Point leader Ray tops Badger Beaver Dam Field

By Bryan Gapinski
Beaver Dam, Wis., June 12--- Davey Ray increased his series points lead by winning The Mid-State Equipment Badger Midget Racing Series 20-lap feature Saturday Night at Beaver Dam Raceway. The event was the 50th sanctioned midget race at the facility for Badger.

Ray who started from the pole position jumped into the lead at the start, closely followed by Scott Hatton and fast qualifier Travis Berryhill. Two caution flags during the first nine laps, kept the field bunched up. Hatton ran the exact line as Ray and stayed on Ray's bumper as the pair pulled away from the field. The leaders entered lapped traffic, with five laps remaining. Fourth place running David Gough coasted to a stop, one lap later bringing out the caution.

Ray was again perfect on the restart and held a car length advantage over Hatton as the pair took the white flag. Ray entered Turn 2, when the caution was displayed for Jason Dull's spun car. Track rules state that after the leader begins the final lap, and a caution appears the race is ruled complete.

Ray driving the Jim Fiscus owned Spike/Ford-Esslinger No. 6 finished ahead of Hatton, Mike Hess, Berryhill and Brandon Waelti. Earlier in the evening Hatton broke Brad Kuhn's four-year old eight-lap track record winning his heat race. Ray currently holds a 22-point lead over Hatton heading into the next series event June 25-26 at Belle Claire Raceway (Belleville,Ill.).