7/20/2025
Midget Auto Racing Association
Mitchell Davis Wins Again in MARA Action at Lincoln Speedway
The Midget Auto Racing Association made another trip to what could be considered their home track, Lincoln Speedway on Saturday, July 18. Rod End Supply Qualifying started the night with point leader Jace Sparks nipping Tyler Roth by just .07 seconds. Sparks was in the first flight of group qualifying while Roth was in the second group.
Polesitter Jacob Sollenberger was the first to gas it when the green flew on Fusion Engineering Heat-One. By the time they got to the first corner Dominic Bruns powered by him and at the end of the lap Mitchell Davis was in the lead. He went on unchallenged for the win.
There has been a lot of rain this summer and tracks across the midwest have been working hard to keep up. The Lincoln Speedway was tricky tonight, particularly in the first two corners. Track personnel went out after the first heat to try and smooth out the bumps to no avail.
For Horizon Carpentry Inc. Heat-Two Michigan driver Carl Peterson IV got the jump from the pole position. His lead was very temporary as he bicycled in turn-one after hitting a rut. While he made a miraculous save and kept motoring, most of the field drove by him.
Indiana’s Wes Pinkerton took to the point only to get passed at the line by Daltyn England as they started the second circuit. By lap-four Sparks, who had had his own difficulties in turn-one, took the lead and never looked back. England was second, followed by Pinkerton.
It was a drag race between Bruns and Peterson to start the Ag Venture/ Wehmeyer Seed A-Main when the green dropped. The front row mates went side by side until Bruns pulled away on the backstretch. Peterson, running the low line, got almost completely sideways saving the car as several cars maneuvered past. Bruns paced the first two laps until Greg Ross got by him to start lap-three. Bruns hung with Ross for a couple of laps but Ross had the advantage running the top groove.
On lap-six, just as Davis was passing Ross coming out of turn-two, Sparks hit the wall in two and tipped his #40 over bringing out the red flag. He appeared to be uninjured but was done for the night.
Ross, Davis and Bruns lead them to the green on the restart. With Ross running the favored top line, Davis dove low going into turn-four and drove to the top in front of Davis just before they completed lap-seven. He went on unchallenged to take his second MARA win of the season in the orange 7X car. Ross, Pinkerton and Mark McMahill rounded out the top-four.
Gaining five spots on the night, Davis was also the High Performance Lubricants Hard Charger.
NOTES
The Horizon Develop Build Manage Invert Draw went to Sparks. It should be noted that the Schoenfeld Headers Heat-Three and Hoosier Racing Tire B-Main were not run.
MARA was scheduled to meet their northern cousins, the AFS Badger Midget Series the following night at Sycamore, but that event was rained out.
UP NEXT
Teams will literally switch gears for the next race as they make their way back to Coles County Speedway. This banked bullring will challenge the stars of MARA as they have not raced there since their first event of the season on April 12.
The event is slated to air on Badger TV.
While it will be a Badger stand alone weekend, MARA drivers and fans may want to consider a road trip next weekend as AFS Badger Midget Auto Racing Association will race three days in a row. On Friday, July 25 and Saturday, July 26, Badger will race at Beaver Dam Raceway (Beaver Dam, WI) located in southcentral Wisconsin about 35 minutes north of Madison. BDR is slated to be shuttered at the end of the season so this would be a great chance for drivers and fans to experience the high banks of this 1/3 mile track.
To close the weekend, Badger will be at their home track the historic Angell Park Speedway. Angell Park is a must for any midget racing fan. It's just a half an hour south of Beaver Dam, five minutes from Madison.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Ag Venture / Wehmeyer Seed A - Feature (20 Laps): 1. 7X-Mitchell Davis[6]; 2. 51R-Greg Ross[4]; 3. 21-Wes Pinkerton[3]; 4. 11K-Mark McMahill[7]; 5. 18-Tyler Roth[8]; 6. 12C-Dominic Bruns[2]; 7. 49P-Carl Peterson IV[1]; 8. 19E-Daltyn England[5]; 9. 5-Jacob Sollenberger[10]; 10. 40-Jace Sparks[9]; 11. 28-John Springer[11]
Fusion Engineering Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 7X-Mitchell Davis[4]; 2. 51R-Greg Ross[3]; 3. 12C-Dominic Bruns[2]; 4. 18-Tyler Roth[5]; 5. 5-Jacob Sollenberger[1]
Horizon Carpentry Inc Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 40-Jace Sparks[5]; 2. 19E-Daltyn England[3]; 3. 21-Wes Pinkerton[2]; 4. 11K-Mark McMahill[4]; 5. 49P-Carl Peterson IV[1]; 6. 28-John Springer[6]
Rod End Supply Fast Time Qualifying (100 Laps): 1. 40-Jace Sparks, 00:13.923[5]; 2. 18-Tyler Roth, 00:13.991[10]; 3. 11K-Mark McMahill, 00:14.025[8]; 4. 7X-Mitchell Davis, 00:14.062[1]; 5. 19E-Daltyn England, 00:14.288[3]; 6. 51R-Greg Ross, 00:14.536[7]; 7. 21-Wes Pinkerton, 00:14.608[9]; 8. 12C-Dominic Bruns, 00:14.629[2]; 9. 49P-Carl Peterson IV, 00:14.710[6]; 10. 5-Jacob Sollenberger, 00:14.836[4]; 11. 28-John Springer, 00:16.090[11]
Article by Bill Blumer Jr
Photo by Joseph Putnam/Security Photo
Submitted By: William Blumer