Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

I was looking through YouTube videos and started thinking about the best races I've seen.
Just wondering what everyone else's opinion might be.
Whether it be winged or non-winged, pre-roll cage or post, I think it'd be interesting to hear.
:)

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

Best pavement, Joe James / Pat O'Conner, Stewart beats Irwin. I'll have to think about the dirt one a while.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

Easily, the Mopar Million at Eldora. Jacs greatest triumph!!!

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

NW. 2009 Kamp Sprintweek.

Winged, 1988 Bloomington. Friday after Knox Nationals that Bobby Alan Won.

Bobby and Doug Wolfgang went side by side that whole race. Doug won it by inches

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

That race at Knoxville was a classic too. Bobby Allen won with Sammy tracking him down with smoke and sometime fire coming from around the headers.

Last years Sprintweek race at Haubstadt was about as good as it gets.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

The USAC TH race where Levi blew a tire (after doing some other stuff I didn't think was right), and then other ran out of gas. Way exciting to see a finish that was interesting.

A close second was when I think Dave Darland and someone else was battling each other up until the final laps to win a USAC race and was using the whole track and bumping the wall in turn 4. I can't remember dates, but that was exciting.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

Winged was the 04 World of Outlaws race at Haubstadt that Kaeding won. Non winged I'll aways be partial to the 05 Four Crown race where Levi ran above the cushion.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

2007 Joe James/Pat O'Conner:22:

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

2005 Auto Value Super Sprints at Dixie Speedway in Michigan. Cameron Dodson took the challenge being fast qualifier to start at the tail of the A main. He came within 2 feet of winning!! Don't think anyone in the stands sat through the entire race!

2nd best - 2005 AVSS at Winchester - Cameron lapped the field up to third place, Dave Steel was 2nd half a lap back.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

Stanbrough and DC battle at Haubstadt , 7-8-07, KISS finale. Stanbrough's post race interview, pretty good too.:8:

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

Whitt/Stanbrough Kokomo '08

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

All the 100 lapers Chuck Amati won at Paragon Speedway

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

99 at Twin cities.I think it was Non Wing World Championship race.If memory serves me correct Tony Elliott won.Six different drivers led a lap at the flagstand.Witnessed by probaly 150 people it was by far the best race I ever saw.Thinking back ,I don't think I've ever saw a bad race at Twin City.:22:

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

Wing Sprints- Las Vegas this year, Meyers and the King battling for the win off of 4

Non Wing- Either 09' Sprint Week at Kamp, or Haubstadt. The close finish at Kamp has me leaning that way, but watching Clauson push a sprint car to its limit was one of the coolest things I have ever seen!

I know it wasn't mentioned, but I gotta throw in the Crown race at Tucson this year, Levi refusing to lose and taking Bud off of 4

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

Arlington (Minnesota) Speedway - June 11, 2005
IMCA Sprint Cars
My son's 1st Feature Victory!

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

I've seen a hundred sprint car races that I thought was the best race I've ever seen. That's what I love about this sport. And it'll always be that way. There are just so many ways that a race can take twists and turns, that make it a memorable experience. Sometimes an epic one. And every one unique.

As a kid, so many of the great ones I saw were at Paragon (Like Keith said about the 100 lappers), Terre Haute and Haubstadt. In recent years Haubstadt, Kokomo and Terre Haute have provided the lion's share of the Instant Classics, for me. Two fo the modern day classics that come to mind are two throwdowns that took place between Daron Clayton and Jon Stanbrough a few years ago. One at Terre Haute and one at Tri-State Speedway. The last 10 laps of the Don Smith Classic, a couple of years ago, saw Robert Ballou and Jesse Hockett wage a war that I'll not soon forget, as well.

Jerry

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

This is the Stanbrough, Clayton Kiss battle at Haubstadt 2 parts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYrOpg5o3kE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOTrAtjWtSI

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

The 2009 Indiana Sprint Week had several really great races

Kokomo, Bloomington and Haubstadt were all memorable and something that will keep me coming back for more.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

In my case, way too many to remember. My mind isn't as good as it used to be but still a number of them stand out. Last year alone I saw four of what I would classify as classics. The sprint week show at Kamp followed up by the finale of sprint week at Haubstadt. It just doesn't get any better than that.

