From Jeff Pederson
July 17, 2022 – Thirty-year veteran Tim Haddy of Waupun reached into his sizable bag of tricks to fend off a late-race challenge from Will Gerrits of Waupun and secure his first Midwest Sprint Car Association A-main victory of the 2022 season Sunday, July 17 at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis.
Haddy, who has been a regular competitor with the MSA series since its inception in 1999, grabbed the initial lead of the 25-lap MSA main event from the pole position as Will Gerrits, who started on the outside of the front row, tucked into second.
By lap five, Haddy had built up a full straightaway advantage over Gerrits on the fast and tricky third-mile clay oval racing surface. Haddy caught the rear of the field on lap nine, which allowed Gerrits to cut into the lead.
Gerrits pulled to within striking distance as Haddy attempted to move past a slower car along the undulating cushion before the lone caution flag of the race appeared on lap 15 for a spin involving Tyler Davis of Franklin in turn two.
Following the restart, Haddy again powered away to a sizable lead as defending MSA champion and current point leader Travis Arenz of Sheboygan, who started 11th, catapulted his way into fourth on lap 16.
As Haddy closed in on slower traffic, Gerrits cut the gap once again as the laps wound down. After following in Haddy’s tire tracks for the majority of the race, Gerrits dove low to inch ahead of Haddy in turn two on the final circuit of the race.
However, Haddy battled back to regain the lead entering turn three and successfully turned back Gerrits’ spirited challenge to notch his 20th career MSA A-main victory and first MSA main event triumph since Aug. 1, 2021 at Angell Park Speedway.
Gerrits finished a close second, 2005 MSA champion Lance Fassbender of Burnett, who started fourth, finished third, Arenz placed fourth and 2011 MSA champion Ben Schmidt of Plymouth, who started seventh, wound up fifth.
“I saw him [Will Gerrits] down there on the final lap and I knew I had to do everything I could to hold him off,” Haddy said. “Luckily, I was able to do just enough to get the win tonight.”
MSA 10-lap heat race victories went to five-time MSA champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee and Lance Fassbender.
The 10th full MSA 360 Sprint Car Series racing event of the 2022 campaign drew a field of 16 entrants to the historic Angell Park Speedway third-mile clay oval.
The MSA is set to return to The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, July 23 for the inaugural Plymouth Racing Wall of Fame Night program.
Spectator gates open at 4:30 p.m. with MSA qualifying at 5:30 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m.
For more information on the 2022 Midwest Sprint Car Association season, visit www.msasprints.com or check out the Midwest Sprint Car Association Facebook page.
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Midwest Sprint Car Association
Angell Park Speedway
Sun Prairie, Wis.
July 17, 2022
HEAT 1
1, Kurt Davis 2, Will Gerrits 3, Tyler Davis 4, Tyler Brabant 5, Travis Arenz 6, Mike Yurmanovich 7, Blake Wondra 8, Tommy Colburn.
HEAT 2
1, Lance Fassbender 2, Tim Haddy 3, Ben Schmidt 4, Tony Wondra 5, Bill Taylor 6, Katelyn Krebsbach 7, Kevin Seidler 8, J.J. Pagel.
A MAIN
1, Tim Haddy 2, Will Gerrits 3, Lance Fassbender 4, Travis Arenz 5, Ben Schmidt 6, Tyler Brabant 7, Kurt Davis 8, Bill Taylor 9, Tony Wondra 10, Katelyn Krebsbach 11, Tyler Davis 12, Blake Wondra 13, Mike Yurmanovich 14, J.J. Pagel 15, Kevin Seidler (DNS) 16, Tommy Colburn (DNS).