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"Whitt scores first Midget Feature Victory;Hess locks up Badger Midget Title"                   
 
By Bryan Gapinski
Beaver Dam,Wis., Aug. 29---Cole Whitt survived five restarts as the leader to win the 30-lap Mid-State Equipment Sue Thiel Memorial, Friday Night at Dodge County Fairgrounds. The event was co-sanctioned by the USAC Mopar National and Badger Midget Car Series. Mike Hess clinched the Badger Midget Driver's Championship, with one race remaining, placing eight in the event.

Whitt jumped into the lead at the start, and led a four-car breakaway from the field, when the events first caution appeared for a stalled car on lap 9. Whitt led Brady Bacon and Levi Jones for the next three laps, before another caution appeared again for a stalled car. Jerry Coons Jr., trying for a third straight feature victory at the track flipped on lap 16, running in fourth position. Coons was uninjured.   

One lap after the restart Bacon moved into second position. Bacon trailed Whitt by one car length for the next few laps, closely followed by Jones and Brad Sweet. Sweet who set a new track record in qualifying, stopped with five laps remaining causing the events final caution.
 
On the restart Bacon stayed on Whitt's bumper but couldn't pull off a pass for the lead, during the final five circuits. Whitt driving the Keith Kunz owned Billet/Ford-Esslinger No. 71 finished two car lengths ahead of Bacon. The win was the first ever midget feature victory for the Alpine, Calif. driver. Jones, USAC points leader Tracy Hines, and Darren Hagen completed the top five. 

The event, run before a Standing-Room Only Crowd was the final of four Midget Maynia Tour events, with Tony Stewart Racing's No. 21 winning the overall championship. Brad Loyet flipped hard into the Turn 3 wall, during qualifying. Loyet was transferred to Beaver Dam Memorial Hospital for observation.
 
SUMMARY
30-lap Feature: 1. Cole Whitt, 2. Brady Bacon, 3. Levi Jones, 4. Tracy Hines, 5. Darren Hagen, 6. Scott Hatton, 7. Gary Altig, 8. Mike Hess, 9. Dustin Morgan, 10. Chad Boat, 11. Davey Ray, 12. Kody Swanson, 13. Brad Sweet, 14. Brad Kuhn, 15. Joe Wipperfurth, 16. David Gough, 17. Matt Westfall, 18. Tim Noble, 19. Jerry Coons Jr., 20. Aaron Fiscus, 21. Dakoda Armstrong, 22. Chad DeSelle, 23. Bobby East.
 
8-lap Heat Winners: Sweet, Altig, Whitt.
Fast Time: Sweet, 20.425 Seconds (NTR).
Cars Present: 25  Feature Lap Leaders: Whitt 1-30.
**Loyet flipped during qualifying and was taken to Beaver Dam Memorial Hospital for observation. Coons flipped on lap 16 of the feature.

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Pepsi Fireman's Nationals race#5 in midget racing's crown jewel for '08
 
By Bryan Gapinski
Sun Prairie, Wis., Aug. 27---The 27th annual Firemans' Nationals presented by Pepsi, is slated for Saturday Night Aug. 30 at Angell Park Speedway. The event which was started in 1982 as a two-day event, traces its history back to the early 70's when Pepsi of Madison sponsored the season finale at the 1/3-mile clay oval.  

Switched back to a one-day show in 1983, the event's purse and prestige has grown over the years and is now considered one of the "Elite Eight" midget auto events of the season (other are: Chili Bowl, Night Before the 500, Knoxville, Belleville, Hut Hundred, Copper World and Turkey Night).

The event has created countless memories and for the 14 different winning drivers, is the victory stand amongst their career highlights. Interesting event facts include:
 
----Drivers Kevin Doty and Kevin Olson each have five victories, with Dan Boorse, Tracy Hines, and Scott Hatton the only other multiple-winners. Rich Vogler and Stevie Reeves are the only drivers to win the event in their first attempt.
 
----Car Owner Wilke Racing has won the event nine times with six different drivers. Olson ('83, '86, '87), Vogler ('85),  Reeves ('91), Hines ('01, '02), Davey Ray ('03) and last year with Jerry Coons Jr.
 
----The event has determined the Badger Champion, eleven times, the last time being 2002.
 
----Largest field of cars was 61 for the 1990 event.
 
----Only six drivers have led a feature lap in their first event. Vogler ('85), Reeves ('91),  Rick Treadway ('98), Ricky Shelton ('98), Kevin Swindell ('07), and Brad Sweet ('07).
 
----The 1998 event saw a record five different drivers lead the race including Nick Lundgreen, Treadway, Kevin Koch, Shelton and Olson.
 
