SUN PRAIRIE, WI (June 21, 1998) -- Their cars coming off the second turn three abreast, Boyd Calvert, Kevin Doty and Dan Boorse raced frantically for the lead during the final laps of the WKOW Channel 27 Badger Midget Auto Racing Association 27 lap A-Main Sunday night at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, WI. As the cars sped down the back-stretch, Calvert, Mt. Horeb, WI, reclaimed the lead he had held since lap 18, when he passed Doty on the inside of turns one and two, and held on through turns three and four for his first win of the 1998 season.
"I kept thinking to myself that I had to stay with my line and not make any mistakes." Said Calvert, the current runner-up in the Badger season points standings, from victory lane, "I felt like once I passed Doty, that he'd be two inches off my rear bumper for the rest of the race. I couldn't lift one iota."

Calvert discovered his winning line in a pre-race walk around the 1/3 mile clay oval.

"I felt like it looked real good on the inside of one and two and good around the cushion in three and four." He said. "Once I committed to that line, I just kept telling myself to stick with it. The guys did a super job preparing the car for me to race it where I did."

The win helped Calvert make up ground on Badger points leader, Dan Boorse, Whitefish Bay, WI who started the race dead last, yet managed to challenge for the win on the final lap before dropping to third.

Boorse, after experience motor problems in qualifications, raced his way into the feature by winning the night's B-main. While most drivers view the B-main as extra wear and tear on the car, Boorse viewed it as an opportunity.

"It actually gave Troy (crew chief Troy Richards) and my dad (Don Boorse) and I a good idea where the fast lines might be." Boorse explained, "We were checking out some of the lines late in the B. Between the B and the A we made a few minor shock changes, but nothing major. We even ran on the same tires that we had on during the B.

The race began with a scary looking wreck on the opening lap involving the outside second and third row cars of Rick Mueller and Randy Koch. Mueller's car jumped the cushion as the pack exited turn four then turned abruptly to the right at the beginning of the front straight. With nowhere to go, Koch, coming off a commanding win at Beaver Dam, WI Wednesday night, hit Mueller square on the right side, and launched into a wicked end over end flip. Neither driver was seriously hurt in the incident.

As the race resumed, a spirited battle formed between Scott Hatton, Roscoe, IL and Doty, Burlington, IA. Hatton repeatedly tried to pass Doty on the inside of turn one and two, but Doty's momentum on the top of the track allowed him to hold off the challenger.

Doty and Hatton continued the battle until lap seven, when the car of 1997 BMARA Rookie of the Year, John Jones stalled in turn four.

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When green flag racing resumed, Hatton again moved beneath Doty in turn two, this time letting his car drift out in front of the Wilke PAK #11. Doty fought back and before the lap was complete, regained the lead.

Calvert moved by Hatton for second on lap 11. Calvert battled with Hatton and Doty until Marty Davis, Racine, WI took control of third spot on lap 15. Three laps later Calvert passed Doty for the lead.

"I saw yellow cars sticking their nose in there all night. I pretty much thought it was Hatton the whole time, because he started right behind me." Doty said, "They seemed to be just a little bit better than us in one and two, but I thought I was as fast or faster in three and four."

The official top five was Calvert, Doty, Boorse, Davis and last weeks winner, Kevin Koch, Cottage Grove, WI.

Earlier in the night, 18-year-old Brandon Waelti, Sun Prairie, WI set the third quickest lap in Angell Park history touring the circuit in 14.716 seconds.

The BMARA midgets will race again next Sunday night, June 28 at the Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie.

xxx

Quite A Day: Roger Corrigan, Loves Park, IL recorded a clean sweep in UMARA asphalt midget racing competition before even arriving at the Prairie on Sunday. Corrigan proceeded to qualify his dirt car fifth quick and win the night's trophy dash. Corrigan, however, ended his day with motor problems and had to scratch from the evenings A-feature.

A Shiny New Tire: Is what LeRoy Waelti gives credit for his son Brandon Waelti's quick qualification last night. LeRoy said that the family's racing budget for the mid-week show at Beaver Dam, WI was $150 and the events could hardly have gone worse. However, once back to the Prairie, Waelti turned a 14.716 which is the THIRD quickest lap in Angell Park history. Waelti said the lap didn't feel quite right either. Open up the record books when this kid gets it right. That he just turned 18 should suggest that he'll have plenty more opportunities to leave his mark.

USAC's New Star! Kevin Doty, Burlington, Iowa, who is absolutely tearing up the dirt portion of the United States Auto Club's National Sprint Car championship, will make his next appearance in the Christman sprinter in three weeks at the Kokomo, IN classic, which pays $10,000 to win. To whoever is writing the check … here's a piece of advice … it's spelled just like it sounds !!! K-E-V-I-N D-O-T-Y

What Happened to the Roll Cages: Saturday, July 11 at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, there will be a daytime vintage midget meet. Best of all, admission is FREE !!! More information for the event can be found at: http://www.bmara.com

OFFICIAL RESULTS 6/21/98 ANGELL PARK SPEEDWAY

Points Standings as of 6/21/98

POSITION, DRIVER/POINTS, PASS PTS, .......CAR # ,OWNER POINTS