Originally Posted by 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.
I agree with you also. Hate to see it but this might be a last effort to keep the track alive.
Originally Posted by 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?
I was there for that. I believe JJ Yeley won the sprints. Possibly midgets too? They were smoking the tires in the sprint feature and pretty much the whole surface was black...yet Yeley was still somehow pulling wheelies coming out of the turns. I believe he was running a Twister chassis. I thought the whole show was good. I do remember it being like mid to high 90s all day that day. Very hot.
The SPVFD and City of Sun Prairie have come to an agreement yesterday. It's for 2 years with a 3rd year option. It would appear that part of the Angell Park puzzle can be put to rest.
Originally Posted by cmiracingvids:
I was there for that. I believe JJ Yeley won the sprints. Possibly midgets too? They were smoking the tires in the sprint feature and pretty much the whole surface was black...yet Yeley was still somehow pulling wheelies coming out of the turns. I believe he was running a Twister chassis. I thought the whole show was good. I do remember it being like mid to high 90s all day that day. Very hot.
I believe Brandon Waelti won the Badger race that night.
I don't recall what year the guardrail was installed but it was before 1999. The first link below is a video of the 1999 Pepsi Nationals with the guardrail there. The second is some racing from 1987 before the guardrail was there.
I really don't care what is done to the guard rail, however, changing the shape of this track is a major mistake. The track is PERFECT for midget racing, SIDE by SIDE, TOP and BOTTOM groove racing that everyone longs for.
Wing sprints and non wing sprints don't belong at APS. Also if folk lore is correct, Mr. Angell's wish was to have midgets run at this track only.
Angell Park is over 100 years old. Col. Angell died in 1907, before Midgets were invented. The only local string attached, that is part of local lore, that I've ever heard of, was that if the fire fighters didn't own it, the land should go back to any decendents. There are some decedents around SP, I have been told, but their last names are not "Angell."
I love "the prairie" but sometimes wonder how they can even get insurance. It is wicked fast and just like racing in a tunnel. There are at times just nowhere to go when there is trouble on the track. The infield pits are nostalgic and great for the fans, but you cannot see down the race track from the corner or through the corner from the straightaway. How many times have you seen the entire racetrack blocked. How many times does someone who is able to slow down or stop run over by another car that is still wide open. Some of the worst car damage and personal injuries happen that way. If you can muster the courage to get 4 wheels in the junk and run the fence all the way around the visibility is better but there are very few Rich Voglers among us.