----Twenty drivers have posted fast time for the event. Only Stan Fox (3), and Hines (2) are multi-time fast qualifiers. Steve Paden (2002) is the only to set fast time and not transfer to the feature.
 
----Davey Ray (2003) is the only driver to lead the opening lap and win the event. Ray is also the only driver to lead all 50-laps.
 
----The following drivers won the Nationals and scored a major midget victory the same season:
1983: Kevin Olson (Turkey Night)
1985: Rich Vogler (Hut Hundred)
1991: Stevie Reeves (Copper World, Hut Hundred)
1993: Page Jones (Belleville)
1994: Kevin Doty (Belleville, Hut Hundred)
1999: Dan Boorse (Chili Bowl)
2000: Jay Drake (Hut Hundred)
2001: Tracy Hines (Hut Hundred)
2007: Jerry Coons Jr. (Belleville)
 
----Kevin Doty holds the record for leading 170 total feature laps and most preliminary race wins with eleven. While Doty and Kevin Olson each led eight Nationals events. Dan Boorse leads all drivers with 14 top-five finishes.
 
----Stealth leads all chassis manufacturers, with ten event wins. Mopar, has been the engine of choice for the last three winners, and combined with the Sesco-Mopar victories in '02, and '03, they have five straight victories.
 
----In 1983 Don "Ditto" Tyler won the C Feature, then the B-Feature and then finished second, a half-car length behind winner Kevin Olson in the events closest finish.
 
----The $15,000 first place winners check, will top the event's record winners share won by Coons last year of $10,600.
 
Pit Gates open at 3:30 pm  on Saturday Aug.30, with practice starting at 6:00 pm, followed by qualifying and the first race at 7:00 pm. Rain dates for the event are Sunday Aug. 31 and Monday Sep. 1.

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Jones leads teammate Hines to Angell Park checkers

By Bryan Gapinski
Sun Prairie,Wis., Aug. 24---Levi Jones won Sunday Night's 30-lap "National Midget Hall of Fame Classic Round Two" at Angell Park Speedway. The event was co-sanctioned by the USAC Mopar National and Badger Midget Car Series. Jones was also the overall two-day point champion.

Dave Darland jumped into the lead at the start and quickly pulled away from a tightly bunched field. By lap 8 Darland held a half-straightaway lead, four laps later Darland's lead was erased when the caution appeared for the spun car of Brady Bacon.  On the restart Darland again began increasing his lead each lap. On lap 15 Tracy Hines, moved into second place after starting in the 12th position.

Five laps later Brad Loyet took over the second position, but suffered an engine problem before completing the lap, forcing him to hit the Turn 3 wall, and flip. On the restart Darland led Hines and Jones. Entering Turn 1 Jones chose the high and passed both Hines and Darland to take the top position, one lap later Hines took over second place. Hines chased down Jones closing to his rear bumper with four laps remaining.The pair were even at the start/finish line on lap 28, with Jones leading.   

Jones driving the Tony Stewart Racing owned Spike/Chevrolet No.20 finished one car-length ahead of his teammate Hines. Darland, Cole Whitt, and Darren Hagen completed the top five. Twenty cars completed the full distance of the event. "The car was great, this made up for last night's race" commented Jones, referring to leading the previous night's feature until four laps remaining. 

Hines increased his USAC point lead to 75 points over Cole Whitt. Mike Hess holds a 172-point margin over Scott Hatton, heading into the USAC/Badger co-sanctioned Sue Thiel Memorial on Aug. 29 at Dodge County Fairgrounds. The Badger season then concludes the next day Saturday Aug. 30 with the running of the 27th annual Fireman's Nationals at Angell Park,Which will pay $15,000 to the feature winner.

SUMMARY
30-lap Feature: 1. Levi Jones, 2. Tracy Hines, 3. Dave Darland, 4. Cole Whitt, 5. Darren Hagen, 6. Jerry Coons Jr., 7. Brad Sweet, 8. Davey Ray, 9. Scott Hatton, 10. Chad Boat, 11. A.J. Fike, 12. Brady Bacon, 13. Bobby East, 14. Mike Hess, 15. Dustin Morgan, 16. Critter Malone, 17. Kody Swanson, 18. Aaron Fiscus, 19. Brandon Waelti, 20. Joe Wipperfurth, 21. Brad Loyet, 22. Ryan Criswell, 23. Brad Kuhn.
12-lap Semi Feature Winner: Darland .
10-lap Heat Race Winners:Coons,Hines, Sweet, East .
Fast Time:Pickens, 15.073 seconds.
Cars Present: 37  Feature Lap Leaders: Darland 1-20, Jones 21-30.
*Pickens flipped during the first heat. Barber flipped during the fourth heat. Loyet flipped on lap 20 of the feature.

