8/19/2025
Badger Midget Auto Racing Association
Badger Teams Find Diversions With The Two Day Rainout
With the Advanced Fastening Supply Badger Midget Series getting rained out twice this weekend, first at Sycamore Speedway and then at Angell Park Speedway, we did an informal survey to see how our people spent their weekend.
Especially since the deluge didn’t come until teams were already arriving at Sycamore, those logistics were different from Sunday when the races were cancelled about the time many were waking up to start their day.
Attending various festivals or golfing were two of the more popular activities. Heading to a local establishment for a cold one and watching the Milwaukee Brewers was also something folks gravitated to.
Miles Doherty, who had to drive from Iowa to race with Badger had planned to stay in the area on Saturday night. Instead he and his dad played the weather and drove home after Sycamore’s rainout. On Sunday he went golfing.
While it was a bit soggy, Matt Rechek spent both days with his kids attending the Dodge County Fair outside Beaver Dam, WI. There was no fair race scheduled, but they may have gotten their demo-derby in on Sunday.
One of the few that actually watched a race was Luke Wackerlin who saw the WoO Late Models on streaming Saturday. Sunday he had duties with his midget plus helped some friends work on their street vehicles.
Mike Unger noted he drove through torrential rain twice on Saturday, to and from Sycamore. He then spent some time at a local tavern, got to watch both Milwaukee Brewers games and studied for an exam at work. He saved a frog that was trapped in his shop and probably spent some time maintaining his world class mullet too. “It was a very eventful weekend,” according to the driver of the #67.
DIRTVision was on the TV at the Jones estate where Parker reports, “Watching Donny Schatz in his new ride.” Sunday he too went golfing.
Danger Dave Collins was pulling into Sycamore with his open trailer just about the time it started to pour. Rather than turn around right away (he never even made it to the track) he joined some other Badger folks at Hobnobber’s, a watering hole in Sycamore. If you’ve ever watched an interview with, or spoken to Collins, it should come as no surprise that of all the Badger drivers he would be the most likely to spend a day off at a museum. On Sunday he went to Middleton, WI, to the Mustard Museum (a museum dedicated to the popular condiment) and he highly recommended it.
Three drivers spent either Saturday or Sunday spreading the gospel of Badger at Sun Prairie’s Sweet Corn Festival. Cody Weisensel was in the beer tent on Saturday with some other BMARA regulars. Nick Kilian and the bulk of his team spent some time at the festival on Sunday. Derek Doerr went to the fest and even climbed the rock wall that was set up for goers. On Saturday his dad and he hit Culver’s in Sycamore before heading back to Watertown.
Another tick went into the golf category as Todd Kluever visited a local driving range on Saturday night. Prior to that he helped celebrate his girlfriend's birthday. On Sunday he reported, “I was bored out of my mind so I worked at the bar for a while.” He didn’t specify which of his taverns he was working at, but we’ll plug Seminary Springs Tavern which is a sponsor of midget racing. Luckily someone invited him for an evening cookout to brighten his day.
The Barrel Inn, just a few miles east of Sun Prairie, in downtown Deansville, sponsors Harrison Kleven. So on Sunday he parked himself on a bar stool and watched the Brewers winning streak come to an end.
Eric Blumer was another Brewers watcher who saw the win on Saturday, while eating supper with his parents and fiance’ at Chances Bar, one of his sponsors, in Burnett, WI. Sunday was a day to work around the shop.
Your tabulator of the above, Bill Blumer Jr. took Eric Blumer et al to the late supper on Saturday after, like Unger, driving through the storm twice. He went golfing at Kestrel Ridge in Columbus, WI, a sponsor of Angell Park Speedway on Sunday where one of Angell Park’s beer vendors was teeing off in front of him. Blumer shot a 54 for nine holes.
Whether it was a festival, golf, watching the Brewers or just enjoying some good company, Badger teams are surely recharged and chomping at the bit for this Saturday’s race at Wilmot Raceway. We’ll give you all of the details of that race as the week progresses.
Article and photo by Bill Blumer Jr.
Submitted By: William Blumer
