6/8/2019
RacinBoys
Stroik captures Badger Career win#1 at Luxemburg
By Bryan Gapinski (Luxemburg, WI) -- Mike Stroik captured his first career feature victory, capturing the 25-lap Zimbrick Chevrolet of Sun Prairie Badger Midget Racing Series feature Friday Night at Luxemburg Speedway. The event also kicked off the three-race "The Badger State Midget Showdown Champion".
Stroik took the lead on the opening lap. With an intense four-car battle for second place behind Stroik, he increased his lead each lap. Stroik's straightaway lead over Chase Jones, Kevin Olson, and Chase McDermand was erased for a caution on Lap 7. Stroik running the bottom groove held off the challenge of Series points leader Jones when two caution flags appeared on Laps 11 and 13, for spun cars.
Olson challenged Stroik on the final restart. Stroik held a one-second lead, with five laps remaining. Olson changed grooves with two laps remaining and closed to the rear bumper of Stroik. The pair were almost even at the start/finish line taking the white flag for the final lap. Olson pulled alongside Stroik down the backstretch, but Stroik "held down the power" exiting Turn 4, finishing 0.112 seconds ahead of Olson driving his Stealth/Chevrolet No. 9.
Zach Boden with a late race charge took third place, Jones, and Brian Peterson competed the top five. Rookie Matt ReChek finished sixth after starting in last place.
"I had no power steering after the second lap, my three restarts as race leader went perfect and helped with the victory" commented Stroik after winning the first Badger Midget race at the track since Stan Fox's victory on July 11, 1980.
Jones who set a new one-lap track record in qualifying leads Olson by sixteen points entering the Saturday June 8 event at the Plymouth (Wis.) Dirt Track. Capping off the weekend will be Sunday Night June 9 at Angell Park Speedway.
SUMMARY
25-lap Feature: 1. Mike Stroik; 2. Kevin Olson; 3. Zach Boden; 4. Chase Jones; 5. Brian Peterson; 6. Matt ReChek; 7. Scott Hatton; 8. Jeff Zelinski; 9. Ryan Probst; 10. Jack Routson; 11. Jordan Mattson; 12. Jim Fuerst; 13. Kyle Koch; 14. Tristan Koenings; 15. Jeremy Douglas; 16. Chase McDermand; 17. Shay Sassano; 18. Kurt Mayhew; 19. Harrison Kleven; 20. Dave Collins Jr; 21. Denny Smith.
8-lap AutoMeter Heat Race Winner: J. Douglas.
8-lap Engler Machine Heat Race Winner: Routson.
8-lap Madison Extinguisher Heat Race Winner: Probst.
Schoenfeld Headers Fast Time: Jones, 13.882 seconds (NTR).
Cars Present: 23 Feature Lap Leaders: Stroik 1-25.
RACE NOTES
---Jeremy Douglas won his first career Badger preliminary race, winning Heat Race One.
---Ryan Probst established a new 8-lap track record winning Heat Race Three.
---The two sons of Landy Scott, winner of the first ever Badger event at the track on August 31, 1947 were present watching the event, plus past Badger drivers Chuck Zunker, and Jim Lothe were spotted in the grandstands..
---Eleventh place finishing Jordan Mattson won the Howard Law Cash Draw, a bonus for a randomly selected feature finishing position. Rechek claimed the Advance Race Suspensions Hard Charger Award improving fifteen starting positions.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
