By Bryan Gapinski
Sun Prairie, Wis., Oct. 3– The 83rd year of the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association has come to conclusion. The Zimbrick Chevrolet of Sun Prairie sponsored series reached several milestones during the 19-race season which spanned a period of 161-days. They include:
—Nineteen events, producing eighteen features were held at seven different tracks, with eleven different feature winners, six events were cancelled due to weather related issues.
—The average car count was 24.5 cars per event, with a total of 53 different cars and 59 different drivers competing.
—Chase McDermand becomes just the third “teenage” Badger driver champion, and the youngest at 19 years old, two months and two days. Others under twenty were: Christopher Bell (2014-19y, 8m, 0d) and Aaron Fike (2002-19y, 9m, 8d).
—Chase McDermand’s two-point margin in the final point tally was the closest ever in drivers points the record of a three-point difference between Bob Walldan, and John Hartwig in 1974. Car Owner Kevin McDermand topped Tim Routson by thirty-points in the owners points.
—Jack Routson became the youngest feature winner ever capturing the
June 8 event at the Plymouth Dirt Track. Routson was 17 years old, three months, and four days. On the “other side of the coin” five-time series champion Kevin Olson became the oldest Badger and Angell Park Speedway feature winner, at 68 years, four months and twenty-eight days when he won the July 21 event.
—Ryan Probst led the series with 47-feature laps led. Probst also tied with Chase McDermand, and Scott Hatton for the most preliminary race wins (six).
—Chase McDermand, Scott Hatton, and Jack Routson tied for the series lead with three fast times each.
—Six different drivers won Badger sanctioned features for the first time in their career: Jack Routson (four), Thomas Meseruall (two), Chase Jones, Mike Stroik, Zach Boden, and Jordan Mattson.
—Eight new track records were established at five different tracks.
Final 2019 Badger Midget Series Points (Driver): 1. Chase McDermand 1462; 2. Jack Routson 1460; 3. Zach Boden 1249; 4. Ryan Probst 1232; 5. Kevin Olson 1153; 6. Scott Hatton 1130; 7. Jeff Zelinski 1050; 8. Matt Recheck 920; 9. Mike Stroik 897; 10. Kurt Mayhew 693.
Final Badger Midget Series Points (Car Owner): 1. Kevin McDermand#40-1462; 2. Tim Routson#14-1432; 3. Harlan Kittleson#2-1249; 4. Probst Motorsports#99-1232; 5. Don Kleven#9-1153; 6. Jerry Hatton#1-1130; 7. David Alexander#15-1050; 8. Team Stroik#9-897; 9. RAB Racing#57-833;
10. Breuer Racing#5-813.