What is your favorite and why?
 

What is your favorite era of nonwing sprint cars and why?

The 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, or today?

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

Mine is today, because I don't live in the past I live in the now:32::32::22:

Late 90's for me cause that was when I was growing up around the racetrack on the west coast! Watching my hero's Griffin, Kruseman, Kirby, Gaunt, Cline Williams etc duke it out every saturday night! I lived for saturday night, well I still do know but its something I will remember for the rest of my life! What I wouldn't do to go back in time to a random saturday night and be a little kid in the stands in aw of what I was seeing again! Man those where the days! The days of 40 plus cars at a random perris show! Simply awesome!
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Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

1960's, that's when I first saw sprint cars; you could clearly see the driver working his magic on the wheel; not hidden behind sidepanels like today.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

I would say the 70's and now.

The 70's because that's when I learned to love the sport. I've been around it since my birth in 1964, but about 1970 or so is when I really started to realize what was going on around me. And if your first real exposure included weekly local battles between greats like Bob Kinser, Chuck Amati, Dick Gaines, Larry Miller, and Butch Wilkerson and Action Track racing classics with drivers like Pancho Carter, Gary B, Tom Bigelow, Sheldon Kinser, Larry Dickson, Joe Saldana and Chuck Gurney, then you would have very little chance of not being a fan of this for life. I know I never stood a chance.

And also this decade, because my favorite race is the next race. And we're in an era with it's share of competitors that would have been great in any era. Stanbrough, Jones, Coons, Hines and Clauson are a few names of drivers that have talent that would transfer (pun intended) to any racing generation. Plus, these things get just faster with every passing year. And when you look at the youngsters in this sport, it's clear that the future of open wheel racing is secure.

Jerry

Now and future cars are always getting faster and more safety eq is availblePosted via Mobile Device

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

back when drivers earned a ride and didn't have daddy to count on.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

You know Ronny. I gotta agree. Being a little kid running around Perris and Manzi and Ventura. Watching the best of the best wishing we could be out there. The 90's were amazing. Its great to see people that we used to hang with out there on the track like you. Or racing against Damion Gardner, Rip Williams, and Cory Kruseman. I grew up idolizing these guys and now im out there with them. Shoot i still remember winning the co pilot award with Cory. I Loved the 90's. They were my fav.

Haha I almost forgot about the co pilot thing! Also 96 97 I lived in indy used to kick dirt and play with little toy cars with josh spencer and trenten darland its always cool to see those two guys! a lot of old memories!
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Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

I'm slow, what do you mean by this?

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

He means if it wasnt for Dads and there money there would only be about 3 teams running USAC today....


Back to the topic...I have been going to races since I was 2 weeks old..I have been at a race track every weekend for 1989-now...Racing still has many of my Heros around....But I would give anything to go back in time and work on a USAC team in the 60-70s...My Grandpa was the crew chirf on the Smiths Speed Shop/ Fortney&Simon cars and hearing his stories makes me wish I was born 30 year earlier...Landon

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

I loved the sixties, but to me the seventies was the best..I was racing the ole coupes/sedan modified's around North Florida/South Ga. and was introduced to NON WINGED sprint cars at Lake City Speedway in '74 when they came down here (LC) for the 1st time. At that time some of if not the best in the business came south race..See if I can remember these guy's...oh wait a minute I'll get my pictures out from the day...Less see.. Jan Opperman, Chuck Amati, Joe Saldana, Jr. Parkinson, Paul Pitzer Don Mack, Kenny Weld, Sheldon Kinser, Charlie Swartz (in the Conway Twitty/Lorretta Lynn Special), Rick Ferkel, Leon Gentry, Johnny Beaber, Robert Smith, Poncho Carter, Bubby Jones, Toby Tobias, Bill Utz, Bobby Allen, Shane Carson, Van May, Dub May, Gary Patterson, Bobby Unser Jr., Greg Leffler, Ron Shuman and a couple of young cats..86x of Steve Kinser and the 91 Fed-X car do Sammy Swindell...what was so unreal...this was and has been the only Sunday race that I can remember ever there and those guy's stated cutting turn 4 off where they where race 30 feet off the track...so low that Swindell hit the drainage spout and flipped...if memory serves me right..Joe Saldana beat Pitzer by a 1/2 bumper:22:...I was talking to a few guys at the East Bay USAC show in Feb and they where there ...Man did it bring back memories....LONG LIVE THE NON WING:22: and TO HELL WITH THE CHURTCHES:29::42::

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

Right now, I've met a lot of great people Josh Spencer, Jamie Fredrickson, Paul Hazen, Hunter Schurenberg, - lots of them. Also one of the sadest times w/ the loss of Jesse Hockett. I was walking out of Gas City's opener & he asked me how I liked the race. We talked like we were old friends.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

I moved to Indiana at the tail end of what I call the "golden era" of open wheel racing. Listening to stories from friends about the great racing days makes me a little envious of all you folks who were able to witness some of the greats of that time.

