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"Badger Midget roots trace to Indy 500"

Sun Prairie, WI, May 24--"The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" the 102nd annual Indianapolis 500 mile race will be run on Sunday. The event has a "long-time tie" to midget auto racing, including the 82-year old Badger Midget Auto Racing Association. Badger is the country's oldest active open wheel sanctioning organization.

Five days after Louis Meyer became the first three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, the first ever Badger sanctioned race was held at the ¼-mile clay oval at the Wisconsin State Fair Park on June 4.

Since then seventeen (17) drivers have won a Badger sanctioned feature race and competed in at least one Indianapolis 500. Listed below is a quick note on their Badger and"500" accomplishments.

--Tony Willman (7 career Badger feature wins/2 Indy 500 starts)
Winner of the first ever Badger race, Willman made four career "500" starts. His career was cut short by a October 1941 fatal accident in Thompson, Conn.

--Jimmy Snyder (1 career Badger feature wins/13 Indy 500 starts)
Snyder won the fifth ever Badger race on July 2, 1936. Less than one month after winning the pole and finishing second in the 1939 "500", Snyder was killed in a midget race at Cahokia, Ill.

--Harry McQuinn (13 career Badger feature wins/4 Indy 500 starts)
McQuinn made ten starts in the "500" between 1934-48.

--Duke Nalon (1 career Badger feature wins/10 Indy 500 starts)
Known for his famous Novi crash in the 1949, Nalon finished third the previous year's "500". Duke Nalon III competed in selected Badger events during the late 80's-early 90's.

--Paul Russo (1 career Badger feature wins/13 Indy 500 starts)
The Kenosha, WI native made thirteen 500 starts, Russo also earned a place in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame. Gene Russo competed with Badger between 1959-77.

--Myron Fohr (1 career Badger feature wins/2 Indy 500 starts)
Earning his only Badger feature win in season one, Fohr went onto win four career IndyCar races, and finished fourth in the 1949 "500".

--Mel Kenyon (7 career Badger feature wins/8 Indy 500 starts)
Kenyon's seven Badger wins came at: at Angell Park, Capitol Super Speedway, and Slinger Super Speedway. Kenyon recorded four top five finishes in the "500".

--Tom Bigelow (7 career Badger feature wins/9 Indy 500 starts)
Bigelow's nine "500" starts came for five different owners. Bigelow still visits Angell Park a few times a year and can be spotted in the pit area.

--Gary Congdon (6 career Badger feature wins/1 Indy 500 start)
Congdon was one of eleven cars involved an accident as the field took the green flag to start the 1966 "500". The following season he missed the race driving an A.J. Foyt entry. Congdon was killed in an accident during the 1967 Hut Hundred.

--Bill Engelhart (8 career Badger feature wins/1 Indy 500 start)
Engelhart's only "500" start saw him place 11th driving for Brookfield Wis.'s Beaudoin Racing. One week later he scored his best career IndyCar finish placing eight at the Milwaukee Mile.

--Rich Vogler (12 career Badger feature wins/5 Indy 500 starts)
Five "500" starts highlight Vogler's IndyCar career. After suffering a broken rocker arm in the 1987 "500" just past the midway point, Vogler flew his airplane to Angell Park to compete in the Memorial Day 50. Vogler finished third in the feature behind winner Dan Boorse and Robby Flock.

--Stan Fox (35 career Badger feature wins/8 Indy 500 starts)
Fox's first 500 start resulted in his best career finish of seventh place. The 1979 Badger Champ suffered career ending injuries in an opening lap accident during the 1995 "500".

--Tony Stewart (3 career Badger feature wins/5 Indy 500 starts)
Stewart's three Badger wins came at Hales Corners, Beaver Dam, and Angell Park. At the "500" his best finish in five starts came in 1997 with a fifth-place finish.

--Don Beechler (2 career Badger feature wins/4 Indy 500 starts)
Beechler made his first three "500" starts for former Badger competitors Larry & Ken Cahill, before making his final "500" start in 2001 with A.J. Foyt.

--Jason Leffler (2 career Badger feature wins/1 Indy 500 start)
Leffler's only "500" start resulted in a 17th place finish in 2000. Leffler won both of his career Badger events at Angell Park in 1997, and 1999.

--Rick Treadway (1 career Badger feature win/1 Indy 500 starts)
The 1998 Cornfest Midget winner was caught up in the aftermath of an accident involving leader Tony Kaanan in 2002 "500". Treadway was also a crew member on the 1997 500 winning team owned by father Fred Treadway.

--Bryan Clauson (7 career Badger feature wins/3 Indy 500 starts)
Clauson made three career "500" starts, his seven career Badger feature wins came at four different tracks.

The Zimbrick Chevrolet of Sun Prairie Badger Midget Racing Series continues Saturday Night May 26 event at Sycamore (Ill.) Speedway.

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