Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Just want everyone to rember the small dirt tracks that are still around that still race the beginning classes. I for one am going to watch races at my local track and i always dream about the days long gone along with the tough old guys that raced for fun. Just think they had no power steering and they built their own cars as there was no where to buy racing parts. They ran old used street tires and got parts from the junk yard or the back pasture. Thay hand painted the numbers on and they fought in the pits but they were still working people. Lots of fair races, and they had huge crowds. Dam i wish i could go back in time when i wanted. JUST DREAMING

LETS RACE BOYS

I remember when IMCA was big into sprint cars - the cars doing the State Fair Circuit - each fair (Ia. Minn. Neb.) would have a day show and a night show and the grand stands would be packed.

Now at the Ia. State Fair - the Tractor Pulls have more people the the 2 taxi cab shows put together.

I think the promoter (for the Friday night regular taxi show) in Des Moines is still paying the same purses, and he can't understand why he can't get more the 16 360's to a show.

painted numbers have are now evolved to complete vinyl wraps , a sponsor now sponsors (one night possibly) and a totally different looking car, Engines built in the shop are a fossil now days, if the valve covers dont say ,Wesmar,Gearte,Kisler, Don Ott,Shaver what have you , dont even bother show up,

my favorite is the safty of the drivers I think in the day the drivers were just excited to put thier equipment to the test against other competitors , they didnt care! they wanted to see what thier piece could do! now days, we have three layer Kevlar suits, numerous neck restraint systems, Tearoffs (what the hell is a tear off), carbon fiber, bla bla bla jumbo mumbo, Alot of pieces now days a driver will not even take his car (out) not off of the trailer, if it isnt on the car (thats another thing Haulers) ! man, thier huge! but I love it,

I have a few old timers walk buy the car from time to time , while striking up conversation with the oldies, I explain Titanium , and its cost , thier thinking , Titanium? "isnt that what superman was scared of" ? yet, some chassis changes were still useing today and the old timers get a kick out of it ! Its funney how crude the old cars were , and how it has evolved to todays modern machine, I have alot of respect for the drivers in that era, I think if you talk a little with the old drivers that are still around , youll find most have alot of respect for the technology of today, we all have something in comon (yesterday to today) were kids, just trying to go faster , I think its pretty cool

I just left a room full of people who came to remember the old days. We had 9 cars that didn't even run, yet everybody paid $10 just to look at pictures and exchange stories. 20 running cars, a little red clay and we could probably quadruple that number. What many think is the past and gone may actually be part of the future. Mark my words, People have been known to pay to have the time of their lives, I just saw it today. Cars are coming out of the woods, barns and fields.

Lloyd Ruby made about $1,000 a week in the late '40s driving midgets from Texas to Kansas. That's over $10,000 a week in todays numbers. He probably got 40% of the winnings. Jim Rathman did the same in Chicago running track roadsters at Soldier Field. They represented the little guy who had a family instead. Have and have not. Yet the have nots are reluctant to pay on a mass volume basis just to be reminded so blatantly of what they cannot attain when money is more important than time and life investment. Our problem today.

Many went one week, watched and had a blast. Returned the next week with thier own version. Wichita Falls went from drivers being on a waiting list just to compete, to hoping 20 cars would show up and then to closure due to lack of profits. Going faster IS NOT always the same thing as moving forward in the large scheme of things.

Wings save lives, wraps keep you from having to deal with a deadbeat painter who will wait 6 months to do a 2 hour job. Us old schoolers complain about these things because we are still trying to put into words what we think is missing from the sport.

Today was empty of arrogance and filled with people pulling for the same goal. the feeling was just as sweet as the Chili Bowl.

Maybe you missed my Pro-race dream rambelings? I guess your boat must have been full of the grumpy old whanna bee's and not the has beens? I guess, I find there is a differance, when your on top in your era, your proubly king, if you never amouted to much and enjoyed the time you were competing, then so be it ?and thats OK , I looked at this post with the idea it was about dreams, my dreams are for the future , does that make me less of a fan? my respect is with the past ,my heart is with the future , you go ahead and show up today with your fuelie 283 with the hand painted digits , lets see who's having fun ? if you do? , congratulations ! , otherwise , dont bash my realistic progress for the future , like I said I get a kick out of the old timers, my father was one ! ,and , he gets a kick out of todays car , (now , I can agree your post on comparison to a National team) Although , if you look close enuff most haulers have a color TV! ask your dusties if Black and White was better? , if you look close enuff , youll proubly find a link to family history in todays drivers and cars, you are typing on a keyboard arnt you? JMO

Attention deficit disorder? Might better get that checked out. "Naw, they were in a pretty positive and good mood".

They were young and cocky once just like the rest of us, and they're saving a seat in the boat for you. Until then, you can kiss my old grumpy ass.

The Minnesota Fair never had lights and ran all daytime racing. I lived three blocks from the Fairgrounds from 1956 through 1964. '64 was the first year they ran on pavement. The vendors on Machinery Hill used to complain about the dust clouds. The Minnesota Fair track was always a dusty one as the Fair was 10 days from late August through Labor Day weekend.

Photography was my dad's hobby, he used to do his own black and white processing in a home dark room. One of his subjects was racing but it was all still photos, he never went down in the infield like I do. Here's a shot he took in the mid 50's of Machinery Hill from the grandstand during a race.

Here's a photo of a Supermodified my mom's cousin owned and my uncle used to help out with. The car was ready to be pushed off on the front stretch at the old Twin City Speedway (later North Starr and closed at the end of 1979).

If you like old Supermodified photos I've got quite a few in the Hisotry section of my gotomn.com (link below) website. Another site you'll want to check out is called "Russ' Racing Relics" based out of Thunder Bay Ontario. Russ has a large collection of old race cars and memorabilia stored on his property.

Stan Meissner

ADD? I think if I had it I might have trouble with reading this post? I support the struggles with children some with syndroms and try to incorporate goals and education through my race program, in every aspect there is a future in racing, from marketing,fabrication,PR,driving what have you maybe you can visit a school with the oldies and tell the youth what they will never have? Im sure it'll go over well , take your boat to the center of the Pacific and sink it!, maybe , brian, you should get your diaper checked , bend over, pull your depends down and wait for me to kiss your ass!

WOW all i did was post my dreams of days gone by and now we have a problem. Lets just enjoy the past ,present and future as we all have deferent ideas and thoughts and even dream.

LETS RACE BOYS