By Bryan Gapinski
Beaver Dam, Wis., May 1—Two-time Series Champion Brad Kuhn captured the season opening Mid-State Equipment Badger Midget Racing series 30-lap feature Saturday Night at Beaver Dam Raceway. The event kicked off the 74th year of sanctioning midget auto racing for the organization, oldest in the country.
Brandon Waelti paced the opening lap while Scott Hatton passed four cars in the first two laps to take the lead on the second lap closely followed by Kuhn. Kuhn then took over the lead two laps passing Hatton. The pair pulled away from the field and had a sizeable advantage, when the events only caution appeared on Lap 10 for a stalled car.
Kuhn then pulled away from Hatton on the restart increasing his advantage slightly every lap around the 1/3-mile oval. Kuhn spent the final eight laps in lapped traffic. Kuhn driving the RWB Motorsports owned Beast/Fontana#17 finished 3.23 seconds ahead of Hatton, fast qualifier Zach Daum, Travis Berryhill and Davey Ray who started in last position. The victory was the fourth career feature win at the track for the Avon, Ind. driver. Series action continues on May 15 at Wilmot (Wis.) Speedway.
SUMMARY
30-lap Feature: 1. Brad Kuhn; 2. Scott Hatton; 3. Zach Daum; 4.Travis Berryhill; 5. Davey Ray; 6.Brandon Waelti; 7.Bob Schreffler; 8. David Budres; 9. Daniel Robinson; 10. Levi Roberts; 11. Eric Johnson; 12. Mike Hess; 13. Robbie Ray; 14.Brad Loyet; 15. David Gough; 16. Courtney Erfurth.
8-lap Heat Race Winners: Schreffler, Hatton, Daum.
Fast Time: Daum, 15.101 seconds.
Car Present: 17 Feature Lap Leaders: Waelti 1, Hatton 2-3, Kuhn 4-30.
*Loyet flipped in qualifying, Berryhill flipped in first heat, B.G. Wood flipped in second heat.All driver uninjured.
Current Badger Midget Series points: 1. Brad Kuhn 112; 2. Scott Hatton 101; 3. Zach Daum 101; 4. Travis Berryhill 81; 5. Bob Schreffler 60; 6. Davey Ray 60; 7. Brandon Waelti 59; 8. Mike Hess 59; 9. David Budres 53; 10. Levi Roberts 49.