Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never seen

Charles Nungester · 2/3/23, 6:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowboyhar69

LOVED Manzanita! Was there 5 times, first in 96 when we ran at the Copper World Silver Crown race. Last trip was in 2008 when we locked up the USAC National Sprint Car Championship with Jerry Coons Jr…… great times!

Was that the time you guys were late to staging and they put him to the tail and he won the race going away? That lit a fire under him.

openwheelfan1 · 2/3/23, 7:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJMooney

I was there that night too. It was an MSCS show but it was in 2008 (6/27/08). Robert Ballou won the feature that night. The driver who was injured was Kenny Biro.

Thank you! I couldn’t remember the year, nor the drivers name.

openwheelfan1 · 2/3/23, 7:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spankytoo

I can't believe that 10 pages in and no one mentioned Manzanita

I’m fortunate and proud to say I’ve been to both Ascot and Manzanita before they closed. I’ve seen WoO, CRA and USA sprint cars and we also saw midgets at Manzy, and saw both CRA sprints and USAC midgets at Ascot. Both special places, and it is such a shame they are gone.

BrentTFunk · 2/3/23, 7:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racefan20

Months?

Should have put post of the decade

flagboy55 · 2/3/23, 8:48 PM

Great post Chuck. Nate beat me to it but Sante Fe Park in Hinsdale Illinois is a track I wish you all could’ve been to. I raced it in a midget a time or two, but that’s not why I miss it. It might be the only track that I don’t care if it was wingless or not, maybe even preferred wings. The place had 2 tracks in one. A quarter and what they called a half but was 7/16 at best. The tracks shared the same turns 3 & 4 but 1 & 2 were different. It was nicely proportioned for the quarter but on the big track it was a real paper clip. When the Outlaws ran there, it was wheelie city. And not just coming off the immediate corner. Going about a quarter of the length of the back straight you had to rejoin the quarter. This meant already carrying some speed over the banking of the small track. Like it or not, if you were on the hammer it was wheels up for at least some of the back straight away. Only 45 minutes from the house if traffic was good. Lots of great memories there. In fact it almost cost me my wedding day. But that’s another story

mlamb · 2/3/23, 8:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by openwheelfan1

In addition to WoO at Paducah, I saw non wing sprints there in I believe 2013. I keep thinking it was an MSCS show, but it doesn’t show in their history. I do remember a very young driver from maybe Greenwood IN are got severely injured that night after a flip. He suffered a significant head injury, but I think I saw he recovered. That was the last time non-wing sprints ran there. I can’t remember the young driver’s name, but was supposed to be a real up-and-comer. Anybody help with the driver’s name?

FWIW, Paducah International Raceway has re-opened after being shuttered for several years and had a pretty successful limited season last year. They are bringing in the POWRI winged sprint cars in April 21. They are bringing in the WoO LATE MODELS as well as the UMP Hell Tour for events also.

Yup…..Kenny Biro

Charles Nungester · 2/3/23, 8:56 PM

While it's been awhile Im not sure Manzy qualifies as a rare track for sprint cars. Kinda really talking about those that at most run a few here and there. Like in my origional post about Old Portsmouth It was a mini sprint track and they ran a All Star sprint show at it.

Lots of great post and tracks mentioned, Glad I could think up a unifying topic.

cowboyhar69 · 2/3/23, 9:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles Nungester

Was that the time you guys were late to staging and they put him to the tail and he won the race going away? That lit a fire under him.

Yes it did! I forget what year that was.

erich45 · 2/3/23, 11:26 PM

Martin Michigan 131 Speedway. WoO was supposed to run a 2 day show. Second day was cancelled because of poor track conditions.

Russ · 2/4/23, 3:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrentTFunk

I went to a race at the old Bunker Hill Speedway one Friday night. This was a paved stock car track, that had been covered in dirt. This was before Gas City existed, so we went. They only had like 9 sprints. There were several guys there, who went on to have big careers. Terry Shepard, Tony Elliott, Steve Butler, Robbie Stanley, and Dave Darland were there. Kind of hard to believe.

Been to Bunker Hill several times. Going back to the 1960's. I have some pics of Don Walker in #39 Super Modified racing there.