Where and when was your very first race?
 

And do you remember who won?

Open up those memory banks, share some stories
Posted via Mobile Device

First dirt track race was Brownstown in 73 or 74 was 2 or 3. First sprint car race was Kings Royal early 80's. Steve Kinser won.
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

My parents took me to my first race September 4, 1989 when I was 9 months old. My dad's birthday was that day and introducing me to racing was his present. :3: It was the USAC Champ Cars for the Ted Horn 100 at the DuQuoin, Illinois State Fairgrounds.

Since I was only 9 months old, I don't remember the race or who won, but we have some good pictures from that day. I got to sit in (Indiana) Andy Hillenburg's car and made dad's day.

Here's the rundown from that day, courtesy of OpenwheelTimes.com. :6:
1) Chuck Gurney (Kurtz #30)
2) Rich Vogler (Wilke #16)
3) Jimmy Sills (Countryman #15)
4) Tony Elliott (Gurtizen #51)
5) Jim Mahoney (#50)
6) Mark Alderson (Boles #2)
7) Andy Hillenburg (McMahon #85)
8) Danny Smith (Hammond #56)
9) Jim McElreath (#23)
10) Walt Kennedy (Woodward #40)
11) Dave Feese (McClure #69)
12) Greg Staab (Wilke #7)
13) Johnny Parsons (Scruggs #37)
14) Larry Rice (Lefevre #5)
15) Steve Butler (Jarrett #1)
16) Danny Milburn (Newkirk #27)
17) Tom Bigelow (Smith #14)
18) Bob Cicconi (#59)
19) Donnie Beechler (Egan #46)
20) Russ Gamester (Mataka #31)
21) Jack Hewitt (Hampshire #63)
22) Manny Rockhold (#17)
23) Gary Bettenhausen (Delrose/Holt #12)
24) Ron Dunstan (Conroy #18)
25) George Snider (Foyt 11)
26) Terry Kawell (#90)
27) Gary Irvin (#48)
28) Warren Mockler (Mitchell #75)
29) Rickey Hood (Niebel #20)
30) Gary Hieber (#66)
31) Jerry Nemire (Lesko #98)
32) Mike Thomas (#78)

Since 1989, I've only missed one running of the Ted Horn 100. (Plus this year... :21:)

I'll try to find and add a couple of the pictures. :22:

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

My first race was in the summer of '73. My folks took me to Hangtown (now Placerville) Speedway. I can't tell you who won, or even raced, though. I can tell you that I was ruined for life as soon as I set eyes on the track, though. Little did I know that I would be working in the booth just a short two years later.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

September, 1951, age about 1 month, Bloomington Speedway.

Parents never told me who won, but I'll guess it was either Chuck Welsh or Barney Oldfield. :2:

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

MIne was Checker Flag Raceway in Windsor, Ontario in 1978. I was less then a year old and they raced late models. The track has been gone for 17 years now. I live about five minutes away from the subdivision that occupies that land. The first dirt track I went to was Talladega Short Track in October 2002. First open wheel show I went to was a World of Outlaws race at the Dirt Track at Charlotte the week after. I sporadically hit races for a quite a few years, and since 2006 have managed to hit at least 40 races a year.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

heidleberg speedway, pittsburgh pa. 1967
don't remember who won (i was 7 )
do remember a wheel coming off of a car and finishing ahead of the car and thought that was cool!

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

June 1968, age 2 months, to watch super modifieds at the old paved San Jose Speedway. I can't seem to recall who won though.:17:

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

I was first introduced to my lifetime fascination when I was 4 years old...and no other place than the greatest of them all...the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I believe it was qualifications in 1988...and my only memory, my first racing memory whatsoever, was seeing the mighty Rick Mears in his brilliant yellow Pennzoil machine roaring down the front stretch at well over 200 mph. That day ignited a love affair with the sport, and the racetrack, that has not flickered but grown stronger over the last 21 years. My first actual race, I'm told, was most likely at the Terre Haute Action Track not too long after...man, I miss watching Al Thomas at that place.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

Kokomo speedway early 50's board bleachers all the way around track. Set set on top south end
not sure who won .

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

I was 6, it was 1991 and my mom took me to see these big winged cars I saw on a flyer at the grocery store. It eneded up being a World of Outlaws show at the Bloomington Speedway. Oh ya Steve Kinser won beating Sammy Swindell. I've loved The King ever since and never did care for that guy who came in second place. I can remember sitting on the hill with my mom and thinking that, this is the coolest thing in the world. At that age it was the coolest thing I had ever saw and when I go to a sprintcar race these days...............I still think its the coolest thing in the world :32:

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

My first race would've been at Valley Park, Missouri's Lake Hill Speedway in '76. Can't tell you who won, though, as I couldn't see thru mom's womb.:3: (I wasn't born until Dec. 12 of that year.)

