SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. – Kevin Olson captured Sunday night’s 25-lap Zimbrick Chevrolet of Sun Prairie Badger Midget Racing Series feature at Angell Park Speedway.
The win his 47th career feature victory at the track and his first at the track since Sept. 6, 1998.
Rookie Matt Recheck jumped into the lead at the start of the event. Fast qualifier Scott Hatton passed seven cars in the first three laps, advancing to third place. Recheck held the lead over Hatton, when the caution appeared for a stalled car on lap six.
Hatton passed Recheck on the eighth lap for the lead. Two laps later Recheck’s car began to misfire and he retired from the race before the midway point.
Hatton continued to lead the field, running the cushion with most other competitors using the lower groove. Olson closed to Hatton’s rear bumper, when the caution appeared, with ten laps remaining. On the restart Olson challenged Hatton for the lead, taking the lead on lap 17, with Hatton regaining it the next lap. Olson reclaimed the lead the following lap.
Over the final five laps, with Olson on the bottom groove and Hatton on the cushion the pair would lose or gain a car length or two to each other as the battle continued with Olson leading each lap. A wild scramble occurred for the lead as the pair encountered lapped traffic entering the final two turns on the white flag lap.
Olson, driving the Don Kleven owned Spike/Ford Duratech No. 9, finished 0.40 seconds ahead of Hatton. Heat winner Jeff Zelinski, points leader Jack Routson and Chase McDermand rounded out the top five.
“I was committed to the bottom of the track, the final lap I thought the lapped cars were gonna be a problem, but Scott (Hatton) also had cars in front of him, it’s great to be back in Angell Park victory lane I’m so happy its win number one for this team” commented Olson after the victory.
The win was the first for car owner Don Kleven.
The finish:
Kevin Olson, Scott Hatton, Jeff Zelinski, Jack Routson, Chase McDermand, Kevin Douglas, Zach Boden, Kurt Mayhew, Mike Stroik, Tristan Koenings, Ryan Probst, Tyler Baran, Jeremy Douglas, Marty Saso, Kyle Koch, Shay Sassano, Denny Smith, Pat Hensen, Ken Hanson, Brian Peterson, Matt Rechek, Joe Ebben, Mike Ungar.