9/1/2024
Badger Midget Auto Racing Association
Robinson Takes AFS Badger Midget Alexander Memorial at Sycamore
The Advanced Fastening Supply Badger Midget Auto Racing Association paid their last visit of the season to Sycamore Speedway on Saturday night for the Franklin B. Alexander Memorial. It was the first night of a three-day run to conclude the season. Badger’s sister organization, the Midget Auto Racing Association (MARA) joined them on the card for the co-sanctioned event.
Parker Jones, was one of twenty-four entries on the night. He was atop the leaderboard when the night started for both organizations and he maintained those leads when the night ended. The night was not without drama for the point leader.
THE PRELIMS
FIVEone Motorsports Fast Time went to Jones, who was over .1 seconds faster than Spankins Rookie of the Year candidate Luke Wackerlin, the second fastest. Qualifying was not smooth, as Jones flipped after completing his fast lap. Via social media Jones reported his driveshaft snapped.
At this time of year one can’t help but be very cognizant of the point situation. While Jones earned the most points he could in qualifying, heats would be another story.
Auto Meter Heat-1 point contenders Cody Weisensel and Matt Rechek battled early for the lead, then Daniel Robinson came into the picture. Robinson went wheel to wheel racing hard with just three laps to go, Weisensel high and Robinson low. Remember, heats pay points and while Robinson is not in the driver’s point chase, his owner Bill Ecker has a slight lead in the owner’s race. In the end, with two to go, Robinson broke away for the win followed by Weisensel and Rechek. The latter two cars are also in owner’s point contention.
Nick Kilian, who has been quietly building a top-ten resume in Badger points, got the jump in Simpson Heat-2. That lead only lasted a lap as Jace Sparks powered around him to start the second lap. Half way through the race Daltyn England got by Sparks at the line and went on to the win ahead of Sparks. Kyle Stark, a point contender, was third and Kilian fourth.
Todd Kluever took the win and points that go with it in Behling Racing Equipment Heat-3, while Jones didn’t answer the bell.
VMS Rod Ends Heat-4, High Performance Lubricants B-Main, the Madison Extinguisher Service Last Chance race were not run.
LYCO MANUFACTURING INC. A-MAIN
MARA regular Tyler Roth and BMARA driver Cody Weisensel occupied the front row for the Franklin B. Alexander Memorial, Lyoc Manufacturing A-Main. Eyes would be on Jones to see what he could do from his sixteenth starting spot.
The first circuit was a dead heat as Roth got the jump but Weisensel fought back to make it a tie at the line, completing the first lap. The next lap they were nearly three-wide at the line between Weisensel, England and Robinson. By the next lap things shook out a bit with Robinson on the point several lengths ahead of England and Weisensel.
Five laps in, with Robinson still leading, Jones had picked off ten cars and was in sixth. By lap-eight Robinson was catching lapped traffic. By the next lap, Robinson had nearly a straightaway on second-place Roth. A yellow would bunch the field before ten laps were complete.
On the restart, it was Robinson followed by Roth, Wackerlin, Jones, Weisensel. Robinson bolted at the drop of the green and enjoyed a sizable lead before a yellow flew for the stalled car of point contender Kluever who’s car had stopped on the backstretch.
On the next lap, coming out of turn-four, Jones jumped the left rear of Wackerlin, sending the #41 car spinning. Weisensel had nowhere to go and tagged Jones. Weisensel’s front was broken and he was done for the night. Meanwhile Jones was able to restart, but he had to do so from the back of the field.
Robinson continued to take care of business, surviving a couple of more restarts and was never seriously challenged to the end. Kyle Stark put on a thrilling show insisting on making the top line work while most were running closer to the bottom of the track. Coming out of the last turn on the last lap, Stark blew past both Sparks and Wackerlin for third. Roth was runner up. Jones was sixth.
AWARDS
ASM Motorsports Bob Tattersall Hard Charger Award: Parker Jones
Last Place Bonus in Loving Memory of Addison Dahlke: Alex Midkiff.
Spankins Motorsports Rookie of the Race: Luke Wackerlin. He also won the Schoenfeld Headers Invert Draw.
The Hammer’s Auto Service Shop; Midwest Engine Service Hard Luck Award recipient was Daniel Whitley.
The official point standings were not available at press time.
