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

I have two Pa Posse history questions. 

The first one is what car or cars did Keith Kauffman drive in 1982 and 83? I know in August of 1983 is when he started driving for Al Hamilton and in 1982 he drove some USAC Silver Crown. But what sprint cars did he drive after getting released from the Weikert car.

The second question is who drive the Gary Beam #88 after Maynard Yingst?  I know Todd Shaffer started driving the car in 1994 and before that was Barry Camp.  I also know Larry Jackson and Scott Gesford drove the car in the early 90's. I am drawing a blank from say 1986 to 1990.

Thank you all in advance for any and all the help.

I believe the Beam 88 had Chuck Reinert in the car during some of those years.  He’s the only one that I remember that is missing from your list.

I also think that Kauffman drove for Gary Stanton in between Weikert and Hamilton.

When did Kaufman drive the Hardee’s 880? 

I am pretty sure Kauffman drove the 880 midway through 86 to 88.  I think Smokey was in the car and he quit that is when kauffman took over driving the 880. 

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

Keith Kaufman drove the Hampshire 63 and won alot of races in 82 and 83 if I remember.

Fact,,,Keith Kauffman drove for Bob Hampshire in the 63 and most likely drove Bobs Silver crown car as well in 1982 and or 1983.

Thanks everyone for all the answers so far.

Keith started driving the Hardee's 880 in the middle of 1986 after Hamilton stopped racing. He took over driving Morrall's car after Scott Tobias was released.  Then in 1987 Maynard Yingst drove the 880 till Keith took over again till Morrall quit in August 1988. 

In between the Hardee's 880 ride is when Keith drove the  Fred Cleck Marlboro 3C. What a deal that was.

Also unfortunately in his first ride after losing the 880 ride is when Scott Tobias had his wreck and suffered his bad head injury.

This is when Maynard quit driving sprint cars and became funny car racer Bruce Larsens crew chief. They won the NHRA funny car title in 1989.

Per my notes, Keith also drove the Frank Crash #46 between Weikert and Hamilton.  This along with the Hampshire #63, DePalma #58 (USAC) and Stanton #75 as mentioned above.

He drove the #880 after leaving the Hamilton car in 1986.  That was until 1988 as he returned to the Outlaws in 1989 in the Petitte #3 and Coors Extra Gold (Nott) #48.

I remember Reinert running the #88, but forgot the years.

Kauffman won the final night of a 3 day Outlaw show in San Jose Ca.

In the 48 paid 12k. September 1989

Ah the memories......good stuff here...a whole bunch of history on one page

 I think Smokey was in the car and he quit that is when kauffman took over driving the 880 - I think that's right

Still have the Al Hamilton #77 Absolute Auction flier hanging on the wall but no date - 1986, huh, I would have guessed another year

Fred Cleck Marlboro 3C - ??? - doesn't ring a bell - tell me more.

I've heard stories about the 3C. I want to see if someone else corroborates what I've heard from a few people.

Keith won 7 or 8 straight weeks at port in "87. They put a bounty on him... joey kuen ended up beating him as i believe a tire went down winning. Keith was my idol from when I was a 3rd grade kid till he retired, when I was in mid 30's!!!!!

I think the 3c story was that they were trying to get the Marlboro Sponsorship and painted the Car and Trailor as a way to show Marlboro what they would be getting.  I believe they decided to put their money into Indy Car instead and the sprint car team ended.  I could be wrong on this, but that's the story i heard.  Here are some of the pictures floating around that i saved.  

I had always heard he never had permission to put Marlboro on the car, and when they found out, they got pissed and legal action was threatened. 

But, seeing how your story is worded I could easily see how this story could get manipulated either way. It would all depend on who hears what, or what information was being spun by whom.

Thanks for posting the Fred Cleck/Marlboro photos.

I heard the team went to Florida and sold the cars in the parking lot.

Smokey did drive the 880 but that was before Scott Tobias. It was Scott then Keith.

If a person goes on youtube Johnny Strawser has many great videos posted as he taped races at Port Royal in the 1980's. 

Johnny has an interview with Scott Tobias the night of his wreck and Scott talks about not driving the 880. Scott was driving the Turnbaugh Enterprises #1 the night he was hurt which they then put Todd Shaffer in the car or hooked up with him in his car. But back to Scott's crash did he and Keith get together and people were ready to thump Keith? I know Keith and Paul Lotier got together when Paul was in the #461 and people were ready to thump Keith that night. 

I don't recall Keith & Scott bumping one another that night, but I do remember some Tobias fans being upset at Keith because he just took over driving the 880.  It appeared they were blaming Keith for Scott's accident just because Keith was the new driver of the 880 and not because he caused the accident.

I also remember the night Keith & Paul got together.  Years later I spoke to car owner Walt Dyer and we talked a little about everything including Dewease (his best driver) and Kauffman.  He spoke very highly of Keith.  This conversation was around 1995.