[Jonr]

Originally Posted by Tim Watson As far as i know the fire dept. are still in on running the track.

I thought that the Sun Prairie Fire Department was being incorporated into a paid fire department. (Madison fire dept???)

[deadbird]

I'm not to sure they will gain a whole lot of new track unless they do some major grading since it levels out at the guardrail.
Prior to the rail there were tires burried all along the inside of the corners to mark the racing surfaces edge. Does anyone know what they plan on doing as far as grading or creating a berm or are they bringing back the tires?

[Tim Watson]

Originally Posted by Jonr I thought that the Sun Prairie Fire Department was being incorporated into a paid fire department. (Madison fire dept???)

This is all speculation but even though the fire dept. has gone to a EMS system i believe the fire dept. guys are still running the track. Wish i knew more cause i wonder how that all works out also.

[Points]

Does Anyone know when the guardrail was put up? I really don't think it has been up that long. I think Coons track record (1999?) may have been set without it. And hasn't been beat possibly due too the narrower track. I think it is a nice set up now for midgets but it doesn't work for sprints. I hope a change doesn't hurt the midgets racing just to have a few sprint shows. I thought this last season was a big step in the right direction, good racing, better car counts and crowds seemed better.

[Stealth87]

Originally Posted by Points Does Anyone know when the guardrail was put up? I really don't think it has been up that long. I think Coons track record (1999?) may have been set without it. And hasn't been beat possibly due too the narrower track. I think it is a nice set up now for midgets but it doesn't work for sprints. I hope a change doesn't hurt the midgets racing just to have a few sprint shows. I thought this last season was a big step in the right direction, good racing, better car counts and crowds seemed better.

Fire Dept is still running the grounds and Kenny Brown is handling the promoting as I understand it. That is correct that the track record was set WITHOUT the guardrail in place. Not sure of the exact year the guardrail went in, but it was in the very early 2000's. The track was wide enough for sprint cars in its current format. Talked to many sprint car drivers that said it was plenty wide enough. With the non winged cars, the track is so round and flat that it was hard to get around on the outside. So much momentum is carried. With the IRA, they haven't run there since the guardrail went in for safety reasons. They like to run at tracks that have an "exit" for drivers, in case there is a bad accident at full throttle. So they prefer tracks that are either really wide, or have no inside guardrail. I am excited to see how this turns out. If the track is created properly, it could create more room for sliders etc. If the track is still racy after the changes, just imagine what could run there in the future. I grew up at this track, and I absolutely LOVE it. However, things have been going downhill for quite some time. I am glad they are trying something in an attempt to keep the track open in the long run. Unfortunately when things get tough, different things need to be tried. Happy racing everyone!

[Bill Blumer]

Living in Sun Prairie, I've even lost track of where we are with SPVFD going to a paid status in Sun Prairie (or not).
I don't know all the logistics of SPVFD, but realize, they also cover some of the surrounding townships. So, if the City of Sun Prairie goes with paid fire fighters, I THINK SPVFD might still exist to give fire coverage to those other communities.

While the status of SPVFD and their Angell Park association has always been somewhat cryptic, the best I can tell they are separate entities. My OPINION, is that sometimes, the bigger worry is getting SPVFD members who want to put in the long hours it takes to keep the park running and putting up with all the complaints and garbage that go with such an endeavor.

In the 1990's the board had a bunch of people who loved Midget racing and loved Angell Park Speedway. Taking absoluetly nothing away from those involved now, but the number of Sun Prairie kids who grow up going to the races has been dwindling. Hence, there are fewer people here willing to dedicate themselves to keeping the track going.

While I have some inside info from time to time, most of what I have typed above is simply an outsider's view of the situation here in SP.

We have to support anything people might try to enhance the racing at Angell Park Speedway. I think as long as we have the sound of race cars at the track we will be OK, even if we don't always have "The roar of the mighty Midgets."

[Seadog]

I was there when USAC sprints/Badger midgets ran in '02. I thought it was a pretty good show (Hewitt might disagree). Very hot day and night and got slick as I recall.

So will it be a big quarter mile now?

[Bill Blumer]

I'd love to hear from sprint car drivers who have raced at Angell Park, to see if widening the corners would/will help the sprint car racing at APS. I've enjoyed the winged and non-winged shows there, but you always knew the track as it was, was not quite right for them.

[Tim Watson]

Will widening the track on the inside do much good? Maybe for midgets but for other types of cars it might not make a difference in my opinion. You need an outside groove to carry momentum around a cushion and to do that i would think some good banking needs to be put in the turns. Now i'm not talking Lawrenceburg or Eldora type banking but how about something like Gas City or Putnamville? Not trying to say i know it all, just making comments on a good topic here.

[staggerman]

Agree with Tim they need to make changes to the entire surface if they are going to make it racey for sprints. Right now everyone runs the track in an oval never getting the car straight on the straight aways which makes it follow the leader. From what I hear they just don't see the midgets coming back in big numbers so they want the track to become more versatile to run various events especially sprint cars. Guess time will tell.