I'm slow, what do you mean by this?

He means if it wasnt for Dads and there money there would only be about 3 teams running USAC today....


Back to the topic...I have been going to races since I was 2 weeks old..I have been at a race track every weekend for 1989-now...Racing still has many of my Heros around....But I would give anything to go back in time and work on a USAC team in the 60-70s...My Grandpa was the crew chirf on the Smiths Speed Shop/ Fortney&Simon cars and hearing his stories makes me wish I was born 30 year earlier...Landon

I loved the sixties, but to me the seventies was the best..I was racing the ole coupes/sedan modified's around North Florida/South Ga. and was introduced to NON WINGED sprint cars at Lake City Speedway in '74 when they came down here (LC) for the 1st time. At that time some of if not the best in the business came south race..See if I can remember these guy's...oh wait a minute I'll get my pictures out from the day...Less see.. Jan Opperman, Chuck Amati, Joe Saldana, Jr. Parkinson, Paul Pitzer Don Mack, Kenny Weld, Sheldon Kinser, Charlie Swartz (in the Conway Twitty/Lorretta Lynn Special), Rick Ferkel, Leon Gentry, Johnny Beaber, Robert Smith, Poncho Carter, Bubby Jones, Toby Tobias, Bill Utz, Bobby Allen, Shane Carson, Van May, Dub May, Gary Patterson, Bobby Unser Jr., Greg Leffler, Ron Shuman and a couple of young cats..86x of Steve Kinser and the 91 Fed-X car do Sammy Swindell...what was so unreal...this was and has been the only Sunday race that I can remember ever there and those guy's stated cutting turn 4 off where they where race 30 feet off the track...so low that Swindell hit the drainage spout and flipped...if memory serves me right..Joe Saldana beat Pitzer by a 1/2 bumper...I was talking to a few guys at the East Bay USAC show in Feb and they where there ...Man did it bring back memories....LONG LIVE THE NON WING and TO HELL WITH THE CHURTCHES

Right now, I've met a lot of great people Josh Spencer, Jamie Fredrickson, Paul Hazen, Hunter Schurenberg, - lots of them. Also one of the sadest times w/ the loss of Jesse Hockett. I was walking out of Gas City's opener & he asked me how I liked the race. We talked like we were old friends.

I moved to Indiana at the tail end of what I call the "golden era" of open wheel racing. Listening to stories from friends about the great racing days makes me a little envious of all you folks who were able to witness some of the greats of that time.

With that being said, I seldom look back and have few regets. I am at the age now where I can attend a few races and enjoy the times at the track no matter who is running. The best time is right now looking forward to the next race at a track near you. Get out from behind the computer and become a race fan AT THE TRACK!


I hear so many folks on here complain about the "little" things that it annoys me. If the track is a little dusty, don't worry it will wash off. If the car count is low, enjoy who is there putting on a show for you. If you don't like the number of classes racing, either go elsewhere to watch, sit there and try to be entertained by that class of racers or maybe stop down at the midway and make some new friends. Who knows, you may find someone who also doesn't care for the class that is running and you can do some story telling. Maybe even make a racing friend for life.

I enjoy many forms of racing. I try to make it a positive experience everytime I go to the track. Why be miserable when you can enjoy so much quality racing right here in the midwest. Many folks around the country would trade all of us even up to have that choice.

Good post mike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The 1970's. It's when I became a fan as a kid at the Kokomo Speedway every Sunday night. Ray Kenens, Don Walker, Ron Fisher, Jim Elliott, Ed Angle, Bob Christian, Allen Barr, Mark Caldwell, Dick Gaines, Louie Mann, Paul Joyce, Tony Solomito, Tim Bookmiller, Harold Mouser, Dave Ragan, Bobby Kinser, Charlie Sarver, Bobby Adkins, Van Gurley, Sam Davis, Kerry Norris, Danny Smith, Steve Kinser, Randy Kinser, Marvin Deputy, Danny Bowlen, Butch Wilkerson, Rex Mitchell, Bobby Black, Danny Milburn, Red Bledsoe, Charlie and Bill Fortune are just some of the drivers who I couldn't wait to see every Sunday. And of course Bill Lipkey in the beautiful McGonical Buick Pace Car.

As far as the racing, I like them all equally. Sixties will always be special to me since that's when I was introduced to sprint cars.

As far as the overall scene, to me the things have been on the decline over the last decade. But that can be said for all racing. Too many drivers/teams trying to get someplace else instead of sprint car racing being "the place they want to be". A lot more big business like. Commercialism and that NASCAR style attitude creeping into everything. Too many expectations of tracks, sanctioning bodies, teams. Everything has to be perfect or else the ******** and caterwauling starts. The days of the true "outlaw mentality" seem to be ending (except in dirt late model). And, as a fan, the cost of travel has skyrocketed (probably why expectations are so high now). Seems a lot of people can't just relax and enjoy (appreciate) the here and now.

But, it's still all good and wake up each day looking forward to the next road trip and race. Tonight, enjoyed watching the Carolina Focus midgets at Concord. Looking forward to the ARDC at Dixieland on Friday.

The 70's, when we first started working on sprinters. Opperman, Foyt, Pancho, Schmuck,Toby,Bubby,The Shu, and this was just a few of the USAC guys at the time.

The local talent was incredible also, Gaines, the Kinser's, Bobby Black, Barr, Gilstrap,Thickston,Christian, to name a few.

I was one lucky teen ager when I look back on it, and am really glad my father gave me such a great opportunity. I'll have memories that will last a lifetime.

I would say the late 80's early 90's. ASCOT on Saturday nights where pretty cool. Casey Shuman and I use to steal coffee creamers and make our own small dirt track in turn one while we watched our Dad's. Ron was always the one to beat but Bubby Jones and Noffsinger where a lot of fun to watch as well. Then to come back to Indiana and see Darland"s first yrs and Bob Kinser beat up on all the locals was pretty cool. Running around with My Dad and learning the trick of this trade where some of my favorite days. Now is pretty cool too