A young Kenny Niflis drove the wheels off to snag the Sheldon Kinser Memorial race at Bloomington from the back of the pack. Likewise, Jon Stanbrough came from well back in the starting lineup to win the KISS race at Paragon.

A memorable drive by J J Yeley at Twin Cities a number of years ago during a USAC sprint week show also sticks out.

On the pavement side, most all of the Little 500's that I have seen (35 & counting) have been well worth the price of admission. Each and every one of them is unique and the strategy of survival over 500 laps. Also I would be remiss if I didn't mention the "Fastest Show on Earth" at Toledo. The winged sprint cars along with the supermodifieds always seem to amaze me.

Like so many things in life, the beauty is in the eye of the beholder.:6: Time to get out and see some more classics in 2010.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

I was at North Vernon that night, that would be my vote - 3 wide coming off 4 for the checkers. That was the 1st of Ron Shuman's NWWC shows. It rained in the morning and was nearly canceled.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

my favorite/best sprint race also happened the same night as my favorite/best dirt champ, midget and modified races occured. September 28, 1998 as Jack Hewitt swept the 4-crown! By far the one night of racing that I will never forget and will always remain the best night of racing, to see all 4 cars and Jack on the frontstrech long after the races were over as he signed and talked made the whole night that much more special PLUS the races were actually very very good! Too damn bad Smoke ruined the 4-crown with this split night, wanged sh**, I actually went to the Jackson 100 last year instead of 3 Crown...

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

Bruce you are correct. I was thinking it was a USAC show. I told you my mind wasn't as good as it used to be.:14::3: I remember I almost didn't go due to the weather. Another reason that I always seem to hold out hope that they will get the show in.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

[QUOTE=terrehautian;160700]The USAC TH race where Levi blew a tire (after doing some other stuff I didn't think was right), and then other ran out of gas. Way exciting to see a finish that was interesting.

A close second was when I think Dave Darland and someone else was battling each other up until the final laps to win a USAC race and was using the whole track and bumping the wall in turn 4. I can't remember dates, but that was exciting.[/QUOTE

Could the race of your 2nd choice have been DD and Clauson opening night of Sprint Week at Lawenceburg? :8: That was a great race!

My favorite all time race is The Bob Darland:9: Memorial 2008!!!

There's too many to list all of them, but the sprint week finale at Tri- State
ast year. The Sheldon Kinser Memorial, awesome to watch a young up and comer chargebfrom the back. Also another one was T-Mez come from the back not once,but twice in the feature at LPS last year, not sure of the date.
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Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

I'm back. Dirt non wing would be Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1975 or 76, Dickson and Bettenhausen. Dickson won and Gary B tore the left front off trying to go under him in one, with one or two to go. They were the best there was at the time , doing it better then anyone else.
Levi and BC , or Jon and Daron at Haubstadt were a close second.

Wings would be 1978 at Susky. Lynn Paxton in the big block Boops car went to the tail twice in a 25 lap feature and won. It was impressive to watch.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

The more races you see, it seems the less you remember about each one. One that for sure sticks in my mind is Mark Cassella's win at Lawreneburg in the Stapp 4U.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

hoosier fall classic. gary wright wins it from the tail. not sure of the year.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

That NWWC race at North Vernon is at the top of my “best list”. Also ranking close to the top of my list is the “three-wide-photo-finish-in-the-fog” during Sprintweek at Putnamville in ’99 where Dave Darland beat Yeley and Cruseman at the checkers.