Badger Midget Series points: 1. Mike Hess 1560; 2. Scott Hatton 1388; 3. Brandon Waelti 1332; 4. Jerry Coons Jr. 1101; 5. Gary Altig 1070;  6. Aaron Fiscus 1046;  7. Davey Ray 983;  8. Joe Wipperfurth 939; 9.Chad DeSelle 867; 10. David Gough 858.

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Kuhn tops USAC/Badger field at Angell Park

By Bryan Gapinski
Sun Prairie,Wis., Aug. 23---Brad Kuhn, executed a late-race pass to win Saturday Night's 30-lap "National Midget Hall of Fame Classic Round One" at Angell Park Speedway. The event was co-sanctioned by the USAC Mopar National and Badger Midget Car Series.

Levi Jones moved into the lead at the start, with Jerry Coons Jr. quickly moving into second place on lap 2. Two separate spins,  two laps later involved Tracy Hines and Brad Sweet, both of whom restarted from the back of the field. Jones and Coons again pulled away from the field, with Coons gaining the top position on lap 7.Within a lap Coons moved to a one second lead. Two more cautions appeared for minor spins on lap 9.

Coons held the lead when another caution appeared on lap 13. During the caution Coons suffered engine problems forcing him to stop on the track, and retire from the event. Jones reassumed the lead over Kuhn on the restart. The next nine laps Jones ran the cushion, while Kuhn chose the bottom groove. Jones led a slight advantage, when fast qualifier Bobby East running in fifth place flipped, escaping injury on lap 22.

On the restart Jones and Kuhn again continued their battle for the lead using two different grooves. Kuhn drew even with Jones at the start/finish line on lap 26, and took the lead before the completion of the lap. Kuhn then increased his lead each lap. Sweet completed his charge from the back of the field making several passes for positions in the final laps.

Kuhn driving the Tanya Mentgen owned Spike/Fontana No. 07 finished four-car lengths ahead of Sweet, followed by Jones, Cole Whitt, and Davey Ray. Hines who finished seventh, and Mike Hess who placed 13th increased their point leads in their quest for USAC and Badger Championships.
 
SUMMARY
30-lap Feature: 1. Brad Kuhn, 2. Brad Sweet, 3. Levi Jones, 4. Cole Whitt, 5. Davey Ray, 6. Brady Bacon, 7. Tracy Hines, 8. Tim Noble, 9. A.J. Fike, 10. Aaron Fiscus, 11. Dustin Morgan, 12. Dave Darland, 13. Mike Hess, 14. Ricky Ehrgott, 15. Chad Boat, 16. Darren Hagen, 17. Bobby East, 18. Chase Barber, 19. Jerry Coons Jr., 20. Brad Loyet, 21. Scott Hatton, 22. Gary Altig.
 
12-lap Semi Feature Winner: Jones.
10-lap Heat Race Winners: Fiscus, Loyet, Hatton, Hines.
Fast Time: East, 14.779 seconds.
Cars Present: 34  Feature Lap Leaders: Laps 1-6 Jones, Laps 7-13 Coons, Laps 14-26 Jones, Laps 27-30 Kuhn.
**Waelti flipped during second heat. East flipped during the feature. 

Davey Ray scores first victory for car owner John Jones at Angell Park in Corn Fest 50

By Bryan Gapinski
Sun Prairie, Wis., Aug. 17---Former series champion Davey Ray captured the 50-lap Badger Midget Series feature, Sunday Night at Angell Park Speedway. It marked the first ever feature victory for car owner John Jones and Jones Motorsports. 

Joe Wipperfurth paced the initial two laps, before Ray moved into the lead. As Ray took the lead, Jerry Coons Jr. moved into fourth place, after starting in the 12th position. Two cautions appeared on laps six and seven for stalled cars. On the second restart, Coons passed Ray for the lead on the backstretch. Tracy Hines passed Ray for second place on lap 12 and trailed Coons by nearly three seconds.

Coons' lead was narrowed as he began lapping cars on lap 20. Coons led Hines at the midway point by one second. One of the events turning points took place on lap 28, when Hines pulled into the pit area, with mechanical problems. Fast qualifier Bobby East running in fourth place stopped on the track with a flat tire. During the caution series points leader Mike Hess pitted to change a right rear tire.

Coons pulled away from Ray, and began increasing his advantage, when on lap 35, Coons pulled off the track, with engine problems. Ray reassumed the lead, and with five laps remaining held a five car length lead over Scott Hatton. The caution then appeared for Brandon Waelti, who stopped with a flat tire.

