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Waelti Makes It Two In A Row With Eagle River Speedway Win In AFS Badger Midget Series

The Advanced Fastening Supply Badger Midget Auto Racing Association and their fans invaded Wisconsin’s Northwoods on Saturday, July 18, as they visited Eagle River Speedway.

Badger President Quinn McCabe announced at the driver’s meeting that the car count allowed for ten-lap heats rather than the normal eight. It was then suggested adding laps to the feature. A vote among the drivers added an extra five laps to the Lyco Mfg A-Main making it a thirty lap event.

McCabe then noted the A-Main went green to checkers without a pause in 2025. He offered a beer to each driver (of age) if they could do it again.

QUALIFYING

It was a bad night to be the Rod End Supply Fast Qualifier. Luke Wackerlin clocked the fastest lap on his first circuit only to have his drive shaft snap on the next lap. With his continued bad luck and having no idea he’d end up on the top of the qualifying pack, he bypassed the scales to have his car attended to by his crew as soon as possible. The net result was a disqualification from qualifying for not scaling.

Matt Rechek inherited the quick qualifier honors which also led to the Schoenfeld Headers Invert Draw after finishing second in his heat. Unfortunately, his night was done just before the green flew on the Lyco A-Main when he came to a rest shortly after being pushed off and a puddle of fluid was observed under the car.

THE HEATS

Nick Kilian and Dave Collins Jr. led them down for Auto Meter Heat-One without Wackerlin in the field as his mount was still under repairs. Collins got the jump at the start and led lap-one. Cody Weisensel was already fighting for the lead from the fifth starting spot by the time they got to turn-one on the second lap, where he promptly slid under Collins as did Brandon Waelti.

The two veterans then pulled away from Eric Blumer who was now in third and put a straightaway on him. From here Waelti kept Weisensel close as both were battling for valuable points. Weisensel seemed to have the advantage on the straights only to have Waelti catch him in the corners. Waelti tried high and low but Weisensel was smooth on the cushion and took the win by two lengths.

In Hoosier Racing Tire Heat-Two Mike Stroik and Jake Dohner occupied the front row to start the race. Dohner quickly jumped to the lead when the race started. Meanwhile Stroik and his car owner Harrison Kleven were side by side for second in their number 29’s.

Once the boss broke free he set his sights on Dohner and gained a lot of ground. When they crossed the line for the third lap Dohner and Kleven were even at the line with Brian Peterson now in third. Kleven got the advantage running a higher line than Dohner and he led the race through lap-eight (the normal length of a heat).

As Kleven put some distance on the rest, the battle for second through fifth was heating up with Rechek and RJ Corson now in the mix. To the surprise of onlookers as they came to the white flag Dohner caught Kleven and passed him at the line and went on to the win. On the last corner Rechek caught Kleven for second.

LYCO MANUFACTURING A-MAIN

Last year’s Eagle River winner Todd Kluever is still on the med from an early-season crash but he was in attendance wearing a Waelti Racing shirt and giving some pointers to his friend.

The brief history of Badger and Eagle River suggested the front row might be the place to be as Kluever won from P2 in 2025. Two drivers hungry for their first Badger wins occupied the front row for the A-Main in Dohner and Kilian.

Dohner bolted to the lead from the pole while they went two and three wide behind him. By lap-two, behind him it was Kilian with Blumer under pressure from Waelti for third.

On lap-four Waelti got by Blumer and then Kilian for the runner up spot. After a couple of more laps Dohner was still enjoying about a straightaway on Waelti with both running the thin cushion about halfway up the track.

By lap-thirteen Waelti had cut the lead in half and Dohner was encountering lapped traffic. The leaders were still high while the first lapper stayed low and was not a factor.

On lap-sixteen Waelti was close enough to try a slidejob. It worked but barley. As Waelti was on the upswing to complete the pass coming out of turn-two Dohner came down a bit. Waelti’s right rear and Dohner’s left front likely touching. Dohner lost some momentum and Waelti was now solidly in the lead.

