My dad said that this was the fastest, best handling car he ever drove. The 14j owned by John McDaniel this was a new J&J chassis they won 11 out of their first 12 features at Paragon and Haubstadt when it was debuted in June 1977. I was going to the pits by then. We were standing in line to sign into the pits at Haubstadt and Dad was talking to Chuck Amati. Chuck asked him about the car and Dad said it was the best car he had ever set in. Chuck just dropped his head and stared at the ground. I guess he knew that winning was going to be tough that night.







The last Banquet he went too, HARF. Got plaques for winning the track championship at Paragon and Haubstat, he's the face standing behind Dick Gaines. Some pretty good drivers in this picture. Sorry it's hard to see. What the article says:

HARF'S GUESTS - Honored at the recent 26th annual banquet in Indianapolis were: Bill Donella (MC) Allen Barr, Ron Eden, Bill Englehart (for Mel Kenyon), Larry Dickson, Tom Sneva. (Standing: ) Lonnie Breedlove, Bubby Jones, Danny Smith, Dick Gaines, Larry Miller, Sheldon Kinser, Bill Lipkey, Dennis O'Neal,(for his father), Tom Hays for Larry Rice, Rick Meyer, Tom Bigelow, Paul Feldner, Jim Fox

Some great pictures. I can remember your dad racing he was a great driver. That Mcdaniel car was always fast. I like the old heavy jack in the back ground I can remember dragging those around. The picture of our car I think is actually me in 1986 I had a blue uniform with gold stripe. Caribbean sun came on as a sponsor my rookie year and I think it is on the hood above the Briscoe Homes. Great pics keep them coming but some are not showing up on my computer.

I corrected the 1st post Kevin, do you have this picture? If not, I can probably let you have it. No idea where it came from? It was in book

VERY COOL!!!! thanks for posting

The Gold Deuce owned by Jerry "Oz" Stepter. Most of these are from Tri-State Speedway. Yes, that's me in 2 of them. Third picture down was a new Nance car.

Danny Smith when he was about 19yoa driving for Mike Smith I believe.







---------- Post added at 02:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:03 PM ----------

The F800 car at Paragon.



The next 3 pictures I believe was Karl Kinsers first sprint car, with Larry Miller driving.

Larry Miller is one driver that never seems to get his just due, when you hear today's sprint fans talking about the heyday of the sport, in this part of the country. I was lucky enough to have grown up at tracks that were the stomping grounds for greats like Dick Gaines, Bob Kinser, Chuck Amati, Butch Wilkerson, Sheldon Kinser, Allan Barr and Cliff Cockrum. I remember many a night when the driver from Oolitic was the one who took home the trophy.

Jerry

I know what you are saying. It's almost like he was an unknown. He won between 15-20 track championships total, 6 at Haubstadt alone, 1968 through 1971 and also in 1976 & 1977, 4 at Paragon and 2 at Bloomington and also some in Benton,IL and Williamson Co Speedway near Marion,IL. One year he was racing 4 nights a week Thursday thru Sunday. We guessed that he won somewhere around 300 features total about half of them driving for Karl Kinser (over 40 in one year alone). In 1969 he won 15 of the 16 features at Haubstadt. My Mom said that towards the end of the season every time he won he would get booed. Here's Big Bertha that ran the 427 chevy and probably won more sprint features than any car ever built. It had a nice 5 year run.NOTE: I was told that Keith Ford still owned this car as of 2001.

Bertha without a wing





Bertha w/wing

great pics. i sure remember big bertha. we raced against larry a few times (gilstrap, red #19) mostly at haubstadt.

I have been trying to post some of the old articles from NSSN and newspapers. There's just no way that they will show up in enough detail to be able to read. If any of you want these articles I can send you the full size scans in which you can open them with Windows Media Center and zoom a little and read all of it easily. Send me your email in a PM and I will send it when I get done. There will be about 20 or so.