On the restart Ray pulled away from the field, while Hess restarting in sixth place quickly passed two cars, and then Hatton slowed, one lap later, with engine problems. Hess continued his charge through the field and trailed Ray by one second at the finish. Ray drove the John Jones owned Stealth/Sesco-Mopar No. 41 to the victory followed by Hess, Brad Kuhn, Aaron Fiscus and Bubba Altig.

The victory ended a string of near-miss feature victories by Jones, who the series Rookie of the Year in 1997, and retired from driving a few seasons ago to become a car owner.  Hess holds a point lead over Hatton heading into the doubleheader Aug. 23-24 events co-sanctioned with the USAC Mopar National Midget Series.

SUMMARY
50-lap Feature: 1. Davey Ray; 2. Mike Hess; 3. Brad Kuhn; 4. Aaron Fiscus; 5. Bubba Altig; 6. Joe Wipperfurth; 7. Scott Hatton; 8. Buddy Luebke; 9. Kurt Mayhew; 10. Dan Mecum; 11. Brandon Waelti; 12. Jerry Coons Jr.; 13. Tracy Hines; 14. Bobby East; 15. Chad DeSelle; 16. Pat Jones; 17. Tim Noble; 18. Byron Walters.      

15-lap Semi Feature Winner: Waelti .
10-lap Heat Race Winners: Hines, Hatton, Coons .
Fast Time: East, 14.652 seconds.
Cars Present: 23  Feature Lap Leaders: Wipperfurth 1-2, Ray 3-7, Coons 8-35, Ray 36-50.  
*Jim Fuerst flipped in Semi Feature, uninjured.
 
Current Badger Midget Series points
1. Mike Hess 1474
2. Scott Hatton 1307
3. Brandon Waelti 1282
4. Bubba Altig 1034
5. Jerry Coons Jr. 994
6. Aaron Fiscus 966
7. Joe Wipperfurth 893
8. Davey Ray 857
9.Chad DeSelle 834
10. David Gough 827

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Victory Number Three for Hatton
 
By Bryan Gapinski
Sun Prairie, Wis., Aug. 10---Three-time series Champion Scott Hatton, captured the 30-lap Badger Midget Series feature, Sunday Night at Angell Park Speedway. The victory was the third for Hatton this season, and moved him into second place in series points.

As the field was about to complete the first lap, series points leader Mike Hess flipped, ending his quest for a third straight feature victory. A complete restart saw Tim Noble jumping into the lead, with Hatton moving into third place on lap 3. Three circuits later Hatton moved into second, and began to close on Noble's lead.

Entering Turn 3 on lap 10, Hatton took the lead. Noble stayed on Hatton's rear bumper and with lapped traffic in front of the leaders, Noble regained the lead on lap 16, leading two more laps before surrending the top position to Hatton. Bubba Altig passed Noble for second place on lap 22, and began cutting into Hatton's lead. Heavy lapped traffic during the final few laps narrowed Hatton's advantage.
Hatton driving the Huston Solution Racing Stealth/Mopar No. 15 finished 1.03 seconds ahead of Altig. Austrian Adam Clarke, who started in the last row, finished third, with Noble and trophy dash winner Chad DeSelle completing the top five. Hatton's winning time was less than three seconds off the existing track record set by Larry Rice in 1970.

Hess now holds a 150-point lead over Hatton, with Brandon Waelti trailing in third place by an additional two points. The next event will be the Cornfest 50-lap event at the track on Aug. 17.

SUMMARY
30-lap Feature: 1. Scott Hatton;  2. Bubba Altig; 3. Adam Clarke; 4. Tim Noble; 5. Chad DeSelle; 6. Robbie Ray; 7. Aaron Fiscus; 8. David Gough; 9. Steve Irwin; 10. Kurt Mayhew; 11. Buddy Luebke; 12. Jon LeJuene; 13. Joe Wipperfurth; 14. Byron Walters; 15. David Budres; 16. Brandon Waelti; 17. Mike Hess.    
 
15-lap Semi Feature Winner: DeSelle.
10-lap Heat Race Winners: Waelti, Hess.
4-lap Trophy Dash Winner: DeSelle.
Fast Time: Hess, 14.737 seconds.
Cars Present: 19  Feature Lap Leaders: Noble 1-10, Hatton 11-15, Noble 16-18, Hatton 19-30.
*Hess flipped on lap 1 of feature, uninjured.
 
