8/9/2026
Badger Midget Auto Racing Association
Dave Shannon Former Badger Midget Series Announcer And Hall of Fame Inductee Pass At Age 79
When he was born on February 17, 1947, he was named “David W. Hallett.” Thirty years later the radio listening public, Badger Midget fans and even his mother called him “Dave Shannon.”
Shannon grew up on the shores of Lake Waubesa near Madison, Wisconsin. Eventually he became a well known radio personality in the city. Starting with menial jobs at WTSO, he paid his dues and worked his way to the air. He started as a DJ on the graveyard shift and eventually became one of those unforgettable voices of a bygone era during the prime hours. Various stations he’d switch to over the years including WMAD soon went to number-one in the market, “But not because of me,” Shannon declared. He also explained it was common in those days for radio personalities to have stage names, hence “Dave Shannon.”
It was an era where a special type of voice was required to be a disc jockey and Shannon had it. His booming baritone sound was great for radio and perfect for announcing.
During the 1986 racing season his friend Jim Jaeger invited Shannon to stand in for him on the mic at Angell Park Speedway. Shannon recalls with a laugh, “The first night if I were in the stands I’d have thrown a beer can at myself. The fiancée of one of the drivers started to chew me up and down after the races. Dick Koch and ‘Hot Dog’ Homburg told her to knock it off and if she ever did that again she’d never get into the pits again.”
Having support from the racing community had a lot to do with Shannon coming back for another night and once he got his footing he was the voice of Angell Park Speedway for over 20 years. He estimates he called some 500 races including select Badger events at such places as Hales Corners Speedway.
Along with Shannon on the judges stand were his sidekick Dennis Thompson who handled the Victory Lane interviews and Tom Lindner who collected information from teams on race day. Lindner would then provide tid bits to Shannon. It was here that Shannon’s radio experience help to make the Angell Park show so professional. “Dave considered me his producer, just like a radio production,” recalled Lindner.
Shannon was a big race fan and at one point was part-owner of a tiny radio station WIBU in northern Dane County. Here he shared his love of motorsports on its air by running a weekly racing show unique to the area. With five area race tracks including Dells Raceway Park (Dells Motor Speedway today), Columbus 151 Speedway, Capital Speedway (Madison International today), Beaver Dam Raceway and Angell Park Speedway there was always a lot to cover.
Shannon really appreciated the time he spent with drivers like fellow Badger Hall of Fame inductee Kevin Olson. Until a year before his own induction Shannon would still get to the races from time to time thanks to longtime friend and another Hall of Famer Dwight Huston. Shannon is disappointed the tradition of everyone meeting at the Angell Park Pavilion bar has gone by the wayside. In part this ritual waned when drivers were no longer paid in cash at the end of the night from the pavilion’s pay window.
While they may appear to work seamlessly, the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association and Angell Park Speedway are two separate entities. Sometimes this led to awkward interactions and strained relations between the two. With that understanding Shannon noted, “I wouldn’t have it. We would just put that aside and put it all together on Sundays. The whole package was more important to me.”
Shannon still smiles when he’s reminded of some of his tag lines including, “We have a go!” to announce the dropping of the green flag. Or, “Twenty-two of the best in the country…” as the cars came down to start the A-Main. “I just did it, it just came out and it stuck,” he concluded. Shannon would then end the night by playing the song, “Happy Trails.”
The above is the edited biography for Dave Shannon which is included in the program for his induction into the Badger Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame on July 12, 2026. It was derived from an interview with Shannon in 2026 and an article from the 2008 Angell Park Speedway program.
In 2008 he described himself as being a peer of the likes of Ken Squire, a popular auto racing announcer for CBS among other outlets. To this point they both had an ability to make everything they said regarding a race sound like a major event. Be it John Bakken in single-car qualifying at Angell Park or Dan Boorse taking another A-Main win at the famed speedway, he treated everyone equally and did his best to make the Badger Midgets as exciting as possible.
It took a lot to get Shannon to the Hall of Fame inductions. He was living in an assisted living facility and appeared to be content with a very quiet lifestyle. When he received the call that he would be inducted he was thrilled.
In his interview for the induction program he was equally excited to talk about his time with Badger. While he felt he had a hard time remembering, when he was asked a direct question, the memories would pour out if he was left to just share what he did recall. His eyes were bright and his voice was nearly as strong and familiar as his days with Badger.
Shannon was hesitant to attend his induction. He didn’t get out much. Longtime friend Dwight Huston encouraged him to make the Hall of Fame ceremony. When talking about it at the July interview Shannon said, “I don’t know. I have a bad hip. But I guess if Dwight says he will get me there, I guess I should go.”
And Shannon did attend. Taking nothing away from any other inductee that day, Shannon, who had no kin at the table, but had the Huston family at this side, was probably the most popular attendee at the event. He was chipper, talkative and had a grin on his face the whole day. The only people more thrilled were those who took the time to share a moment with him.
Summing up his time with the Badger Midget Series and Angell Park, Shannon was grateful. “I just loved it and all the people I met through my career.”
To the fans he said, “I thank them. They are so loyal and we couldn’t do it without them.”
Shannon passed away on August 4, 2026.
Photo by Roy Ophime: Bill Blumer Jr.(left) interviews Dave Shannon (right) at the 2026 Badger Midget Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
Article by Bill Blumer Jr.
Submitted By: William Blumer
