Angell Park Speedway

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]

National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame building in turn 1
Angell Park Speedway
LocationSun Prairie, Wisconsin
Time zoneUTC-6
Coordinates43°10′40″N 89°12′40″W
Opened1936
Oval
SurfaceDirt
Length1/3 mi (.54 km)
Turns4
Websitewww.angellpark.net
Welcome sign

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 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.

Night racing at Angell Park began May 29, 1949. 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 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.[3] 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).[3]

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.


Angell Park Speedway, 2012

References
  1. Cisar, Katjusa (2008-07-17). "Off to the races: Checking out the tracks and speed demons who play there". Capital Times. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
  2. "Outlaws to Visit Angell Park Speedway". Motor Racing Network. Archived from the original on August 23, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  3. "New Direction for Race Management of Angell Park Speedway". Angell Park Speedway. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
  4. Track records, Retrieved October 9, 2007 Archived March 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ""Pepsi Nationals" Postponed by Rain". USAC. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
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