Badger Midgets 2023
The Badger and MARA Midgets brought 37 cars to the Badger opener at Kankakee Speedway on Friday, May 5th. An incredible number of cars considering where Badger was seven years ago. You see, seven years ago Badger was within a vote of going defunct and barely had seven cars left. To put a respectable field of cars together, Badger had to rely on teams from USAC and POWRi. This had not been the case for the majority of Badger’s 80+ year history. Then, in fall of 2015 Badger announced they would change their engine formula requiring production-based engines to reduce cost. They decided to utilize OEM blocks, cyl heads and crankshafts but leave room for performance parts to increase reliability and speed.
The series took a beating from naysayers and even had people conspiring against it behind the scenes. People said the engines would be slow, uncompetitive and would ruin midget racing in Wisconsin among other things. Honestly, I thought they would be slower (but not slow), and I was willing to sacrifice speed for quantity of cars, and to have teams based in Wisconsin and Northern Illinois again. It is well-known that the Badger track record at Angell Park Speedway was set in 1999 by Jerry Coons, Jr in a 155cid Esslinger at 14.1. Not even USAC has been able to break it. However, in just the second night of racing with the new engine formula, the series broke into the 14 second bracket turning laps of 14.9. Since then, the new engine formula has gotten all the way down to 14.4 surpassing everyone’s expectations. The series had the formula right and from there each year has added new cars, teams and drivers.
I implore all of you to please come watch a Badger race in 2023. I started life going to midget races. I raced myself. I was there in the 80’s, 90’s, and early 2000s. When I walk through the pit area of a Badger race today, it feels like I’m transported back to that era. Guys tow with pick-up trucks and have small to average enclosed and even open trailers. The pits are friendly and everyone helps each other where they can. The teams razz each other to get a few laughs and the drivers are respectful to each other on track. You can find at least six different chassis manufacturers represented and there are no less than four different engine makes. Its just good ole grassroots racing amongst guys working 40+ hours a week just to be there again next week. And at the end of the night you might find yourself being offered a beer so you can shoot the bull about what a blast it all was.
You see I don't mind sprint cars, but I love midgets. What Badger has done and is doing with MARA, is preserving midget racing just for people like me.
Check out this highlight video from the Kankakee race https://youtu.be/YPbo16fosrc
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