Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

I was pitting on Racin Ray Williams and Herb Jewel's (RIP) Bombers back then and I stopped by Staab's shop often to help at that time. I watched many a race from the infield but you had to go up in turn one and stand on the old light pole hill to see over most of the trailers and the rest of the track. That track has about a 15-20 difference in elevation from 1-2 to 3-4 Or the top of 3-4 is about the same elevation as the bottom of 1-2


Seen a Illinois Sprint Week race at Vermilion County IL speedway. Spiker held a lot of races there prior to buying LPS Car count was strong, But by the looks from my visit. Fan count wasn't. I doubt there were a hundred in the stands. Stanbrough won.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

I was there, But it was a CRA tour not USAC. Frankie Kerr won after giving Leland Mcspadden a RR coming off of turn four. Which ended Lelands tour as they'd junked about four chassis. Maybe CRA91 can elaborate. a

Was also there for the USAC cancellation. Seen many races (When they ran) late eighties. For me it was Whitewater Fri Night for Sprints, Florence for LM's and Bombers on Saturday (Worked on Bombers) and Sunday Lawrenceburg was racing LM's as Jerry King took over Mel's lease and ran Sat Sprint shows and Fenders on sunday. Whitewater late 80's and early 90s had a reputation of scheduling but not running, You'd show up and either the track was open and cars were there, or they weren't. Pretty frustrating when they'd cancel. But dinner at J's was always good in Liberty.a

Robbie Stanley used to just jump up in the cushion on that track and ran it till it came in, He'd often drop several spots early to later pass two cars a lap. Usually winning.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

Your memory is right on track! A couple more features of this place: indeed the "track" was cut into the side of a hill, and there were no floodlights. And if I recall they ran some lower group on the tractor pull area, in a makeshift oval, kind of around a pole on each end. Seemed like half the cars that competed wound up rolling over on the evening I was there. The red flags didn't help in light of impending darkness. I gave up and went home before the A main.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

I remembered a few other places I’ve seen sprint cars at that haven’t been mentioned yet:

Saint Charles Motor Speedway, St Charles MO: One of the last shows held here was a winged sprint car race I attended in October ’99. It was won by Jerrod Hull. St Charles was a neat place. High-banked, circular, quarter-mile bullring. Big, tall wooden walls around the outside. A wood fence ringed the infield too. Some have told me that St Charles was the one track left in the world that was most like Shaheen’s Little Springfield. It wasn’t exactly the safest, or prettiest, track but watching sprint cars there was an experience.

East Moline Speedway, East Moline IL: Saw Terry McCarl win a winged show there on Easter Weekend of ’95. The field on hand that night was an interesting mix of Knoxville and Jacksonville regulars. This was another really neat bullring that was exciting to see sprint cars race on. High-banked quarter-mile. Fairgrounds track with covered grandstands. And that roof over the stands really amplified the sound. I remember it being loud. I know they’ve run some midget races there in recent years but I don’t think they’ve had many, if any, sprint car shows there since that one I saw 28 years ago.

Shepp’s Speedway, Alexander IL: Located next to I-72 on old route 36 between Springfield and Jacksonville. The Sheppard family of dirt late model fame built and owned it. They called it a quarter mile but I’d say the track was “ only a smidge bigger than Macon”. Narrow. Tough to pass. Only ran a few years. Saw Hud Cone win an Illinois Sprintweek show there in ’09. The track was built uncomfortably close to a rail line. When a train came past you'd swear it was going to clip the backstretch bleachers. The property is now a junkyard.

Delta Bowl, Tunica MS: This place didn’t last long but it was around long enough to host a WoO show in ‘03. High-banked 1/3 mile. Black gumbo. The racing was ok. I remember Greg Hodnett won. I think he was driving for Guy Forbrook at the time. The only other thing I remember is standing in the infield and watching Daron Clayton flipping out of the ballpark. Still the only track I’ve been to in Mississippi.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

Seen USAC Sprints first ever appearance {I think} (with USAC Midgets) at Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, WI, in 2001, Jack Hewitt won the Sprint feature.

A few pavement tracks:
Seen USAC sprints (with USAC Midgets) at South Boston Speedway, Va on October 13, 2001, winners were Tracy Hines (#19 GMS) sprints, Tony Stewart Midgets. Mike Bliss was in the Hoffman 69 and he crashed on his second qualifying lap, the car could not be repaired. Long way for the Hoffman's to go and not get to race!

Seen USAC Sprints (with USAC Midgets) at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway, Mansfield, Oh on July 9, 2005, winners were Dave Steel Sprints, Bobby East Midgets.

Seen WSoA (Winged Sprints on Asphalt) on July 28, 2006, at Kil-Kare Speedway, Xenia, Oh, Tom Tolbert was the winner.

