8/12/2018
Badger Midget Auto Racing Association
"Probst knocks down first career Badger win at Wilmot Raceway”
Wilmot, Wis., Aug. 11---Ryan Probst won the 9th annual "Salute to Harry Turner" 25-lap Zimbrick Chevrolet of Sun Prairie Badger Midget Racing Series feature, Saturday Night at Wilmot Raceway. It was the New Lenox Ill. drivers first career Badger feature victory, Probst also became the event’s seventh different winner.
Kurt Mayhew paced the opening lap, while Probst passed four cars to move into second place lap. One lap later Probst took over the top position, when the event’s only caution appeared for a stalled car.
Probst continued to lead after the restart, while fast qualifier Scott Hatton was advancing through the field, reaching fourth place by the completion of Lap 6, and third place one lap later.
Probst began lapping the tail of the field on Lap 8, when Hatton moved into second place. Hatton trailed Probst by two-car lengths at the midway point. Another group of lapped cars kept “the pressure” on Probst between laps 15-17. Hatton continued to trail Probst by a car length. Behind the leaders an excellent battle for the remainder of the top five waged between Chase McDermond, Jordan Mattson, and Mitchell Davis.
With the lead duo out of traffic and a clear track for the final six laps, Probst was flawless holding off Hatton to score a two-car length victory, driving the Probst Motorsports owned Spike/Chevrolet No. 99. Davis, McDermond, and Mattson completed the top five. Mattson also won the Howard Law Cash Draw, a bonus for a randomly selected feature finishing position. Eighth place Kevin Olson claimed the Advance Race Suspensions Hard Charger Award.
I looked up at the scoreboard going into the corner and saw the car#1 (Hatton’s car number) in second place, I knew I couldn’t give him any opportunity to pass me, the lap cars fell perfectly for me, I was excepting to see the nose of his car on the last lap, it’s great to finally get a Badger Feature victory” commented Probst, who moved into second place in series points 124 behind Hatton, with seven races remaining.
SUMMARY
25-lap Feature: 1. Ryan Probst; 2. Scott Hatton; 3. Mitchell Davis; 4. Chase McDermand; 5. Jordan Mattson; 6. Tyler Baran; 7. Zach Boden; 8. Kevin Olson; 9. Kurt Mayhew; 10. Brian Petersen; 11. Mike Stroik; 12. Kyle Brinkman; 13. Kyle Koch; 14. Eric Reibenstein; 15. Jake Goeglein; 16. Harrison Kleven; 17. Rich Drangmeister; 18. Tristan Koeings; 19. Denny Smith.
8-lap Engler Machine Heat Race Winner: Olson.
8-lap DMI Heat Race Winner: Mayhew.
8-lap Cardinal Heating & Air Conditioning Heat Race Winner: Haton.
Fast Time: Hatton, 15.117 seconds.
Cars Present: 20 Feature Lap Leaders: Allen 1, Probst 2-25.
Current Badger Midget Series Points: 1. Scott Hatton 973; 2. Ryan Probst 849; 3. Kevin Olson 846; 4. Tyler Baran 832; 5. Chase McDermond 715; 6. Zach Boden 687; 7. Andrew Felker 506; 8. Kurt Mayhew 493; 9. Mike Stroik 439; 10. Harrison Kleven & Jack Routson 381 each.
RACE NOTES
---Third place finisher Mitchell Davis and fifth place Jordan Mattson also competed in the Wisconsin Wingless Sprint Car Series portion of the evenings racing events.
---Rookie driver Tristan Koenig’s great grandfather Billy Johnson won a Badger feature at the Wilmot Fairgrounds on July 4, 1956, the track was the predecessor to the current 1/3-mile clay oval.
---Former Badger drivers Gary Maier, Dick Billings, Loren Olson, and Chuck Zunker were spotted sitting in the grandstand enjoying the night’s racing.
----Harry Turner’s son Lance had two restored midgets of his father on display, at the entrance of grandstand area. One restored car was the one which Turner scored his final career feature victory, with Robby Flock as the driver, winning a Dairyland Midget Series victory at Dodge County Fairgrounds on May 30, 1987.
Article Credit: Bryan Gapinski