2019-20 Round 2
Choco Taco Fall Brawl - Road Course at Badger Raceway - Muskego, WI
September 26, 2019
Round 2 of 16
Familiar Faces In Familiar Places
(Muskego, WI) -- It didn't take Mike Lack long to get back to where we expect to see him...in victory lane. But it has been more than a year since America's sweetheart Kitty Bo Peep was seen on the airwaves of the IndySlotCar Channel, she made a triumphant return to much fanfare, perhaps more than six time champion Lack received for his 40th career victory.
It was not an easy win however, once again Matt Hayek showed a lot of speed and took his 14th career pole position with Mike Fitzlaff showing well in qualifying, joining Hayek on the front row with Lack back in third. The action started early in the heat races as Joe Heitz would complete just one lap before crashing out, followed closely by Dan Margetta, making his season debut but exiting after just eight circuits, Mike Fitzlaff joined the crowd on the hook after 16 laps, Amy Butler making her first start in over a year, showed that it takes some time getting used to the speed and found her #33 Drive for Life car off the track and finally Tom Spehert made an early exit 52 laps in to finish seventh. With all that carnage, the survivors tried to move on to the final, but Mike Kristof just could not get a handle on the tight turns of Badger Raceway and the #60 SiriusXM car would wind up sixth, same position his finished two weeks before at the Mini Mile and also right behind Pete Dorn who again had a solid night, but not good enough to transfer.
In the 20 minute feature, it was a showdown of two powerhouse teams as Lack and John Wiedemann from Angry Squirrel Speedsport lined up against previous race winner Matt Hayek and hometown hero Dean Strom from Alter Ego Racing. While Hayek had scored the pole and won his heat with the other drivers all crashing out, his car in the final had handling problems that kept him from challenging Lack and Wiedemann, while Strom struggled for speed. Mike Lack meanwhile took his #1 SealMaster Honda to the point and never looked back, while John Wiedemann's #19 Cly-Del Honda was able to open up a comfortable gap over Hayek and that his how they would finish as Lack would move to within four victories of the all-time record held by Dan Margetta. With his podium finish Matt Hayek continues to hold the Husarbilt Cup championship points lead as the series heads to Mike Lack's home track for the West Bend Grand Prix.
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Choco Taco Fall Brawl Fast Facts
Race date: Thursday, Sep 20
Track: Road Course at Badger Raceway, 3.25 mile natural-terrain road course
Race distance: 20 minutes
Twitter: @indyslotcar
IndySlotCar Website: indyslotcar.com
2018 race winner: Dean Strom (#64 Alter Ego Racing Dallara-Honda)
2018 P1 Award winner: Mike Fitzlaff (#10 Kuzin ITT Racing Dallara-Honda)
One-lap qualifying record: Mark Walczak, 4.397 seconds, 2013
Race record: Dean Strom, 230 laps, 2018
YouTube Broadcast: IndySlotCar Channel
At-track schedule (all times local):
6:30 – Driver introductions
6:55 – Drivers’ meeting
7:00 – IndySlotCar Series Practice
7:20 – Qualifying for the P1 Award (group qualifying/ fastest single lap)
7:45 – Heat races
8:30 – Choco Taco Fall Brawl
Race Notes:
· In three previous Fall Brawl’s Dean Strom has taken the Football Trophy twice, can Strom make it three?
· Strom’s Alter Ego Racing teammate Matt Hayek is coming off a win at the Trokan Cup 500, his 12th career win, moving him to 13th all-time.
· Choco Taco returns as the presenting sponsor for the Fall Brawl.
· This is expected to be the season debut event for popular drivers Amy Butler and Dan Margetta.
· John Wiedemann’s last start was #173, equaling series founder Phil Cianciola for eighth all-time.
FALL BRAWL HISTORY (3 EVENTS):
Date Race Winner Event Name
9/19/2013 Mike Lack Ricardo’s Pizza presents the Badger Raceway Fall Brawl
9/17/2015 Dean Strom Fall Brawl presented by UFC
9/20/2018 Dean Strom Choco Taco Fall Brawl