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

The now defunct Cincinnati Race Bowl. 1/4 mile high banked paved oval. AAA midgets in 1955. I was about four years old. I remember being there but have no recollection of the proceedings that night.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

1967 at Holland, NY which was it's last year as a dirt track. After begging and pleading, my dad finally agreed to take me to a race. Of course it got rained out and I didn't think the next Saturday would EVER come. I found out later that my parents had last attended a race in the 30's at Civic Stadium in Buffalo and witnessed a driver lose his life. My dad explained that was why they were not thrilled with my early interest in racing.
Some of my best memories are of the quality time my dad and I shared at the races (and the trips to and from) through the years.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

My first race was in 1956 at Belle Clair Speedway in Belleville, IL. I was 4 years old at the time and don't remember who won the race. If I was a betting man, Dandy Don Klein probably took the feature. He racked up quite a few wins over the years and I believe he is still racing.

---------- Post added at 08:26 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:22 AM ----------

Wow, I had almost forgot about Lake Hill Speedway. Saw some racing there in my youth. It is a shame that they closed the place up as I enjoyed watching racing there. Anyone remember when it closed?

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

Almost the same for me. In my case probably 1952 since I was born in December of 51. Riverside Raceway in Fort Worth. I don't remember actually seeing the races, but I do remember being there. First race I can remember was at Great Southwest Speedway in Benbrook TX in the early 60s. But I don't remember who won.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

Are you talking in the womb or out? Because I'm pretty sure I heard my first race before I saw it. :5:
David.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

Labor day 1945 at winchester 13500 race fans first race after ww 2 jimmy wilburn from indy won it! 2 eddie zaulki detroit 3 johnny shackelford dayton 4 chick smith louisville ky. 5 elbert (grandpappy) booker detroit! How many of you where there?:22:

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

USAC midget race at Pittsfield, Illinois speedway in the summer of 1960. I forget who won, but Mel Kenyon was there, as well as a couple of young up-and-comers named Foyt and Jones. I also remember that Jerry Blundy, the local track champion, was there and didn't do a thing and also remember the high-pitched scream of the Evenrude outboard which someone who was having his Offy freshened made. Sounded like a bumble bee coming down the straights. For some reason, this race does not appear in the USAC 50th Anniversary book. I understand from other postings on this board that there are a few others which may have been missed also.

Hard to believe that was 50 years ago.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

I don't remember when, but my first 'race' would have been one of the enduros during the county fair at Scott County in the '80s; my dad's cousin used to race them.
Then sometime when I was in middle school Dad took my brother and I to Salem Speedway on 'Scott County night.' I loved it and wanted to go more, but nobody else was really interested.
Fast forward to 2005; I was playing around with demolition derbies. One Saturday I was driving home from my boss's house (where I worked on my derby stuff) and saw a bomber on an open trailer. I was intrigued, thought it must be going to Brownstown, looked up directions, start time, etc. online, and drove up to Brownstown with my cousin and a neighbor. I went a few more times that year, then went to Bloomington Speedway for the first time in '06 (my brother went to IU); my jaw didn't come off the ground the whole night watching the sprints. Went to a few more races that year, hit a ton of races in '07, worked on a car in '08, bought a car and raced some this year in '09. Now when I walk past the window at work I see my sprint car on an old open trailer waiting to be taken to its new home down in Louisville to get redone for 2010.

That was an awfully long post to not even really answer the question. :5:

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

:6joe giba old man from denver drove the nb.62 outboard:6:

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

1974 at Ascot Park Gardena, CA of course. We had a Midget so I'm guessing it was a Midget race but may have been C.R.A. Sprint Cars. I don't know who won either but one thing is for sure I Miss Turkey Night ON DIRT espescially at Ascot. Those were my favorite and most memorable days at that historic joint. There still isn't a track on this planet were they back-in Sprint Cars any harder then they did at Ascot Park. Excuse me while I wipe the tear's.......:13::13::22::22:

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

July, 1961.....just turned 21 and recently released from my U.S. Navy tour of duty. Friends chauffeured my true love (at the time) and I to the Lawrenceburg Speedway. Feature was won that night by my first favorite shoe, Stan Bowman in the Connor's Garage #43, followed by Gil Hess in #2, and Mike Johnson (I'm thinking #66 powered by a Dodge Red Ram, but that was a long time ago. Could be/likely is wrong).

Hooked, I've missed very few sprint events at the 'Burg since then, unless there was a USAC race within 150 miles on the same day/night. :22:

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

Winchester 1952 I was about 6 years old. What a place to start, we only lived about 18 miles from the track so I saw many a race there growing up.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

The long gone Cincinnati Race Bowl sometime in the early 50's, probably '53. It was a AAA midget show on a Wednesday night.
I don't remember the winner but a front runner that night was the late, great Travis "Spider" Webb. After the feature, my Dad took me into the pits and Spider picked me up and sat me in his cockpit!! Oh boy! I still remember the smell of gas, oil, sweat, and leather. Besides, Spider had a bottle blond who was, ahem, favorably endowed hanging all over him. What a life!
On the way home, I asked my Dad how much Mr. Spider had to pay to get to drive that racer [and get the blond]. He replied that he actually GOT PAID money to drive[plus the blond]. Race cars and women, hooked for life!
:23:

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

circa 1940, Greenfield, IN near where Riley Park Tire is now located. Likely Huston Bundy as he was a consistent winner during that era.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

houston and my dad had a midget together! Great driver! Sadly killed at armscamp in carl reynolds nb.10 car:7:

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

First race attended was circa 1969, the old Marion Speedway, don't know for sure, but wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't Chuck Amati in the Bruce Cogle Ford in victory lane.

