By Quinn McCabe
Sun Prairie, WI, May 4 — The AFS Badger Midget Series will kick-start its 86th year of sanctioning midget auto racing this Saturday, May 7, 2022, at Sycamore Speedway, in Maple Park, Illinois. Joining the midgets will be the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Car Series and IRA Mini-Sprints.
Sycamore Speedway has become an Illinois home for the Badger Midget Series over the last several seasons with many exciting races composed of side-by-side wheel-to-wheel action culminating in close finishes. Jake Neuman and Jack Routson, both winners at the track, will be returning to do double duty this weekend. Neumann and Routson will be driving the familiar #57’s by RAB Racing entries and both of their families owned 410 sprint cars with IRA. Neuman found his way to victory last year running the cushion to perfection inches from the outside retaining wall and Routson has not visited the track since 2019. The AFS Badger Midget Series will make a total of six trips to the 1/3 mile action track in 2022.
Eighteen times the winner of the season-opener has gone on to win the Badger Midget Series title. Seven-time Badger Champion Dan Boorse won on “opening night” during three of his championship seasons at three different tracks: 1984 at Capital Super Speedway, 1998 at Butler Speedway, and 1999 at Angell Park Speedway.
Other Badger drivers who have won on the opening night of their championship year more than once include Billy Wood (1954 and ’55) and Keith Thomas (1961 and ’62). To take the crown in 2022, drivers will have to battle across the Badger state and trek across state lines into Iowa, Illinois, and make a rare visit to sprint car country in Indiana. A mix of veterans and rising stars have laid their eyes on the prize, but only one will be crowned the 86th Badger Midget Champion.
Pit Gates will open at 2:00 pm and Grandstands at 5:30 pm. Hot Laps will start at 5:45 pm with racing to follow.