SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — Ryan Zielski and Ryan Mech were feature winners in their respective divisions, but due to a 10 p.m. curfew, the Salute to Bryan Gapsinki race for the speedsters of the Badger Midget Auto Racing Ass’n at Angell Park Speedway Sunday night was postponed.
Two serious out of the park midget crashes involving Jake Dohner in the third heat race and Miles Quandt in the semi feature delayed the program. Both drivers were transported to a local hospital. Dohner was released from the hospital Sunday with Quandt still being held as of Monday morning, despite no broken bones or internal bleeding.
Sunday’s race was to honor Gapinski, the Badger series announcer and media representative, who passed away last October at the age of 56 after a battle with cancer. In addition to duties with Badger, Gapinski was a photographer, writer, race official and midget car owner in addition to being a historian of midget auto racing.
Zielski, from Oconomowoc, Wis., won the 15-lap main event for the Wisconsin WingLESS Sprints presented by the IRA series. A nifty pass of two cars off of turn two by Zielski on lap two shot him into the lead and eventually to the checkered flag.
Veteran driver Tim Cox finished second followed by current series points leader Ryan Marshall. Chris Klemko, Jimmy Sivia and Allen Hafford rounded out the top six in the 24-car field. A total of 32 sprint car entries were in the pits.
“The track was really narrow and I had to make hay when I could,” said Zielski. “If I couldn’t get out front right away, I didn’t know if I could get it done.”
Ryan Mech captured the Wisconsin Legends Racing Dirt Series feature race.
Sunday’s Badger feature race was to conclude the Three for All – the weekend’s three-day, three-track, mini-series tour for the open-wheel racers.
Two-time Badger champion and current series points leader Chase McDermand won Friday at Gravity Park in Chilton, Wis., with veteran Indiana driver Kurt Mayhew claiming top honors at Wisconsin’s Tomahawk Speedway on Saturday.
McDermand, who had troubles during time trials, had to race in the non-qualifiers event and the semi feature on Sunday – both of which he won.
Badger heat race victories went to Andy Baugh, Kyle Stark and Zach Boden. Boden was the fastest qualifier among 29 Badger entries.