When and Where Did You See Your 1st Sprint Car Race

JJMooney · 11/9/22, 1:20 PM

I just realized today that I’ve managed to see sprint car racing in six different decades. Honestly, I don’t feel that old, but there it is.

Some of us come from different parts of the country, been to different tracks, seen some different eras, witnessed different winners. I thought it be interesting to see where everyone started attending races.

Q: “What year did you see your first sprint car race? At what track? If you remember the winner that day mention that as well.

For me it was:

WINGED SPRINT CARS
1976: Weedsport Speedway NY – URC show. Twin features that night were won by Bill Wentz Jr and Randy Wolfe.
The very next day we went to the New York State Fairgrounds and saw Kramer Williamson win an open competition sprint car show (with supermodifieds) on the Syracuse Mile.

SPRINT CARS (Non-wing)
1992: Susquehanna Speedway PA - CRA show won by Leland McSpadden

erich45 · 11/9/22, 1:23 PM

1954, Illiana speedway, Schererville Indiana. Duane Carter was the winner.

Bubzilla · 11/9/22, 1:46 PM

I was 8 years old and in 1962 at the Arizona State Fairgrounds 1 mile dirt oval.

My introduction to the awesome sound of the Offy.

AJ Foyt won the 100 lap race. Went to pits afterwards and got autographs from McCluskey, Foyt, Hurtubise, Parnelli, and many others.

My most vivid memory was getting Bob Hogle's autograph in the Tamale Wagon Offy. His hands were all blistered up and bleeding from hanging on for 100 laps.

Bubzilla · 11/9/22, 1:48 PM

My first actual race was 1957 at the 5/8 mile dirt oval in Richmond, Va for the USAC stock cars.

I was all of 3 years old. And I actually remember being at it.

PIT CART · 11/9/22, 1:49 PM

Avilla speedway around 1980, I would have been 8 years old. Doug Wolfgang had an enclosed trailer and I thought that was the coolest thing as a kid.

The55 · 11/9/22, 1:50 PM

I can claim 7 decades. Was too young to know for sure but my first race was most likely at Paragon. The names I remember from my younger days were Beavers, Gilstrap, Rose, and Gaines.

revjimk · 11/9/22, 2:17 PM

deleted & revised

Charles Nungester · 11/9/22, 2:21 PM

5 decades for me. Probably first races were at queen city/tri county raceway which was in west chester ohio. Late 60s.

We moved to Harrison Oh In 71 and I remember we had a chicken coop that was about a hundred feet long, We tore that down in 72 and I was six or so and a wasp was chasing me and stung me. Anyway we went to Lawrenceburg later that evening and its what I can definately say was my first sprint race I remember being at. The fair was also going on. Anyway, about halfway thru the program my leg was swelling from the wasp sting and we went home.

Did that several times a year until both my brother and I were early teens then sports and girls etc got in the way, But once I got my license in 83 I was almost never miss at the Burg on Sat nights. Didn't start traveling till 85 i think and that was bloomington and PVille.

Then 86 I started hitting dozens of tracks. Eldora, finday, fremont, attica, KC, Old Portsmouth. Brownstown, North Vernon IRP, Winchester to name a few.

jjones752 · 11/9/22, 2:27 PM

My first sprint car race was at Ascot; I don't remember what year but it had to be between 1958 and 1960 because it was called "New Ascot Stadium" in those years and I distinctly remember seeing that name on a sign on the side of the ticket booth in front of the main grandstands. It was originally called "Los Angeles Speedway" when it was built in 1957, then "New Ascot Stadium" from 58-60 and finally Ascot Park from 62-90. The race was a memorial for 2 drivers, Jim Gilchrist and unfortunately I forget the name of the other. Back then Ascot (usually under Aggie promotion) referred to the CRA Sprint Cars as "Big Cars" and advertised "Indy Cars and Indy Drivers!" on the posters that hung on telephone poles everywhere. I would have been between 6 and 8 years old and I don't recall who won but I do remember there being a purple offset roadster (maybe Don Thomas?) and one car there was running a supercharger that made the car whistle as it went down the front straight. There was no quarter mile track back then and there was an inner wall along the front straight that was painted with advertising for local companies. The lighting was pretty primitive too, except along the main stretch; the cars would almost disappear into the gloom in turn one and seem to float along the backstretch before coming back into the floodlights out of four. It was all a magical, captivating experience for my young eyes and ears.
My first race of any kind in person was Jalopies at the Carpinteria Thunderbowl; I was probably around 2 or 3 years old.

UPDATE: I just found Jim Gilchrist on MotorsportMemorial.org and it says that he was a CRA racer from Gardena that lost his life in an IMCA race at the Minnesota State Fair on August 30, 1960 and that a memorial race was held 2 weeks later at Ascot, with the proceeds going to his survivors. That aligns with my thinking that it was in late Summer or early Fall as it was a cool, damp night in the South Bay. I still believe it was a dual memorial but I haven't found any evidence yet to support my theory.

Offroadrace_814 · 11/9/22, 2:29 PM

Was too young to know for sure but my first race was. Both parents and grandparents are deceased to be able to ask them. But, either way. It would have been to go see my cousin Larry Rice race somewhere.

My current first memory was Mother's Day of 1984 (maybe 1983). We were going to Terre Haute to watch the Sprint Cars after attending Church with my grandma. We saw Jack French pulled over at 136 & 41. Jack and Dad worked together at a local manufacturing plant.

We found out the following day. After Dad returned from work. That Larry jumped in Jack's car to shake it down/warm it up. As his driver was not there yet. I thought that was pretty neat at the time. Then found out years later that was not uncommon as I thought.