SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — Brady Bacon scored an impressive victory, winning the 27th annual Firemans’ Nationals Badger Midget Series event Saturday night at Angell Park Speedway.
The victory was Bacon’s first in nearly two seasons driving for the Kasey Kahne Racing team and was worth $15,000.
Bacon jumped into the lead at the start, followed by Dave Darland and Jerry Coons, Jr. Coons moved into second on lap four and Darland retired from the event a few laps later.
After a caution on lap nine for a spun car, Coons passed Bacon on the restart and opened up a comfortable margin by the completion of lap 20.
The turning point of the event occurred four laps later when Coons slowed on the track, causing a caution.
On the restart, Bacon pulled away from his teammate Brad Sweet, increasing his advantage each lap on the tricky race surface. The pair appeared headed for a 1-2 team sweep when, with two laps remaining, Sweet jumped the cushion and hit the frontstretch wall, flipping several times. Sweet was uninjured.
Bacon took advantage of four lapped cars between himself and second place Tracy Hines on the restart and cruised unchallenged for the final two circuits to become the youngest winner in the event’s history.
Hines, a two-time winner of the event, placed second ahead of Darren Hagen, Brad Kuhn and Scott Hatton.  
Earlier in the night, Coons captured the sixth annual Dave Schulenberg Memorial Dash, which carried a $3,400 purse.
Mike Hess who wrapped up the Badger Driver’s Championship the previous night, topped the field in qualifying. The effort also clinched the Badger car owner championship for Jerry Hardy, in his third season as a car owner.
The finish:
Brady Bacon, Tracy Hines, Darren Hagen, Brad Kuhn, Scott Hatton, Levi Jones, Davey Ray, Cole Whitt, Mike Hess, Dustin Morgan, Brandon Waelti, Chad DeSelle, Aaron Fiscus, Dakoda Armstrong, Brad Sweet, Kody Swanson, Jerry Coons, Jr., Matt Westfall, Jake Slotten, Bobby East, Dave Darland.