Originally Posted by Jonr:
I spent the summer of 2008 in Southern Wisconsin and fell in love with Angell Park and Badger midgets. That was around the time that Badger started talking seriously about something having to change. When the USAC guys were in town, the car counts were great. When it was only a Badger show the car counts really started to suffer. I only stayed in Wisconsin for one year, but have followed them since.
If I remember correctly, there was a year or two when there were two midget groups in Wisconsin. Badger decided to go to with the new "restricted" engine and the other group still wanted to run the national motor. (need someone to fact check me here)
This is also around the time that Angell Park went from a midget only track to hosting other events.
Sometimes change has to happen and there is no choice, and at some point National midgets may have to go to a different engine package. I just don't think that day is now.
P.S. pretty excited to drive down to Humboldt after work to see Xtreme in action tonight.
The two groups of "National" midgets - in WI area - was in 2010 (the one called "APSARA" only lasted 3 races - we were at all of them. Won a trophy dash and took 2nd, to Davey Ray, in the last feature...the car count that day was comparable to the last POWRi race...lol). The rules were the same, for both versions of "national midgets" (as far as I recall). Bmara didn't start making any efforts to entertain any new major rules until 2015 (Christopher Bell was the 2014 champ, if that tells you anything...lol). 2015 was a mix (restricted national engines, and the new 2.4s). 2016, and on, was all 2.4L only, and no more "National" engines were allowed (restricted or not). I'd like to think most people would agree it has gone well for them. I enjoyed watching both the Badger show and the USAC race at APS last Labor Day (that was the only event I made it to last season). Both groups of cars are plenty fast.
Now there was/is a 2nd club midget club out of Joliet/Grundy area; that Laverne Spencer started; the restricted OEM engine type / cost effective tire deal back in late 80s/early 90s. It was called the Sportsmen midgets then IRS, now Midwest Mayhem Midgets. Most of the time it was pavement based, but around those years (mid-2000s thru I'll just say mid to late 2010s, they ran dirt, including APS - the same nights Badger did. Many "National midget" people didn't have much to do with them - we ran both, as often as we could. We won the IRS feature in 07 at APS. Kurt Mayhew won many of those races around that time, at APS and the such).
Disclaimer; to dispel the keyboard warriors/clarification: The only time Badger had anything to do with restricted engines was that 2015 year. And everyone should know their 2.4L rules are different than other clubs (If I don't say it, someone else will...lol). But I think everyone (yes, including me) can agree it has worked for them.