7/1/2024
Badger Midget Auto Racing Association
Rookie Wackerlin Takes First Badger Midget Series Win in Angell Park Go
The Advanced Fastening Supply Badger Midget Auto Racing Association finished the first half of their season with the annual Fireworks Night at Angell Park Speedway. The event garnered its third first time winner of the year.
Thirty cars clocked in for the FIVEone Motorsports Fast Time single car qualifications. Daniel Robinson, fresh off a grueling week of Micro racing, took Bill Ecker’s #57 to the top of the heap with a 15.852, almost a second faster than Kyle Stark who was next fastest.
THE PRELIMS
It’s been a while since circumstances allowed for a Madison Extinguisher Service Last Chance Qualifier race. Charles Rufi, of New Glarus, WI, took the checkers, but admitted that he was worried about engine issues. He was apparently right, as he only ran a few laps when he raced the Semi.
In Auto Meter Heat 1, Aaron Muhle fought off some challenges from Luke Wackerlin for the win. Muhle has picked up where he left off, after being out for most of the season after a flip.
Simpson Race Products Heat 2, saw Parker Jones pass Brian Strane Jr. on the first lap taking the win from his third starting spot. Kyle Stark had a nice run from the back, patiently picking off cars and while safely in the A-Main, he continued fighting until the last feet where he nipped Cale Coons at the line for second.
Brandon Waelti walked away with Behling Racing Equipment Heat 3, followed by Mitchell Davis and Matt Rechek.
There were some unfamiliar sights in the High Performance Lubricants B-Main with Todd Kluever, who struggled the night before and fast qualifier, Robinson, relegated to this last chance race. With 14 cars in the field, half would end their night in this event.
Early on, Aaron Fiscus shot to the lead from the pole where he hugged the bottom. Several cars tried higher grooves only to learn in a lap or two that the bottom was the place to be. Robinson challenged Fiscus for a while but seemed content to file in and take a spot in the A-Main. Kluever also transferred. Kevin Douglas took the last transfer with just two laps to go.
WACKERLIN TAKES FIRST BADGER WIN
Veteran Kyle Koch was the pole sitter for the Lyco Manufacturing Inc. Feature. He took off right away, gaining several cars on row-mate Mitchell Davis. Koch paced the first three laps before sliding up just enough to allow Davis to take the lead.
Meanwhile, it was apparent that the reworking of the track which took place prior to the Wisconsin wingLESS Sprints running their A-Main, had worked to perfection, as there were two grooves, with Wackerlin, Coons and a couple of others taking to the top.
A great four-way battle ensued with Mitchell in front followed by Derek Doerr, both running the bottom, while Wackerlin and Adam Taylor were running high. A lap-seven caution bunched the field. On the restart Wackerlin was on Mitchell’s tail followed by Doerr and Taylor.
With 15 to go, Wackerlin powered around the high side and passed Mitchell for the lead. While Wackerlin started to walk away, Davis and Mitchell put on a show for second, trading slide jobs for a couple of laps. Mitchell decided the top was to his liking and pulled right in front of Taylor, running the reigning champion’s line. This allowed Jones to join the battle for the podium from the bottom line.
With eight to go, Jones broke away and was alone in the runner up spot and gaining on Wackerlin who had enjoyed almost a straightaway lead while the other three battled. On the next circuit, the leaders caught lapped traffic and they were running the Jones line. Forced to hop high, Jones lost a couple of lengths on Wackerlin, but shortly thereafter the yellow came out for an expired Taylor machine.
This set up a battle with Wackerlin leading Jones, Mitchell and Robinson who started the race 13th. When they took off, Jones went low again and was even with Wackerlin in the corners, but the Wackerlin machine would pull away coming to the straight.
With six to go and the top two battling, Coons came into the picture, now in third. At the line with four to go, Wackerlin and Jones were even, only to have Wackerlin pull away coming out of turn-two. From there Wackerlin started to pull away from Jones, who now had Coons coming on the outside. Jones popped up there to protect runner up, while Wackerlin sailed to the checkers.
In Bank of Sun Prairie Victory Lane, the rookie told announcer Eric Huenefeld, “I just got in the car and drove it, I guess. There was no margin for error up there (in turn two). Three and four were really good all night. Heck of a job by the track to get this track nice tonight.” It was the first win for his Argo Manufacturing #73W in Badger competition. He’s just 17 years old. This makes three drivers who have added their names to the record book for the first time this season, including RJ Corson and Cale Coons.
For fans of Jones who know he’s no stranger to running the cushion he said after the race, “I could run anywhere, the car felt good on the top or bottom. The car felt like it had a lot more drive on the bottom, so I stuck to the bottom.”
Jones finished second and Coons third. Robinson won the Bob Tattersall Hard Charger Award as he gained 13 spots to finish fourth. Cody Weisensel, the Badger point leader going into the event, was tenth.
NOTES
During a break in the action, drivers passed their helmets in the stands for Miles Doherty, a Badger driver who was badly injured in a wingLESS crash recently. Doherty was at the track and addressed the crowd. The most obvious of his injuries involved casts on both forearms.
A few drivers complained about burning up tires on the dry track before the heats were even run. By feature time a couple of reworks of the clay had the circuit in good shape.
There was no need for VMS Rod Ends Heat 4.
Wackerline earned Spankins Motorsports Rookie of the Race honors.
Brian Peterson took home the Last Place Bonus in Loving Memory of Addison Dahlke.
Just when it looked like he was turning things around, Jordan Nelson earned the Hammers Auto Service shop Midwest Engine Service Hard Luck Award.
The Schoenfeld Headers Invert Draw winner information was unavailable at press time.
As always, the fireworks show put on by Angell Park were very well received by the huge crowd. This year, Custom Pyrotechnics LLC did the launching.
The Advanced Fastening Supply BMARA will enjoy two weeks off and be back in action July 14, at Angell Park Speedway where the club will honor the memory of their late Director of Media, Bryan Gapinski.
Badger’s sister organization MARA will run twice in that span at Illinois’ Lincoln Speedway on July 5 and 12.
Photo by Roy Ophime Photography
Article by Bill Blumer Jr.
Submitted By: William Blumer