Have seen either HOSS, AVSS, or WSoA sprints at Shadybowl Speedway (De Graff, Oh), Baer Field Speedway, (Ft Wayne, In), and Angola (In) Speedway.

Seen USAC Sprints at Kalamazoo, Mi Speedway on June 20, 2003 Bobby Santos #98 was the winner.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

All Stars at McCutchenville (Ohio) Speedway, Earl Baltes owned/promoted it for a while, Bryan Speedway (Ohio). Both long closed...
And Oakshade Speedway in Ohio, still open but no sprints in a long time.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

OK, I'm gonna start a "shoulda , coulda, woulda" slight diversion. I lived in the mountains of Colorado for 14 years & would always see ads for midget racing at Lakeside Speedway in Denver. I was always intrigued & tempted to go, but for some reason never made the 2 hr. drive... hadn't really got back into racing yet. It was right in the middle of an amusement park! By the time I moved to Denver in 1993, racing there was over for good (I & lived about a 10 minute bike ride from the track)
Moral: If you wanna do something, do it. Seize the time! :23:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa-mK6DmvCY

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

The last St Charles show was fun stuff. Jarrod won as you said and I believe Jim Moughan ran second and I was third. Track was a fun high-banked bullring that you never had to lift off the throttle for all 30 laps. Went there a bunch in the early 80s working with Schrader on a sprint car team.

I've actually raced at all the tracks you listed here.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

I remember that one. Nearly forgot about it. The last USAC Sprint pavement race I ever saw.

One thing I remember about that night is some drunk fell down the stairs in the grandstand in between heats. The ambulance crew had to attend to him then drive him off. I assume he was drunk for when they carried him out he was waving to the crowd. Delayed the show quite some time until a new crew and ambulance could get to the track.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

RE: Belle-Clair...
Now, hang on. Midgets at Belle-Clair – yes. Plenty of people on this board have been to Belle-Clair for midgets. SPRINT CARS at Belle-Clair? I’m guessing not many have seen that. Sprint cars have only been to Belle-Clair a handful of times. I was there for a few of them:

7/29/99: Winged sprint cars raced at Belle-Clair during the St Clair County Fair on a Thursday night. I didn't even know about this show until the morning of the event. I just happened to hear a radio ad for it. Jerrod Hull won. There may have been 14-15 cars, mostly Farmington regulars and a few Jacksonville cars. Small crowd. This was back when the wooden wall encircled the whole track. As you can imagine, it was interesting, sketchy, scary and entertaining all at the same time.

7/22/04: The All-Star Circuit of Champions had a show at Belle-Clair that ultimately got rained out. They got it hot laps, then they were two cars into qualifications before the skies let loose. The race was never rescheduled.

4/15/16: The WAR series had a show that was the first time ever non-wing sprints were at Belle-Clair. Good field – over 20 cars. Really entertaining feature. Joe B. Miller won. WAR had other shows scheduled at Belle-Clair. 2017 was rained out. I think they did come back in 2018 but not sure if that one ran or was rained out too. I wasn’t there for that one.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

I love this subject! I hate the subjects that are controversial and keep coming up every few months.

I keep a book on the race tracks I’ve attended and ones I’ve driven at. I had to think about this a bit as I’ve been around racing my whole life and this year will be my 33rd year of driving. So, I came up with these:

Onaway Speedway: I have stated in the past that I can count on one hand the number of legitimate chances I’ve had to win a feature and Onaway was one of them. Onaway is about as far north in Michigan as you can get without crossing the bridge. It is a flat ¼ mile track. MTS had a pavement race up there in 2018, if I remember right. I was having a great night. I set second quick time and won the heat. I started outside second row in the feature and was leading coming out of two on the initial lap. I lead 17 glorious laps until I made a mistake behind a lapped car, lost the lead, and just couldn’t get it back. As far as I know, it was the only time they had sprint cars there.

Bunker Hill Speedway (Pavement): Dad won his only feature there. I was about six or seven years old and I remember jumping up and down screaming my head off while Dad was battling for the lead. I think Dad told me he got $100 and a case of Veedol racing oil for that win.

Bunker Hill Speedway (Dirt): I think it was around 1997 that somebody leased the track and ran a few sprint car races. I ran there once, blew the motor and they stopped running before I could get back.

I set a goal a few years ago to get to one new track every year. At the start of the year, I map out my schedule and plan on which track will see a first time visit. I’m not sure about this year yet, but I can guarantee there will be one.

Tom Paterson

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

Post of the year. I couldn't agree more.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

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

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

Months? :5:

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

I was there for WAR. Think they had Late Models too that night which are so loud you dont have to worry about ear wax buildup. They rattle it out!

