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

The debate is not a new one.....who takes command of a huge non-wing 410 sprint car event similar to the Mopar Million that was run at Eldora?  A current driver or drivers from the winged divisions or a current driver or drivers from the non-wing divisions? No need to state your age, but please include the year in which you first went to any type of sprint car race and the general area in which you live. Thanks! 

Clearly a winged guy. Kyle Larson absolutely dominated at Oskaloosa, Eldora etc... despite very little non-winged experience. Rico and Bell dominate USAC midgets.

Haud and Stevie Smith swept 1-2 at Eldora, I don't think Stevie had really ever driven a non-winged car.

Clauson, probably the best non-winged driver over the past 5 years and winner of 3 Belleville midget nationals has basically struggled to adjust to a winged car and is only now starting to be a consistant driver.

I think you'd have to go with a true outlaw. Not a guy that sticks with only wings or only non-wing. Someone like a Brady Bacon, Bryan Clauson, Christopher Bell, or a Rico Abreu would be my pick to win such an event. If this race were to happen this year, I'd put a lot of stock in Robert Ballou taking the win with him having 10 USAC victories so far this year and being the current USAC point leader. The guy knows how to get the most out of any car he's in.

I started going to sprint car races weekly at Knoxville in 1997 at the age of six. I attend races in Iowa and Missouri, with most of them being winged, but I enjoy watching the non-wing WAR series race in Missouri and I've gone out to Indiana a few times to watch non-wing sprints and midgets.

Ask Frank

What dsc1600 said. But I'll add it depends on the track. A big fast 1/2 mile favors the wing guys. Been watching tis stuff in the Midwest for nearly 50 years

I don't think too many currenty drivers who only race winged could beat any of the top wingless drivers, Clauson, Ballou, Darland, Garner, Stanbro, Abreau, Bell, with out some practice.  At big track like Knoxville, I would think it would be easier for a winged racer to do well, as the car wouldn't have to be sideways as much (from a fans perspective). 

I haven't seen too many wingless races, mostly from the world wide web, but my main track is Knoxville and have been attending there since the 80s. I do wish there would be more co sanctioned races with winged and wingless racing especially at the sprint car capital of the world. It's a shame there isn't a wingless race there. Taxi cabs do not count. 

Keep It Real

Larson a Winged driver?  He spent all 12-13 running Non Wing in Indiana, Yeah it was his first time at Eldora in the four crown.  And Osky, He flat out drove em and found the moisture.

As for Knoxville and Eldora,  IMHO to different catagories compared to the bullrings.  You gotta be super smooth at both or you'll drop possitions like HIllary does voters.

I gotta agree with the multi racers like Clauson, Rico, Bell, Bacon though.  Even though some of the other non wingers have many winged races under their belts.

I'd love to see it done at Terre Haute,   I don't think half the outlaws would or could haul it in the corner on the throttle non winged.  Like I said, eldora is just a matter of when you lift but it drives the same both with and without.  Most tracks aren't like that

Been going to, Crewing and watching Sprints since 1970

Ballou

A driver that is still alive when the racing program is completed!  Sad, but true.

Ballou would beat any wing guy at Knoxville. Haudenschild and Smith was 13 years ago. Times have changed. And there have been more wing guys killed in the last ten years than non-wing. Try asking the wing guys some time if they think they could do it lol. Honestly, with some test and tune time, a few might be competitive. I would love to see this event and dream of it every year. I've been attending sprint car races since 1979, first at Knoxville and now mostly USAC stuff. 

If this mythical race is actually worth their while, a winged team will roll in at the last minute like they always do. Car comes rolling down the ramp door, wing still attached, crew guys flailing away. They will throw on some hail mary set-up, and promptly run off with the cash just like they always do.

Just like, Frankie Kerr, Jac, Travis Rilat, Sammy, Kevin Huntley, Rob Chaney did before them and on and on and on. Then the non-wang zealotry can march out their laminated list of excuses like the track wasn't exactly right, or the race wasn't in Indiana, the race was in Indiana but not at Kokomo, the race was at Kokomo but the Outlaws race there once a year so it's like a home game for them,  or the traditional sprint zodiac star constellations were not in perfect alignment.

Just take it easy I'm joking*,.... I've been attending a 50% wing/un-winged mixture of races since 1979.  And I love both equally, like my children. 

*Not really

^like

Donny Schatz would still probably win.

This thread reminds back when the Chrome Racing Assiciation came to the Midwest to race. They offered a $10K bonus to anyone who could beat one of their regulars. It was at Eldora and I can remember Ron Shuman standing on the front stretch saying if the WoO had ran more non wing he would have won more than Steve.

Steve was at Eldora that day and lapped Shuman and ran down and passed Bubby Jones for the win and collected the bonus. It was Steve's first non wing race in years. 

I doubt the outcome would be much different today. 

Regardless if you hate the idea of the Badlands Motor Speedway or love it (and I don't want to start that kind of discussion in this thread because it's been talked about in other threads), it will be interesting to see if any wing guys take them off to run the non-wing portion of their Rock n Roll Gold Cup race. The non-wing payout is the same as the wing payout ($50,000 to win) and you get an extra $25,000 for winning both the wing and non-wing races. The Rock n Roll Gold Cup might be the closest thing we'll see to the kind of race we're discussing, so that will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Ask Frank