20 years ago- 1986: Kevin Koch snaps Boorse title streak at two
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| Kevin Koch 1986 |
As the 50th anniversary season for Badger loomed. Dan Boorse driving for the Jim Fiscus/J.R. Smith team was looking to become the second driver in the organizations' history to win three straight championships.
At season's end the '85 Badger runner-up Kevin Koch turned the tables on Boorse winning the championship by 100 points. The 22-year old Koch drove an Edmunds-VW owned by his father Dick Koch, with the his older brother Randy turning the wrenches.
The season kicked off at Capital Speedway (Oregon, Wis.) on Apr. 27 with Mel Kenyon easily defeating Rich Corson and Dennis DeVea. Also competing in the four class-event were: late models, limited late models and street stocks, before an announced crowd of over 5,000.
Three weeks later fast qualifier Koch took the lead on the ninth lap, opening night at Angell Park and cruised to the feature victory over Erfurth and Boorse. After leading the early portion of the May 25 feature Boorse took
advantage of engine problems suffered by leader Joe Corrigan on lap 43 to win the Memorial Weekend 50 -lap event at Angell Park. Koch placed third behind runner-up Dan Fredenberg.
Koch stamped himself as the point leader following a clean sweep in the Badger/USAC National co-sanctioned event at Hales Corners Speedway (Franklin, Wis.) five days later. '82 Badger champ Paul Clark, Mel Kenyon, Russ Gamester and Dave Ray completed the top five.
In a highly competitive feature which saw four lead changes among three drivers Boorse took his second straight Angell Park winning over Arizona's Mark Passarelli and Koch on June 1.
One week later Kevin Doty scored his first career Angell Park feature win leading wire-to-wire despite two caution flags. Doty drove the Bud Doty owned Automotive Paint & Equipment Gennetten-VW#50. Fellow Quad City resident Bruce Moore won the TQ midget feature. The event was the first race requiring
cars to utilize a Hoosier Tire D20 compound or harder on the right rear wheel.
Kevin Olson chased down Bill Ripp with eight laps remaining to win the June 15 event. Koch and Boorse were both caught up in an six car accident on the opening lap. Rain forced cancellation of the June 22 event.
The next week Stan Fox saw his straightaway lead erased by a caution flag on lap 19 at Angell Park. On the restart Doty shadowed the '79 Badger champ taking the lead with less than two laps remaining to score his second victory of the month.
After setting fast time and winning his heat Koch scored a dramatic last lap pass exiting turn four on Erfurth for the feature victory on July 6. The entire evenings events were run caution-free.
Boorse scored his third victory of the season passing Clark with nine laps remaining and scoring a quarter-lap victory over Clark and Dale Hurd Jr. Dennis Atchley who would later compete with Badger won the TQ midget feature.
A 50th Anniversary race was held at Angell Park on Saturday July 19. Olson and the Wilke Racers team led the final nine laps to score the victory which paid $3,200. Over $5,400 in lap money were awarded with Doty collecting an additional $2,460 in lap money. Clark and Chris Maxson joined Olson on the podium.
Eight days later saw Boorse score feature victory #4 finishing ahead of Hurd and Koch.
Corrigan totally dominated the Al Fredenberg Memorial the next week. Corrigan lapped over half the field by lap 23 when the event was halted for a flip by Koch. Koch destroyed his car in the accident. Corrigan easily outdistanced Eddie Loomis and Doty to the finish.
Using his back-up car Koch led all 25-lap of the Aug. 10 feature from the front row starting position finishing ahead of Boorse and fast qualifier Loomis. The next week saw Boorse pass Hans Lein for the lead on the fourth circuit and cruise to victory ahead of Erfurth. Loomis, Koch, and Lein.
Seattle's Ed Shefchik brought his midget to Angell Park for the first time ever and scored the feature victory with Olson leading the entire distance. The win was the first ever at the track for a Cosworth powered car. Doty and Boorse trailed in the event.
The fifth annual Pepsi Midget Nationals carried USAC co-sanction for the first time ever. Olson back in the Wilke entry finished ahead of Koch Racing Team cars driven by Fox and Koch. The finish locked up the Badger championship for the father-son team.
Kenyon captured the season-closer at Capital finishing ahead of Don Carter Jr., Corson, Danny Pens and Don Schilling.
On Nov. 8 at the Root River Banquet Hall (Oak Creek, Wis.) the Koch's received the lionshare of an $8,000 point fund. Randy Koch was named mechanic of the year, with Hurd picking up Most Improved Driver Honors. Trailing Koch and Boorse in the final points were: Erfurth, Fredenberg, Loomis, Hurd, Al Schmidt, Olson, Corrigan and Maxson. Susan Spencer topped the crop of five rookie drivers to win Rookie of the Year honors.