Wise wins Firemans Nationals

By Bryan GapinskiSun Prairie, Wis., Sept. 5, 2009---Josh Wise scored an exciting victory leading the final two laps to win the 28th annual Firemans Nationals presented by Pepsi, Saturday Night at Angell Park Speedway.The event was co-sanctioned by the USAC Mopar National and Badger Midget Series. Scott Hatton and car owner Huston Solution clinched their fourth career Badger Midget Driver and Car Owner Championships, despite finishing in 16th position.
Darren Hagen paced the opening lap, before Bryan Clauson took the lead.One lap later fast qualifier Brad Sweet moved into third place. Clauson and Coons pulled away from the field, with Coons taking the top position on lap 9. Coons increased his advantage over Clauson and began lapping slower cars, four laps later. Coons' two second lead was erased with a caution on lap 20, for a stalled car. Clauson lost two positions on the next lap and the race was stopped on lap 22 when Henry Clarke flipped, escaping injury. Jake Slotten flipped tow laps later and retired from the event. Clauson retired from the race on lap 25 with mechanical problems.
Coons, Sweet, and Hagen pulled away from the field, while running only a few car lengths apart from the midway point to lap 40. Coons held a two car length lead, when he drove over the cushion, give the lead to Sweet on lap 43, causing a caution flag. On the restart Hatton and Matt Smith tangled, sending both cars flipping. Both drivers returned to the event on the restart.
Sweet led Brad Kuhn, Hagen and Wise on the restart. Sweet's engine began to misfire, but still maintained his advantage. A stalled car on lap 46 set up a 4-lap dash for the $10,000 first place payoff. On the restart Wise moved from fourth to second in the first-half lap, and closed on Sweet. With Sweet's pace slowing, Wise made the winning pass on the backstretch on lap 48. Wise driving the Ralph Wilke owned Spike/Toyota No. 5 finished five car lengths ahead of Sweet, Hagen, Kuhn and Cole Whitt.
Wise becomes the seventh different driver to win the event for Wilke team, which now has ten victories in the event. Hatton will finish off his Badger Championship season at Charter Raceway Park (Beaver Dam, Wis.) on Sept.20. Kuhn holds a 36 point lead over both Sweet and Hagen heading into the next USAC event Sept.19 at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway.