Angell Park Speedway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Angell Park Speedway

Location	Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Time zone	UTC-6
Coordinates	43°10′40″N 89°12′40″W / 43.17778°N 89.21111°W / 43.17778; -89.21111
Opened	1936
Oval
Surface	Dirt
Length	1/3 mi (.54 km)
Turns	4

Welcome sign to Angell Park Speedway

Angell Park Speedway is a well-known dirt racetrack located in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. It's about one-third of a mile long. The city's fire department has been in charge of the track since 1903.

Races usually take place every Sunday. The racing season runs from around Memorial Day until Labor Day. Sometimes, special events or bad weather can change the schedule. The races were often approved by the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association (BMARA). This is the oldest midget car racing group in the world. Some events are also approved by the United States Automobile Club (USAC). The BMARA also helps organize midget car races at other nearby tracks. In August 2016, the World of Outlaws held their first sprint car races at Angell Park.

The National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame building

Besides the racetrack, the area also has the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame. There is also a pavilion and the Sun Prairie Firemans Park. The community of Sun Prairie helped build the park on September 18, 2007. It was officially opened on October 7, 2007. Rebecca Ketelson and Anita Holcomb, who live in Sun Prairie, led this project.

History of Angell Park Speedway

The track is famous across the country for its midget car races. These exciting races started here in 1936. As of 2008, it was the only track in the United States to have weekly midget car races. The track had to close between 1942 and 1945. This was because all racing in the United States stopped during World War II.

Night racing at Angell Park began on May 29, 1949. Once the lights were put in, Kelly Peters from Lake Forest, Illinois, was the fastest driver. He won his heat race and the first main race held under the lights. Since then, weekly Sunday night races have been a tradition. There were only a few short seasons in the late 1960s and early 1970s due to small disagreements.

In 2007, the track started hosting other types of races. Occasional touring events were added to the schedule. By 2010, almost every race night featured a different type of car or racing series. Before the 2010 season, there were some changes between the Angell Park Speedway board and BMARA. For a short time in May 2010, the track managed its own races. After that, weekly races stopped for the 2010 season. Only special events, like two USAC midget weekends and the Fireman's Nationals, continued.

Famous Racers at Angell Park

Some midget car drivers travel from New Zealand and Australia to race here. They come during their country's winter, which is summer in the United States. This allows them to race between May and September. For example, in 2008, Michael Pickens from Auckland, New Zealand raced here. Matt Smith from Newcastle, Australia also competed.

Many famous racers have competed in the regular weekly series at this track:

• Justin Allgaier
• Tom Bigelow
• A. J. Fike
• Aaron Fike (BMARA champion in 2002)
• Stan Fox (BMARA champion in 1979)
• Jeff Gordon (a four-time Winston Cup Champion)
• Mel Kenyon
• Michael Pickens
• Landy Scott (BMARA champion in 1947 and BMARA president from 1951 to 1959)

The Fireman Nationals Event

The most famous event at Angell Park Speedway is the 50-lap Fireman Nationals midget car race.

Angell Park Speedway, 2012