6/9/2019
RacinBoys
Routson scores thrilling Badger Midget win at Plymouth
By Bryan Gapinski (Plymoth, WI) -- Series points leader Jack Routson won the 20-lap Zimbrick Chevrolet of Sun Prairie Badger Midget Racing Series feature Saturday Night at The Plymouth Dirt Track, part of "Open Wheel Mania". The event marked the first Badger Midget race at the track since Sept. 7, 2007.
Polesitter Kurt Mayhew took the lead at the start of the race, with Routson starting inside the sixth row. Two cautions in the first six laps slowed the pace. On the Lap 6 restart Routson was already in fifth place. One lap later Mayhew and Ryan Probst made contact battling for the lead, with Mayhew spinning and flipping. Mayhew was uninjuried.
On the restart Probst led the field. Probst pulled away slightly as Kevin Olson, Routson, Matt ReChek, and Scott Hatton battled for second place. Probst began lapping the tail of the field, with six laps remaining. One lap later Olson stalled on the track bringing out the caution.
Routson pulled alongside Probst on Lap 17, but Probst continued to hold the top position. As the pair entered Turn 2 one lap later, Routson gained a slight advantage and took the lead exiting the turn. Routson maintained his two-car length advantage on the final lap of then race.
Routson driving the Tim Routson owned Beast/Chevrolet No. 14 finished ahead of Probst, Chase McDermand, fast qualifier Hatton, and rookie ReChek. Points leader entering the event Chase Jones escaped injury in a wild series of flips during the second heat race of the evening.
" I could have been contend to run where I was but decided at the end to change grooves and try to go for the win, it paid off there was some "bite" up top" commented Routson who scored his first career Badger feature victory. Routson leads McDermand by 33-points heading into the Sunday Night June 9 event at Angell Park Speedway, the final race in the "The Badger State Midget Showdown Champion".
SUMMARY
20-lap Feature: 1. Jack Routson; 2. Ryan Probst; 3. Chase McDermand; 4. Scott Hatton; 5. Matt ReChek; 6. Zach Boden; 7. Brian Peterson; 8. Jeff Zelinski; 9. Sean Murphy; 10. Mike Stroik; 11. Tristan Koenings; 12. Jim Fuerst; 13. Shay Sassano; 14. Pat Henson; 15. Dave Collins Jr.; 16. Kyle Koch; 17. Kevin Olson; 18. Harrison Kleven; 19. Kurt Mayhew; 20. Jordan Mattson; 21. Denny Smith.
8-lap AutoMeter Heat Race Winner: Fuerst.
8-lap Engler Machine Heat Race Winner: Olson.
8-lap Madison Extinguisher Heat Race Winner: Probst.
Schoenfeld Headers Fast Time: Hatton,14.268 seconds.
Cars Present: 22
Feature Lap Leaders: Mayhew 1-7, Probst 8-18, Routson 19-20.
Badger Midget Series Points: 1. Jack Routson 411; 2. Chase McDermand 378; 3. Kevin Olson 361; 4. Chase Jones 346; 5. Zach Boden 312; 6. Ryan Probst 295; 7. Brian Peterson 273; 8. Mike Stroik 263; 9. Jordan Mattson 200; 10. Matt ReChek 182.
RACE NOTES
---Ryan Probst set a new 8-lap track record winning Heat Race Three.
---Jack Routson became the eighth different feature winner at the track in eleven Badger events dating back to 1950.
---Three drivers Miles Melius (1950), Eddie Loomis (1980), and Paul Clark (1981) have won a Plymouth feature during their championship year.
---Tenth place finishing Mike Stroik won the Howard Law Cash Draw, a bonus for a randomly selected feature finishing position. Routson claimed the Advance Race Suspensions Hard Charger Award improving ten starting positions..
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott