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

revjimk · 11/9/22, 2:36 PM

First dirt track race for me was 1960 or 61, Devil's Bowl, outside of Staunton, Va., modified "jalopies". Then much better Eastside Speedway, Waynesboro, Va.
We moved to Connecticut in 1966 & I went to 2 races on a paved oval in Danbury, also modified coupes, lost all interest...
Fast forward to 2010, I was living in Colorado, summers on East Coast. I was at a music fest in upstate NY when a friend gave me a Circle Track magazine for an article on Smokey Yunick. It mentioned that Central Pa. had the best dirt winged sprint car scene, was going to South Central Pa. the next day, so I got on the Internet & found a race at little Clinton County track, Patriot/ Empire State Sprints. David Gravel was there (just a beginner then) I was amazed that a guy from a state with zero dirt tracks would come all the way there to compete. When they accelerated out of Turn One, I was hooked! Next race, I flew from Colorado to see National Open at Williams Grove... Sammy Swindell won, followed closely by Lance DeWease. Watched a video of wingless at Kokomo later, liked what I saw...
So the next summer, on my way back East to spend the summer with Mom, saw my first wingless race at Haubstadt, USAC/MSCS event. Loved it, bullring & traditional sprints. Met the Mighty Funk somewhere else in Hoosier Land, I thought it was Putnamville, but he says it was Bloomington...
The rest is history...

Fumanchu · 11/9/22, 3:37 PM

5-2-1976 Calistoga speedway Gary Paterson won.

I was a regular at Vallejo speedway (supermodifieds and Hard tops)
Lanny Walker was my Favorite driver in supers running the 0 car.
He made his sprintcar debut at Calistoga that day and I will never forget how wild he flipped in hotlaps.
I was so bummed .

kb78 · 11/9/22, 3:44 PM

Great topic!!

I am also in my 5th decade, went to my first race in July of 1970, I was three weeks old. It was Atomic Speedway in Waverly Ohio but I do not know the winner. I was about 4 or 5 before I can remember the races. 77 was the first time we went to Eldora and it was my first USAC show as well.

Wingsilvercrown355 · 11/9/22, 4:05 PM

Paragon Indiana Dick Gaines won in Karl kinser number 11

Andrew S. Quinn · 11/9/22, 4:57 PM

First winged sprint car race was World of Outlaws at Lebanon Valley Speedway New York in 1985. After reading about Doug Wolfgang in the Weikert 29 so much (I'm fairly sure I was maybe the only guy in Maine that got Open Wheel magazine) I HAD to go watch him race. He set quick time,won his heat,and,,,,and,,,,finished 2nd to Steve Kinser,the first of many that I got to see Steve win over the years.

It took a few years before I went to another sprint car race,I think the next one was a USA race at Williams Grove in 1989 with my then girl friend,who actually told me afterwards that "We can come back here again" I guess she thought it was more exciting than stock cars at Oxford Plains,or Beech Ridge,and supers and midgets at Star. I went with my neighbors in 89 to Selinsgrove in early 1990,then Labor Day weekend with my girlfriend again for 3 races,at Williams Grove,Selinsgrove,and Susquehanna. At the time I didnt know how much they raced in Pennsylvania,but I found out that weekend. I could have easily gone to a couple more if I had known beforehand.

In 1991 I went racing as often as I could,with many 10 hour drives to Pennsylvania. No longer had the girl friend,so it was time to go sprint car racing,which I did. All these years later my best weekend of racing was Labor Day weekend in 1991. I went to 6 races in 4 days at 5 different speedways,and if I had known then what I know now I could have added at least one more race in on that weekend.

First non wing race was probably at Path Valley Speedway in Spring Run Pennsylvania in 1992 for the CRA eastern tour. I cant remember who won, but the surface was crap,with little passing. Pretty sure the next night was at Lincoln where I got to see Lealand McSpadden come from like 21st to 6th in the first 5 laps. I've said many times that I would pay good money to see that in person again !

The next night was Susquehanna where Lealand won from like 12th,and got the lead on the 10th lap,and lapped up to 3rd at the end of 30 laps.

First trip to Indiana was either in 96 or 97,for part of Sprint Week,and thats when I decided I HAD to live here. It took some time,but I finally moved here in 2006.

reeserx · 11/9/22, 6:08 PM

2010- Kokomo speedway. Don’t remember who won but I’ve been hooked ever since.

oppweld · 11/9/22, 6:30 PM

34 Raceway weekly show 1970 season.

Rich Mersereau · 11/9/22, 6:50 PM

1980 - Butler Speedway - WoO race - Steve Kinser flipped in hot laps and loaded up on Karl's open trailer and left.

rdzsprint · 11/9/22, 6:56 PM

Salem 1953 AAA sprints. My Dad knew Pat O'Connor. Got to sit in Pat's ride the red # 3 Charlie Engle Offy ....

openwheelfan1 · 11/9/22, 7:13 PM

I don’t know if you would call my first race a sprint race. Technically, they were called super modifieds, and it was in 1964 (I think) at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, IN. It was a 200 lap race, and it got so dusty we could barely see the cars, and I couldn’t tell you who won. It didn’t matter, I was HOOKED!

My first TRUE sprint car race was July 4, 1967 and Greg Weld won in the Dunseth/Leffler #92.