KANKAKEE, Ill. — Adam Taylor started the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association season just like he ended it last year – winning.
Taylor captured the 25-lap Advanced Fastening Supply Badger Midget Series 88th season opener Friday night at the Kankakee County Speedway. Taylor closed out the Badger season in 2022 by winning at Indiana’s Shadyhill Speedway.
The Wheatfield, Ind., speedster piloted the Jones-Spray Racing-owned, Fusion Engineering/Spike/Honda No. 5 to the win, his sixth career victory in BMARA competition.
A late-race yellow flag caution with three laps to go set up Taylor’s run to the checkered flag as Andy Baugh had led since the drop of the green flag, showing the way as the laps ran down. When green flag racing returned, Taylor shot by a struggling Baugh for the lead and the win.
Patrick Bruns originally came home second in the 22-car field, followed by Wes Pinkerton, Ronnie Gardner, Todd Kluever and Mike Stroik. Baugh was credited with an 11th place finish. Bruns’ good run was later washed out by a disqualification.
With five laps in the books, fastest qualifier Kyle Stark was involved in a wild, red flag-causing flip between turns three and four of the main event. Stark was taken to a local hospital for observation.
Greg Ross won the 12-lap “B” feature ahead of Jace Sparks and Mark McMahill. Eight-lap heat races wins went to Pinkerton, Cody Weisensel and Baugh. Miles Doherty was the winner of the eight-lap non-qualifiers race.
Thirty-seven midgets packed the pits with Stark’s quick lap of 14.893 seconds during time trials being a Badger track record. It was the first time that the Badger midgets had raced at Kankakee since 1990.
Steve Thomas of Ludlow, Ill., was the winner of the 15-lap feature race for Midwest Throwback Sprint Cars. Thomas finished ahead of a challenging Gary Cummings. Mike Fisher Jr. was third.
Jamie Lomax of Lake Village, Ind., claimed to honors in the 20-lap headliner for DIRTcar modifieds. Lomax bested Mike McKinney, Steven Brooks, Jason Hastings and Austin Friedman.
Other stock car feature winners were Austin Hubbard (stock cars), Deece Schwartz (pro modifieds), Lee Joseph Hall (factory stock) and David Lauritson (sport compact).
Feature Finish (25 Laps)
Adam Taylor, Wes Pinkerton, Ronnie Gardner, Todd Kluever, Mike Stroik, Mark McMahill, Matt Rechek, Lamont Critchett, Kevin Douglas, Cody Weisensel, Andy Baugh, Jeremy Douglas, Harrison Kleven, Kyle Koch, Chris Dickey, Jace Sparks, David Budres, Tommy Colburn, RJ Corson, Kyle Stark, Gregg Ross, Patrick Bruns (DQ).