8/5/2024
Badger Midget Auto Racing Association
Kluever Takes Badger Midget Series/MARA Co-Sanctioned Event at Sycamore Speedway
The Advanced Fastening Supply Badger Midget Auto Racing Association and their sister organization, Midget Auto Racing Association (MARA) met for a co-sanctioned event on Saturday at Sycamore Speedway.
If Angell Park Speedway is home to the BMARA, then Sycamore is akin to the club's vacation retreat as Badger has the Illinois speed plant on their schedule five times in 2024, second only to Angell Park. A strong field of BMARA/MARA cars packed the pits while a huge crowd filled the grandstands.
QUALIFYING
The FIVEone Motorsports Fast Time Award started the night with Parker Jones a Badger regular who also leads MARA points, earning fast time by nearly .4 of a second over 2024 Badger Rookie of the Year contender Luke Wackerlin. The group qualifying format saw Chris Baue from Indianapolis time in third and Mario Clouser fourth. Thirty-six cars checked in and 35 took a time.
The Madison Extinguisher Service Last Chance Qualifier saw Chris Adrien jump to the point, but Harrison Kleven was even with him by the time they crossed the line finishing lap-two. Kleven, a Badger regular who's made the bulk of MARA events too, fought off several challengers and a couple of restarts to take the win. Mike Unger was second.
COONS, ROTH and COONS Jr. TAKE HEATS
Cale Coons powered to the lead early in Auto Meter Heat 1 running the high side and never gave up the point. Behind him most ran the cushion too. Kyle Stark tried a slide-job for second place late in the race only proving that the top was the place to be as he eventually lost a spot.
Simpson Race Products Heat 2 was a different story as far as grooves go. This time, Tyler Roth drove the bottom past pole sitter Thomas Harris to lead after the first lap. From there, Roth mainly kept the bottom and was never challenged for the win. The race was between Cody Weisensel and Wackerlin for the last transfer spot with Wackerlin strong on the top. Coming to the checkers, Weisensel had just enough momentum a groove or two below Wackerlin to take the transfer by less than a car length.
Jerry Coons Jr. took the lead in Behling Racing Equipment Heat 3 at the drop of the green. Behind him, they were three wide for runner up, coming out of turn-two. A yellow before a lap was done caused a complete restart. When the green dropped Brian Peterson and Coons made it a drag race to the first turn. By turn-two Coons was high and Peterson was good on the low side. Coons got the advantage by the time they finished the lap.
As things shook out behind Coons and most of the field took the high line. Clouser was the exception. Battling from the back of the pack, he used the bottom to make it a race for the win. The last two laps saw Coons way high and Clouser way low. At the finish line, Coons nipped Clouser by less than a front tire.
The VMS Rod Ends Heat 4 was not contested.
B-MAIN
The 12-lap High Performance Lubricants B-Main had a field of 18 cars take the green flag battling for one of the top-seven transfer spots. Two cars with 2024 feature wins took off early with Wackerlin leading Matt Rechek. The pair had transfers locked in while the race behind them was furious with cars occupying four grooves.
With six laps to go, Jace Sparks brought out a caution due to his stalled car. He had been in a transfer spot. Wackerline and Rechek went at it on the restart and battled side by side for the lead despite the duo having nearly a straightaway on the field. With four to go, Wackerline got loose coming out of turn-two and Recheck powered away. Wackerline seemed to settle in, content in knowing he'd be in the A-Main. One more caution with just one lap to go didn't shake up the top-seven with Rechek winning and Lamont Critchett taking the last transfer. Kyle Koch gained 10 spots but was on the outside looking in behind Critchett.
A-MAIN
It was a highly anticipated Lyco Manufacturing Inc. Feature with Jerry Coons Jr. a former regular with Badger and USAC in the filed, along with his son Cale, who scored a Badger/MARA co-sanctioned win at Kankakee earlier in the year. Add in former NASCAR driver Todd Kluever who has three podium finishes on the year (but no wins), starting on the pole and it looked to be an interesting race.
Kluever took the lead when racing started, only to have the field slowed three laps in due to a car that spun. Meanwhile, Cale Coons driving the Joe Dooling #63 came to a stop unrelated to the yellow. The car wouldn't fire and Coons was relegated to the pits. Then last year's Badger champion, Adam Taylor who's had a lot of bad luck this season, pulled into the pits also.
