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.

Tony Stewart Racing Double Dipping in Wisconsin

NDIANAPOLIS – Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) Tracy Hines and Levi Jones venture to Wisconsin this weekend for a double dip of USAC National Midget Car Series racing action as they prepare for the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Classic. Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis., a major hotbed of Midget car racing, hosts the two-day event co-sanctioned by the USAC Midget Series and Badger Midget Auto Racing Association (BMARA).

Hines leads the USAC Midget Series championship heading into Saturday and Sunday, having regained control of the point standings during USAC Indiana Midget Week. He and the No. 21 TSR/Chevy/Spike team hold a 33-point lead over second-place Bobby East. Hines, who has six victories at Angell Park Speedway, finished fifth in his last USAC Midget Series event at the track on Aug. 26, 2006. He will look to expand his point lead and pick up his first series victory of the season this weekend.

Jones enters the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Classic event ranked sixth in the USAC Midget Series standings. He and the No. 20 TSR/Chevy/Spike team will be riding the momentum of solid performances during USAC Indiana Midget Week and will look for their first series victory of the year at Angell Park this weekend. In his last appearance at the facility on Sept. 1, 2007, Jones earned a fifth-place finish.

Gates will open to the public at 4:30 p.m. CDT both Saturday and Sunday. Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. with qualifications beginning at 6:30 p.m. Racing is set to begin at 7 p.m. both nights. For more information or tickets for the event, race fans can call the track at 608-837-5252 or visit www.angellpark.com.

Levi Jones, driver of the No. 20 TSR/Chevy/Spike – USAC National Midget Car Series

Last season, this is the point of the racing schedule that you really began to come into your own. Does that help your confidence heading into this weekend’s event at Angell Park Speedway?

“With the Midget, it’s all about having seat time and getting comfortable with the car. With this only being my third year of full-time USAC Midget Series racing, I think I’m finally beginning to get into a rhythm when I compete in one of these cars. This time last season, our dirt program really began to step up and we were able to get our first win around this time of the year. I am really looking forward to going back to Angell Park this weekend. I know we’re very prepared and I think we have a good shot at putting Chevy and Bass Pro Shops up front on both nights.”

Angell Park is known for providing drivers and race fans with great racing action. What’s the best part of racing at this historic facility?

“The history behind Midget racing in the Sun Prairie area is what makes it such a great track to compete at. This type of racing is a fan favorite in the Wisconsin region and it’s always a great time getting to talk with the fans after the night is over. They really support the sport and their local race tracks and that’s a pretty neat environment to come into as a driver. I would love to put my name and Tony Stewart Racing in the books as an Angell Park Speedway feature winner. Hopefully, that’s the outcome we see this weekend.”

Tracy Hines, driver of the No. 21/TSR/Chevy/Spike – USAC National Midget Car Series

Does leading the USAC Midget Series point standings heading into this weekend’s doubleheader at Angell Park Speedway allow you to focus more on each race individually rather than the championship?

“Leading the points doesn’t necessarily take your focus off the race-to-race aspect of the championship. You’re always aware of where you sit in the point standings. You ultimately have to win races in order to win the championship or to stay ahead of the competition. We’re always focused on how we can win the next race. It’s a process that never stops. Our dirt Midget program is doing well this year and I am confident that we’re in a good position heading up to Angell Park this weekend.”

How many times a year are you able to compete at Angell Park Speedway?

“Normally, I run at Angell Park several times during a season. This year, I’ve only had an opportunity to compete at the track one time during our regular season. I went up on an off-week from our USAC racing schedule to compete. I’m very familiar with Angell Park, or Sun Prairie as we call it, and I am looking forward to racing there this weekend.”

You’ve won several races at Angell Park in the past. Do you have a favorite memory of the facility?

“I was able to win the Pepsi Nationals at Angell Park a few years ago and that was a really cool achievement. The competition up there is really tough. There are a lot of guys who can win on any given night. I’d really like to win the Hall of Fame Classic this weekend and put Chevy and Bass Pro Shops in the winner’s circle for the first time. I think we’re going to have really good cars and that it’s a possibility for this TSR team.”