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Hatton Caps Off Championship Season With National Victory
By Bryan Gapinski
Sun Prairie, WIs., Sep. 5 - Scott Hatton finished off his second straight
Badger Midget Series Championship season with a victory in the 24th annual
Fireman's Nationals presented by Pepsi. The victory for Hatton allowed him to
become the fifth multi-time winner of the event.
The event got off to a rocky start when Jeff Flesher flipped on the opening
lap escaping injury setting up a complete restart. Danny Stratton quickly
moved from fourth to the lead by completion of the first lap. Stratton held an
incredible straightaway lead at the conclusion of lap four when second place
Darren Hagen stalled on the track.
On the restart Hatton lined up second behind Stratton. Stratton again pulled
away from the field and enjoyed a two second advantage when he began lapping
the tail of the field on the 12th lap. Hatton and Brad Kuhn were waging an
excellent battle for second when the event was stopped to a dramatic
fire in Bryan Clauson's car.
Stratton, Hatton and Kuhn pulled away from the field on the restart. Hatton
shadowed Stratton until the 34th lap when he drove under Stratton for the lead
entering turn one. Once in the lead Hatton maintained a two car length-plus
advantage over Stratton and Kuhn for the remainder of the race. The leaders
spent the final ten laps in heavy lapped traffic. Hatton driving the Huston
Solution Racing Stealth-Mopar finished 0.665 seconds ahead of Stratton,
followed by Kuhn, fast qualifier Brandon Waelti and Aaron Fiscus.
The field received the checkered flag on lap 49, one short of the scheduled
distance, and ran the final lap under caution as a tribute to Kevin Doty. Doty
whose car number was 50, had won the event a record five times, died of
injuries last month from a Aug. 14 crash at the track. Hatton and his car
owner Dwight Huston leads the list of honorees for the series awards banquet
slated for Saturday Night Nov. 12 at the Angell Park Pavilion.
SUMMARY
50-lap Feature: 1. Scott Hatton; 2. Danny Stratton; 3. Brad Kuhn; 4. Brandon
Waelti; 5. Aaron Fiscus; 6. Chad DeSelle; 7. Greg Lueckert; 8. Rick Mueller;
9. Kenny Adams; 10. Jimmy Light; 11. Jimi Quin; 12. Kevin Olson; 13. Rick
LaBrosse; 14. Bob Schreffler; 15. Paul Perkins; 16. Michael
Pickens; 17. Harley Slotten; 18. Cody Wisensel; 19. Bryan Clauson;
20. Darren Hagen; 21. Mike Stroehle; 22. Jeff Flesher.
15-lap Semi Feature Winner: Stratton.
10-lap Heat Race Winners: Joe Wipperfurth, Quin, DeSelle, LaBrosse.
6-lap Dash Winner: Hatton.
Fast Time: Waelti, 14.813 seconds.
Final 2005 Badger Midget Series
1. Scott Hatton 1915; 2. Danny Stratton 1647; 3. Brandon Waelti 1579; 4. Brad
Kuhn 1557; 5. Davey Ray 1394; 6. Chad DeSelle 1291; 7. Rick Mueller 1041; 8.
Aaron fiscus 835; 9. NickLundgreen 819; 10. Harley Slotten 687.
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