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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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...:23:

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

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 .

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

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.

Paragon Indiana Dick Gaines won in Karl kinser number 11

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

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.

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

34 Raceway weekly show 1970 season.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Gee, I think it was late 40s, early 50s at Columbus motor Speedway, 25th st fair ground, the closest thing to sprint cars were the Roaring Roadsters who came in from CA every spring and held us captive all summer, same cars different bodies, Roy Prosser, Red Amick, and many more, they fertilized the state from one end to the other, the names are embedded into the state, course Red Amick was my favorite, he settled in in the montpellier area, and had the Flying A gas stations in Indiana and Ohio, they had a huge following, along with the midgets that followed them.

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

Atomic Speedway around 1964 at 5 years old-Dean Knittel was the winner, they were just transitioning from the supermodifieds to sprint cars then with the plywood wings...

Paragon Indiana 1988. Went with Joe and Joey Saldana when Joey first started racing. It was a wing show and I was 10 years old. What I remember most was, there was a bikini contest on the front straightaway at some point during the evening. I wish they’d bring those back :6:

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

I got a late start seeing sprints in person. My first go was at Winchester in 1995 - USAC. The late Kenny Irwin won the sprint race. Mike Bliss won the midget race.

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

Great idea for a thread! I'm loving these stories, guys.

Unfortunately, I don't have much to offer because I don't remember. I was born in November 1980 and started get dragged along to every track within a reasonable drive of Cincinnati in the spring of '81. Pretty much every week at The 'Burg, along with Northern Kentucky (now Florence), Eldora, North Vernon and everywhere in between. Racing was always life for the Mattlins- so much so that family vacations were planned so that we could hit up races while traveling.

One of my most vivid early memories was being at Daytona in 1984 for Richard Petty's 200th win. I can still see in my mind Air Force One landing just beyond the back stretch from our seats near the entrance to turn 1. Come to think of it, we camped in the infield that weekend in my Dad's full-size van and we were awoken at dawn by the Secret Service who flung the sliding door open without warning. Dad was really upset about it and told them so in some unnice words. "Just doing our jobs," they said and it was over in an instant. Great memories that REALLY make me miss my Dad. We never had much money, but I had a great childhood.

My first race would have been early 70’s as a toddler at Kokomo. My first asphalt race at Winchester in 75 was a Usac race won by Larry Dickson in Ensigns # 80. Been addicted ever since. Lol

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

Couldn't swear to it but I am sure my first race would have been super modifieds at Sportsman's Speedway in Marshall, Missouri sometime in the late 1950s early 1960s. My dad would have been in the pits turning wrenches and my mom and me would have been in the stands.
I am sure my 1st sprint race would have been Missouri State fairgrounds. I remember stories of them changing tail tanks and took off the cages and bolted on a hoop to run as sprint cars.
I do remember when if they had a sprint car tank they had to tape a box or something on the tail tank to run the Missouri State Modified Championship during the state fair

I saw my first race of any type at Dracut MA in 53. It was NEMA's first season, too. Later that year, i was thrilled to be invited to join the neighborhood crew i was "helping" with their dirt modified at Keene NH. And I believe it was the following Spring I was even more excited to join them in the 8 hour ride to the AAA Sprints at Reading PA. I had never been that far from home. There were only 12 cars but I wasn't bothered in the least; I didn't know there were ever more. I remember Thomson and Hinnershitz, but that's about all.

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

First dirt race spring of 1965, I was born in December of 64 and my daddy owned a modified coupe for 3 or 4 years around the time I was born. The track would have been Turnpike Speedway in Marion, Illinois or Franklin County Speedway in Benton, Illinois.
My first super modified race would have been at Turnpike sometime in the late 60s or early 70s, I don’t remember exactly. The track ran Friday nights and I do remember that some drivers from the south would come, but sometimes ran late. When that happened the track would take the first chance they could and let those guys qualify which is probably why they made the long tow from the Memphis area. I remember many drivers. Hooker Hood, the very young Swindell brothers, Bubby, Chuck Amati, Gene Henson, Johnny Kemp, so many greats. I also remember a Murphysboro, Illinois driver named Gary Easton who had a modified which dominated that class and could run as a super modified and be more than competitive. He eventually moved to sprints. Great memories.

