8/24/2025
Badger Midget Auto Racing Association
Jones Inches Closer to Badger Midget Auto Racing Association Title With Wilmot Win
It had been 21 days and 300 miles since Todd Kluever stopped the historic winning streak of Parker Jones in the Advanced Fastening Supply Badger Midget Auto Racing Association at Eagle River Raceway.
Thanks to three rainouts in a row since that trip to the Northwoods, Wilmot Raceway, in southeastern Wisconsin was the latest venue for the Badger Midgets to show their stuff.
Twenty-one drivers were signed into the pits at Wilmot with 19 making a qualifying run. It was Jones who topped Rod End Supply Fast Time honors by .3 seconds over Derek Doerr who was running 429 points behind Jones in BMARA points to start the night. In the point race Doerr is in second.
Auto Meter Heat-One saw Miles Doherty bolt from the pole position and immediately take a sizable lead on the field, which he never gave up. Jake Goeglein found the cushion to his liking as he ran runner-up for the first half of the race. Kluever eventually got by him.
Despite everyone guaranteed a spot in the money-making Lyco Manufacturing A-Main, Nick Kilian, who is within striking distance of a top-five in Badger points, fought Goeglein for the last three laps and the extra points that would come with the spot. The pair put on a terrific battle with Kilian running a lower groove. Kilian took the position coming to the white flag and nipped Goeglein to round out the podium.
Dave Collins Jr. led a freight train of four at the start of Dave Jones Plumbing, HVAC, Fire Protection and Electrical Heat-Two. On the second circuit they were three-wide coming out of turn-two with Brian Peterson in the Mike Raymond #56 taking the lead as they sped down the backstretch.
Doerr battled hard with Nathan Crane for the runner up spot. Once past him he set his sights on Peterson and one more valuable point position. With about three laps to go Doerr got by Peterson and went on to the win. Meanwhile, Peterson and Crane battled side by side with Crane finally pulling away on the last corner for second.
RJ Corson who started P1 got jumped by Luke Wackerlin and Jones right at the start of Behling Racing Equipment Heat-Three. From there, Wackerlin and Jones ran nose to tail on the cushion. Wackerline won followed by Jones and Corson with Kevin Fredricksen and Trey Weishoff rounding out the top-five and securing their starting spot in the first two-thirds of the A-Main field. In watching that race, while Wackerlin was fast, one had to wonder if Jones was just studying him for future reference.
Hoosier Racing Tire Heat-Four; Madison Extinguisher Service Last Chance Qualifier and the High Performance Lubricants B-Main were not run.
LYCO MANUFACTURING A-MAIN
The front row of Doherty and Crane went side by side on the opening lap of the 25-lap Lyco Manufacturing A-Main. On the next circuit Doherty got the advantage and Crane came under attack from Jones who had started sixth.
On lap-four Jones broke away from Doherty and the rest of the field. By lap-ten Jones had almost a straightaway lead on Doherty who was now trying to stave off Kluever. It was at about this time that Kluever nearly found disaster as he either hit the inside cushion or a tractor tire with the left front wheel of his #55. This sent the whole front end into the air and the car became upset on landing. Kluever gathered it up but gave Doherty a new five-length advantage. Doerr was now on Kluever’s tail.
Within a couple of laps Kluever regained his momentum and got by Doherty. Jones had at least a straightaway by this point on those two, but was having some difficulty with the lappers, most of which perhaps never knew he was coming up on them.
It was at about this point the yellow came out for a car that had spun. On the restart it was Jones, Doherty, Kluever, Doerr and Wackerlin. When the green flew, Doherty took a shot at a slide job on Jones. Jones was too tough on the top and the end result was Kluever drag racing Doherty down the back chute. Doherty did everything he could, but Kluever was hooked up on the bottom of this two groove track and he took the position. Jones had put the gap between first and second at a half a straight once more.
Doerr, clawing for every point he could get, caught Doherty for third and the pair went side by side for several laps. It looked like either driver was good no matter if they were high or low on the track. Doherty was a bit squirrely at times as if his tires may have been going away and eventually Doerr took the position.
In the end it was Jones by a straightaway over Kluever, Doerr, Doherty and Wackerlin. The victory marked the 11th Badger Midget Series win of the year for Jones and he put himself in a tie for sixth place for most wins in a Badger season according to BMARA announcer Eric Huenefeld.
CONTINGENCIES AND NOTES
Hoosier Racing Tire Heat-Four; Madison Extinguisher Service Last Chance Qualifier and the High Performance Lubricants B-Main were not run.
Eric Blumer finished ninth, passing eight cars to earn the Spankins Motorsports Bob Tattersall Hard Charger Award.
Mike Gebhard took the Spankins Motorsports Rookie of the Race honors; the Rod End Supply Hard Luck Award and the Last Place Bonus in Memory of Addison Dahlke.