First sprint car race run was 1992 at Mt. Vernon. Broke a right rear torsion arm in the first turn of my first feature and flipped. That was to be an omen of things to come regarding my sprint car "career". Wayne Sternberg may have won that night, I'm not sure, I was too busy searching the pits for a clean pair of underwear.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

1968; Penn Can Speedway, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. My Father/Coleman's Grandfather was running a Dirt Modified. I believe I ate more dirt that night than was on the car at the end of the evening. I am proud to say that all 3 generations of Gulick's have raced that ole' track. My Dad in the 50's, 60's and 70's, I raced there in the 90's through 00 and Coleman ran a Wing ASCS car there in 07. Pretty cool...

Pete G.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

If memory serves correctly,(and it doesn't too often) It was late 40's at the Columbus Speedway on the hill. My first open wheel race was the AAA midgets at the old 16th street speedway in 1949, won by Johnny Parsons.Also about the same time saw midgets race at the Jeffersonville Sportsdrome.A friend of my fathers named Bob Wilson had a midget and raced there.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

I attended my first race at Bolivar, MO on opening night 1973 at age 4 months. Apparently I caught pneumonia so my grandparents made my dad sell his car and grow up cause he had a family. What a load of B.S.

I attended several more stock car races at the fairgrounds in springfield, MO and I really loved them but then something happened that ruined me for good.

Sometime around 1979 (give or take a few years) I saw my first SPRINT CAR RACE at the fairgrounds in Sedalia, MO. Mile track, daytime race, no wings.....BLEW MY FREAKIN MIND!!!!!!

Shane Carson won the deal in the old Vise Grip #20 car. I still can close my eyes and see that car wiggling down the frontstretch and pitching it in to turn one about 100 yards early.

From that point on I could have cared less about a stock car race but would have been willing to make the 10 hour drive to Wisconsin to catch the last 5 laps of any Sprint Car or Midget feature.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

summer of 1989, kokomo speedway

my 1st race was at sweet owen speedway....mom was pregnat with me and when dad..or better known as Shortbus...when he rolled his racecar..mom had jumped 3 rows of bleachers with me in her stomach...i cant tell you who won...lol
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

Toledo speedway 1961 man from my hometown built rear engine sprint in his garage,Toledo was dirt then with no fence car went great till corner then it would push right off end of track, every turn, but I was Hooked.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

First Dirt Race - 1958 Minnesota State Fair- Sanction & Winner Unknown
First Pavement Race - 1964 Minnesota State Fair - Sanction & Winner Unknown - The Jerks PAVED it!
First Road Course Event - Donnybrooke International Speedway - July 6, 1969 - SCCA Trana-Am Series - Won by Parnelli Jones in a Bud Moore Ford Mustang
First Time Driving a Race Car - June, 1972 - Jim Russell International Racing Drivers School - Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant,Quebec- Lotus Formula Ford

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

Spring of 1946 at the Armscamp Speedway near Alexandria, Indiana. Do not remember who won but it was a midget race and the winner drove a purple #4 car. The track was still dirt and not yet banked and the place was absolutely packed with spectators.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

:8:First race I ever saw was at the old speedroam track on the east side of Evansville in 56 remember it was jalopies don;t know who won first sprint race was at Haubstadt winner was Don Nordhorn who later ran with USAC

---------- Post added at 06:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:04 PM ----------

My first race ever saw was in 56 at the speedroam on the eastside of Evansville IN remember it was jalopies don;t know who won first sprint car race was at Habstadt winner was Don Nordhorn who later ran with USAC Dam I feel old now :14:

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

I went with my parents in the late 30's, but have no recollection of where or when, to small. The first race I remember was at Sportsman Park, Bedford, Ohio outside of Cleveland. The first two races I went to at that Speedway were won by Duane Carter and it was early 1946. Midget races were at there peak and we went every Wednesday, Akron Rubbler Bowl, Saturday, Canfield Fairgrounds, and Sundays at Sportsmans Park. This was the start of a lifetime of racing. Sam Stockon Sr.

Re: Where and when was your very first race?
 

Mine was Super Dirt Week in 1975 at 3 months old. The first race I really remember was at Nazareth National in PA in about 81 or 82, I think...the USAC Silver Crown, NDRA Late Model, and Dirt modified show...that and the 100 lapper that same year at the smaller Nazareth track that my uncle was leading with 3 laps to go and blew a tire....it landed in some unoccupied bleachers.