10 Years ago- 1996: Koch overtakes Boorse in season finale for third Badger crown
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Randy Koch- 1996 |
The 1996 season kicked off at Angell Park Speedway on May 19. After winning eight features and the '95 Badger champion Dan Boorse exited the Wilke-PAK team at the season conclusion returning to drive for his father Don in the familiar #88 Stealth-Gaerte. Boorse set fast time and led the final 39-laps to win the opener over Randy Koch and Kevin Doty. Koch who trailed Boorse for the '95 title by 56 points began his second season driving for Harlan Kittleson.
The second event at Angell Park saw Kevin Doty top a 48-car field in qualifying lowering the new one-lap standard to 14.597 seconds. Koch and Boorse trailed Doty in the feature.
Randy Fiscus scored his first career midget feature leading all 30-laps at the Hales Corners Speedway on May 31. Fiscus had plenty of time to enjoy the victory the next Badger event was run 24 days later after three straight Angell Park events were rained out.
Only a great effort from the Angell Park maintenance crew saved the June 23 after heavy morning rain showers. With no qualifying held Kevin Olson used a great starting position to score the victory in the 25-lap event followed by Koch and Fiscus.
Dean Erfurth led the June 30 event at Angell Park until a dramatic last lap shuffle saw Boyd Calvert and Boorse pass the 90 Badger champ, with Calvert scoring his second career victory at the track.
The eyes of midget racing turned to the big sweeping half-mile Hartford Speedway in Hartford,Mich. Promoter Chuck Painter spent 10 months putting together the Wolverine Midget Nationals. The event was sanctioned by Badger, MARA,NAMARS And UMARA. The event posted the largest midget auto racing purse ever posted, highlighted by $10,000 first place prize.
Ten heat races, four dash races, one C, and two B features narrowed the field from 61 to 24 feature cars, before a slim crowd. Curfew and delays marred Saturday nights program. On lap 20, five laps short of halfway, the event was stopped and Steve Knepper was declared the winner over Andy Pierce, Russ Gamester, Doug Schenck and Boorse. A complete purse was paid, while Badger competitors all received equal points for their feature performances since the event failed to complete 50% of the scheduled distance. The total payout for the event was $72,100.
The next night at Angell Park Erfurth rebounded to win the feature over Aaron Fiscus and Calvert. The next two features at Angell Park saw Boorse and Koch finish one-two. The July 21 event was the first 60-lap event at the track since 1946.
The next three events saw Koch close the gap on Boorse with three feature wins at three different tracks. Koch topped the July 27 event at Baylands Speedway (Escanaba, Mich.). Koch easily outdistanced Bill Berg and Schenck on the dry half-mile track surface. The next night at Angell Park Koch finished ahead of Boorse and Dean Billings.
The series only appearance at Beaver Dam Raceway on Aug. 3 saw Koch nipping Scott Hatton and Billings for the victory. Randy Fiscus scored his first Angell Park feature win the following evening topping Hatton to win the annual Al Fredenberg Memorial.
Boorse won the Aug. 11 Angell Park event over Marty Davis, while heavy rain cancelled the annual Cornfest race the following weekend. Boorse' victory on Aug. 25, combined with Koch's 21st place finish gave Boorse a sizeable lead heading into the Sep.1 Pepsi Midget Nationals.
Boorse started the feature leading Koch by 60 points. The 50-lap feature saw a seven car accident happen as the field entered turn four to take the green flag at the start.
Koch passed Hatton for the lead on the 15th circuit. During a caution on the 22nd lap officials spotted a sparking muffler on Boorse's car, which was caused by a crack in the carbon fiber muffler. A small flame was noticed and Boorse was black flagged running in fourth position and finished 16th.
Koch maintained his lead until six laps remaining when Berg flipped bringing out the red flag. Koch was informed by his crew a victory in the event would give him the championship, a second place finish would give Boorse the title by two points.
On the restart Koch ran six flawless laps scoring a two-car length victory over Hatton. Mike Fell, Todd Thelen and Calvert completed the top five. The title was Koch's third,and first career car owner championship for Harlan Kittleson. The team used a Beast chassis and Brayton engine.
Nick Lundgreen captured the Rookie of the Year honors topping a field of eleven rookies including current drivers Rick Mueller, Brandon Waelti and Rob Keelan. Randy Fiscus was named Most Improved Driver. Completing the top ten in points behind Koch and Boorse were: Hatton, Olson, Fell, Billings, R. Fiscus, Calvert, A. Fiscus and Berg. The series averaged 42 cars per event and at the Nov. 16 banquet a $35,000 cash point fund and $15,600 in contingency awards were distributed.