Stratton closes Badger Midget season with victory

Beaver Dam,Wis., Sep. 9, 2006--Danny Stratton closed out the Badger Midget Series season the way he opened the season in victory lane. The California driver captured the final round of "The Duel at the Dam" 30-lap feature Saturday Night at The Raceway at Powercom Park. Stratton who finished third in series points this season won the season opening event on April 22 at Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway.
Doug Schenck jumped into the lead at the start closely followed by teammate Brandon Waelti. Stratton moved into third place on the sixth circuit, closely followed by Nick Lundgreen who worked his way to fourth place after starting eleventh. One lap later the caution was displayed for a stalled car.
On the restart Waelti passed Schenck for the lead while Stratton moved into second position. Stratton and Waelti exchanged the lead on the next lap with Waelti again regaining the position before reaching the start/finish line. Third place Lundgreen slowed one lap later causing a chain reaction accident which sidelined fourth place Scott Hatton. Brad Weber escaped injury on the ensuing restart when he flipped on the front stretch.
After the restart Waelti paced one more lap, before Stratton moved in front exiting turn four. The pair pulled away from the field as Stratton began increasing his lead each lap. On lap 18 Stratton began lapping slower cars and enjoyed a two-plus second lead.
Despite running in heavy lapped traffic the final five laps of the event, Stratton driving the Hans Lein owned Spike- Esslinger finished 2.94 seconds ahead of Waelti. Rookie Joe Wipperfurth, Aaron Fiscus and former series champion Dean Erfurth completed the top five. 
The victory was worth $3,000 for Stratton who also emerged as the overall champion of the four race mini-series held at the track this season. Stratton finished 23 points ahead of Hatton, with Aaron Fiscus placing third.