Angell Park Speedway

Last updated

Angell Park Speedway
MidgetCarsRacingAngellParkMay2010.jpg
Location Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Time zoneUTC-6
Coordinates 43°10′40″N89°12′40″W / 43.17778°N 89.21111°W / 43.17778; -89.21111
Opened1936
Major eventsUSAC Midgets
IRA Sprint Cars
Website www.angellpark.net
Oval
SurfaceDirt
Length1/3 miles (.54 km)
Turns4
Race lap record14.316 (Bryan Clauson, , 2015, USAC Midget)
Welcome sign AngellSpeedwaySign.jpg
Welcome sign

Angell Park Speedway has a 1/3 mile (0.54 km) dirt racetrack located in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. The track has been run by the city's fire department since 1903. [1] Racing occurs every Sunday approximately Memorial Day until Labor Day. Special racing events and the weather may alter the schedule. The races were sanctioned by the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association (BMARA), the oldest midget organization in the world. [1] Some events are co-sanctioned by the United States Automobile Club (USAC). BMARA sanctions several midget car events at other nearby tracks. The World of Outlaws held their first sprint car races at the track in August 2016. [2]

Contents

National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame building in turn 1 NationalMidgetAutoRacingHallOfFameBuilding.jpg
National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame building in turn 1

In addition to the racetrack, the facility features the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame, a pavilion, and the Sun Prairie Firemans Park in the Prairie. The park was built by the Sun Prairie community on September 18, 2007, and was dedicated on October 7, 2007. The project was led by Sun Prairie residents Rebecca Ketelson and Anita Holcomb. Leather's and Associates was the project architect.

History

The part was donated by Col. William Angell to the Sun Prairie Fire Department in 1903. [3] The track is nationally known for its midget car races, which began racing in 1936. As of the 2008 season, it is the only track in the United States to host weekly midget car races. [1] The track was closed between 1942 and 1945, since all racing in the United States was halted during World War II.

The Badger Midget Auto Racing Association (BMARA) began sanction at the track in 1946 when racing resumed after World War II. [3] Night racing at Angell Park began in 1948. [3] With the lights installed, Kelly Peters of Lake Forest, IL set fast time, won his heat and captured the first feature race run under the lights. From that point forward, weekly Sunday night racing has been held at the facility [3] except for a few shortened seasons for minor contract disputes in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The track began hosting its first non-midget car races in 2007 when an occasional touring event was added to its program and by 2010 every race evening featured a class from another track or a touring series. The Angell Park Speedway board and the sanctioning body BMARA had a fall out before the 2010 season. [4] The track ran its own sanction during May 2010. At the end of the month weekly track operation halted for the 2010 season except for special events (two USAC midget weekends and the Fireman's Nationals). [4] The track returned to occasional events in 2011 including BMARA sanction. [5]

The track was closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [3] In January 2021, Hans Lein and SLS Promotions were announced as promoters of the track. [3] In February 2021, Gregg McKarns was announced as the new promoter of the track instead. [6] McKarns also promotes Madison International Speedway and the ARCA Midwest Tour. [6] Angell Park hosted its first USAC Midget race at the track since 2015 and 47th overall. [7] Tanner Thorson won his seventh race of the season. [8]

Notable racers

Some midget car drivers come from New Zealand and Australia during their country's winter to race during the United States' summer between May and September. [1] The 2008 season featured Michael Pickens from Auckland, New Zealand (who stayed at one of the other driver's house) and Matt Smith from Newcastle, Australia. [1]

Several notable racers raced at the track in its regular weekly series:

Fireman Nationals

The track's most notable event is its 50 lap Fireman Nationals midget car event.


Reference (1982-2020): [8]

Angell Park Speedway Panorama July 2012.jpg
Angell Park Speedway, 2012

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Auto Club</span> Auto racing sanctioning body in the United States

The United States Auto Club (USAC) is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500. Today, USAC serves as the sanctioning body for a number of racing series, including the Silver Crown Series, National Sprint Cars, National Midgets, Speed2 Midget Series, .25 Midget Series, Stadium Super Trucks, and Pirelli World Challenge. Seven-time USAC champion Levi Jones is USAC's Competition Director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sprint car racing</span> Auto racing with small, high-powered vehicles

Sprint cars are high-powered open-wheel race cars, designed primarily for the purpose of running on short oval or circular dirt or paved tracks. Sprint car racing is popular primarily in the United States and Canada, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midget car racing</span> Type of racing using midget cars

Midget cars, also speedcars in Australia, is a class of racing cars. The cars are very small with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four cylinder engines. They originated in the United States in the 1930s and are raced on most continents. There is a worldwide tour and national midget tours in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

Aaron Fike is an American racing driver, a former competitor in NASCAR and USAC. The younger brother of A. J. Fike, he was suspended from NASCAR competition from 2007 to 2012 due to a drug-related arrest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Vogler</span> American racing driver (1950–1990)

Richard Frank Vogler was an American champion sprint car and midget car driver. He was nicknamed "Rapid Rich". He competed in the Indianapolis 500 five times, and his best finish was eighth in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Bigelow</span> American racing driver (born 1939)

Thomas Allan Bigelow is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Pickens</span> NZ race car driver

Michael Pickens is a racecar driver from Auckland, New Zealand. He races midgets and sprint cars in New Zealand, Australia and the United States. Michael is a 10 time New Zealand Midget Car champion and was the 2021 Speedcar champion. He was also the 2016 Australian Speedcar Champion. He has won races and championships in New Zealand, Australia, and United States in Quarter Midgets, 3/4 Midgets, Midgets, Sprint Cars and Karts.