When the green flew, so did Kluever, gaining several lengths on Stark. Daltyn England was next and then Jones came into the picture from his tenth starting spot. Star, found grip on the top and battled at Kluever's side and for the next couple of laps. Stark nipped Kluever to be scored in first at the line for a couple of laps.
With about 18 to go MARA point leader Mark McMahill got the worse of a multicar pileup on the back stretch, sending the Peoria, Illinois driver on a wild barrel roll. Others involved were Baue, Peterson, Wackerlin and Coons Jr. They all got out of their cars under their own power but McMahill was transported to a local hospital.
When the green came out it was more of Stark and Kluever. Stark was not quite as smooth on the cushion this time but they were still basically side by side with Kluever way low. At one point coming out of turn-four Kluever's #55 did a wheel stand with the nose coming down hard and jolting the front of the car. He gathered it up, missing just enough of a beat to let Stark nudge ahead.
With 15 to go, Kluever took the lead and started to separate himself from Stark. Both were still running low and high respectively. At the half-way mark in the event it now became a race for second with Stark, Jones and England each occupying the spot at some point within a single lap. Stark then abandoned the cushion strategy for half a lap pulling down in front of Jones and England. But when Stark changed his mind and went back up top, Jones powered by him on the bottom for second.
With five laps to go things had sorted out and the top-four stayed in line with Kluever earning his third career Sycamore Speedway A-Main win by a straightaway. Jones was next, extending his MARA point lead. England was third and Stark who was the strongest car running the top, was fourth.
MCMAHILL RECOVERING
As of Monday morning, Mark McMahill reported he should be released from the hospital later in the day. He advised he was healing up as expected, but was bruised and sore. He went on to thank his fellow drivers, series and track officials and EMTs for their treatment and support.
NOTES
Wackerlin took the Spankins Motorsports Rookie of the Race honors.
Gaining 11 spots and scoring a top-ten, Dave Collins Jr. earned the ASM Performance Bob Tattersall Hard Charger Award.
In Loving Memory of Addison Dahlke, the Last Place Bonus went to Cale Coons.
The Schoenfeld Headers Invert Draw Award information was unavailable.
The Hammers Auto Service shop Midwest Engine Service Hard Luck Award was not available.
UP NEXT
The AFS Badger Midget Series will race at Angell Park Speedway this Sunday, August 11, where Badger Midget teams and sponsors will be giving away back to school backpacks. The Dirt King Late Models and IMCA Modifieds are also on the card.
FULL RESULTS
Advanced Fastening Supply A - Feature (25 Laps): 1. 55-Todd Kluever[1]; 2. 41-Parker Jones[10]; 3. 19E-Daltyn England[2]; 4. 2-Kyle Stark[4]; 5. 05-Alex Midkiff[5]; 6. 75-Mario Clouser[8]; 7. 20-Cody Weisensel[7]; 8. 38-Matt Rechek[16]; 9. 18-Tyler Roth[12]; 10. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr[21]; 11. 51R-Thomas Harris[14]; 12. 17-Nick Kilian[20]; 13. 44-Lamont Critchett[22]; 14. 12B-Patrick Bruns[6]; 15. 6B-Jerry Coons Jr[13]; 16. 36-Chris Baue[9]; 17. 57M-Mark McMahill[15]; 18. 7-Brian Peterson[19]; 19. 73W-Luke Wackerlin[17]; 20. 11K-Charles Kunz[18]; 21. 53M-Adam Taylor[3]; 22. 63-Cale Coons[11]
