WILMOT, Wis. — Four caution flags during the last half of the feature failed to keep Zach Raidart from winning his first 20-lap Wisconsin AutoMeter Powered by Gandrud Performance Catalyst Exhibits Wilmot Raceway WingLESS Sprints feature of the season.
Raidart held serve wire-to-wire despite yellows at the halfway point, with seven, five and two laps to go, erasing his advantage. Each time Raidart was able to stick to his rim-riding high line scoring the win.
Chris Klemko finished second. Clayton Rossmann was third, Allen Hafford improved from 12th starting spot to take fourth and Tristan Furseth took fifth.
“I didn’t like seeing those cautions because I didn’t know where the person running behind me was going to go,” said Raidart, joined by his dad and crew in victory lane. “I just stuck to my rim ridding line and the car was hooked up there.”
Parker Jones shot out front from his second row starting spot, never looking back enroute to the victory in the Badger Midget Advanced Fastening Supply 25-lap feature.
Jones stopped short of the victory lane, concerned he might have some oil leaking in his machine but none was found by the crew. Todd Kluever finished second in a tight battle with third place finisher Derek Doer who started ninth. Matt Rechek was fourth and Aaron Muhle was fifth.
“We didn’t qualify well, but we got it together in the heat and the feature,” said Jones, the Badger pointleader who took his third Badger main of the season but first ever at Wilmot. “I have to thank my dad (John Jones, who was in victory lane) and my crew who kept working to make the car run stronger as the night went along.”
Brandon Mertes took the lead on the third lap of the 20-lap Unified Street Stock feature going on to become the third different Wilmot main winner of the season. Six yellow flags slowed progress of the main, keeping the field tight behind Mertes.
At the checkered following what seemed like a marathon, Mertes picked up the win. Josh Gehrig charged from 12th to take second. Troy Hensley, who led the opening two laps, spun while running third and had to restart from the rear, ended up an impressive third.
Dustin Holland was fourth while Roman Blank, in his first Wilmot start of the season, was fifth.
“It’s been a long time coming this year,” said Mertes, joined by his wife, Teri, two little ones Easton and Logan, the second who was born June 27 and joined dad in his first victory lane, along with a niece and nephew as well as his dad, Craig. “My dad has stuck with it, when this win should have been our third feature as I had problems while leading the other two. The car ran super and I was able to make it through to the end. It’s great to finally get a win.”
Ryan Andrews was the only winner of a second main this season taking top honors in the 20-lap B&L Office Furniture Powered by American Tire & Auto Repair of Kenosha and Lindenhurst, IL Bandits 4-cylinder stock car feature.
“I had a friend text me that they wanted me to do well tonight, so I hope they liked what they saw,” Andrews said, joined by his wife and two children in victory lane. “It’s great to celebrate with them because they put up with a lot. I didn’t want to have such a long span between wins so this second one this year is better.”