Lincoln Speedway, located in Lincoln, Illinois on the Logan County Fairgrounds, is a 1/4 mile dirt race track that opened in 2004. Lincoln Speedway races on Friday nights. After running races sanctioning by the United Midwestern Promoters (UMP), it switched to DIRTcar sanction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robbie Ray (racing driver)</span> American racing driver

Robbie Ray is an American professional auto racing driver. He races midget cars on the United States Auto Club (USAC) National tour. He won the 2003 Indiana (Midwest) regional midget championship and the 2005 national championship.

There has been auto racing in Illinois for almost as long as there have been automobiles. Almost every type of motorsport found in the United States can be found in Illinois. Both modern and historic tracks exist in Illinois, including NASCAR's Chicagoland Speedway and Gateway International Speedway. Notable drivers from Illinois include Danica Patrick, Tony Bettenhausen, and Fred Lorenzen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macon Speedway</span>

Macon Speedway, located in Macon, Illinois is one of Illinois's premier dirt ovals. It is also one of the longest continuously-operating racetracks in the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terre Haute Action Track</span> Racetrack

Terre Haute Action Track is a half-mile dirt racetrack located at the Vigo County, Indiana, fairgrounds on U.S. Route 41 along the south side of Terre Haute, Indiana. The track hosts annual United States Automobile Club (USAC) midget car, sprint car and Silver Crown events. Notable drivers that have competed at the track include A. J. Foyt, Jeff Gordon, Parnelli Jones, and Tony Stewart. The track has held events sanctioned by USAC, its predecessor American Automobile Association (AAA), and the World of Outlaws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chili Bowl Nationals</span> Indoor midget car racing event

The Chili Bowl Midget Nationals is an indoor midget car race that takes place in January on a 1/4 mile dirt oval track at the Tulsa Expo Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. NASCAR calls it the "biggest Midget race of the year". It is nicknamed the "Super Bowl of midget racing".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">POWRi Midget Racing</span>

POWRi is an oval track racing sanctioning body based in the United States, founded by promoter Kenny Brown.

The 2015 USAC Honda National Midget Series is the 60th season of the USAC National Midget Series. The series began with the Kokomo Grand Prix at Kokomo Speedway on April 10, and will end with the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Perris Auto Speedway on November 26. Rico Abreu will be the defending champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 USAC National Midget Series</span>

The 2017 USAC National Midget Series is the 62nd season of the USAC National Midget Series. The series began with the Shamrock Classic at Southern Illinois Center on March 18, and will end with the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura Raceway on November 23. Tanner Thorson came into the season as the defending champion. Spencer Bayston won the series championship driving for Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports in the #97 Bullet by Spike Chassis / Speedway Toyota.

The 2018 USAC P1 Insurance National Midget Championship is the 63rd season of the Midget series sanctioned by USAC. P1 Insurance becomes the new title sponsor of the series for 2018. The season will begin with the Shamrock Classic at Southern Illinois Center on March 10, and will end with the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura Raceway on November 22. The series will also have a non points race with the Junior Knepper 55 at Southern Illinois Center on December 15. Spencer Bayston enters the season as the defending champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanner Thorson</span> American racing driver

Tanner Delbert Thorson is an American professional dirt track racing driver. He competes in the United States Auto Club (USAC) and World of Outlaws. Thorson has also competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, last driving the Nos. 12 and 20 Chevrolet Silverados for Young's Motorsports in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridgeport Speedway</span> Racetrack

Bridgeport Speedway is a dirt speedway located in the community of Bridgeport in Logan Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey, that consists of a high banked, progressive 4/10 mile 0.375-mile (0.604 km) and a 1/4 mile 0.25-mile (0.40 km) oval located within the bigger track. The Super DIRTcar Series races at the track. Jason Leffler died in an accident at the track in 2013.

Michael "Buddy" Kofoid is an American professional dirt track and stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the USAC National Midget Series and POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series, driving for Keith Kunz Motorsports. He is the 2021 and 2022 USAC National Midget Series champion. He also competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 51 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports, and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 15 Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports. He also has competed with the NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws Sprint car Series. He collected his first Win at Husets Speedway on June 23, 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Cisar, Katjusa (July 17, 2008). "Off to the races: Checking out the tracks and speed demons who play there". Capital Times . Retrieved July 18, 2008.
  2. ↑ "Outlaws to Visit Angell Park Speedway". Motor Racing Network. Archived from the original on August 23, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "SLS & Hans Lein Take The Reins At Angell Park". Speed Sport . January 29, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "New Direction for Race Management of Angell Park Speedway". Angell Park Speedway. April 14, 2003. Archived from the original on September 17, 2010. Retrieved October 10, 2007.
  5. ↑ "2011 Printable Schedule". www.bmara.com. 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  6. 1 2 "McKarns' New Promoters at Angell Park Speedway". Oval Track News. February 22, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  7. ↑ "THE GUIDE: ALL EYES ON ANGELL PARK FOR USAC MIDGET RETURN ON SUNDAY - USAC Racing". USAC Racing. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Pepsi Nationals". USAC Midgets. September 5, 2021. Event occurs at 20:55. FloRacing.
  9. ↑ "Track Records". angellpark.com. March 17, 2007. Archived from the original on March 19, 2007.
  10. ↑ ""Pepsi Nationals" Postponed by Rain". USAC. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.