However, THE best sprint race I ever saw, from start to finish, has to be the first K.I.S.S. race ever held at Haubstadt, in 2001. The battle up front was intense all race long with Troy Link, Will Newlin and Dickie Gaines all making mad stabs at the lead with wicked sliders. While all this is taking place, Justin Marvel is making a charge from deep, deep in the field and pulls out the win at the end. If I remember correctly, all 30 laps went non-stop, green to checker.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

1997

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

By far it is the night Terry Pletch took the hulman classic from the back of the heat, semi, feature. i think he also won a last chance qualifier that night

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

:32:two! 1951 little 500 winner red renner! 1953 little 500 winner bob king!:6: :22:

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

I beleive it was two years ago old lawrenceburg...brandon petty and dickie gaines and went lap for lap...then both flipped was a heck of a race had lapped alot of cars ..not sure who won that night but petty and gaines put on a heck of a show.then watching gardner come from last at gas city for the kiss show a couple years ago..although stanbrough won gardner drove the wheels off that car!:22:

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

I have mentioned that race on here before. The early part of the race was dominated by Rusty Mclure in the Law Brothers #77, before the motor grenaded. Bill Rose, J.J. Yeley, Cory Kruseman and Tony Elliott, the eventual winner put on an unbelievable show.

The Lawrenceburg show from june in the last year of the old configuration was great also with the above mentioned Gaines and Petty duel. I believe A.J. Anderson won in the Hazen #57 that nite.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

1967 Devils Bowl 75 lapper. Shady McWorther raced with A D Trowell and swapped the lead just about every lap. Side by side on some laps, nose to tail on other laps. McWorther won the race by one foot.

Second best was the win by Hockett last year in Oskaloosa when he beat Darland by the tick of the watch.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

Just a few I can think of off the top of my head...

1992 - Cary Faas drives like a madman to win his first Hulman Classic at Terre Haute

1997 - Brandon Petty nips Bill Rose at the line on Fan Appreciation Night at Lincoln Park. Race is made even more special due to me getting the opportunity to throw the green flag for the sprint feature! :6:

1998 - Rich Vogler Classic, the top 10 running all together swapping spots winding their way through lapped traffic. Brad Armstrong looks like he's headed for his first career USAC win, gets caught by a lapped car. Chet Fillip ends up winning.

1998 - Jack Hewitt wins all four rounds of the 4-Crown

1999 - J.J. Yeley and Cory Kruseman collide coming out of turn four on the final lap of the Indiana Sprintweek event at Lincoln Park; Darland rides the cushion and goes from 3rd to 1st to win it at the line.

2004 - 4-crown at Eldora, Dickie Gaines holds off Jac Haudenschild at the line

2007 - Sprintweek at Kokomo, Stanbrough comes out of nowhere in the final few laps to beat Darland.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

Mine would have to be the 2007 Western World at Manzanita. Jerry Coons Jr. in the Hoffman 69,was sent to the tail by USAC,because the crew did not present the car in time for the driver intros. Jerry was there,but the car was late! Well,it only took him 38 laps to pass every car in the joint and win the thing! The place went crazy!! We still talk about it. A close second though,would be the KISS opener last year at Gas City. Cottle and Clauson throwing everything but the steering wheel at each other,with Clauson winning it on a super-tacky 1/4 mile. I hope that everyone gets to see at least one race that they'll remember forever in 2010! If we don't deserve it,who does?

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

:11:I've been thinking about this for awhile.Hope I ain't seen it yet!:8:

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

i'd have to say some of the wildest, hairiest sprint car action i have seen on dirt were some of the world of outlaw shows at the syracuse mile years ago. the speeds really picked up in the middle to late 80's. sammy swindell ntr low 25 second bracket avg approx 150 mph pushing a buck eighty down the backstretch. those guys were off the hook. for pavement, it would be the 1995 sammy sessions memorial at winchester, when kalitta & fillip drove underneath a barrel-rolling jason mccord at the checker flag. awesome race.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

Last night's race at HRP ended up being one heck of a show. Sides and Kaeding traded the lead several times each lap and then for several laps, in and out of traffic, both grooves working. WOW. Congrats to Sides. Certainly one of the best winged shows that I have ever seen.

Re: Best sprint race you've ever seen?
 

mine was a few years ago at terre haute at the fall classic when Stanbrough and DC battled it out for two nights.