Wagner Brothers Win the Microstock Battle of Trenton

TRENTON, N.J.-Bob Wagner jr took the overall win in the Microstock feature on the third day of the second annual Battle of Trenton at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton New Jersey Sunday afternoon (December 21). His brother Don Wagner took the title of highest finisher in the L206 Microstock engine class.

Two different engine classes (World Formula and L206) combined to make up the 17 car field. The L206 have 3 less HP than the World Formula so they were given a 25 lb reduction in weight to make it a level playing field.

Heat race winners Tom Ervin and Bob Wagner started on the front row in the 20-lap feature. Luck was smiling on B. Wagner because on the final lap of the heat race, his right rear tire went flat as he came to take the checkered flag. His brother Don Wagner, nearly won the heat race win but timing and scoring put him in second place. Ervin handily won his heat race and look to be a threat to repeat as the Microstock winner of the Battle of Trenton but it was not to be.

B. Wagner took the early lead with Ervin close on his bumper and D. Wagner in third place. Ervin was running a strong second when on lap seven he got too close to the outside wall while setting up for a launch into turn two and knocked the right rear tire off its rim. On the restart B. Wagner resumed the lead with his brother D. Wagner close behind. Behind them Harry who had started in 12th place, was closing steadily on the leaders. On lap eight Burd dove inside of D. Wagner to take second place and by the halfway point Burd was close on B. Wagner and looking inside for a place to make a clean pass for the lead.

The two leaders then opened a small gap on the rest of the field as D. Wagner and Ricky Collins battled for third position.

Bob Wagner went on to take his 17th checkered flag of the season and his first Battle of Trenton trophy. B. Wagner was also the highest finishing World Formula engine driver in the field. His brother Don was the highest finishing L206 engine finisher in third place.

B. Wagner said “It feels great to win. I’ve always had bad luck at indoor races and it feels real good to win here.”

Second place finisher Harry Burd said “The car got better as the race went on. I was almost flat-footing it by the end. I could get under Bob (Wagner) but I couldn’t make a clean pass and I didn’t want to wreck either of us trying to get the win.”

Third place finisher and highest place L206 driver Don Wagner said “We (his brother Bob and him) raced good and hard. My car handled better but he had a little bit more motor but I wasn’t going to lay down. I wanted to win but I didn’t want to wreck our cars.” This was D. Wagner’s second consecutive time as the highest finisher amongst the L206 Microstocks at the Battle of Trenton.

Finishing order: Bob Wagner, Harry Burd, Don Wagner, Ricky Collins, Denny Hiddeman, Bobby Sandt Jr, David Martin, Tom Ervin, Andrew Shuster, Walt Mueller, Neil Rutt, Brian Russell, Robert McGuire, Andy Hiddeman, TJ Rogers, DJ Wagner, (DNS due to broken axel) Louie Keraitis