With that being said, I seldom look back and have few regets. I am at the age now where I can attend a few races and enjoy the times at the track no matter who is running. The best time is right now looking forward to the next race at a track near you. Get out from behind the computer and become a race fan AT THE TRACK!


I hear so many folks on here complain about the "little" things that it annoys me.:15: If the track is a little dusty, don't worry it will wash off. If the car count is low, enjoy who is there putting on a show for you. If you don't like the number of classes racing, either go elsewhere to watch, sit there and try to be entertained by that class of racers or maybe stop down at the midway and make some new friends. Who knows, you may find someone who also doesn't care for the class that is running and you can do some story telling. Maybe even make a racing friend for life.:8:

I enjoy many forms of racing. I try to make it a positive experience everytime I go to the track. Why be miserable when you can enjoy so much quality racing right here in the midwest. Many folks around the country would trade all of us even up to have that choice.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

Good post mike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

The 1970's. It's when I became a fan as a kid at the Kokomo Speedway every Sunday night. Ray Kenens, Don Walker, Ron Fisher, Jim Elliott, Ed Angle, Bob Christian, Allen Barr, Mark Caldwell, Dick Gaines, Louie Mann, Paul Joyce, Tony Solomito, Tim Bookmiller, Harold Mouser, Dave Ragan, Bobby Kinser, Charlie Sarver, Bobby Adkins, Van Gurley, Sam Davis, Kerry Norris, Danny Smith, Steve Kinser, Randy Kinser, Marvin Deputy, Danny Bowlen, Butch Wilkerson, Rex Mitchell, Bobby Black, Danny Milburn, Red Bledsoe, Charlie and Bill Fortune are just some of the drivers who I couldn't wait to see every Sunday. And of course Bill Lipkey in the beautiful McGonical Buick Pace Car.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

As far as the racing, I like them all equally. Sixties will always be special to me since that's when I was introduced to sprint cars.

As far as the overall scene, to me the things have been on the decline over the last decade. But that can be said for all racing. Too many drivers/teams trying to get someplace else instead of sprint car racing being "the place they want to be". A lot more big business like. Commercialism and that NASCAR style attitude creeping into everything. Too many expectations of tracks, sanctioning bodies, teams. Everything has to be perfect or else the ******** and caterwauling starts. The days of the true "outlaw mentality" seem to be ending (except in dirt late model). And, as a fan, the cost of travel has skyrocketed (probably why expectations are so high now). Seems a lot of people can't just relax and enjoy (appreciate) the here and now.

But, it's still all good and wake up each day looking forward to the next road trip and race. Tonight, enjoyed watching the Carolina Focus midgets at Concord. Looking forward to the ARDC at Dixieland on Friday.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

The 70's, when we first started working on sprinters. Opperman, Foyt, Pancho, Schmuck,Toby,Bubby,The Shu, and this was just a few of the USAC guys at the time.

The local talent was incredible also, Gaines, the Kinser's, Bobby Black, Barr, Gilstrap,Thickston,Christian, to name a few.

I was one lucky teen ager when I look back on it, and am really glad my father gave me such a great opportunity. I'll have memories that will last a lifetime.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

I would say the late 80's early 90's. ASCOT on Saturday nights where pretty cool. Casey Shuman and I use to steal coffee creamers and make our own small dirt track in turn one while we watched our Dad's. Ron was always the one to beat but Bubby Jones and Noffsinger where a lot of fun to watch as well. Then to come back to Indiana and see Darland"s first yrs and Bob Kinser beat up on all the locals was pretty cool. Running around with My Dad and learning the trick of this trade where some of my favorite days. Now is pretty cool too:6:

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

I have two answers:

The late 50's - early 60's Offy era in racing when Hennershitz, Larson, Branson, Sachs et al were doin' their thing.

The the late 60's - early 70's when we had the Gary and Larry show along with Bigelow, Walkup, Snider, Pancho, Opperman and all the rest.

Those were the days my friend.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

Back when OUTLAWS was a way of life, not an "organization".
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL72.../307571171.jpg

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

Current. I don't have any other time frame to compair to. Living in Pa. Posse land I've only had winged sprint until I started coming to Indiana about 10 years ago. Now I'm hooked!

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

ummm... i love it all.. anytime i get to go to a race track and see a race which i dont get to do enough as is I am one happy man.... but it i must say a time... I loved going in the mid 90's guys coming up like Kenny Irwin and Tony Stewart, living legends like Hewitt, and the guys in their later years like Ziggy and Bettenhausen... Coarse Im kinda partial to the Silver Crown cars too... But i am a little younger than most... only been at this gig for 21 years lol... but i do have fond memories of a guy that won 3 straight USAC Sprint Car championship at the first part of the 90's

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

I'm goin' with 70's,saw some of the legends in their prime and we just called 'em sprints!!!!!!!!!:8:

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

My favorite era was the 1970s.

I attended my first race at just under 2 weeks old in May of 1972.

