I have to admit that I didn't know this about WoO sprint car racing.

The longest WoO race was held at Paragon Speedway, Indiana in 1978 - a 150 lapper.

The winner was - Steve Kinser

Info source: World of Outlaws Yearbook - 1986, pgs. 59 & 64.

Have a good day...see you at the races

Rich - Arnold, Missouri

NOTE: If any IOW reader was at Paragon Speedway for that WoO race in 1978, I would surely like to get your input on it - thanks.

I thought they said the Iron Man 55 this year was the longest race ever run by WoO

I wonder how many Red Flag Fuel stops that would require today!

DIRT-TRACK-JUNKIE - I also thought the Ironman 55 was the longest WoO race. Until, I came across this WoO 150 lapper at Paragon Speedway, Indiana which as I said before I wasn't aware of. I read this in the 1986 WoO Yearbook which grabbed my attention. I have no other info on this race or how it was run. Therefore, it brought me to the IOW site asking if anyone was at Paragon for this race and might have any further info.

itsanonwingthing - I agree, it would only seem to me that the race would have been run in segments, fuel stops being one reason. But, I look at the little 500 and from what I have seen there are only 2 mandatory pit stops. And yes, one is dirt and one is asphalt, the track sizes are different, and a host of other reasons, etc.

They raced the USAC sprints at Oswego Speedway in 1966 for 100 laps on the 5/8th's so I guess the sprint cars can go for a long while.

If any sprint car owner, crewman, or driver has any info or comments on the above subject matters please pass it along - thanks.

Have a good day...see you at the races

Rich - Arnold, Missouri

That was the first thing I thought of too. WoO doesn't seem to think you can go over 30 so that comes out to 5.

Sprint car races use to run much longer distances, USAC used to run 100 lappers all the time. With a large tank and no wings, like alot of early WoO shows were it wouldn't be that hard to run a 150 lapper on that small of a track, would have been less than 50 miles total plus the engines didn't use as much fuel back then and tires were alot harder, lasting several races instead of a few laps. A sprint car can STILL run alot of laps even today, look at the Little 500 for an example, 500 laps with 2 pitstops means you need to run up to 200 laps nonstop. CAN be done with bigger tanks, harder tires etc.

The guy you need to talk to is Keith Ford, He can tell you about the fuel because the best i can remember on that night Dick Gaines drove his #22 We were all say'in that night that we would now know if that thing could run or not! I think Mr Gaines got it up to 4th place!!! And that car had a Big Block Chevy in it.
I heard that dick and karl had a little disagreement that night is the reason steve took over as the driver.
I was'nt to old back then but i remember it was a heck of a race, I'm sure if i'm wrong somebody will let me know. So when i see people come on here talk'in down paragon and say'in stuff about(Real Race Cars) I have to laugh my rear off ,If they would have seen some of the race's & Driver's that have been up there over the year's they would have a different take on the place, I'm just glad i got to see them.

Dick Gaines got injured at Champaign Motor Speedway in the fall of 1977 driving Karls #11, so I doubt it was Dick in the car in 1978 for this race. Larry Miller finished the 77 year out in place of Dick, then Steve taking over when we headed south for that first race in 1978 at Devils Bowl. So there was no disagreement that led to Steve being hired. There are countless interviews with Steve over the years where he discusses Karl asking him to drive for him to get the exact details, but before the 1st WoO race at Devils bowl, we were in Florida for what I think was the last Rocky Fisher promoted fiasco, and Steve was driving a #86 for Mark Todd, who was a regular at Paragon in 77.
I remember that race in 78 though being long, and the pit area was crowded. And I got bumped off the back stretch by Alan Barr in the B main for a transfer spot. Also it seemed Chuck Amati ran tough that day.

Steve Thomas

They ran it straight through. Some guys would put on BIG tanks just for this race. Some teams elected to make pit stops - which brought to mind the cliche about Ferrari pit stops and Chinese fire drills. Some guys ran until the fuel was gone, parked it and went home.

The race originated as the Midwest Supermodified Championship and later became the Ed Shepherd Memorial Race in honor of the builder and original promoter of Paragon. In its time the race attracted the best local and regional drivers.

I'm not sure - maybe Mr. Ford could shed some light on this one - but this race may have carried a WOO sanction more than just the one time in 1978.

Bruce Walkup won a 200 lapper at Ascot in 1966!

http://www.openwheeltimes.com/owt_results.asp?ID=104128