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

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.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

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.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

When you mentioned lakeside denver, My mind immediately thought amusement park. Up until about 2010 I went everywhere to ride coasters and visit parks. Lakeside is one of few left parks that's all neon and traditional. I did not know there was once a race track.. But Dayton OH. at one time had a amusement park with a Racetrack as well.

I lived in Wyoming for 15 years we'd go to Denver a lot to the races. We went to lakeside to see a midget race. Mike Greg in a red 98 won that night. And the roller coaster was one of the old wooden ones and when you come down the back side you almost could reach your hand out and touch the wooden fence. The track remind me of the speedrome.

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!

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

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.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

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

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

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.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

Should have put post of the decade

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

Yup…..Kenny Biro

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

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.

Yes it did! I forget what year that was.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

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

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

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.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

Southern Ohio Speedway, BOSS Sprint cars. Mike Bowling says they ran quite a few down there late 80s but as far as I know BOSS about 2012 was the only non wing sprints there this centrury. Track sat on the east side of a mountain, You parked at the top of that mountain and I swore I was never going to get back up that hill. turn two was kinda scary as it had a big drop off the back of it. They had to wait for the sun to set as the setting sun blocked their vision in one and two. Simon, Boespflug or vice versa won in team cars.

Track had been closed several years prior, Opened for a couple years off and on till about six years ago and seems to be permenently so.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

I’m going to keep this thread going a bit more. I just jogged my memory a bit and realized that while Flemington has already been mentioned (the dirt version of Flemington), I doubt very many on here saw a sprint car race there when Flemington was covered in asphalt.

The first year the track was paved, 1991, I ventured down there for a November open-competition, winged sprint car race. The show was booked at a time when the WoO and ASCoC were running some pavement shows and the feeling was that, with their season over, some of their regulars and the PA Posse would show. It didn’t quite work out that way as only 13 cars were in the pits come race day.

Flemington as a dirt track was wild. Flemington as a paved track was downright gnarly. The track was shaped like a square, but you drove it like a circle. As I heard Billy Pauch say once, “You need to put a circle in the square”. Winged 410 sprint cars were just wicked. Planted. Flat out, all the way around.

With the small field, and concerns over tire wear, mechanical stress, and subsequent carnage, the decision was made to run two-15 lap features. Frankie Kerr, who was exceptional on pavement, decimated the small field in both features.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

Just remembered a few others

Oklahoma City Fairgrounds
Malden in the Missouri bootheel

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

Digging into the memories now

The first ever WoO pavement race at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City. It was on a chilly November day and was a non points race after their season was over. I think Dave Blaney won in the Kinser 11.

USAC sprints on the "half mile" at Louisville Motor Speedway. Some reffered to that as a road course with the turns and drops onto the fifth mile. That was a nice place with one of the best short track catch fences I've ever seen.

And Ascot, I'll explain
We were at Gas City midget week in 2020 sitting and talking with a group of locals. One of the gentleman was going on and on about how he only lived 30 minutes from 6 non wing tracks and we had nothing in St Louis area (he is right) He asked were we had been. I glanced at my wife and said "She's been to Ascot". His face dropped like we told him his dog had died. I didn't want to kick him while he was down and say she has been to the Belleville Highbanks too.

Believe it or not. When Martin began a multi million dollar renovation on the drag strip, they had planned into the budget to rebuild the oval. Unfortunately that part of the property was all peat moss. They would've had to dig half way to China to clean it out. Rather than that, they expanded the parking lot over where the track was.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

World of outlaws show St. Petersburg Florida inside the Thunderdome now called Tropicana Field home of the Tampa Bay rays baseball team.
Nashville fairgrounds speedway (pavement) awol 360 wing sprint cars .(we won )

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

That was where they just added onto the original track and made a big loop out on the backside to increase it to a half mile? They left at the old Turn 2 and rejoined at the old Turn 3. I remember watching ARCA, when it was worth watching, on the old PASS (Detroit) network racing there. The original NASCAR Stupidtrucks raced there, also, if I recall, until NASCAR decided to dump the original idea/formula and just be an undercard to the Busch & Cup series.

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

Only one time at Ascot. The 1988 Turkey Nite. I suggested L.A. to my bride for our honeymoon. And yes, she is still with me.

I was at Ascot in June of 1978 with wife # 1. It was a 100 lap CRA race that (if memory serves me correctly) Buster Venard won. Still can’t remember who was 2nd but they were in the JC Agajanian #98. I “think” it was either Shane Carson or Ronnie Shuman. Wife # 1 left in 1980……😁

Re: Something different. Sprint races at tracks most never
 

I was at a NASCAR truck race there. If I remember correctly one straightaway went uphill and the other downhill. It was actually a series worth watching back then, Mike Bliss and several other open wheel guys raced in the truck series in that era.