West Central OH was a hot bed for sprint cars. Tracks such as Limaland, Millstream, New Bremen, and Eldora were all my 'home' during the warm months :2: Plus we always went to Winchester whenever they ran the sprints and or midgets.

With me being a kid, and my Uncle Duke driving USAC cars, I had an 'in' with a lot of the USAC drivers. Plus, my dad, and my Grandma, knew seemingly everybody that owned or drove a car. It would be a major understatement to say that I have sat in MANY sprint cars in my day. ;)

My Uncle Duke, Doc Dawson, and Jack Hewitt were my favorites....but I was just as good of 'buddies' with Don Hewitt, Fred Linder, Buck Boughan, Pancho Carter, Larry Cannon, and Dick Gaines.

I like the present days too (and every year in between), but the 70's is what made me a life long fan.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

Started attending sprints in the late 50's, enjoyed the 60's thru the mid 80's, from Ascot to New York, but things change. Still attend a few races each year, but I enjoyed what I saw in the past more than I see today, I consider my self very lucky.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

:8:The 70;s saw races with guys like bubby jones bob kinser larry miller cliff cockrum butch wilkerson sheldon and the bad ass dick gaines hell think I just named off the first heat at Haubstadt lol But who couldn;t have been thrilled by those guys and a bunch I didn;t name but I also love this new group darland stanbrough coons hunter my god these guys stand on that pedal just as hard and I can feel that old feeling crepting in again I just thought of another one the blur from freeman spur chuck amati

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

STARTED GOING TO RACES IN THE MID 50s AT WARSAW & NEW PARIS INDIANA..
THAT WAS IN 1957, THE YEAR PAUL HAZEN STARTED RACING.
HE`STILL RACING, AND I`M STILL GOING ,AND ROOTING FOR #57.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

I liked the mid to late 1960's IMCA races. My all time favorite races were the Hawkeye Futurity Races at the Iowa State Fairgrounds during that time period. Jerry Blundy and Jim Moughan were almost tied together nose to tail one afternoon the entire race and Moughan won at the wire in the Hector Honore Black Duece Bardahl Special(the cars all had names). Single roll bar, no cage. You had to have finesse to win then, just a fast car wasn't enough. Some were brave enough to ride the rim, but it was much more risky then.
You could see the driver working in the car. They usually pitted the cars
just off the front stretch so you could see the activity in the pits.
The tracks in the afternoon would be so hard slick you could see the reflection of the cars. It seemed they went more laps so tire wear and strategy were an element too. It seemed the races were much closer then. Not as fast but still exciting.
I also always liked the 1970's Tony Hulman Classic's at Terre Haute also.

---------- Post added at 10:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:54 PM ----------

Those you mentioned were always hard to beat...so was Deano Thompson (real hard to beat) in the Bromme car, Eddie Wirth, Buster Vernard. I was always super impressed with Billy Shuman at Manzanita, as he didn't seem to come to the midwest much as I remember.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

Late 50's to early 70's,because I was able to see all of the top Indy drivers also drive sprints,midgets,and silver crown,which was part of the championship back then.Also enjoy today's,and go as often as possible.:6:

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

I love todays racing, I am amazed many times a year by the intensity of it. I also am a huge fan of 1920's-1980's sprint car racing. But my favorite will always have to be 1990-1999, that is when my cousins snuck a then 12 year old me into the pits. It was so cool getting to work on cars that raced against some of the guys who were my heros. Guys like Dave Darland, Kevin Thomas, Bob Kinser, Joe Roush, Brad Marvel, Gary Fisher, Tony Elliot and Jack Hewitt to name a few. I also got to know some of todays racers who were there doing the same thing I was. We were very lucky in my opinion to be allowed somewhere we weren't supposed to be. I feel getting to go in the pits has lost some of its aura now that just anybody can get in.


Bob Shutt

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

I agree, coming to the white flag at most races was 5 cars within a tenth of a second of each other.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

The 70's of course!!!!! Sprint cars were Sprint Cars and the drivers had to drive them!!! The best of the best Chuck Amati. Racing all over the country, friends like Duke Cook, Butch Wilkerson, Hooker Hood, Bobby Allen, Rick Ferkel just to name a few. Everyone knew everyone else and always was there to help even a fellow competitor. But oh the good times after the races!!!!!! Thanks for the memories.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

The 1950's and early 1960's when all cars were towed on open trailers, tool boxes were carried in one hand, drivers wore t shirts with packages of cigarettes rolled up in the sleeves and steered the cars with their right foot.

Re: What is your favorite and why?
 

Love the picture of Chuck Amati. Brought back memories of going to the Williamson Co Fairgrounds in Marion Il with my Dad. Setting in the old cover stands and feeling like your setting almost on top of the track. When he was in town, it was always a race for second. Hooker Hood, Gene Henson(sp), Bubby, and Cliff C always made for great racing. Don't really understand how things went from being so good around here to no racing at all.