Late race charge nets Hess Badger win

By Bryan Gapinski Beaver Dam, Wis., July 14, 2007---Mike Hess scored a thrilling victory capturing Round Two of Duel at the Dam 30-lap Badger Midget Series feature, Saturday Night at Charter Raceway Park. 
Hess jumped into the lead at the start, while Scott Hatton quickly moved from eighth to second place by the completion of lap three. One lap later Hatton took the lead. The field was bunched up for a caution on lap six. Again underway Hatton began increasing his lead each lap over a tightly bunched field which saw positions in the top five changing several times each lap.
Hatton held a 1.8 second lead at the midway point over Hess. A slowing car brought out the caution one lap later. On the restart Hatton easily pulled away from Hess and the field. Attention then turned to Danny Stratton who started in 16th starting position and was now racing in the top five. Hatton running the high groove increased his advantage over Hess to 3.9 seconds when Ryan Durst spun with four laps remaining.
On the restart Hatton used the lower groove while Hess began testing the cushion with Stratton moving into third place. Hess made a charge on Hatton going down the backstretch on the 28th lap and made the pass to take the lead at the start/finish line as the pair received the white flag. Hatton then tried to drive under Hess exiting turn four but fell a half-car length short of victory. 
Hess drove the Jerry Hardy owned Buzzard/Chevrolet Hawk#44. The feature win was the first ever for Hardy, as a car owner. Stratton, Brandon Waelti, and fast qualifier Brad Kuhn completed the top five.

Feature Lap Leaders: Hess 1-3, Hatton 4-28, Hess 29-30.
*Matt Smith flipped on second lap of semi feature, uninjured.