Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
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Let's have some fun.  What are the 3 greatest races you have ever witnessed in person?  Any type of racing.  Can be your favorite for any reason--great racing throughout the event, popularity of the victory, favorite driver, etc.

1.  For me Knoxville Nationals 2010 tops the list--no need to explain-not just for the last 25 laps but also the buildup to the race

2.  IROC race at Michigan international speedway--1999 or 2000?   Sr. vs.  Jr. down to the last lap-smoke rolling off of the tires to the checkered flag.  They were bumping and swapping the lead for the last 5 laps.

3.  Brian Birkofer at the Yankee Dirt Track Classic in Farley Iowa years back.  He started on the pole and had problems on lap 1.  Started smoking so bad I thought he blew up.  He went into the pits numerous times under yellow after one lap.  Came back out and started 23rd or 24th.  Took him about 60 laps to take the lead and run away from everyone else-against a very good field of cars mind you.  Was a very popular win with the fans too. 

Not doubting you were there--but I think you meant Atlanta.       

... Tyler Walker winning the Sharon Nationals starting 20 something .... A Silver Cup won by Steve battling Sammy till Sammy's engine came apart (late 80's) ... Wolfie's alphabet run @ Knoxville Nationals

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Sorry about that.  Didn't recall that one as well as the Atlanta race in which they did battle back and forth for the last half of the race even though fuel mileage was indeed the deciding factor. 

Steve Kinser winning  the sprint and silver crown features at Eldora Four Crown Nationals driving for Johnny Vance.  Started at the tail of each feature, after missing qualifying.  

Birky's adventure was the 2001 Yankee Dirt Track Classic,  one week after he won his first World 100.    He had problems and took the car outside the track to have his crew look at it.   We (I was working in turn 3 that year) sent an official out on a 4 wheeler to check on his status (for the announcer) while we were trying to get the lineup right.  (it can take some time and effort after only 1 or 2 laps of green with the Delaware re-starts)   The official reported back on the radio that he was done for the night with a broken axle.     OK....lineup is good and we are going green and I turn my back to the backstretch and watch the cars go through three and four to take the green when suddenly I hear an engine ROAR through the back gate and down the backstretch (scared the crap outta me....I was still on the track)   He restarted over a half lap behind the leader but caught another caution quickly. 

Somehow his crew guy was able to fish the broken axle out and get a new one in there without removing the RR tire.    He accomplished this in 2-3 pace laps on the half mile.  

and some other guy named Gordon's first Cup race of his career.  

1990 Knoxville National's.   Scruffy holds off a smoking Slammy.  

Probably 1990 National Open when they sent the King to the rear for having too many crew guys over the fence and he came back to win it.

Also the 1989 50th anniversary race where Kinser blew by everyone in the last few laps to win it. I was a little kid back then so it seemed even cooler to me.

  1984 on our way to the Nationals with Sammy and we stopped at I-70 to put a night on his engine that my dad had rebuolt.  Long story short he went to the back three times and passed Wolfgang with a lap or two to go to win it!!

  1998 when Lasoski won his first Nationals.  My dad built Sammys engine when he won the Nationals in '83 but I wasnt there to see this one.

  2013 Shane Stewart winning the 360 Nationals two months after my dad passed away with one of our engines.

  I have quite a few more but those three stick out in my mind the most.

2011 WoO race River  Cities speedway, Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz Swapped the lead an unbeivable amount of times? Their web sight still lists it as a world record lead changes. Steve did finally win the race!!

Hands down #1 in my book is the WoO Dash at the 1998 US Dirt Nationals at I-55 Speedway. I saw Sammy go from last to 2nd to last to 4th in one lap. Toney Elliott had an incredible run that night with the USAC portion by winning every race from the tail.

#2 - 1994 Chili Bowl - Keeping up with the Jonses!

#3 - 2013 Knoxville Nationals - Schatz's epic run.

Honerable mention - 2003 Chili Bowl - Kruseman runs out of fuel while leading.....Privateer Dan Boorse pounds the cushion lap after lap, throwing clods the size of loaves of bread against the T4 fence to pass both House Mopar cars and wins it on the last corner of the last lap! 

Member of this message board since 1997

Rico winning Chill Bowl ,Schatz 2013 Nationals,Wolfgang running alphabet before motor expired,Steve Kinser winning from deep many times  with Karl,Randy Anderson passing Lasoski and Mcarl on last lap to win weekly feature at Knoxville,many features where the pole sitter doesnt run away in clean air.Most all first time winners no matter where they start.

Hands down the 2005 ASCS  speed week finale at I-30 speedway. Gary wright, Tim Crawley, and roger Crockett started 13, 14, 15 and were 3 wide to the front... To the checkers with Crawley slipping off the track and rocketing to the win with all 3 podium cars under a blanket at the stripe. 

There is no replacement for cubic displacement 

2010 Knoxville Nationals

1977 Wayne County Speedway USAC Sprints. Duke Cook and Tom Bigelow battle it out for 50 laps side by side. Duke noses by Tom at the line to get the win.

1979 or 1980...can't remember the year exactly....East Bay Winternationals, World of Outlaws. Sammy in the 91 Fed Ex car and Doug in the purple Speedway Motors 4x race side by side the entire feature.  

That's pretty cool.

Enjoying reading everyones responses.

Thanks for the details!  I was a little fuzzy on what went on behind the wall--couple too many beers maybe?  (I was camping on site)   I do remember hearing "broken axle" and "out of the race" and now that you mention it, I do remember him coming on the track a 1/2 lap behind everyone.  I already had a great memory of that race, but you brought out some extra memories that I had tucked in my brain under the barley and hops! 

2011 Chili Bowl Sammy and Kevin's photo finish

2010 Knoxville Nationals with Schatz and Sammy. Also, Davey Heskin finishing 8th!

-Austin Rankin

Didn't Heskin battle Sammy on the qualifying night also?  I thought they exchanged the lead back and forth during the qualifying night A-main.  ????   Can't remember which one of them won that night though.  ??  That Nationals was awesome thru and thru. 

The race to the parking lot as the modifieds hit the track at any track in Indiana.