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BADGER MIDGET SERIES PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Bryan Gapinski
“Daum tops Angell Park field ”
“Kuhn nears fourth Badger Crown, Car Owner & Micro titles up for grabs”
By Bryan Gapinski
Sun Prairie, Wis., Aug. 31---Zach Daum won the 30-lap POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget and Stark Automotive Group-Mid-State Equipment Badger Midget Series co-sanctioned feature Saturday Night at Angell Park Speedway. The event kicked off the two-day Pepsi Midget Nationals at the track. Sunday's event will crown the Badger Midget and 600 micro Champions and be highlighted by the 33rd annual 50-lap Pepsi Midget Nationals.
Andrew Felker jumped into the lead at the start of event followed by Darren Hagen. Issac Chapel escaped injury during a flip on Lap One. Felker and Hagen held a slight advantage over the field during the first eight laps. Daum moved into second place on Lap 10. Fourth place running Austin Brown stopped on the track one lap short of the halfway mark causing a caution flag.
On the restart Hagen challenged Felker for the lead and pulled even with Felker on Lap 15. Terry Babb made contact with another car at the start finish/line and hit the wall flipping multiple times, with his car tearing into the front stretch catch fence with four fence posts being removed from the wall. Babb was uninjured and track officials made repairs in around 25 minutes.
Hagen driving the Wilke No 5. was unable to restart the event due to engine problems. Daum now running in second place began challenging Felker for the lead with ten laps remaining. Daum took the lead as the pair crossed the start/finish line on Lap 21. Caleb Armstrong also passed Felker for the second position. Two laps later Felker regained the second position. Daum continued to increase his lead, when third place Armstrong stalled, bringing out the caution, with two laps remaining.
Daum driving the Dan Daum owned Eagle/Toyota No. 5 finished three-car lengths ahead of Felker. Brad Kuhn who started in 13th position placed third followed by fast qualifier Parker Price-Miller and Brandon Waelti.
Kuhn has a virtual lock on his fourth Badger Drivers Championship now holding a 99-point lead over Felker, with 116 points available in Sunday’s final event. The battle for the Car Owners Championship now has Dan Felker No. 11 holding a 13-point lead over Bill Ecker No. 57.
“The car was perfect at the bottom allowing us to pass Felker, hopefully this is a great tuneup for tomorrow’s race” commented Daum who scored his second career victory at the track, and sixth overall of the season.
Jake Reif led the entire distance winning the 15-lap Badger 600 Micro Series feature for his third victory of the season. Reif finished ahead of Brandon Sletten, Ben Paderta, Chad Bogar, and Vance Lein, Matt Paderta finished sixth and holds a 42-point lead over Bogar heading into Sunday's final event.
SUMMARY
MIDGETS
30-lap Feature: 1. Zach Daum; 2. Andrew Felker; 3. Brad Kuhn; 4.Parker Price-Miller; 5. Brandon Waelti; 6. Jake Blackhurst; 7. Davey Ray; 8. Daniel Robinson; 9. Billy Balog; 10. Dalton Armstrong; 11. Danny Stratton; 12. Garrett Aitken; 13. Cody Weisensel; 14. Caleb Armstrong; 15. Robbie Ray; 16. Darren Hagen; 17. Seth Motsinger; 18. Terry Babb; 19. Austin Brown; 20. Todd Lehr; 21. Tyler Thomas; 22. Issac Chapel.
12-lap Semi Feature Winner: Price-Miller.
10-lap Heat Race Winners: Hagen, Stratton, Thomas.
Fast Time: Price-Miller, 14.654 seconds.
Cars Present: 26 Feature Lap Leaders: Felker 1-20, Daum 21-30
* Chappel flipped on Lap 1 and Babb flipped on Lap 15 of feature, no injuries.
600 MICROS
15-lap feature: 1. Jake Reif; 2. Brandon Sletten; 3. Ben Paderta; 4. Chad Bogar; 5. Vance Lein; 6. Matt Paderta; 7. Trevor McKern; 8. Jason Dull; 9. Tory Strauss; 10. Preston Benisch; 11. Will Gerrits; 12. Norm Ehrke; 13. Brian Haugland; 14. Dusty Gerrits; 15. Jake Goeglein; 16. Dustin Steffan; 17. Jerry Reif.
8-lap Heat Winners: Sletten, Lein, B. Paderta.
Feature Lap Leaders: Reif 1-15.
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