Great replies from everyone. My first sprint car race was a WoO race (pretty sure) in 1978 or 79 that was being tape delayed by NBC. It was a Sunday afternoon race on a half mile track outside of Champaign, IL on the Fisher / Dewey road. Of course, the track is now gone. I had some race fans on a social media site verify that this track existed, and one even sent me a map of where it once was located.

Mid 1960's at a 1/2 mile horsetrack at the Lincoln Illinois Fairgrounds. It was a Sunday afternoon race and all the central Illinois drivers were there and several from Missouri including a couple of the Weld's. The track had a white board fence around it and by the end of the day most of the fence had been destroyed. One guy went thru the fence between turns 3 and 4 and did a doughnut outside the track and came back through the same hole in the fence and rejoined the race. It was a great race but saftey conditions were non existent. If I recall the ambulance was just station wagon. The racing was great and I was sold.

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

My earliest memory is Marion, Il. - tracks been gone like 45+ years.

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

Hmmm. I kinda got a late start, but my first pure sprint car race was sometime in 1974 at West Capitol Raceway for a NARC show. I don't recall when I first went to a winged sprint show, though. Back in the 70s in Norcal, winged dirt supers were the "top" class, I guess. I didn't see a lot of racing in the 80s, as I was out of the country a good bit of the time. My first winged sprint race was probably at Big H Speedway in '88.

1979 Knoxville Iowa non-wing. I was 4 years old but still remember it. Not sure of the winner but might have been Tim Green in the Jensen Const. Co. car.

I might add, most of the RR cars were flathead Ford, but also a few were aircraft engines, the Ranger 6 cylinder being the most popular, one of which I have on my to do list, I have the engine and other parts, and was going to build a period correct shores sprinter, but have changed course to an Indy car of the same period, it is an easier build, and has a lot more flexibility in mounting the engine, the engine is already drysump, and for 1 person, it just is easier to do.

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

First race was motorcycles at the Peoria Civic Center at a couple years old...

First race would have been at Spoon River Speedway for a weekly show...

First sprint car race would have been the Tom Knowles...I think Beechler won...

First non-wing race was really the Crown cars and the midgets at Springfield in 89/90...I'm really having to think about the first actual non-wing sprint race but starting out as a Late Model guy in central Illinois, we weren't exposed to that cup of tea until I got my driver's license...

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Originally Posted by Andrew S. Quinn:
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.

Interesting story... 10 hr. drives? wow... 5 hrs kicks my ass
Lebanon Valley is an pleasant drive for me, "Olde New England" countryside, even saw a moose one trip (& convenient for Massachusetts dispensaries!)... but the racing there has been boring as hell every time, no passing. I did see Kinser's last race there (Sammy won!)
How do you like living in Indiana?

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

Originally Posted by TQ29m:
Gee, I think it was late 40s, early 50s at Columbus motor Speedway, 25th st fair ground, the closest thing to sprint cars were the Roaring Roadsters who came in from CA every spring and held us captive all summer, same cars different bodies, Roy Prosser, Red Amick, and many more, they fertilized the state from one end to the other, the names are embedded into the state, course Red Amick was my favorite, he settled in in the montpellier area, and had the Flying A gas stations in Indiana and Ohio, they had a huge following, along with the midgets that followed them.

Wow, you saw track roadsters? I'm jealous, wish I had a time machine!
Occasionally you can see a "track roadster style" hotrod at a show...
I'd love to build one if I had the $$ & knowhow...

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Originally Posted by diversified:
Atomic Speedway around 1964 at 5 years old-Dean Knittel was the winner, they were just transitioning from the supermodifieds to sprint cars then with the plywood wings...

I missed the whole supermodified era... another good reason to get started on that Time Machine! ;)

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

So where's Professor Funk?