You might like this Pontiac Silverdome Midgets
 

Nick Landon found this on Youtube
Pretty Cool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt07DTsJZ0s#t=31

I think they raced there a couple years before that too. Last I went there it was for a monster truck show. Its a shame that a building like that is left for dead. I understand not every place can be saved, but there are lots of places like this just sitting.
Nick Landon

Re: You might like this Pontiac Silverdome Midgets
 

Dang, I got super excited. My parent's car won this race (but I believe it was the year before this). Was hoping it was that one. Awesome video!

Re: You might like this Pontiac Silverdome Midgets
 

I attended the first one at the Silverdome on Dec. 6, 1980. It was an invitational event called "Heroes vs Outlaws". They ran the heats in the afternoon, cleared everyone out, sold a separate ticket for readmittance, and then ran the features in the evening. If I remember correctly, Rich Vogler turned down an invite because they didn't also invite his father, Don. I will have to do some research, as I don't remember who won the feature. I have a program from the race, but it is rather inaccessible now.

Re: You might like this Pontiac Silverdome Midgets
 

I'm pretty sure sprint cars and late models ran at the Silverdome too in the past. I also recall a security guard losing his life when a car hit an overhead door and it fell on him. Anybody remember any of this stuff or am I dreaming?

Re: You might like this Pontiac Silverdome Midgets
 

Gene Gennetten won the Heroes vs. Outlaws event. I was there too.

Re: You might like this Pontiac Silverdome Midgets
 

Thanks! That jogged my memory!

Re: You might like this Pontiac Silverdome Midgets
 

Yes, they did run sprint cars and late models at the Silverdome. I seem to vaguely remember the incident you are speaking of.
I remember an incident at the Hoosier Dome midget race that killed two people in the pits. I believe it was a car driven by Chris Simmons that careened into the pits after striking a marker tire and breaking his steering. I believe one of the fatalities was an official named Smith, but I don't remember the other one.

Re: You might like this Pontiac Silverdome Midgets
 

I believe you are referring to an accident in Grand Rapids where they had a winged pavement sprint indoor event where a door fell killing a security guard. Perhaps it happend at the Silverdome also but that was before my time. I was there at the Hoosier Dome when there was a fatality in the infield pits when a car went in out of control.

Re: You might like this Pontiac Silverdome Midgets
 

From Mlive
In December 2005, auto racing fans were given an antidote to cabin fever when the Mason Dixon/Dixieland Challenge brought full-sized race cars to a quarter-mile track built inside the exhibit hall. The event was cut short after one night when a security guard was killed by a falling garage door. The event was staged the following year, but competitors were left with bounced checks from the promoter. Auto racing has not returned to DeVos Place.

Kevin Swindell won the sprint car feature the first year. I was at the second year, it was racing in Michigan in December... not much more.

Re: You might like this Pontiac Silverdome Midgets
 

My dad had a friend/co-worker that co-owned a midget driven by Ted Hines that year. The car number escapes me but it was maroon and had a Pontiac power plant. One of the guys on his crew I believe sustained a badly broken leg from that incident but survived.

This is all from my (bad) memory here so take this with a grain of salt.

Re: You might like this Pontiac Silverdome Midgets
 

That race, as you will remember Quick Change, was on dirt. They hauled it in for the midgets and raced motorcycles the following weekend. Cost a fortune to clean the place after the races. Dust was everywhere including the press box. My wife saved me a sandwich. Covered it up with a napkin. She watched the races with Bernice and and Earl Baltes. She was quite entertained. Don't remember any sprint car races but ASA raced late models in 1983. Not much of a race. They really had to tip toe with the heavier cars. That also is on You Tube.



___________
Wes Stafford

Re: You might like this Pontiac Silverdome Midgets
 

I remember the heats in the afternoon were great. Then it dried out for the features. They were watering the corners with what looked like garden hoses. horrible dusty evening. The next year i heard they had the dirt sitting outside and it froze. They had something in it to keep it moist. So they ran them on the pavement.

Re: You might like this Pontiac Silverdome Midgets
 

Went to both, midgets and dirt late models, got into press box at dirt late model show, got drunk with ndra president, can't remember his name.both good shows

Scott Caldwell