Behind the wheel: Meet Moraine Park race car driver Alex Prunty

Alex Prunty race car driver wins heat at Slinger Speedway

My name is Alex Prunty, Moraine Park Technical College Alumni, and owner/ driver of the #11 Super Late Model, sponsored by Moraine Park Technical College.

I’ve won the 2015 Slinger Speedway Late Model Track Championship and 2015 Dells Raceway Park Super Late Model Rookie of the Year award and Dash Series Championship and I’m hoping for many more successful achievements in the future.

But, before looking ahead, I’d like to give you some insight into who I am, and what has led me to this point:

Family Tradition

I was born and raised in Lomira, Wisconsin, I am a 23-year-old, third-generation racecar driver.  I have had a successful racing career including 3 Slinger Speedway Track Championships, 34 career feature wins, a SLM “Dash Series” Championship at Dells Raceway Park, and 2 “Rookie of the Year” awards in just 7 seasons.

Throughout my life, I have followed in the footsteps of my father, Dan, and my uncles David, Dennis, and Dale Prunty, all of whom were crowned Slinger Speedway champions.  I idolized my family from the time I could walk and was constantly in the race shop working on their cars and eagerly learning everything I could.  When I began pitting for my uncle David at age 10, I began learning the importance of perfection in racing and I was constantly reminded that races are both won and lost in the shop.  It was during this time that my passion, determination, and drive for perfection were born.

Growing up, I attended a private Catholic school, which taught me the importance of respect, integrity, and perseverance.  I also learned the importance of community involvement and helping others.  Now, I volunteer as a “Young Driver’s Coach” for the Memorial Go-Kart Association.  As a driver coach, it is my responsibility to teach the youth members of my team the ins and outs of racing, like how to preform maintenance on the carts, as well as on track racing fundamentals. My younger brother and cousin became drivers in this group, as well as many other kids and I truly enjoy sharing my passion with the younger generation as they begin their racing careers.

One factor that sets my racing career apart from the others is that my race team is not just my crew, it’s my family.  You will never see a Prunty alone, as there is always a family member standing next to me, encouraging me, and helping me improve. I see every race as an opportunity to do something incredible and continue the legacy of my family’s name.  Racing is my passion and my dreams solely include rubbing fenders side by side with my uncles, battling for wins, and earning my family’s 16th championship in 24 years of racing.

Want to race, too? Here’s some advice:

Advice that I would give to aspiring racers is to start small, and have fun. There are many lower, inexpensive starter divisions, such as 4 cylinders that race at almost every single track in Wisconsin, on both dirt and asphalt. Go cart racing is also another option.

Racing can get extremely expensive as you move up the ranks, so never forget why you started. For me, it was a dream of following in my family’s footsteps, and nothing is more fun than spending the day racing at the track with my family surrounding me, encouraging me to do my best.

Help from Moraine Park

12281732_10205276367368001_1109546214_oAfter going to college and earning a degree in “Engine Research and Development” with high honors, I began working at Briggs and Stratton in the Research and Development lab.  It was an incredible experience going to MPTC. After high school, I was really afraid of joining the real world, and was not sure what I wanted to do. The awesome staff at Moraine Park helped me find a program that I really enjoyed, and always made sure I was comfortable on campus.

It’s such a calm setting just outside Fond du Lac, I always felt safe, and the class sizes were small, so you always had full attention from the instructors.  Our instructors prepared us very well for the real world, and even had a number of jobs available for us to apply for. Not even a month after graduation, I accepted a job at Briggs in the area I studied. I now assist mechanical engineers create innovative features designed for endless applications, and it has been an incredible experience.  The knowledge I gain in the lab allows me to take home ideas, apply them to racing, and find increasing success.

Honors and Future Dreams

My passion, drive, and dedication for this sport made me an excellent candidate for the KDDP (Kulwicki Driver Development Program). This is an extremely high honor, as it is the goal of the program to help young aspiring race car drivers remember the late great Alan Kulwicki, who is also from Wisconsin, and help them market themselves to make the next step into NASCAR. For a quick description of what the KDDP is, here is the link to their website: https://kulwickiddp.com/MISSION.htm.

Looking ahead, my dream is to become a powerhouse name in the racing world, much like Alan Kulwicki.  I am grateful for the generosity that makes the program possible and am extremely honored to represent KDDP!

For more information and to follow updates on my career, visit: alexpruntyracing.com.

And maybe some of your own dreams could get started at Moraine Park, too. To see everything the College offers, visit morainepark.edu.

Written by admin