Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I just read a press release from Angell Park Speedway on TJ Slideways web site stating the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association will no longer sanction the Sunday night midget racing at Angell Park Speedway. Needless to say I was really shocked. Can anyone give us the reasons for this drastic change? If I'm not mistaken the Badger tradition at Angell Park is over 50 years old.

Please, does anyone want to offer their comments?

So.....if Badger is out does that mean NO midget racing or they are running unsanctioned now? There's too much midget tradition there to not keep running midgets.

I know last year they had a heck of a time with car counts----17 most nights if I remember right. I wonder if all the sprint cars they now have in Wisconsin is picking on the midgets. Cant be that much more to run a 410 sprint than a USAC legal midget.

According to the Angell Park WebSite-- they'll still have weekly Sunday night midget racing that Angell Park will sanction and promote.

I have been thinking about this a lot since the announcement. I do not think that this is a good decision for either group. APS and Badger were having a difficult time with car counts for most of the summer. Somewhere between 16-20 cars a night for a track that only runs one division. Badger ran a show at one of the Beaver Dam tracks that only had 12 cars.

This decision is only going to split the car owners. Some being loyal to Badger. Some being loyal to APS. Some being loyal to the highest bidder. At least, APS has started a bonus program to try to get some new cars to the track.

My real comment is does anyone really know what the issue was? Was purely a money/ego problem between APS and Badger, were there car count demands (maybe a sliding scale of the sanction fee if Badger did not bring the cars), or was it a vision/future issue. One group wanted to open the rules to bring in more cars the other didnt?

While I would like to think otherwise I am sure it was a money deal which really drives me crazy. Does Badger really think that they are going to get the same commitment from any of the other tracks in the area that they got from APS. Both Wilmot and Charter have/are starting a sprint car class. The other beaver Dam track does not have a weekly show. Does APS really believe that they can promote and regulate a class better than Badger. It is hard to grow a class when you drive away your loyal customers.

This is laughable and the sign of times.

Angel Park will go the way of Hales Corners in less than 3 years.

Midgets are the only cars that track can handle, serious upgrades are needed if it ever hopes to run sprints, maybe lates could run there now, but who wants to run on another small track to beat the crap out of your equipment and loose money?

The midget count falling off is due to cash to play and payout. I know one team that has the midget colleting dust in a garage because they could just not compete with the teams. This was a team that spent money on ok powerplants, but it is the little things and expensive things that killed the midgets (along with the high dollar powerplants).

Good luck to Angel Park, but I would prepare the grave stone. I would invest in some wings and go to Plymouth Angel Parker's!

The truth hurts, that's why I use it.

Big Daddy E

The midget problem is pretty simple. Buy a $40,000 engine to race for a $1,000 to win.

Next time you see Steve Lewis thank him for starting the $40,000 hot new midget motor of the month club.

www.harleytrikes.com