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Topic: The granddaddy of them all!
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June 26, 2019 at
02:55:27 PM
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I read something that refered to the Knoxville Nationals as 'the granddaddy of them all'. I understand the reference. Granddaddy of them all should be the one that started it all and everything else came after. So, the Knoxville Nationals is the granddaddy of them all as far as the big sprint car races go. Or is it? Are there other big sprint car races that trace their roots back further? How far back do some of the other big sprint car races go?
(Somewhere there's a big race that's the 'weird uncle of them all', I suppose.)
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June 26, 2019 at
03:32:49 PM
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This message was edited on
June 26, 2019 at
03:33:41 PM by StanM
Reply to:
Posted By: Murphy on June 26 2019 at 02:55:27 PM
I read something that refered to the Knoxville Nationals as 'the granddaddy of them all'. I understand the reference. Granddaddy of them all should be the one that started it all and everything else came after. So, the Knoxville Nationals is the granddaddy of them all as far as the big sprint car races go. Or is it? Are there other big sprint car races that trace their roots back further? How far back do some of the other big sprint car races go?
(Somewhere there's a big race that's the 'weird uncle of them all', I suppose.)
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That depends on the definition of big race. Our State Fair used to run ten days straight with a variety of sanctions in front of full grandstands. When I was a kid in the 60's the place used to be packed every day and I don't doubt that the total crowd count at the end of the Fair easily exceeded the Nationals. On the other hand, we didn't sit through 100+ cars, each day was a separate show with IMCA Sprints and Midgets, USAC Sprints and Midgets and IMCA Stock Cars all sharing the bill during the ten days. That's just one example of ten consecutive days of racing at the same track that would have exceeded the Nationals crowd. Times that by damn near every Fair in the country back then and I think it's safe to say that racing at all the Fairs was a big deal that preceeded the Nationals. The Nationals goes back to the 60's but I can't speak as to how many days it was in the early years and what the car counts were like.
Events like the Nationals with a huge number of cars aren't everybody's cup of tea. I've been to two and they're a lot of fun but it's kind of an "all your eggs in one basket" for a lot of people as far as vacation and entertainment budget goes.
Stan Meissner
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June 27, 2019 at
03:47:52 AM
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Knoxville is everyone's daddy.
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June 27, 2019 at
06:30:32 AM
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Watching sparks come off rear bumpers at eldora. If you've never witnessed that, it was before TS took the banking out of the big E. The racing at eldora is much better than what it was. But, watching those guys send sparks flying as they entered the corners was amazing.
You got upside down at eldora back then it was total disaster. It's only slightly better today.
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June 27, 2019 at
09:22:18 AM
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I love my Grand Daddy every August.
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June 27, 2019 at
09:49:58 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: alum.427 on June 27 2019 at 06:30:32 AM
Watching sparks come off rear bumpers at eldora. If you've never witnessed that, it was before TS took the banking out of the big E. The racing at eldora is much better than what it was. But, watching those guys send sparks flying as they entered the corners was amazing.
You got upside down at eldora back then it was total disaster. It's only slightly better today.
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Just read the interview with Dave Darland in the latest issue of Sprint Car & Midget and he said Eldora used to be his favorite track but he doesn't like it as much anymore. I totally agree. It's still a great track but since he took the banking out for that stupid truck race, it hasn't been as good. I miss the old Eldora.
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June 27, 2019 at
10:15:10 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Murphy on June 26 2019 at 02:55:27 PM
I read something that refered to the Knoxville Nationals as 'the granddaddy of them all'. I understand the reference. Granddaddy of them all should be the one that started it all and everything else came after. So, the Knoxville Nationals is the granddaddy of them all as far as the big sprint car races go. Or is it? Are there other big sprint car races that trace their roots back further? How far back do some of the other big sprint car races go?
(Somewhere there's a big race that's the 'weird uncle of them all', I suppose.)
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I'm surprised that Chucky hasn't called his race in August "The granddaddy of them all"!!
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June 27, 2019 at
11:27:02 AM
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The Kings Royal is literally the drunken uncle that showed up to Thanksgiving in 1984 and has only gotten drunker since.
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June 27, 2019 at
11:32:49 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: saphead on June 27 2019 at 11:27:02 AM
The Kings Royal is literally the drunken uncle that showed up to Thanksgiving in 1984 and has only gotten drunker since.
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Hey, we are NOT related, sheesh.....
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June 27, 2019 at
12:53:58 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: RHC on June 27 2019 at 10:15:10 AM
I'm surprised that Chucky hasn't called his race in August "The granddaddy of them all"!!
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See weird uncle note in original post. 
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June 27, 2019 at
03:19:01 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: fiXXXer on June 27 2019 at 09:49:58 AM
Just read the interview with Dave Darland in the latest issue of Sprint Car & Midget and he said Eldora used to be his favorite track but he doesn't like it as much anymore. I totally agree. It's still a great track but since he took the banking out for that stupid truck race, it hasn't been as good. I miss the old Eldora.
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I've heard that from lots of people. Only been to Eldora once (4 Crown), but it wasn't crazy fast like its former reputation, seemed like a pretty standard 1/2 mile track
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June 27, 2019 at
03:45:34 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: MSPN on June 27 2019 at 11:32:49 AM
Hey, we are NOT related, sheesh.....
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If memory serves me wasn't there some "blue stuff" involved? Something along those lines used to come up fairly often back in the early days of HH's.
Stan Meissner
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June 27, 2019 at
03:54:06 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Murphy on June 26 2019 at 02:55:27 PM
I read something that refered to the Knoxville Nationals as 'the granddaddy of them all'. I understand the reference. Granddaddy of them all should be the one that started it all and everything else came after. So, the Knoxville Nationals is the granddaddy of them all as far as the big sprint car races go. Or is it? Are there other big sprint car races that trace their roots back further? How far back do some of the other big sprint car races go?
(Somewhere there's a big race that's the 'weird uncle of them all', I suppose.)
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It's always been classified as the grand daddy of them all. I believe mainly due to the original car counts, and the large purse that it carried. In it's fruition, it did rival all the races around it in the United States. Is it still the grand daddy of them all? Well, I believe that's all perspective of what makes you classify a race great...
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June 27, 2019 at
03:55:22 PM
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I have been to most of the famous sprint car tracks in the country. The Knoxville Nationals is the granddaddy. You finally realize that when you're picking your favorite driver to win the "G" main. Over 100 of the best drivers vying for 24 spots.
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June 27, 2019 at
06:53:11 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: StanM on June 27 2019 at 03:45:34 PM
If memory serves me wasn't there some "blue stuff" involved? Something along those lines used to come up fairly often back in the early days of HH's.
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The infamous Blue Maui a Schnapps served best with Mt. Dew, Lord that was nice tastin'. It was the only thing you could drink and still take focused Photos. I remember a night when superstar shooter Max Dolder and Kim and I had 4 Bottles during an evening of shooting and selling at Knoxville and still managed to talk, walk and act normal. Not sure why we went to Dingus after and yes it was a long walk home that night. I haven't drank 4 bottles of Maui since I left the US more than a dozen years ago.....
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