With ten to go Waelti was up by a straightaway and only disaster or a yellow would change that. Neither came and he sailed to the win over Dohner. Weisensel was next and scored his third Badger podium in a row.

Eagle River Speedway has a very unique Victory Lane with flames shooting out the top for the winner. In his post-race interview Eric Huenefeld noted it was Waelti’s first visit to Eagle River at which Waelti acknowledged that Kluever’s advice was very valuable in the win. Waelti went on to thank his crew, the fans and especially “Club LaMark north,” his longtime sponsor who had a large contingent in the stands from Madison.

Dohner was all smiles with a solid second finish during his interview as was Weisensel who was running his dad’s number 20 on this night.

NOTES

The Wackerlin team regrouped nicely, fixing the drive shaft in time to make the A-Main where he went from twelfth to sixth and earned the Bob Tattersall Spankins Motorsports Hard Charger Award.

The Last Place Bonus in Loving Memory of Addison Dahlke and the CASM Hard Luck Award went to Rechek.

There was no Spankins Motorsports Rookie of the Race.

The shortest tow for Badger teams was some three and a half hours while RJ Corson’s journey took at least six. Even so, Corson in planning on making the trip in 2027 should an accord be reached between ERS and the BMARA. Such plans will likely include a couple of overnights.

The race, like last year, was over in less than eight minutes and was caution free. McCabe is apparently buying.

The AFS BMARA would like to thank CASM Safety Products, Behling Racing Equipment, 1855 Saloon and Grill in downtown Cottage Grove, WI and High Performance Lubricants for their support of the series.

DOUBLEHEADER UP NEXT

Saturday, July 25, Badger will travel to the Plymouth (WI) Dirt Track and then Sunday, July 26, they race at Angell Park Speedway.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

Lyco Manufacturing A - Feature (30 Laps): 1. 3W-Brandon Waelti[6]; 2. 2-Jake Dohner[1]; 3. 20-Cody Weisensel[8]; 4. 17-Nick Kilian[2]; 5. 68-Eric Blumer[4]; 6. 73W-Luke Wackerlin[12]; 7. 7-Brian Peterson[3]; 8. 15C-RJ Corson[7]; 9. 57R-Miles Doherty[13]; 10. 29-Harrison Kleven[5]; 11. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr[10]; 12. 29K-Mike Stroik[11]; 13. (DNS) 57-Matt Rechek

Auto Meter Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 20-Cody Weisensel[5]; 2. 3W-Brandon Waelti[4]; 3. 68-Eric Blumer[3]; 4. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr[1]; 5. 17-Nick Kilian[2]; 6. (DNS) 73W-Luke Wackerlin

Hoosier Tire Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 2-Jake Dohner[2]; 2. 57-Matt Rechek[6]; 3. 29-Harrison Kleven[4]; 4. 15C-RJ Corson[5]; 5. 7-Brian Peterson[3]; 6. 29K-Mike Stroik[1]; 7. (DNS) 57R-Miles Doherty

Rod End Supply Fast Time Qualifying: 1. 57-Matt Rechek, 13.504[12]; 2. 20-Cody Weisensel, 13.611[4]; 3. 15C-RJ Corson, 13.646[5]; 4. 3W-Brandon Waelti, 13.653[10]; 5. 29-Harrison Kleven, 13.953[1]; 6. 68-Eric Blumer, 13.967[9]; 7. 7-Brian Peterson, 14.086[3]; 8. 17-Nick Kilian, 14.107[13]; 9. 2-Jake Dohner, 14.144[8]; 10. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr, 14.315[11]; 11. 29K-Mike Stroik, 14.320[6]; 12. (DQ) 73W-Luke Wackerlin, 13.499[2]; 13. (DNS) 57R-Miles Doherty

Victory Lane photo by Castle Media Creations
Others by Bill Blumer Jr.
Article by Bill Blumer Jr.

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