9/15/2019
Badger Midget Auto Racing Association
'McDermand tops Badger Midget Semmelmann Memorial”
Beaver Dam, WI, Sep. 14---Chase McDermand won the "The Scott Semmelmann Memorial" 25-lap Zimbrick Chevrolet of Sun Prairie Badger Midget Racing Series feature Saturday Night at Beaver Dam Raceway.
Mitchell Davis took the lead at the start of the feature, with McDermand passing three cars on the opening lap, after starting in eighth position. A five-car accident occured one lap later. The events only other caution occurred on the third lap, for a stalled car. McDermand was in third place trailing Davis, and Jeff Zelinski on the restart.
Davis continued to lead after the restart, with McDermand passing Zelinski for second place on Lap 7. McDermand then chased down Davis for the lead on Lap 11. One lap later Series points leader Jack Routson took over second place. McDermand began lapping cars, with ten laps remaining. Davis retired from the event with mechanical problems on Lap 18, running in fourth place.
McDermand maintained his lead over Routson during the remainder of the event, while racing in lapped traffic. McDermand driving the Kevin McDermand owned Spike/Chevrolet No. 40, finished three-car lengths ahead of Routson, who was trying for his second consecutive victory at the track. Third place finisher Kyle Brinkman scored a career best feature finish. Zelinski, and rookie Matt Recheck completed the top five.
"We just finished putting a brand-new car together and it was perfect every time it hit the track. Bill Guess did our set-up work and had us dialed in tonight. The last few laps being in lapped traffic made things interesting, but I caught the cars at the right place on the track” commented McDermand who has fourteen top five finishes this season.
Routson now leads McDermand by 83-points, heading into the Saturday Sept 21 event at 141 Speedway (Maribel, Wis.). Advance Fastening Supply (AFS) has posted a $1,500 bonus to the driver who wins both the Beaver Dam and the 141 Speedway features. If McDermand fails to win at 141, all drivers competing at both events will split up the bonus equally.
SUMMARY
25-lap Feature: 1. Chase McDermand; 2. Jack Routson; 3. Kyle Brinkmann; 4. Jeff Zelinski; 5. Matt Recheck; 6. Ryan Probst; 7. Zach Boden; 8. Jim Fuerst; 9. Mike Stroik; 10. Sean Murphy; 11. A.J. Meiferdt; 12. Kyle Koch; 13. Harrison Kleven;14. Shay Sassano 15. Mitchell Davis; 16. Dave Collins Jr; 17. Kevin Olson; 18. Brian Peterson; 19. Tristan Koenings; 20. Denny Smith; 21. Pat Henson.
8-lap AutoMeter Heat Race Winner: Fuerst.
8-lap Engler Machine Heat Race Winner: Zelinski.
8-lap Madison Extinguisher Heat Race Winner: Davis.
Schoenfeld Headers Fast Time: McDermand 14.784 seconds.
Cars Present: 21 Feature Lap Leaders: Davis 1-11, McDermand 12-25.
Badger Midget Series Points: 1. Jack Routson 1335; 2. Chase McDermand 1232; 3. Zach Boden 1181; 4. Scott Hatton 1130; 5. Ryan Probst 1103; 6. Kevin Olson 1047; 7. Jeff Zelinski 879; 8. Mike Stroik 781; 9. Matt Rechek 773; 10. Jordan Mattson 642.
RACE NOTES
---Chase McDermand becomes the 22nd different feature winner in 61 Badger Midget sanctioned events at the track.
---The Semmelman Family donated cash bonuses to the third place feature finisher (Kyle Brinkman), and the third place driver on Lap 3 of the feature (McDermand).
---Fifth place feature finisher Matt Recheck and wife Kaitlyn welcomed the birth of daughter Mia on Monday.
---Jeff Zelinski won the Howard Law Cash Draw, a bonus for a randomly selected feature finishing position.
---A.J. Meifert making his series debut claimed the Advance Race Suspensions Hard Charger Award improving ten positions.
Article Credit: Bryan Gapinski
