7/12/2024
Midwest Legends Dirt Series
Weber Steals the Win at the Dam
Beaver Dam, WI (July 12th, 2024) - It may have taken 20-laps, multiple restarts, and multiple attempts but a last-lap pass for Michael Weber was enough for him to pick up his first Midwest Legends Dirt Series Presented by Legends.Direct win of the season. A night that was more than a month in the making, a B and an A-Main set up the field for a big feature on one of the biggest stages at Beaver Dam Raceway. The purse for the event was increased thanks to Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation who graciously put in more money for everyone.
After the original race date of June 1st was rained out and postponed, it was decided to return to the track on July 10th to continue the event. Jordan Miklas, Jackson Lewis, Michael Weber, and Dallas Ross all picked up heat wins back on the 31st which earned them an automatic spot in the A-Main on the 10th.
An action-packed B-Main awaited the drivers first on July 10th, with Art Hahn and Keith Meyer starting on the front row. After a 15-lap scramble at the front, Talyn Neuman took the win after charging from his seventh starting position. Hahn, Meyer, and Connor Carey all took home transfer spots into the A-Main. Unfortunately for seven drivers, the night was over prematurely.
The twenty-four stars and cars of the Midwest Legends Dirt Series Presented by Legends.Direct pulled onto the track for what was bound to be an exciting A-Main. Jeff Schmidt and Charlie Spoonmore started on the front row with twenty-two other drivers behind. The green flag flew and the pack beelined into the first corner. Schmidt held onto the early lead with Spoonmore second and Maquoketa feature winner Ryan Sullivan in third. Sullivan worked past Spoonmore, one-half of the “Watertown War Wagon” crew. The #2.0 set his sights on Schmidt, but neither of them knew the dangers that lurked behind. Championship leader Jackson Lewis was right behind them, ready to pounce. Lewis split the difference on lap 3 and blew the doors off of the top two to take the race lead. Eyes turned further back in the pack to Sullivan, Spoonmore, Hayden Schmuhl, Jordan Miklas, and Dallas Ross, who all found themselves in a battle for third. Schmuhl went for fourth on lap six but the top was just too strong and ended up losing positions. Schmuhl and Miklas went side-by-side for multiple laps before Michael Weber, who was down in seventh at the halfway point closed in on them. Weber began to go to work on the front pack, first going past Miklas, Schmuhl, and Spoonmore within two laps. Weber set his sights forward to Sullivan and Schmidt and a podium position, with the three of them battling it out for the spot. Weber swept by both on lap 15 before the first yellow of the night flew. Lewis, who had all but run away from the pack, had to deal with one of the only drivers to beat him this season, Weber right behind him. The green flew and it was a good restart from Lewis, who built up a small gap. Weber and Sullivan were able to close up to him through turns three and four and the battle was back on. Lewis, appearing to get tight, plowed up to the middle lane allowing Weber to sneak through for the lead. Weber pitched the car sideways in turns three and four to keep the lead with Sullivan slipping by Lewis as well. Weber and Sullivan thought they had the moves complete before the red flag flew as Faith Zellmer went ablaze in turn three. The safety crew was quick to the side of the #17F and Zellmer was in good spirits as she exited her car, “all the sudden it was warm and all I could think was dammit” she said after the race. Unfortunately for Weber and Sullivan, their passes would not count as the entire field didn’t pass the line prior to the red flag being displayed. Lewis led the field back to green and the race was on. A night prior in weekly racing at the track, the same scenario played out, Lewis on the bottom and Weber attempting to work around his outside. As the laps ticked away, Weber couldn’t find the grip he needed, that was until the final lap. Weber was able to pull aside Lewis through one and two and found the grip he needed through turns three and four to inch just a quarter of a car length in front of Lewis and pick up the win by just 0.068 seconds. Lewis fell to second with Sullivan not getting the opportunity he needed and finishing third. Schmuhl and Schmidt rounded out the top five at the end of the night.
“I had to go somewhere else. I showed my nose, that caution came out.. I just had to try something different and that outside, that second groove really worked well so I’m glad I tried it.” Weber said in victory lane post-race.
After a strong night, Weber now closes on Charlie Spoonmore for the sixth-place spot in the points. Lewis continues to lead the points and opened the gap to Jordan Miklas after a strong night. Sullivan remains in third with Schmuhl still in fourth with Dallas Ross in fifth.
Weber took home a handful of prizes and awards with 25% off a full suit fit and $100 off any purchase for winning and being the hard-charger courtesy of Rush RaceGear by Austin Wilt. He also won a buy-one-get-one wheel rim for the win from Aero RaceWheel and $25 for being the hard-charger thanks to SunSet Auto. Ironically after her night went up in flames, Faith Zellmer’s finishing position was drawn for the HMS Motorsports Racecom Race Raceiver of the Race award.
The MLDS will be back in action this Sunday at the legendary Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. The series will be racing alongside the Badger Midgets and MSA Sprint Cars. The pits will open at 1:30pm and the grandstands will open at 4:00pm, with opening ceremonies at 6:00pm.
For more information or to learn more about the series, find the series on Facebook today!!
Photo Credit - HW Design
Article Credit: Zack Krueger
Submitted By: Zack Krueger
