From Bryan Gapinski
Sun Prairie, WI — (August 12, 2012) –Jerry Coons Jr. won the rain shortened Stark Automotive Group/Mid-State Equipment Badger Midget Series feature, Sunday Night at Angell Park Speedway. Heavy rain showers shortened the race to 25-laps, five short of the scheduled distance.
Thomas Meseraull jumped into the lead at the start, while Coons moved into the runner-up position on the second lap. The pair moved away from the field, with Coons edging Meseraull at the start/finish line to take on the eighth lap. One lap later Coons began lapping the tail of the field was in heavy traffic for the next several laps. The caution appeared on Lap 12 for a stalled car.
Coons again pulled away from the field on the restart, while Davey Ray passed Meseraull for second place. Series points leader Bubba Altig spun on Lap 16 exiting Turn 2. Scott Hatton tried to avoid Altig, but “jumped the cushion” and flipped, escaping injury.
On the restart Ray challenged Coons for the lead. One lap later Vance Lein hit the backstretch wall tearing out a section of sign boards and flipped several times. Lein was transported to local hospital for observation. A light mist started to fall before the cars were pushed off for the restart. Ray challenged Coons for the lead several times during the first two laps, but Coons began increasing his advantage. Rain increased heavily, as Coons was about to complete the 26th lap, bringing out the red flag, reversing scoring to the 25th lap ending the race.
Coons driving the Wilke-PAK Motorsports Spike/Toyota No.5 finished 2.87 seconds ahead of Ray, Meseraull, Danny Startton who started twelfth, and Robbie Ray. The victory was the 26th career for Coons at the track, eighth on the all-time feature win list.
Series points leader Chad Bogar took the lead on the fifth lap winning the 10-lap Badger 600 Micro Series feature, finishing ahead of points leader Chad Bogar, Robby Resch, Jason Dull, fast qualifier Jake Reif and Jason Treault.
Altig holds a 164-point lead over Mike Hess heading into a triple header Badger weekend with events: Friday Aug 17 at Lincoln (Ill) Speedway, and Aug. 18 at Macon (Ill.) Raceway, both events co-sanctioned with POWRi National Midget Series. Sunday Night’s Aug. 19 CornFest Midget Classic at Angell Park will be co-sanctioned with the USAC National Midgets and POWRi.
SUMMARY
Badger Midgets
30-lap Feature: 1. Jerry Coons Jr.; 2. Davey Ray; 3. Thomas Meseraull; 4. Danny Stratton; 5. Robbie Ray; 6. Mike Hess; 7. Brandon Waelti; 8. Kurt Mayhew; 9. Riley Emmel; 10. Eric Johnson; 11. Dalton Armstrong; 12. Cody Weisensel; 13. Ray Seach; 14. Buddy Luebke; 15. Vance Lein; 16. Bubba Altig; 17. Scott Hatton; 18. Caleb Armstrong; 19. Travis Berryhill; 20. Dave Budres; 21. Bryon Walters; 22. Bob Shreffler.
10-lap Heat Race Winners: Coons, Hatton, Meseraull.
Fast Time: Caleb Armstrong, 14.580 seconds.
Cars Present: 22 Feature Lap Leaders: Meseraull 1-7, Coons 8-30.
**Hatton flipped on Lap 16 of feature, uninjured, Lein flipped on Lap 17 of feature, transported to local hospital for observation.
Current Badger Midget Series points: 1. Bubba Altig 775; 2. Mike Hess 611; 3. Brandon Waelti 588; 4. Danny Stratton 558; 5. Scott Hatton 532; 6. Daniel Robinson 495; 7. Davey Ray 422; 8. David Budres 348; 9. Brad Kuhn 315; 10. Cody Weisensel 286.
Badger Micros
10-lap Feature: 1. Chad Bogar; 2. Robby Resch; 3. Jason Dull; 4. Jake Reif; 5 . Jason Treault; 6. Ben Padtra; 7. Scott Crawford; 8. Jerry Reif; 9. D.J. Stefan; 10. Matt Paderta; 11. Preston Benisch.
8-lap Heat Race Winners: Dull, B. Paderta.
Fast Time: Jake Reif, 15.303 seconds.