By Bryan Gapinski
CANTON, IL - Donnie Lehmann captured the DQ Clash 30-lap Gateway/Badger Midget Series co-sanctioned event Sunday Night at Spoon River Speedway. The event opened the season for both sanctioning groups.
Brandon Waelti jumped into the lead at the start, pacing the initial four circuits, before polesitter Danny Stratton moved under Waelti for the lead exiting turn two. Stratton pulled away from the field, and had a two second advantage when the first caution appeared on the eighth lap.
Stratton held a two car length lead over Waelti, while Lehmann, Steve Knepper, and Davey Ray waged an excellent battle for third place during the race's mid stages. A three car tangle on the 18th lap bunched up the field for a restart. During the caution a section of the track lighting malfunctioned causing darkness. The field was stopped for the light repair,and the feature restarted 20 minutes later. During the red flag Ray, and three other drivers made tire changes moving them to the tail of the field.
Two laps after the restart Lehmann moved into second place, and passed Stratton for the lead on the same lap. Positions began to change behind Lehmann over the final ten laps which also saw three cautions. Lehmann finished 2.07 seconds ahead of Knepper, defending Gateway Series champion Mike Hess who started 21st charged to finish third ahead of Shane Hollingsworth, and Ray recovered from his tire change to round out the top five finishers.
"We had our car set up for the final ten laps, and just hung around the front of the field until that point" commented Lehmann who has scored countless midget feature victories during his 18-year career, however it was his first feature victory in a Badger sanctioned event.
The Badger series continues on Apr. 30 at the Butler Battlegrounds Speedway (Quincy,Mich.), while Gateway returns to action on May 15 at Belle-Clair Speedway (Belleville, Ill.).
RESULTS
30-lap Feature: 1. Donnie Lehmann; 2. Steve Knepper; 3. Mike Hess; 4.Shane Hollingsworth; 5. Davey Ray; 6. Brandon Waelti; 7. Danny Stratton; 8. David Gough; 9. Tim Siner; 10. Mario Marietta; 11. Korey Weyant; 12. Mike Heiss; 13. Rick Mueller; 14. Bray Loyet; 15. Ric Forbes; 16. Aaron Fiscus; 17. Chad DeSelle; 18.Ron Kuhn; 19. Craig Carey; 20. Matt Hummel; 21. Joey Montgomery; 22. Cody Wisensel
12-lap Semi Feature Winners: Weyant, DeSelle.
8-lap Heat Race Winners: Waelti, Montgomery, Mueller, Stratton.
CANTON, IL - Donnie Lehmann captured the DQ Clash 30-lap Gateway/Badger Midget Series co-sanctioned event Sunday Night at Spoon River Speedway. The event opened the season for both sanctioning groups.
Brandon Waelti jumped into the lead at the start, pacing the initial four circuits, before polesitter Danny Stratton moved under Waelti for the lead exiting turn two. Stratton pulled away from the field, and had a two second advantage when the first caution appeared on the eighth lap.
Stratton held a two car length lead over Waelti, while Lehmann, Steve Knepper, and Davey Ray waged an excellent battle for third place during the race's mid stages. A three car tangle on the 18th lap bunched up the field for a restart. During the caution a section of the track lighting malfunctioned causing darkness. The field was stopped for the light repair,and the feature restarted 20 minutes later. During the red flag Ray, and three other drivers made tire changes moving them to the tail of the field.
Two laps after the restart Lehmann moved into second place, and passed Stratton for the lead on the same lap. Positions began to change behind Lehmann over the final ten laps which also saw three cautions. Lehmann finished 2.07 seconds ahead of Knepper, defending Gateway Series champion Mike Hess who started 21st charged to finish third ahead of Shane Hollingsworth, and Ray recovered from his tire change to round out the top five finishers.
"We had our car set up for the final ten laps, and just hung around the front of the field until that point" commented Lehmann who has scored countless midget feature victories during his 18-year career, however it was his first feature victory in a Badger sanctioned event.
The Badger series continues on Apr. 30 at the Butler Battlegrounds Speedway (Quincy,Mich.), while Gateway returns to action on May 15 at Belle-Clair Speedway (Belleville, Ill.).
RESULTS
30-lap Feature: 1. Donnie Lehmann; 2. Steve Knepper; 3. Mike Hess; 4.Shane Hollingsworth; 5. Davey Ray; 6. Brandon Waelti; 7. Danny Stratton; 8. David Gough; 9. Tim Siner; 10. Mario Marietta; 11. Korey Weyant; 12. Mike Heiss; 13. Rick Mueller; 14. Bray Loyet; 15. Ric Forbes; 16. Aaron Fiscus; 17. Chad DeSelle; 18.Ron Kuhn; 19. Craig Carey; 20. Matt Hummel; 21. Joey Montgomery; 22. Cody Wisensel
12-lap Semi Feature Winners: Weyant, DeSelle.
8-lap Heat Race Winners: Waelti, Montgomery, Mueller, Stratton.
