7/27/2018
RacinBoys
Ray tops Badger Midgets at Angell Park Speedway
By Bryan Gapinski (Sun Prairie, WI) -- Davey Ray won the 20-lap Zimbrick Chevrolet of Sun Prairie Badger Midget Racing Series feature Thursday Night at Angell Park Speedway. The event was co-sanctioned with the POWRi Lucas Oil Regional Midget Series. It was his third series feature victory of the season.
Marty Saso paced in the opening feature lap before Andy Baugh claimed the top position. A caution appeared for a stalled car on the fourth lap. On the restart Jordan Mattson passed Baugh for the lead. Mattson quickly increased his lead to slightly over two seconds, when a caution appeared for a spun car, one lap short of the mid-way point.
PHOTO CREDIT: Bob Cruse photo
Ray who was in fifth position on the restart passed two cars immediately and then closed on Mattson passing him for the lead as the pair crossed the start/finish line to complete Lap 12. Baugh passed Mattson for second place, two laps later.
With five laps remaining Baugh struck the backstretch wall, underneath the scoreboard and executed a wild series of "nose to tail flips". Baugh was checked out at the track by medical staff and released before the completion of the feature. On the restart, with a clear track ahead of him, Ray easily pulled away from the field. An intense four- car battle the final laps allowed Ray to score an easy victory.
Ray driving the Mark Ray owned DRC/Honda No. 3 finished 3.87 seconds ahead of Ryan Probst who gained the runner-up honors in the final two laps. Probst also claimed the Advance Race Suspensions Hard Charger Award improving nine positions. Mattson finished third for his best career midget feature finish, followed by Scott Hatton, and Kevin Olson. Shay Sassano who finished in 19th place won the Howard Law Cash Draw, a bonus for a randomly selected feature finishing position.
"Angell Park is still my favorite track to race at, my Uncle Mark and cousin Robbie has the car perfect again tonight" commented Ray who scored his 16th career feature victory at the track.
Hatton now holds a forty-one point lead over Olson entering the doubleheader weekend which sees both series Saturday Aug. 4 at Sycamore (Ill.) Speedway,
with a return to Angell Park Speedway the following day Sunday Aug. 5.
SUMMARY
20-lap Feature: 1. Davey Ray; 2. Ryan Probst; 3. Jordan Mattson; 4. Scott Hatton; 5. Kevin Olson; 6. Tyler Baran; 7. David Budres; 8. Zach Boden; 9. Kyle Brinkman; 10. Mike Stroik; 11. Marty Saso; 12. Kyle Koch; 13. Brian Peterson; 14. Jack Routson; 15. Denny Smith; 16. Pat Hensen; 17. Tristan Koenings; 18. Harrison Kleven; 19. Shay Sassano; 20. Andy Baugh; 21. Jake Goeglein; 22. Mike Unger.
8-lap Engler Machine Heat Race Winner: Koch.
8-lap DMI Heat Race Winner: Baugh.
8-lap Cardinal Htg & Air Cond. Heat Race Winner: Ray.
Fast Time: McDermond, 15.675 seconds.
Cars Present: 23 Feature Lap Leaders: Saso 1, Baugh 2-4 Mattson 5-11, Ray 12-20.
Current Badger Midget Series Points: 1. Scott Hatton 767; 2. Kevin Olson 726; 3. Tyler Baran 667; 4. Ryan Probst 662; 5. Zach Boden 578; 6. Chase McDermond 555; 7. Andrew Felker 506; 8. Kurt Mayhew 381; 9. Davey Ray 345; 10. Mike Stroik 343.
RACE NOTES
---For second-place Probst, it marked his second straight series feature runner-up finish, and career best at Angell Park. The third-place finish also was a career best for car owner Scott Zane's No. 77 entry, driven by 2017 Wisconsin Wingeless Sprint Car Series Champion Mattson.
---Four drivers competing in the All Star/IRA co-sanctioned sprint car, which shared the event had scored previous career Badger feature victories: Bill Balog (five), Tony Stewart (three), Rico Abreu (three), and Carson Macedo (one).
---Tristan Koenings, and Mike Ungar made they first ever career Angell Park starts.
---Many former Badger drivers were in attendance at the event including seven-time champion Dan Boorse, three-time champion Randy Koch, 1978 champion Ken Biertzer, Larry Hillerud, Hans Lein, Roger Corrigan, Troy Copper, Doug Schenck, and David Ward to name a few.
---Nine races remain for the 2018 Badger season including four events at Angell Park on Aug. 5, Aug. 12, Aug. 19 and Sept. 2.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
