Kuhn Tops USAC/Badger Field at Angell Park
by Bryan Gapinski
SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — Brad Kuhn, executed a late-race pass to win Saturday Night’s 30-lap “National Midget Hall of Fame Classic Round One” at Angell Park Speedway. The event was co-sanctioned by the USAC Mopar National and Badger Midget Car Series.
Levi Jones moved into the lead at the start, with Jerry Coons Jr. quickly moving into second place on lap 2. Two separate spins, two laps later involved Tracy Hines and Brad Sweet, both of whom restarted from the back of the field. Jones and Coons again pulled away from the field, with Coons gaining the top position on lap 7.Within a lap Coons moved to a one second lead. Two more cautions appeared for minor spins on lap 9.
Coons held the lead when another caution appeared on lap 13. During the caution Coons suffered engine problems forcing him to stop on the track, and retire from the event. Jones reassumed the lead over Kuhn on the restart. The next nine laps Jones ran the cushion, while Kuhn chose the bottom groove. Jones led a slight advantage, when fast qualifier Bobby East running in fifth place flipped, escaping injury on lap 22.
On the restart Jones and Kuhn again continued their battle for the lead using two different grooves. Kuhn drew even with Jones at the start/finish line on lap 26, and took the lead before the completion of the lap. Kuhn then increased his lead each lap. Sweet completed his charge from the back of the field making several passes for positions in the final laps.
Kuhn driving the Tanya Mentgen owned Spike/Fontana No. 07 finished four-car lengths ahead of Sweet, followed by Jones, Cole Whitt, and Davey Ray. Hines who finished seventh, and Mike Hess who placed 13th increased their point leads in their quest for USAC and Badger Championships.
RESULTS
30-lap Feature: 1. Brad Kuhn, 2. Brad Sweet, 3. Levi Jones, 4. Cole Whitt, 5. Davey Ray, 6. Brady Bacon, 7. Tracy Hines, 8. Tim Noble, 9. A.J. Fike, 10. Aaron Fiscus, 11. Dustin Morgan, 12. Dave Darland, 13. Mike Hess, 14. Ricky Ehrgott, 15. Chad Boat, 16. Darren Hagen, 17. Bobby East, 18. Chase Barber, 19. Jerry Coons Jr., 20. Brad Loyet, 21. Scott Hatton, 22. Gary Altig.
12-lap Semi Feature Winner: Jones.
10-lap Heat Race Winners: Fiscus, Loyet, Hatton, Hines.
Fast Time: East, 14.779 seconds.
Cars Present: 34 Feature Lap Leaders: Laps 1-6 Jones, Laps 7-13 Coons, Laps 14-26 Jones, Laps 27-30 Kuhn.
**Waelti flipped during second heat. East flipped during the feature.
<Tags: Angell Park, Sun Prairie