Current Badger Midget Series points: 1. Mike Hess 1377; 2. Scott Hatton 1227; 3. Brandon Waelti 1225; 4. Bubba Altig 965; 5. Jerry Coons Jr. 944; 6. Aaron Fiscus 901;  7. Joe Wipperfurth 843;  8. David Gough 827; 9. Chad DeSelle 797; 10. Davey Ray 752.
 

Hess scores last lap Badger Midget victory

By Bryan Gapinski
Sun Prairie, Wis., Aug. 3---Series points leader Mike Hess scored a dramatic last victory, capturing the 30-lap Badger Midget Series feature, Sunday Night at Angell Park Speedway.

Davey Ray took the lead at the start, a close battle behind Ray settled down by lap 5, with Brandon Waelti, running in second place, followed by Hess. Waelti caught Ray on lap 9, and made a pass for the lead. Five laps later Hess took over the second position, trailing Waelti by nearly two seconds. 

        
A four car accident on the next lap, erased Waelti's advantage. Waelti jumped to a four car length advantage on the restart. Waelti chose the bottom groove, while Hess ran the high line against the wall on a thin cushion. The next ten laps, Waelti's advantage remained around three car lengths as the pair pulled away from the field. Hess closed to Waelti's rear bumper with three laps remaining.
Hess got a great run off the cushion, coming for the white flag, and was the leader at the start/finish line by a few feet. Waelti regained the lead entering Turn 1. The leaders cleared a lapped car, and were even down the backstretch. Hess again had a great run off the cushion, as the pair exited Turn 4 and edged Waelti by a car-length at the finish.  Trailing Hess who drove the Jerry Hardy owned Buzzard/Hawk Chevrolet No. 4 and Waelti were Bubba Altig, Ray, and Australian Matt Smith.

SUMMARY
30-lap Feature: 1. Mike Hess; 2. Brandon Waelti;  3. Gary Altig; 4. Davey Ray; 5. Matt Smith; 6. Scott Hatton; 7. Joe Wipperfurth; 8. Adam Clarke; 9. Tim Noble; 10. Kurt Mayhew; 11. David Budres; 12. Jon LeJuene; 13. Aaron Fiscus; 14. David Gough; 15. Chad DeSelle; 16. Jim Fuerst; 17. Jason Dull; 18. Dick Kaiser; 19. Robbie Ray.    
 
10-lap Semi Feature Winner: Waelti.
10-lap Heat Race Winners: Hess, Altig, Clarke .
Fast Time: Clarke, 14.644 seconds.
Cars Present: 20  Feature Lap Leaders: D. Ray 1-9, Waelti 10-28, Hess 29-30.
 
Current Badger Midget Series points:
1. Mike Hess 1319
2. Brandon Waelti 1165
3. Scott Hatton 1122
4. Jerry Coons Jr. 944
5. Gary Altig 861
6. Aaron Fiscus 853
7. Joe Wipperfurth 797
8. David Gough 772
9. Davey Ray 752
10. Chad DeSelle 719

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2008 Badger Midget Series Schedule
Date                    Track/Location
Sat. March 29       Brandon Waelti
Sun. March 30      Amsoil Sandbox Arena (New Richmond,Wis.)
Sat. May 3           Charter Raceway (Beaver Dam,Wis.)
Sun. May 18         Angell Park Speedway (Sun Prairie, Wis.),  50-laps
Sun. May 25         Angell Park Speedway,  50-laps (rain date: May 26)
Fri. May 30           Dodge County Fairgrounds (Beaver Dam, Wis.)*
Sat. May 31          Charter Raceway
Sun. June 1          Angell Park Speedway
Sun. June 8          Angell Park Speedway 
Sat. June 14         Wilmot Speedway (Wilmot,Wis.)
Sun. June 15        Angell Park Speedway
Fri. June 20          Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville,Iowa)**
Sat. June 21         Knoxville Raceway**
Sun. June 22        Angell Park Speedway
Sun. June 29        Angell Park Speedway
Sun. July 6           Angell Park Speedway
Sat. July 12          Charter Raceway
Sun. July 13         Angell Park Speedway
Sun. July 20         Angell Park Speedway
Sun. July 27         Angell Park Speedway
Sun. Aug. 3          Angell Park Speedway
Sun. Aug. 10        Angell Park Speedway
Sun. Aug. 17        Angell Park Speedway 50-laps Corn Fest
Sat. Aug. 23        Angell Park Speedway, HoF Classic Round One*
Sun. Aug. 24       Angell Park Speedway, HoF Classic Round Two*
Sat. Aug. 30        Angell Park Speedway, Firemans Nationals (rain date: Aug. 30, Sep. 1)
* event co-sanctioned with USAC National Midget Car Series
** event co-sanctioned with USAC, ARDC, POWRi, RMMRA, SMRS

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