From Bryan Gapinski and Dick Jordan
Sun Prairie, Wis., May 30–Bubba Altig won the 30-lap Stark Automotive Group/Mid-State Equipment Badger Midget Series Feature, Monday Night at Angell Park Speedway. The event was delayed 24-hours due to heavy rain on Sunday. It also marked the start of the 75th anniversary season for Badger, the oldest active sanctioning organization in midget auto racing, and the 65th season for Angell Park.
Hess led the opening three-laps, before Altig took the lead entering Turn 3. Once in front Altig increased his lead, while attention turned to fast qualifier Michael Pickens. Pickens who started tenth, was sixth by lap three, moved into fifth place two-laps later, and was third on Lap 8.
Altig held a three-car length lead over Hess, and Pickens at the mid-way point. One lap later Scott Hatton stalled on the track bringing out the caution. On the restart Altig continued his pace, while Pickens moved into second place on Lap 18. Altig appeared headed for an easily victory, when he became trapped behind two lapped cars with three laps remaining allowing Pickens to close the margin.
With two-laps remaining third placing running Matt Smith, hit a rut lapping slower cars, causing him to flip, escaping injury, the accident also collected fourth place Hess. On the restart Altig was again flawless and finished 0.88 seconds ahead of Pickens driving the D & I Motorsports owned Spike/Fontana#19. Davey Ray, David Budres, and Kurt Mayhew completed the top five. Badger will co-sanction with the Lucas Oil-POWRi Midget Series events on June 3 at Fayette County Speedway (Brownstown, Ill.) and June 4 at Peoria (Ill.) Speedway.
USAC MOPAR D1 MIDGET RACE RESULTS: May 30, 2011 – Sun Prairie, Wisconsin – Angell Park Speedway
QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Michael Pickens, 05, Loyet-14.733; 2. Davey Ray, 2, Ray-14.790; 3. Bubba Altig, 19, D & I-14.913; 4. Kevin Olson, 1H, Hardy-14.915; 5. Matt Smith, 13, Smith-14.998; 6. Bryon Walters, 5, Walters-15.068; 7. Robbie Ray, 3, Ray-15.101; ;8. Daniel Robinson, 57, RAB-15.161; 9. Brandon Waelti, 41, Jones-15.227; 10. Mike Hess, 1, Hardy-15.257; 11. Scott Hatton, 15, Huston-15.270; 12. Bob Schreffler, 21, Schreffler-15.309; 13. Courtney Erfurth, 25, Hardy-15.352; 14. David Budres, 6, A & G-15.393; 15. Kurt Mayhew, 21K, Mayhew-15.405; 16. Cody Weisensel, 20, Weisensel-15.476; 17. Jason Dull, 56, Dull-15.603; 18. Travis Berryhill, 19T, D& I-15.700; 19. Eric Johnson, 82, Johnson-15.998; 20. Derick Gough, 31, Manic-16.640; 21. Troy DeClaire, 57x, DeCaire-16.884.
FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Waelti; 2. Berryhill; 3. Mayhew; 4. Walters; 5. Schreffler; 6. Altig. NT
SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Smith; 2. D.Ray; 3. Hatton; 4. Robinson; 5. Gough; 6. Budres; 7. Dull. NT
THIRD HEAT: (10 laps) 1. R.Ray, 2. Weisensel; 3. Hess; 4. Pickens; 5. Olson; 6. Johnson; 7. Erfurth. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Bubba Altig; 2. Michael Pickens; 3. Davey Ray; 4. David Budres; 5. Kurt Mayhew; 6. Robbie Ray; 7. Cody Weisensel; 8. Mike Hess; 9. Kevin Olson; 10. Bryon Walters; 11. Jason Dull; 12. Matt Smith; 13. Eric Johnson; 14. Daniel Robinson; 15. Scott Hatton; 16. Derick Gough; 17. Brandon Waelti; 18. Bob Schreffler; 19. Travis Berryhill. NT
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**Declaire and Dull flipped during qualifying. Smith flipped on Lap 28 of the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-3 Hess, Laps 4-30 Altig.
NEW MOPAR USAC D1 MIDGET POINTS: 1-Pickens-68; 2-Altig-67; 3-D.Ray-66; 4-Budres-54; 5-Mayhew-54; 6-Weisensel-49; 7-R.Ray-45-8; 8-Hess-45; 9-K.Olson-43; 10-Walters-39.
NEXT MOPAR USAC D1 MIDGET RACE: June 1 – Gas City (IN) I-69 Speedway