By Bryan Gapinski (Wilmot, WI) -- Zach Boden won the 10th annual "Salute to Harry Turner" Zimbrick Chevrolet of Sun Prairie Badger Midget Racing Series feature Saturday Night at Wilmot Raceway. The win marked the first career series feature victory for the third-year driver.
Boden jumped into the lead at the start of the event, closely followed by Jordan Mattson. The events only caution appeared on Lap 7 when second place Mattson came to a stop, retiring from the event. On the restart Tristan Koenings escaped injury in a Turn One flip.
Boden led Brian Peterson, and Chase McDermand on the restart. McDermand took over second place at the mid-way point. Boden's advantage was a 1.8 second lead over McDermand, with five laps remaining. Boden caught the tail of the field two laps later, allowing McDermand to quickly "cut into" Bodens lead.
Boden driving the Harlan Kittelson owned Bullet/Ford Duratech No. 2 finished 0.34 seconds ahead of the fast closing McDermand. Peterson, Ryan Probst, and rookie Matt Rechek, rounded out the top five.
"I got really slowed down by the lapped cars the last couple of laps, but I was committed to running the bottom, I knew someone had to be closing on me, I finished second to Scott (Hatton) in this race two-years ago during my rookie year, it's great to finally get a win" commented Boden after the victory.
Routson leads McDermand by twenty points entering the Sunday Night's July 7 "38th annual Pepsi Midget Nationals" event at Angell Park Speedway.
SUMMARY
20-lap Feature: 1. Zach Boden; 2. Chase McDermand; 3. Brian Peterson; 4. Ryan Probst; 5. Matt Rechek; 6. Jeff Zelinski; 7. Jack Routson; 8. Scott Hatton; 9. Kevin Olson; 10. Kurt Mayhew; 11. Mike Stroik; 12. Jim Fuerst;
13. Kyle Koch; 14. Jeremy Douglas; 15. R.J. Corson; 16. Denny Smith;
17. Harrison Kleven; 18. Shay Sassano; 19. Pat Henson; 20. Jordan Mattson;
21. Tristan Koenings; 22. Mike Ungar.
8-lap Advance Fastening Supply Semi Feature Winner: Hatton.
8-lap AutoMeter Heat Race Winner: Mayhew.
8-lap Engler Machine Heat Race Winner: Mattson.
8-lap Madison Extinguisher Heat Race Winner: Rechek.
Schoenfeld Headers Fast Time: Routson, 16.025 seconds.
Cars Present: 25 Feature Lap Leaders: Boden 1-20.
Badger Midget Series Points: 1. Jack Routson 650; 2. Chase McDermand 630; 3. Ryan Probst 568; 4. Zach Boden 529; 5. Kevin Olson 453; 6. Brian Peterson 413; 7. Mike Stroik 356; 8. Matt Rechek 391; 9. Scott Hatton 390; 10. Chase Jones 346.
RACE NOTES
---Zach Boden became the eighth different driver to win the Turner event. Brad Kuhn is the only event repeat winner, with three victories.
---Points leader Jack Routson made his Wilmot debut, topping the 25-car field in qualifying, which was his first Badger career Schoenfeld Headers Fast Time honor.
---With eight races completed Badger is averaging 25.1 cars per event.
---Brian Peterson scored his career best feature finish third place in the event.
---Jeremy Douglas won the Howard Law Cash Draw, a bonus for a randomly selected feature finishing position. Scott Hatton claimed the Advance Race Suspensions Hard Charger Award improving nine starting positions.