By Mike Babicz
(Sun Prairie, WI, Sunday, June 22, 2025)–Eric Wilke of Oconomowoc scored his third 20-lap AutoMeter powered by Gandrud Performance Wisconsin WingLESS Sprints feature win of his career taking top honors in the Kevins’ Classic held at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie on Sunday, June 22, 2025. The event honors Kevin Doty and Kevin Olson.
“I really like this place,” said Wilke, with the win snapping a winless feature drought stretching nearly two years. The win marked his second Angell Park wingless victory, with his first ever career win coming at the legendary track on July 30, 2023. Wilke’s last main win was at Wilmot Raceway on August 19, 2023.
“The track was a little challenging in the first and second turns, but the car was set up super and it worked for me,” said Wilke. “I have to thank my sponsors, crew, and these fans for coming out on such a hot night.”
Allen Hafford of Beach Park, IL jumped into the lead at the drop of the green from his outside row one starting spot. On the second circuit, a three car tangle in turn two brought a red flag due to the cars being locked together. All three involved continued on the restart.
Wilke, who started fourth, worked his way into contention for the top spot working the high side in turn three and four taking the lead on lap five. The race stayed green after the initial red, with Wilke up to the challenge of working lapped traffic in the closing laps.
Wisconsin WingLESS Series pointleader Adam Taylor of Wheatfield, IN, who was bidding for a clean sweep after having posted Body Craft Fast Time and won the Fox Lake Harbor presents All Star Performance 1st heat, came up a couple of car lengths short of being able to challenge Wilke at the finish. Taylor’s second place after starting tenth saw him move up eight positions saw his series feature win streak which began June 1 at Angell Park halted at three in a row.
Zach Raidart of Gurnee, IL, defending series champion, moved up five spots to take third closing within a car length of Taylor at the checkered.
Tyler Kuxhouse of Antioch, IL, winner of the BR Motorsports presents King Race Products 3rd heat, came across fourth. Hafford ended up fifth.
Nathan Crane of Waukegan, IL improved nine positions originally starting 16th ending up seventh.
Next up for the Wisconsin WingLESS is a stretch of shows at Wilmot Raceway where the series began in 2015. The four event stretch begins Starting Saturday, June 28, followed by Car Load & Fireworks Night on Tuesday, July 1. A doubleheader weekend serving as support class for the Larry Hillerud Classic featuring the NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws Sprint Cars Friday and Saturday, July 11 and July 12 is next for Wilmot, with a trip to Plymouth Dirt Track on Saturday, July 26, leading back to a pair of Wilmot dates on Saturday, August 2 and Kenosha County Fair Night on Saturday, August 16.
(Please note George Gaertner III, not George Gaertner Jr., was the driver Saturday, June 21, at Plymouth Dirt Track.)