Yes, it was Dec. Duke and, miraculously, it was 70 degrees that day. Kauffman drove the Pete DePaolo Radio Hospital #58. And it was on the one mile dirt track.

I'd love to see the non-wing sprints back at Knoxville. I know they ran there in the early 90s with CRA and around 2000ish with the NWWC, and also had that $10,000-to win 10-lap race after the Nationals A in '03 or '04, but I think a yearly USAC stop would be awesome. I know they put the wings on out there because of guys getting killed left and right, but I reckon it'd be alright now. And the SC cars ran there somewhat recently, maybe around '01, because I remember watching it on ESPN.

USAC sprints ran at I-96 in 1994, and Jack Hewitt won. It was a neat and fast place, but I remember thinking that it wasn't as big as Terre Haute. Haven't been since, so someone else may have a better idea of it's size.

Not arguing with you Dwight, but I have an old Dick Wallen VHS tape that shows that December race at Nazareth National in '82, and I think they call it a mile and a quarter in that. Maybe someone else can confirm.

: PLEASE IT WAS RALPH DEPALMA'S CAR FROM LIMA OHIO RADIO HOSPITAL!
PETE OR RALPH DEPAOLO WON THE INDY 500!:checkered:

:greenflag:THE 1/2 MILE THAT I DROVE DIRT CARS ON! WILLAMS GROVE HAGERSTOWN NICEST PROMOTER THERE! TULSA OK CITY ELDORA REALLY 7/16- TAMPA KNOXVILLE 5/8 WAS ST PAUL IRP I WAS AT DAYTON WHEN ED ELISON WON A 50 LAP RACE AROUND 55 56 IN JOHN ZINKS CAR AJ WATSON CHIEF WHEN THE USAC TOOK THE DIRT CARS OUT OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP TRAIL ITS BEEN DOWN HILL EVER SINCE! NOW YOU MUST HAVE TWO CARS ONE FOR PAVEMENT ONE FOR DIRT! WHY? I KNOW ITS THE SAME IN SPRINTS AND MIDGETS!!!!! STUPID NO LEADERSHIP THERE! NO INDY DRIVERS ANYMORE IT WAS A BIG DEAL IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS THE HOOSIER 100 WAS SOLD OUT! IF YOU WENT TO THE INFIELD YOU WHERE LUCKY TO SEE THE CARS! SORRY TO SAY ITS OVER NOW!:checkered:

:checkered HOW BOUT JIMMY HORTON WINNING IN MATAKA BROS 3N1 CAR THERE!:checkered:

I love the SC cars at Terre Haute. I think the track has to be a big half, Perris was a little smallish. I wish someone would buy a belly-up horse track and make another dirt mile either east or farther out in the midwest. The SC could race there. I've seen late models and flat track motorcycles race on Springfield, and they were good shows. The WoO was a terrible follow the leader race on the mile. There are several 5/8 tracks out east. Bridgeport, West Virginia Motor Speedway, and I think Rolling Wheels. Don't know if the interest is there though.

Lebanon Valley in NY is a super fast big 1/2 track and the outlaws come once a year and bring a very good crowd (often the 50/50 pays $4,000-$5,000 to the fans!!) A SC show would draw a crowd and the USAC guys would love how smooth and fast the place is. Im sure they would combo it with a small block mod show for good measure

etpro43 and SpfldMile are on the right track - with their tracks. WVMS was always a neat experience, but its been a long time since we went down there. I love the idea of USAC triple headers (especially at knoxville) and hope that it would play well.

The long tracks in the east have a lot of variety in their home classes and the SC might combo well with the local top class. Pittsburgh has PMS which hosts big late model races. I always thought it was bigger and wider than Eldora. Pair the SC with the sprinters at the Grove, Port, Hagerstown or Sellinsgrove would be cool. The SC on a 100 lapper might appeal more to the DIRT-type mod fans with their Big Blocks or 358s - and those cars are a lot more like a heavy NW spinter than an e-mod! Bridgeport, Penn National (RIP), Lebanon Valley, Canandaigua, Fonda, etc. And what about the Syracuse mile?

Now as for pavement - Oswego and the super mods are pretty cool - make the SC cars look awfully slow. I also heard the new bos at New Hampshire thought a Copper Classic type event would be a fun idea.

PS - been to belleville - I know it isn't East, but it's big and it is dirt!

Jerry Fried opened the big track at Nazareth in 1965. It was 1 1/8 mile dirt. It closed around 1973 or so. Lindy Vicari took over in '82 and redesigned the track into a one mile dirt. He sold it to Roger Penske in the late 80's who paved it. Penske, in turn, sold it to ISC. The track as it last raced was the exact size it was in '82. And ISC measured it at a tick under a mile.

I see. So, was it that odd triangular shape when it was dirt (after the redesign) too? Also, do you remember why they ran that race in December? Was it a reschedule after a rainout or something?