Photos by Jeff Wilcenski for www.openwheelpictures.comJust out of curiosity, the archives of Sun Prairie’s hometown newspaper, "The Star Countryman," were perused. Back in 1965 (a semi-arbitrary year of choice) it was discovered that the first two races at Angell Park Speedway qualified 20 and 24 cars, respectively. With that in mind, Sunday’s annual Dash for Dads by Mountain Dew and Stark Automotive Group saw 23 cars in the Badger pits, plus 17 more signing on with the Illini Racing Series.

It was a great car count and crowd considering rain came as close as County "N" and Lonely Lane (about a mile south of the tack), when qualifying pushed off.

Photos by Jeff Wilcenski for www.openwheelpictures.comAnd what a track it was. After seeing the previous week garner only one car in the 14-second bracket during qualifying, the dads in the crowd saw 12 cars slipping under 15 seconds for their special day.

When racing started, Badger’s first heat saw Bubba Altig in the RAB Racing number 57 take the early lead. Altig seemed in command until a yellow bunched the field. Then it only took three quarters of a lap for Brandon Waelti to slip by for the top spot and the eventual win.

The second heat had Paul Perkins and Jason Dull on the front row. Dull got the jump, but by the fourth turn, former champion Scott Hatton took over for an easy win.

Photos by Jeff Wilcenski for www.openwheelpictures.comBadger’s last heat continued to showcase the abilities of rookie Courtney Erfurth. From her front row start, she took to the cushion and lead the first half of the race. Bob Shreffler, a consideration for the "Most Improved Driver Award," slipped under her out of the last turn and looked to be the car to beat. But California’s Cody Swanson spoiled Shreffler’s Father’s Day, as the youngster got underneath on the last corner of the last lap for the win.

In IRS action, Allen Gillis chased Kurt Mayhew for half of the race before catching him and then survived a restart to take home a heat win and a couple of cases of Mountain Dew. Gillis, as always, seemed truly pleased to be on Angell Park’s Victory Lane as he recapped the race with Dennis Thompson.

Photos by Jeff Wilcenski for www.openwheelpictures.comCharlie Holt lead wire to wire to take the second IRS heat and Chase Barber did the same in Badger’s qualifying go.

In the Badger semi, Chad DeSelle jumped to the lead from the pole, while Jim Fuerst surprised Brad Kuhn by taking second away from the second row. As DeSelle took off, Kuhn did his best to give chase, but it wasn’t until the last lap at the last turn that Kuhn had a chance, but it wasn’t enough as the Imhoff/Davis car, with DeSelle behind the wheel, took the win.

Ken Drangmeister, who was doing double duty along with Dull and Mayhew, took the lead from the outside pole for the IRS Main. In one circuit, Mayhew assumed the point . Mayhew then survived three restarts to hold off Gillis for another victory at Angell Park with the IRS.

It was a typical track for the Badger feature, with a good cushion about three-quarters of the way up it and the potential for the bottom to come in. With that, Altig, who perhaps has never met a cushion he didn’t like, took to the top and immediately appeared to be the car to beat. It only took him six circuits to start finding lapped traffic along with Scott Hatton and Jerry Coons Jr.

On the ninth lap of twenty-five, the yellow flew, bunching the field. Altig got the jump on the restart, only to have another yellow come out on the next lap. That redo, had Hatton lag behind Altig when the green waived and allowed Brad Loyet to assume second. Altig kept to the cushion but was not smooth, as once he seemed to miss the turn and then just jumped the berm the next time. All the while, Loyet could not capitalize, as Altig’s car was strong. On lap-fifteen Loyet slid under Altig for the top spot and enjoyed the lead until a red flag stopped action due to a Chase Barber flip in the first turn.

Loyet was strong when the green flew again and eyes turned to the middle of the pack where Brandon Waelti was running on the rail and gaining positions, with Coons in tow. As they motored on, Loyet enjoyed his lead, while Waelti and Coons gained two spots, by running lower than the top runners. After Loyet at the checkers, it was Hatton, Kuhn, Altig and Waelti.

The win marked the fourth Badger win in a row for the driver from Missouri.

Next week it’s a Sun Prairie tradition, as Angell Park Speedway hosts the Miller Lite Firecarcker 25, with Badger Midgets and the only public fireworks display in the city presented by Evergreen State Bank.