Super Late Model track champion Alex Prunty set fast time in qualifying for the 44th Annual Cobblestone Hotels Slinger Nationals, leading the group of 16 drivers who locked their way into Tuesday night's 200-lap main event.

Prunty circled the high-banked quarter-mile in 11.304 seconds, just ahead of defending track champion R.J. Braun. Two-time Slinger Nationals winner Ty Majeski, 2021 event winner Luke Fenhaus and 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott completed the top five.

Elliott was the fastest of three current NASCAR Cup Series competitors during the qualifying session. William Byron was eighth-fastest, just ahead of NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Matt Kenseth. Erik Jones, who had been fastest during Monday's practice day, was 27th in qualifying and will be relegated to the Last Chance Qualifier.

NASCAR Truck Series champion Johnny Sauter was 16th in qualifying, taking the final transfer spot into the main event. Former Slinger Nationals winner Dennis Prunty was just 0.002 seconds slower than Sauter. Prunty has been awarded a provisional starting spot in the feature, by virtue of being the most recent Slinger Nationals winner who did not qualify on time.

There will be plenty of notable names joining Erik Jones in the Last Chance Qualifier, including Derek Kraus and William Sawalich. The top four finishers will advance from the 30-lap Last Chance race, with four other drivers receiving provisionals to complete the 24-car field.

Other provisional starting spots were awarded to Brad Keith, Brad Mueller and Stephen Nasse.

Fans unable to attend the 44th Annual Slinger Nationals can watch all of the action live on Tuesday, July 11 on Racing America. For more information, click here.

-Photo credit: Will Bellamy/Racing America

QUALIFYING RESULTS
44th Annual Cobblestone Hotels Slinger Nationals

* = Denotes driver received provisional starting spot for Slinger Nationals based on the event rulebook.