Fall Brawl presented by Ole Smoky Moonshine - Road Course at Badger Raceway, Muskego, WI

September 25, 2025

Round 3 of 17

Heitz Overcomes Slow Car

(Muskego, WI) -- The evening started out with the race winner convinced that his car was slow and all his competitors were so much faster, by the end of the event Joe Heitz was taking the Fall Brawl presented by Ole Smoky Moonshine victory football and drinking the race presenter's product in victory lane. 

During practice sessions Heitz complained that his #21 Good Vibes Racing Chevrolet-Daboiler was not nearly as quick as his teammate or his competitors, whether the team made the proper adjustments before qualifying or the 2022-23 Husarsbilt Cup champion just had a poor ability to perceive other cars relative speed, we may never know. Once cars were running on the clock, it became obvious that Heitz had a very quick car, qualifying second only to Firestone P1 Award winner Dan Margetta, who clocked his 52nd career pole position. 

Margetta took off to a sizable lead in the opening heat race and appeared to be cruising to a final and likely a shot at a race win, but with about 30 seconds left to go, going into turn three, the #27 Team Spehert Honda-Daboiler hit the wall and crashed out of the event, Matt Hayek running several laps down inherited the lead, took the surprise heat win. In a quirk of the rules, Hayek's lap total did not exceed Margetta's, however, a DNF in a heat race, takes the car out of the event.

The second heat saw a battle between to FAST teammates Mike Lack and Steve Rist. Lack led through much of the heat, however, Rist closed the gap to the point where they were almost side by side, has the clock ran out it was Lack with the win and Rist with a solid lap total for the transfer spot. Pete Dorn exited the event early with a crash similar to Margetta's and settling for 12th on the night.

Finally it was Joe Heitz chance to race against other cars heads-up, it was quickly apparent, if the second place qualifying position wasn't proof enough, that the Splenda car was very quick, opening a lead on home town hero Dean Strom and Team Spehert's Chris Spehert. Heitz would never be challenged, but a good battle ran to the finish for second place in the heat, ultimately Spehert would finish seventh on the night and Strom eighth.

The final opened with Steve Rist taking the point ahead of Mike Lack again running closely as they had in their heat, with Heitz third and Hayek in fourth. As the race neared the midpoint, Heitz moved past Lack and was running the fastest laps on track as he closed in on Rist. Pit stops were uneventful, but Heitz continued to close on Rist and ultimately took the lead. It was shortly after the lead change that Lack's #9 FAST PNC Honda-Daboiler crashed taking the seven-time champion out, elevating Hayek to third, this time Hayek didn't merely accept the promotion the #15 FAST II: The Castaways pilot set his sights on moving up, Rist would struggle just enough, while Hayek turned in smooth laps ultimately getting past for second in the last minute. All of this happening while Heitz had sailed well off in to the lead to take the checkers and his first win since the Trokan Cup last season.

The podium a swig of the Ole Smoky Moonshine and Heitz found himself jumping from tenth to sixth in the standings, while Hayek holds the lead by 17 points over Lack. The series heads to the Black Forest for the Deckertring Grand Prix in two weeks.

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The Fall Brawl presented by Ole Smoky Moonshine Fast Facts

Race date: Thursday, Sep 25

Track: Road Course at Badger Raceway, 3.25 mile natural-terrain road course

Race distance:  20 minutes

Twitter:  @indyslotcar

IndySlotCar Website: indyslotcar.com

2024 race winner: Ev Kamikawa (#12 Team PenskeHO Chevrolet-Daboiler)

2024 Firestone P1 Award winner: Mike Lack (#9  FAST Honda-Daboiler)

One-lap qualifying record: Mark Walczak, 4.397 seconds, 2013

Race record: Dan Margetta, Mike Lack, 238 laps, 2023, 2018

YouTube Broadcast: IndySlotCar Channel

At-track schedule (all times local):

6:00 – Gates open

6:30 – Driver introductions

6:55 – Drivers’ meeting (chassis distribution)

7:00 – IndySlotCar Series Practice

7:25 – Qualifying for the Firestone P1 Award (group qualifying/ fastest single lap)

7:50 – Heat races

8:45 – Fall Brawl

Race Notes:

• Hometown hero Dean Strom enters the Fall Brawl as the most recent race winner, having taken the IndySlotCar 500th Grand Prix checkers a little over a week ago.

• Knowing their favorite son would be looking to back up his victory at Bermuda Raceway, sponsors began lining up to put their name on the Road Course at Badger Raceway event on Thursday, it was Ole Smoky Moonshine that presents the Fall Brawl this season.

• Matt Hayek continues to hold the early lead in the Husarsbilt Cup championship, the #15 FAST II: The Castaways driver leads Strom by 8 points.

• Hayek has scored the Firestone P1 Award at the first two events of the season, equaling the record streak to start a season.

• Stats watch: Matt Hayek’s latest finals appearance is the 73rd of his career, equaling IndySlotCar Hall of Famer Jim Iverson at 11th on the all-time list, while Mike Kristof’s return to a final, his first in 19 months, is the 50th of his career moving to 15th. Brad Core’s 70th career start moves the CBD Racing driver into a tie with Andy Spehert at 26th on the all time tally.

FALL BRAWL HISTORY (9 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

9/29/2019 Mike Lack Choco Taco Fall Brawl

9/24/2020 Dean Strom Choco Taco Fall Brawl

9/23/2021 Dean Strom Choco Taco Bomb Pop Fall Brawl

9/22/2022 Mike Lack Fall Brawl

9/21/2023 Dan Margetta Fall Brawl

9/12/2024 Ev Kamikawa Fall Brawl

Multiple wins: Dean Strom-4, Mike Lack-3