UP NEXT
The AFS Badger Midget Series ends the season Sunday and Monday, Sept. 1 and 2 at Angell Park Speedway. The race can also be viewed on FloRacing.
COMPLETE RESULTS
Advanced Fastening Supply A - Feature (25 Laps): 1. 57A-Daniel Robinson[5]; 2. 18-Tyler Roth[1]; 3. 2-Kyle Stark[14]; 4. 73W-Luke Wackerlin[6]; 5. 40-Jace Sparks[8]; 6. 41-Parker Jones[18]; 7. 11K-Charles Kunz[19]; 8. 38-Matt Rechek[9]; 9. 17-Nick Kilian[12]; 10. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr[11]; 11. 29-Harrison Kleven[13]; 12. 67U-Kevin Frederiksen[22]; 13. (DNF) 1W-Robby Wirth[21]; 14. (DNF) 36-Chris Baue[7]; 15. (DNF) 12C-Dominic Bruns[16]; 16. (DNF) 19E-Daltyn England[3]; 17. (DNF) 20-Cody Weisensel[2]; 18. (DNF) 31-Nathan Crane[10]; 19. (DNF) 55-Todd Kluever[4]; 20. (DNF) 45-Trey Weishoff[20]; 21. (DNF) 24M-Aaron Muhle[23]; 22. (DNF) 15C-RJ Corson[17]; 23. (DNS) 05-Alex Midkiff; 24. (DNS) 57B-Daniel Whitley
Auto Meter Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 57A-Daniel Robinson[6]; 2. 20-Cody Weisensel[5]; 3. 38-Matt Rechek[3]; 4. 18-Tyler Roth[4]; 5. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr[2]; 6. (DNS) 15C-RJ Corson; 7. (DNS) 45-Trey Weishoff; 8. (DNS) 24M-Aaron Muhle
Madison Extinguisher Service Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 19E-Daltyn England[6]; 2. 40-Jace Sparks[4]; 3. 2-Kyle Stark[8]; 4. 17-Nick Kilian[2]; 5. 73W-Luke Wackerlin[7]; 6. 12C-Dominic Bruns[3]; 7. 11K-Charles Kunz[5]; 8. 67U-Kevin Frederiksen[1]
Behlings Race Products Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 55-Todd Kluever[6]; 2. 36-Chris Baue[4]; 3. 31-Nathan Crane[3]; 4. 57B-Daniel Whitley[8]; 5. 29-Harrison Kleven[1]; 6. (DNF) 05-Alex Midkiff[5]; 7. (DNS) 41-Parker Jones; 8. (DNS) 1W-Robby Wirth
FiveOne Motorsports Fast Time Schoenfeld Qualifying (100 Laps): 1. 41-Parker Jones, 00:15.111[20]; 2. 73W-Luke Wackerlin, 00:15.224[2]; 3. 57A-Daniel Robinson, 00:15.274[24]; 4. 55-Todd Kluever, 00:15.342[16]; 5. 19E-Daltyn England, 00:15.553[13]; 6. 20-Cody Weisensel, 00:15.618[15]; 7. 05-Alex Midkiff, 00:15.630[7]; 8. 11K-Charles Kunz, 00:15.695[1]; 9. 18-Tyler Roth, 00:15.798[6]; 10. 36-Chris Baue, 00:15.828[19]; 11. 40-Jace Sparks, 00:15.906[18]; 12. 38-Matt Rechek, 00:15.965[23]; 13. 31-Nathan Crane, 00:15.991[14]; 14. 12C-Dominic Bruns, 00:16.028[11]; 15. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr, 00:16.106[3]; 16. 1W-Robby Wirth, 00:16.311[5]; 17. 17-Nick Kilian, 00:16.345[12]; 18. 24M-Aaron Muhle, 00:16.438[17]; 19. 29-Harrison Kleven, 00:16.814[4]; 20. 67U-Kevin Frederiksen, 00:17.255[21]; 21. (DNS) 57B-Daniel Whitley, 00:12.559; 22. (DNS) 15C-RJ Corson, 00:17.256; 23. (DNS) 2-Kyle Stark, 00:17.257; 24. (DNS) 45-Trey Weishoff, 00:17.258
Photo: BMARA
Article: Bill Blumer Jr.
Submitted By: William Blumer