30 Years ago:1976- Olson & Corrigan Capture Badger Crowns
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| Kevin Olson |
The Rockford, Ill. combination of driver Kevin Olson and car owner Lyle Corrigan captured the 22-race Badger Midget Auto Racing Association (BMARA)
championship for the 1976 season. Sixty different drivers earned at least one point during the highly competitive season, which saw events run at six different tracks in Wis., Ill. and Mich. The average car count was 44 per event.
Two weeks before the season opener second-year Badger driver Dennis Schumann was killed in the UARA season opener at Joliet (Ill.) Memorial Stadium. The 20-year old driver hailed from Stoughton, Wis. and was an employee of Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Madison. Gary "Kid" Schooley captured the season opener May 21 at Rockford (Ill.) Speedway, finishing ahead of John Davis, Dave Wunrow, Eddie Loomis and Olson.
Angell Park Speedway (Sun Prairie, Wis.) looked different to the competitors on opening night, as 1,500 yards of new clay was added to the track increasing the banking on the corners, along with installation of new retaining fences. Tom Steiner driving the Mike Cascio Sesco took the lead on the 13th lap and cruised to the victory over Lars Lein, Olson, Chuck Dann, and Loomis.
Olson and Corrigan recorded their first victory of the season the next week at Angell Park. Olson blasted from the fifth row to the lead in the first six laps easily finishing ahead of Bob Walldan and Lein.
The largest crowd in ten years at Angell Park witnessed Schooley's June 6th eight-car length victory over Olson and Lein. Rain forced cancellation of the event the following Sunday Night after the running of the third heat race.
The series made its first of two appearances at Ken Glembin's K-G Raceway (Eagle River, Wis.) on Saturday Night June 19. Jim Hill scored the victory in the 25-lap feature topping Terry Vaughn and fast qualifier Olson. The next night at Angell Park John Heisdorf owned cars swept the first two positions with Bob Walldan winning the Bill Hortsmeyer Memorial 50. Ken Biertzer was second followed by Gary Lynch, Vaughn and Paul Clark.
Two red flags marred the June 27 event and rain showers hit the track on the 15th lap of the feature with officials declaring Schooley the feature winner. Olson, Steiner, Lein and Dave Ray completed the top five.
Before an Angell Park standing room-only crowd celebrating America's Bicentennial on July 4, 1971 Badger Champ Lars Lein won a spirited battle with John Hartwig and Chuck Dann, topping the 25-lap event.
The next week Olson and Dann ran wheel to wheel for 35-laps exchanging the lead several times before Olson regained the top spot with six laps remaining. Trailing the duo was: Stan Fox, Tim Pangborn and Hartwig. Stan Fox rolled into victory lane for the first time during the season capturing the July 18 feature at Angell Park over Pangborn and Ray. The semi-feature was marred by several accidents, which saw only two cars of the starting field of 18 cars finish the event, which was shortened to 13-laps.
Badger made their first ever appearance at The Upper Peninsula Fairgrounds (Escanaba, Mich.) on July 23. After posting fast time Olson topped Pangborn and Lein to win the 30-lap feature on the 1/4-mile dirt oval. The next evening Olson made it two straight capturing the feature at K-G Raceway. Trailing the Corrigan#51 entry were Hartwig, Loomis, Davis and Vaughn. Angell Park wrapped up the three-race swing. Hartiwg led the first dozen feature laps before Lein led for one lap before regaining it and finishing ahead of Lein and Fox.
Lein scored a rare clean sweep at Angell Park the week. After posting fast time and winning the trophy dash and heat, Lein passed Paul Clark for the lead on the 14th lap. Trailing Lein were Pangborn, Loomis, Ray and Wunrow.
The next week at Rockford Speedway saw another clean sweep almost occur when Steiner set fast time, won the dash and the 25-lap feature. Only a second place finish in his heat race blocked Steiner from a sweep. Clark claimed runner-up honors in the feature.
Schooley scored his fourth Badger feature victory of the season winning the Al Fredenberg Memorial 50 at Angell Park on Aug. 8 lead all but the opening ten laps of the event. Olson, Lein, Wunrow and Loomis completed the top five. Schooley made it two straight feature wins at Angell Park the next week leading the entire distance finishing ahead of Fox and Olson.
Steiner driving the Harry & Beth Turner Chevy II scored a half-lap victory in the 50-lap feature at Hales Corners Speedway (Franklin, Wis.) on Aug. 20. The win was the third straight feature victory at the track for the Orland Park, Ill driver. Biertzer, Ray, Olson and Hartwig completed the top five. The evening was slowed by 24 caution flags displayed during the evenings events. Olson put a virtual lock on the championship, leaving the event 372 points ahead of Lein, with three events remaining. Angell Park was idle for Cornfest activites at the track the following week.
After setting fast time Fox easily topped the field in the 15-lap feature at Dodge County Fairgrounds (Beaver Dam, Wis.) on Saturday Night Aug. 28. Trailing Fox were Lein, Biertzer, Hartwig and Bill Thelaner. The following evening at Angell Park the field again trailed Fox who drove his Oak Creek Lettering Sesco to his second win in 24 hours. Trailing Fox were Lein, Ray, Pangborn and Wunrow.
The season finale Sept. 5 event at Angell Park drew a 60-car field, and an announced crowd of 4,750 for the 50-lap event. Olson took the lead on the fifth lap and along with Lein pulled away from the field. On the final lap Olson drifted high entering turn one, allowing Lein to drive under Olson and score the victory. Trailing the duo was: Fox, Steiner and Pangborn.
Olson and Corrigan received their championship awards during the Oct. 16 banquet at the Sheraton Mayfair (Wauwatosa, Wis.). Olson finished 137 points ahead of Lein for his first Badger title. Schooley, Loomis, Hartwig, Fox, Wunrow, Pangborn, Biertzer and Ray completed the top ten. Also honored at the banquet were: Biertzer (rookie of the year), Wunrow (most improved driver) and Schooley (best dressed crew). Car owner and K-G Raceway promoter Ken Glembin received the sportsmanship award.