Jordan Nelson’s gremlins continued just when he thought he had things figured out. After not running in his heat race, he took the green for the A-Main only to have the engine fall flat five laps in. An alternator is the suspect.
Robby Wirth, after not seeming sure if he’d make it to Wilmot, ran 15th in the feature.
Cody Weisensel took a hit in the point race finishing 16th with an ill-performing engine.
It was a hectic day for the BMARA staff with changes and shortages yet they didn’t miss a beat. It’s a credit to those who work so hard to get each Badger race day right.
Doerr is still mathematically in the chase for the championship, but more than likely Jones will seal the deal on his second consecutive Badger Midget Auto Racing Association title early in the program at Sycamore. There are still a lot of other positions to be decided over the next three races to close the season.
UP NEXT
The AFS Badger Midget Series meets MARA at Sycamore Speedway on Saturday, August 30, in a co-sanctioned race that is also the first of two nights for Badger.
The next day Badger races the historic Firemen’s Nationals at Angell Park Speedway. Dating back to the last race of 2024, Jones has a seven race winning streak at Angell Park.
The USAC National Midgets are also on the card next Sunday and some Badger drivers are expected to do double duty that night.
It should be noted that the Nationals do not close the season for Badger as they will be on the card for the rescheduled World of Outlaws Sprint Car race now slated for October 19. This date is a point paying race for Badger.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Lyco Manufacturing A - Feature (25 Laps): 1. 41-Parker Jones[6]; 2. 55-Todd Kluever[4]; 3. 20D-Derek Doerr[5]; 4. 8D-Miles Doherty[1]; 5. 73W-Luke Wackerlin[3]; 6. 31-Nathan Crane[2]; 7. 56-Brian Peterson[8]; 8. 17N-Nick Kilian[9]; 9. 68-Eric Blumer[17]; 10. 15-RJ Corson[7]; 11. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr[12]; 12. 29-Harrison Kleven[15]; 13. 67U-Kevin Frederiksen[14]; 14. 8-Jake Goeglein[11]; 15. 1W-Robby Wirth[13]; 16. 20-Cody Weisensel[19]; 17. 98-Jordan Nelson[18]; 18. 45-Trey Weishoff[10]; 19. 2-Jake Dohner[16]; 20. 81-Mike Gebhard[20]
Auto Meter Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 8D-Miles Doherty[5]; 2. 55-Todd Kluever[6]; 3. 17N-Nick Kilian[4]; 4. 8-Jake Goeglein[3]; 5. 1W-Robby Wirth[2]; 6. (DNS) 98-Jordan Nelson
Dave Jones Plumbing HVAC Electrical Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 20D-Derek Doerr[6]; 2. 31-Nathan Crane[5]; 3. 56-Brian Peterson[4]; 4. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr[2]; 5. 29-Harrison Kleven[7]; 6. 68-Eric Blumer[3]; 7. 81-Mike Gebhard[1]
Behlings Race Products Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 73W-Luke Wackerlin[6]; 2. 41-Parker Jones[7]; 3. 15-RJ Corson[5]; 4. 67U-Kevin Frederiksen[2]; 5. 45-Trey Weishoff[4]; 6. (DNS) 2-Jake Dohner; 7. (DNS) 20-Cody Weisensel
Rod End Supply Fast Time Qualifying (100 Laps): 1. 41-Parker Jones, 00:14.312[19]; 2. 20D-Derek Doerr, 00:14.627[15]; 3. 55-Todd Kluever, 00:14.748[12]; 4. 73W-Luke Wackerlin, 00:14.752[8]; 5. 31-Nathan Crane, 00:14.895[10]; 6. 8D-Miles Doherty, 00:14.925[2]; 7. 15-RJ Corson, 00:15.198[7]; 8. 56-Brian Peterson, 00:15.239[16]; 9. 17N-Nick Kilian, 00:15.606[6]; 10. 45-Trey Weishoff, 00:15.622[3]; 11. 68-Eric Blumer, 00:15.718[5]; 12. 8-Jake Goeglein, 00:15.865[4]; 13. 20-Cody Weisensel, 00:16.028[13]; 14. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr, 00:16.219[11]; 15. 1W-Robby Wirth, 00:16.271[17]; 16. 67U-Kevin Frederiksen, 00:16.446[14]; 17. 81-Mike Gebhard, 00:17.686[1]; 18. 98-Jordan Nelson, 00:18.069[9]; 19. 2-Jake Dohner, 00:18.086[18]; 20. (DNS) 20R-Randy Doerr; 21. (DNS) 68B-Nicholas Klein; 22. (DNS) 41J-John Jones; 23. (DNS) 29K-Mike Stroik; 24. (DNS) 29-Harrison Kleven
Article by Bill Blumer Jr.
Photo by RC Custom Design
Submitted By: William Blumer