Davenport, Iowa – May 29, 2016 – Robbie Ray took home the victory Sunday night at the current home of the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame and legendary dirt track known as the Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, WI. The event marked the second race of the 80th season of the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association sanctioning Midget racing in the United States and the second event of Angell Park Speedway’s 70th season of motorsports. Ray won the event in his #3 Ray Racing Enterprises/DRC Chassis/Ray Honda Midget engine.
Ray, who missed the first event of the season, debuted his new Honda Midget engine built by his father Mark Ray, a long time engine builder and former Indianapolis 500 engine technical inspector, by winning his eight lap heat race from the second starting position. He then followed that up by winning the 25 lap feature event from the sixth position.
“We earned the most passing points tonight so we had to draw for the feature line up inversion,” explained Ray, “and we drew a six pill.”
In the feature, Ray quickly made his way through the pack to fourth place before a Red Flag condition stopped the field for an accident off of turn four on lap five. On the restart Ray was penalized two spots for advancing his position before the start finish line which essentially put him back to his original starting position.
“I made a mistake and drove to the outside of the car in front of me too early and was called on it by the officials. However, I knew we had a good car and that I just needed to keep calm and work my way back to the front,” explained Ray.
Ray then picked off the cars in front of him one by one and eventually found himself second in the field of 22 cars and behind the #15 Stealth/Ford powered car of Brandon Waelti. Waelti is a multi-time winner with the BMARA at the Angell Park Speedway and had lead from lap four of the feature event.
“I knew getting by Brandon was going to be tough. He is a very solid driver in the Badger Midgets and I knew it would take a bit of work to make the pass,” stated Ray.
On lap 20 Ray utilized lap traffic and some quick thinking to overtake Waelti and put his car in the front. Ray lead the next four laps until the white flag when another Red Flag for a crash by the 2015 BMARA champion David Budres halted the race.
“I had just taken the white flag and was heading down the backstretch when the officials came on the radio and called a Red Flag. I knew we had a fast car, but anything can happen in a green, white, checker situation,” stated Ray.
On the restart Ray pulled away from the second place car of Waelti and won by a margin of .730 seconds earning his first ever BMARA victory and Honda’s first ever Midget victory at the historic Angell Park Speedway. Coincidentally, the win came on the same day that Honda would win the 100th running of the world famous Indianapolis 500 mile race.
“This is so great to win here at this famous track in front of the best midget racing fans in the country,” exclaimed Ray, “I am so happy for my family. Behind the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this race track is by far my favorite.”
The BMARA Midget racing series will be back in action this Sunday, June 5 at the Angell Park Speedway. For a full schedule and results follow the BMARA Midget Series at www.bmara.com.
{Press release provide by Robbie Ray. Images courtesy Roger Hamilton. and Bob Cruse.}
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