High Performance Lubricants B - Feature (12 Laps): 1. 38-Matt Rechek[1]; 2. 73W-Luke Wackerlin[2]; 3. 11K-Charles Kunz[5]; 4. 7-Brian Peterson[4]; 5. 17-Nick Kilian[10]; 6. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr[6]; 7. 44-Lamont Critchett[9]; 8. 59-Kyle Koch[18]; 9. 67U-Mike Unger[15]; 10. 51C-Brok Clifcorn[11]; 11. 3A-Chris Adrien[16]; 12. 1W-Robby Wirth[19]; 13. 12C-Dominic Bruns[17]; 14. 57A-Jake Dohner[3]; 15. 40-Jace Sparks[13]; 16. 71H-Michael Hermacinski[7]; 17. 29-Harrison Kleven[14]; 18. 24M-Aaron Muhle[20]; 19. (DNS) 53-Aaron Schuck; 20. (DNS) 15C-RJ Corson; 21. (DNS) 51-Chris Young
Auto Meter Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 63-Cale Coons[4]; 2. 57M-Mark McMahill[1]; 3. 19E-Daltyn England[5]; 4. 2-Kyle Stark[6]; 5. 36-Chris Baue[8]; 6. 57A-Jake Dohner[9]; 7. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr[2]; 8. 44-Lamont Critchett[7]; 9. (DNS) 15C-RJ Corson
Madison Extinguisher Service Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 18-Tyler Roth[3]; 2. 55-Todd Kluever[4]; 3. 05-Alex Midkiff[6]; 4. 51R-Thomas Harris[1]; 5. 20-Cody Weisensel[7]; 6. 73W-Luke Wackerlin[8]; 7. 11K-Charles Kunz[2]; 8. 53-Aaron Schuck[5]; 9. 51C-Brok Clifcorn[9]
Behlings Race Products Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 6B-Jerry Coons Jr[1]; 2. 75-Mario Clouser[7]; 3. 41-Parker Jones[8]; 4. 12B-Patrick Bruns[6]; 5. 53M-Adam Taylor[5]; 6. 38-Matt Rechek[4]; 7. 7-Brian Peterson[2]; 8. 71H-Michael Hermacinski[3]; 9. 17-Nick Kilian[9]
FiveOne Motorsports Fast Time Schoenfeld Qualifying (50 Laps): 1. 41-Parker Jones, 00:14.460[12]; 2. 73W-Luke Wackerlin, 00:14.854[17]; 3. 36-Chris Baue, 00:14.920[15]; 4. 75-Mario Clouser, 00:14.943[11]; 5. 20-Cody Weisensel, 00:15.089[26]; 6. 44-Lamont Critchett, 00:15.098[1]; 7. 12B-Patrick Bruns, 00:15.105[5]; 8. 05-Alex Midkiff, 00:15.166[21]; 9. 2-Kyle Stark, 00:15.166[36]; 10. 53M-Adam Taylor, 00:15.188[9]; 11. 53-Aaron Schuck, 00:15.190[10]; 12. 19E-Daltyn England, 00:15.253[34]; 13. 38-Matt Rechek, 00:15.310[13]; 14. 55-Todd Kluever, 00:15.335[6]; 15. 63-Cale Coons, 00:15.476[24]; 16. 71H-Michael Hermacinski, 00:15.491[20]; 17. 18-Tyler Roth, 00:15.560[29]; 18. 15C-RJ Corson, 00:15.574[7]; 19. 7-Brian Peterson, 00:15.640[31]; 20. 11K-Charles Kunz, 00:15.654[16]; 21. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr, 00:15.720[14]; 22. 6B-Jerry Coons Jr, 00:15.788[3]; 23. 51R-Thomas Harris, 00:15.808[4]; 24. 57M-Mark McMahill, 00:15.829[28]; 25. 17-Nick Kilian, 00:15.913[33]; 26. 51C-Brok Clifcorn, 00:15.938[27]; 27. 57A-Jake Dohner, 00:15.986[18]; 28. 24M-Aaron Muhle, 00:16.045[30]; 29. 59-Kyle Koch, 00:16.128[8]; 30. 12C-Dominic Bruns, 00:16.169[2]; 31. 67U-Mike Unger, 00:16.201[35]; 32. 29-Harrison Kleven, 00:16.213[19]; 33. 51-Chris Young, 00:16.844[25]; 34. 1W-Robby Wirth, 00:16.897[22]; 35. 3A-Chris Adrien, 00:16.919[32]; 36. (DNS) 40-Jace Sparks
Non-Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 29-Harrison Kleven[4]; 2. 67U-Mike Unger[5]; 3. 40-Jace Sparks[9]; 4. 3A-Chris Adrien[1]; 5. 12C-Dominic Bruns[6]; 6. 59-Kyle Koch[7]; 7. 1W-Robby Wirth[2]; 8. 24M-Aaron Muhle[8]; 9. 51-Chris Young[3]
Article by Bill Blumer Jr.
Submitted By: William Blumer