8/16/2025
Midget Auto Racing Association
Midkiff Wins Last Corner Thriller In Night Before The Mile At Lincoln Speedway
Alex “The Missile” Midkiff scored his fifth Ag Venture/ Wehmeyer Seed A-Main of the season with the Midget Auto Racing Association on Friday, August 16, at Lincoln Speedway.
Mario Clouser was fastest in Rod End Supply Qualifying to start the night, driving the Phantom Chassis car. He raced well enough in his heat to also earn Horizon Develop Build Manage Invert Draw honors.
THE HEATS
Dominic Bruns and Tyler Roth inherited the front row after an off-kilter start aborted the opening lap of Fusion Engineering Heat-One and sent the initial front row back a spot. The new front row swapped the lead several times in the first half of the race before Roth finally pulled ahead for the win.
In that race, with two laps to go, series point leader Jace Sparks was neck and neck for third place at the line with Jacob Sollenberger. Sparks got by him coming to the white flag and then passed Bruns on the last lap for the runner-up spot.
Horizon Carpentry Heat-Two saw Midkiff take the lead early and despite a yellow, was never seriously challenged for the win. Clouser was second.
AG VENTURE/ WEHMEYER SEED FEATURE
At the start of the A-Main Midkiff took advantage of this front row starting spot and bolted to the lead. A yellow soon slowed the field but on the restart “The Missile" launched again.
At the half-way mark of the 20 lap event Dominic Bruns flipped causing the red flag to fly. It was reported that Bruns was alright. The lineup on the restart had Midkiff ahead of Clouser and Mark McMahill.
From there Midkiff took off but Clouser got next to him by turn-two. Midkiff was able to put some separation between the two and for the bulk of the race he enjoyed a three to five length lead over Clouser. Clouser couldn’t even capitalize when Midkiff jumped the cushion violently in turn-two with seven laps left.
With five to go Midkiff had better luck with a lapped car than Clouser did going into the corner. It was Midkiff who could not take advantage this time as Clouser was still within five lengths.
Coming to the white flag Clouser was about four lengths behind the leader. Midkiff looked smooth going into turn-one for the final time, but when they exited the corner Clouser was within a length and a half. The gap was a length down the back straight and when they went into turn-three Clouser dove low as that line was left open by Midkiff.
As they entered turn-four Clouser took the lead and Midkiff dove low behind him. Clouser slid up a groove or two on exit and as Midkiff drove out of the last corner he slid up too and the pair made contact. Midkiff kept his car straight while Clouser bobbled a bit and Midkiff went on to the win followed by Clouser, McMahill and Daltyn England.
While running third Sparks tagged the wall on the fifth circuit, coming to a rest on the track and causing the caution flag. He managed to restart and finished fifth.
Mitchell Davis gained six spots after starting in twelfth to earn the High Performance Lubricants Hard Charger Award.
NOTES
MARA thanks Schoenfeld Headers for their sponsorship of Heat-Three and Hoosier Racing Tires and their support of the B-Main, neither of which raced this night.
It was interesting to note that of the 14 cars checked in at Lincoln, only Jake Goeglein, of Wisconsin, was from outside the Illini state. The previous week at Coles County Speedway there were teams from four states. Between Lincoln and Coles each race had at least five different drivers from the other race.
This event was billed as the “Farm & Home Supply Night Before The Mile,” race. It is a nod to the USAC Silver Crown Bettenhausen 100 at the Springfield Mile scheduled for the following day. Clouser is expected to be one of the forty cars to take a time and vie for a spot in the historic event.
UP NEXT
On Saturday, August 16, MARA meets their northern cousins, the AFS Badger Midget Series at Sycamore (IL) Speedway for a border battle.
For fans or teams that might want to keep the fun going, Badger races 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.
Both events will stream live on Badger TV.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Ag Venture / Wehmeyer Seed A - Feature (25 Laps): 1. 05-Alex Midkiff[1]; 2. 75-Mario Clouser[6]; 3. 11K-Mark McMahill[4]; 4. 19E-Daltyn England[7]; 5. 40-Jace Sparks[5]; 6. 7X-Mitchell Davis[12]; 7. 18-Tyler Roth[3]; 8. 51R-Greg Ross[8]; 9. 8-Jake Goeglein[10]; 10. 5-Jacob Sollenberger[9]; 11. 51-Chris Young[13]; 12. (DNF) 12C-Dominic Bruns[2]; 13. (DNS) 3A-Chris Adrien; 14. (DNS) 4K-Charles Kunz
Fusion Engineering Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 18-Tyler Roth[4]; 2. 40-Jace Sparks[5]; 3. 12C-Dominic Bruns[3]; 4. 5-Jacob Sollenberger[1]; 5. 19E-Daltyn England[2]; 6. 51-Chris Young[7]; 7. (DNS) 4K-Charles Kunz
Horizon Carpentry Inc Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 05-Alex Midkiff[4]; 2. 75-Mario Clouser[7]; 3. 51R-Greg Ross[3]; 4. 11K-Mark McMahill[6]; 5. 8-Jake Goeglein[2]; 6. (DNF) 3A-Chris Adrien[1]; 7. (DNF) 7X-Mitchell Davis[5]
Rod End Supply Fast Time Qualifying (100 Laps): 1. 75-Mario Clouser, 00:13.668[3]; 2. 40-Jace Sparks, 00:13.818[9]; 3. 11K-Mark McMahill, 00:13.909[5]; 4. 18-Tyler Roth, 00:14.096[12]; 5. 7X-Mitchell Davis, 00:14.150[6]; 6. 12C-Dominic Bruns, 00:14.191[1]; 7. 05-Alex Midkiff, 00:14.201[8]; 8. 19E-Daltyn England, 00:14.355[13]; 9. 51R-Greg Ross, 00:14.509[10]; 10. 5-Jacob Sollenberger, 00:14.670[14]; 11. 8-Jake Goeglein, 00:14.763[7]; 12. 51-Chris Young, 00:15.699[4]; 13. 3A-Chris Adrien, 00:16.084[11]; 14. (DNS) 4K-Charles Kunz
Photo by Joseph Putnam, Security Photo
Article by Bill Blumer Jr.
Submitted By: William Blumer