8/10/2025
Midget Auto Racing Association
Alex "The Missile" Midkiff Lands In MARA Victory Lane At Coles County Speedway
The Midget Auto Racing Association saw cars from four states sign in for a night of racing at Coles County Speedway in Mattoon, Illinois. The field boasted former feature winners in MARA action and at least two former midget racing champions. In the end it was Alex Midkiff who would top them all.
Wisconsin's Zach Boden was fastest in Rod End Supply Qualifying to start the night.
In an entertaining Fusion Engineering Heat-One Tommy Colburn took to the point from his front row starting spot. Six laps later, in the eight lap race, Midkiff, who started in fourth, got by him at the line and went on to the win.
Charles Kunz lead wire to wire in Horizon Carpentry Inc. Heat-Two. Daltyn England pressured him early and tried to slide him after the success Midkiff had the race prior, but Kunz was too strong on the cushion and prevailed.
Mark McMahill survived the first three yellows to easily pace the field from the start of the 25-lap Ag Venture/ Wehmeyer Seed A-Main. On the fourth restart Midkiff got even with McMahill at the line and the two dueled side by side for two laps before Midkiff got the advantage with nine laps left.
England who had been battling a position either side of fourth place for much of the race, found some grip with just a couple of laps left. He finally broke away from that pack and powered to a second place finish in the closing laps. Midkiff was too far gone by then and he won by nearly a straight away. Boden finished third and McMahill faded to fourth.
Tyler Roth finished fifth gaining eight spots to claim High Performance Lubricants Hard Charger honors, while Indiana's Cody Beard ran sixth.
NOTES
The Horizon Develop Build Manage Invert Draw went to Boden. It should be noted that the Schoenfeld Headers Heat-Three and Hoosier Racing Tire B-Main were not run.
Mitchell Davis crossed the finish line in fifth but was light coming across the scales and was disqualified.
UP NEXT
It's a doubleheader with a co-sanction this coming weekend when MARA visits Lincoln Speedway on Friday, August 15. On Saturday, MARA meets their northern cousins, the AFS Badger Midget Series at Sycamore (IL) Speedway for a boarder battle.
For fans or teams that might want to keep the fun going, Badger races that Sunday, August 17 at historic Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, WI where the city will celebrate their famous Sweet Corn Festival in conjunction with the races.
The Lincoln and Sycamore events are slated to air on Badger TV while Sunday's Badger race will air on FloRacing.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Ag Venture / Wehmeyer Seed A - Feature (25 Laps): 1. 05-Alex Midkiff[2]; 2. 19E-Daltyn England[5]; 3. 51-Zach Boden[7]; 4. 11K-Mark McMahill[1]; 5. 18-Tyler Roth[13]; 6. 7B-Cody Beard[12]; 7. 31-Tommy Colburn[10]; 8. 15-RJ Corson[11]; 9. 7T-Adam Taylor[4]; 10. 51R-Greg Ross[8]; 11. 40-Jace Sparks[3]; 12. 4K-Charles Kunz[9]; 13. (DQ) 56-Mitchell Davis[6]
Fusion Engineering Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 05-Alex Midkiff[4]; 2. 56-Mitchell Davis[6]; 3. 31-Tommy Colburn[1]; 4. 51R-Greg Ross[2]; 5. 7T-Adam Taylor[5]; 6. 7B-Cody Beard[3]
Horizon Carpentry Inc Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 4K-Charles Kunz[2]; 2. 19E-Daltyn England[6]; 3. 11K-Mark McMahill[4]; 4. 51-Zach Boden[7]; 5. 40-Jace Sparks[5]; 6. 11J-Todd Jackson; 7. 15-RJ Corson[1]; 8. 18-Tyler Roth[3]
Rod End Supply Fast Time Qualifying (100 Laps): 1. 51-Zach Boden, 00:10.373[7]; 2. 56-Mitchell Davis, 00:10.494[5]; 3. 19E-Daltyn England, 00:10.564[9]; 4. 7T-Adam Taylor, 00:10.642[1]; 5. 40-Jace Sparks, 00:10.656[3]; 6. 05-Alex Midkiff, 00:10.678[13]; 7. 11K-Mark McMahill, 00:10.712[10]; 8. 7B-Cody Beard, 00:10.766[6]; 9. 18-Tyler Roth, 00:10.815[12]; 10. 51R-Greg Ross, 00:10.847[2]; 11. 4K-Charles Kunz, 00:10.896[11]; 12. 31-Tommy Colburn, 00:11.286[8]; 13. 15-RJ Corson, 00:11.942[4]; 14. 11J-Todd Jackson[14]
Article By Bill Blumer Jr.
Photo by Amy Schulz
Submitted By: William Blumer