Originally Posted by BrentTFunk:
[/COLOR]The Mopar Million was 40 Laps and went right down to the checker.
Posted via Mobile Device
You are correct. I wasn't thinking that far back. I still think 50 is too much.[/QUOTE]
In August 1965 my Dad's good friend Orville Yeadon won the first Eldora 500 featuring 33 sprint cars. Larry Cannon won the next one and I think Don Nordhorn won the last one. Can't speak for the others but Orville did not have power steering. I think either he or Allen Barr ran all 3 of the 500 lappers with the same right rear tire.
The best USAC sprint car races I ever got to see were in the 70's. 40 laps were the norm with several 50 lappers, Twin 50's, and St. Paul ran a Twin 75. Heidelberg ran a 100 lapper on Oct. 4, 1970. Dirt is my favorite by far but I do love the highbanks also. On Oct. 17, 1971 during the second of the Twin 50's at Winchester I witnessed the one of the greatest drives I've ever seen. Gary Bettenhausen started dead last in an unfamiliar car as his broke during the first 50 lapper. Between the backstretch and the start finish line on the last lap he passed 4 cars, (one being a lapped car), to beat Sam Sessions by a foot.
There's no justifiable reason for a race to diminsh after 30 laps. If it's a fuel shortage problem make them put full size sprint car tanks and tails back on the cars and ditch those bobtailed looking midget tanks. They may weigh a few pounds less, but doing the math Steve Kinser is a lot bigger guy than most of his competition.... Check his win stats against the others.... Next to wings those shrimp size tanks are the worst thing that's happened to the looks of a sprint car. Besides, if everyone is running the same size tank it's a level playing field and the cars look soooo much better.
If the tires are 'going away' after only 30 laps maybe they should check the compound Orville won his 500 lapper with. Save your breath bashers as I am well aware that today's sprint cars produce more HP. If advanced technology can build more horsepower it can produce tires at that same level.
With power steering and custom built seats I don't see driver fatigue being an issue. These guys seem plenty fast to me and if they're in good shape I doubt if the extra laps bother them at all. Back in the day it was nothing to see the late, great Dick Gaines running as hard on the last lap of a 100 lapper as he did on the first. This being done without the luxury of power steering.
Please don't tell the guys that run the Little 500 that 50 laps is 'too much'. It could discourage them?