7/26/2026
Badger Midget Auto Racing Association
Waelti Wins Third In A Row With AFS Badger Midget Series At Plymouth Dirt Track
Brandon Waelti made it three Lyco Manufacturing A-Main wins in a row with the Advanced Fastening Supply Badger Midget Auto Racing Association on Saturday, July 25, at the Plymouth Dirt Track. It was the point leader’s fourth win overall with eleven races down.
At the drop of the green they were three-wide in short order as Derek Crane split pole sitter Mike Unger and his row mate Nick Kilian. Coming through the first curve it was Crane who came out on top followed by Kilian and Unger. Crane had started third in his Sober Racing machine.
When they crossed the line to complete the first lap it was Crane, Kilian and Cody Weisensel, who had already charged from sixth.
The only yellow of the night (after an Eagle River event the previous week that had none) came out shortly thereafter due to the stalled car of Jake Dohner.
On the restart the order was the same for the top-three with Waelti in fourth from his eighth starting spot. On a track that had typically been a bottom feeder circuit for Badger, it was apparent the top that Waelti was using was going to be good, if not better, than the huggy pole.
Crane bolted to the bottom when the green flew and put nearly a straightaway on the field. But Waelti, with Weisensel in tow, was closing the gap quickly.
About five laps in, Waelti got even with Crane on the backstretch and powered around him on the outside in turns three and four. From here Waelti never let up and was not challenged. He won by nearly half a track over Weisensel and Crane.
Weisensel and Crane performed a couple of classic slide jobs in their battle at the mid-point of the race with Weisensel prevailing.
In their post-race interviews drivers were complimentary of the track prep put in by the local crew.
Heat wins went to Crane, Weisensel and RJ Corson. Thanks to Auto Meter, Hoosier Racing Tire, Behling Racing Products, 1855 Saloon and Grill and High Performance Lubricants for their support of Badger’s preliminary events.
NOTES
After a couple of weeks without his family ride, Miles Doherty earned Rod End Supply Fast Time honors and the Schoenfeld Headers Invert Draw in his familiar No. 8.
Waelti earned Bob Tattersall Spankins Motorsports Hard Charger honors. He gained seven spots in the win. Also gaining seven positions was Jordan Miklas driving a midget for the first time. Behind Zach Boden’s No. 51 Miklas finished ninth. He is a veteran of the Midwest Dirt Legend and Wisconsin wingLESS ranks. Of particular interest, he is the great grandson of Badger Hall of Famer Billy “The Cat” Johnson.
Spyder Akright racing at his home area track was the Spankins Motorsports Rookie of the Race.
At press time the recipients of the Last Place Bonus in Loving Memory of Addison Dahlke and CASM Racing Products Hard Luck Award were not available.
It’s a quick turnaround as Badger is back in action at Angell Park Speedway on Sunday, July 26.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Lyco Manufacturing A - Feature (25 Laps): 1. 3W-Brandon Waelti[8]; 2. 20-Cody Weisensel[6]; 3. 31-Derek Crane[5]; 4. 73W-Luke Wackerlin[9]; 5. 68-Eric Blumer[7]; 6. 8D-Miles Doherty[10]; 7. 17-Nick Kilian[2]; 8. 15C-RJ Corson[14]; 9. 51-Jordan Miklas[16]; 10. 29K-Mike Stroik[12]; 11. 7-Brian Peterson[11]; 12. 67U-Mike Unger[3]; 13. 29-Harrison Kleven[13]; 14. 53A-Spyder Akright[15]; 15. 59-Kyle Koch[18]; 16. 2-Jake Dohner[4]; 17. 97-Jim Jones[21]; 18. (DNS) 57-Matt Rechek; 19. (DNS) 98-Jim Fuerst; 20. (DNS) 8-Jake Goeglein; 21. (DNS) 81-Mike Gebhard; 22. (DNS) 40JR-Dave Collins Jr
Auto Meter Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 31-Derek Crane[5]; 2. 3W-Brandon Waelti[6]; 3. 29-Harrison Kleven[2]; 4. 7-Brian Peterson[3]; 5. 17-Nick Kilian[4]; 6. 59-Kyle Koch[1]; 7. 81-Mike Gebhard[7]
Hoosier Tire Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 20-Cody Weisensel[6]; 2. 67U-Mike Unger[5]; 3. 73W-Luke Wackerlin[7]; 4. 29K-Mike Stroik[3]; 5. 53A-Spyder Akright[2]; 6. 98-Jim Fuerst[1]; 7. (DNS) 40JR-Dave Collins Jr
Behling Racing Products Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 15C-RJ Corson[2]; 2. 57-Matt Rechek[4]; 3. 2-Jake Dohner[5]; 4. 68-Eric Blumer[6]; 5. 8D-Miles Doherty[7]; 6. 51-Jordan Miklas[3]; 7. 8-Jake Goeglein[1]; 8. (DNS) 97-Jim Jones
Rod End Supply Fast Time Qualifying (25 Laps): 1. 8D-Miles Doherty, 13.500[4]; 2. 73W-Luke Wackerlin, 13.612[2]; 3. 3W-Brandon Waelti, 13.632[1]; 4. 68-Eric Blumer, 13.750[3]; 5. 20-Cody Weisensel, 13.808[12]; 6. 31-Derek Crane, 13.843[20]; 7. 2-Jake Dohner, 13.949[18]; 8. 67U-Mike Unger, 13.965[10]; 9. 17-Nick Kilian, 13.989[5]; 10. 57-Matt Rechek, 14.056[13]; 11. 40JR-Dave Collins Jr, 14.152[6]; 12. 7-Brian Peterson, 14.179[14]; 13. 51-Jordan Miklas, 14.322[17]; 14. 29K-Mike Stroik, 14.410[9]; 15. 29-Harrison Kleven, 14.490[8]; 16. 15C-RJ Corson, 14.600[21]; 17. 53A-Spyder Akright, 14.675[15]; 18. 59-Kyle Koch, 14.716[11]; 19. 8-Jake Goeglein, 14.993[7]; 20. 98-Jim Fuerst, 16.398[16]; 21. (DNS) 81-Mike Gebhard
Photo by Todd Reuter of TRVideography
Article by Bill Blumer Jr.
Submitted By: William Blumer
