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

About 1991.  I was thinking about that one myself.  He had er haulin on the wall that night.

Luna's Ford engine style that won 2 WoO titles and 3 
Kings Royals before a weight rule against the best EVER
in their prime and now DOMINATES super dirt late model
racing is no longer allowed/wanted in a WoO sprint
car.... Was Luna a miracle worker?

Dave Peperak beating the best of USAC in 1981 at Eldora, covered nationally on ABC's  Wide World of Sports.  Terry Pletch winning the Hulman classic in 1999 on ESPN, from the semi and last row of the feature.  For each driver, it was their only career USAC victory.

( I think)

Most surprising thing about that night was (as you said) "everybody was cheering for Ed." HaHa. He normally got tons of cheers and tons of boos, but that comes with winning all the time.  I was there as well and everybody was an Apollo Rocket fan that evening. 

Bill Brian Jr beating the Outlaws at Lincoln in 1993.

Billy Pauch beating the Outlaws at Syracuse in 94. 

Hard to call anything today a huge upset given how much more equal the cars are. 

Mark Dobmeier at Wilmot Speedway vs the WoO in 2006:

Mark Dobmeier had never seen Wilmot Speedway until Saturday afternoon. He also never had sat in the Race Outfitters Eagle that he would be driving until Saturday afternoon. Last but certainly least he had never won a World of Outlaws Sprint Series event until Saturday evening.

Dobmeier, who did not know until Thursday that he would be driving the car, edged Jeremy Campbell and Daryn Pittman by mere inches in a thrilling last lap battle to earn a trip to RacinSoles Victory Lane.

The trio raced side-by-side down the back straight-a-way trading the leader several times on the white flag lap. The lap began with Pittman in the lead, until Campbell inched to the front in turn three, then Pittman charged back to retake the lead in turn four, and finally Dobmeier squeezed by both of them right under the checkered flag, with Campbell coming home second and a spinning Pittman crossing the finish line backwards to take the third spot.

Dobmeier who scored his second top-five finish of the year with the series, lined up on the outside of the front row for the 35-lap event, as he filled in for Brooke Tatnell who is in his native Australia with his father George, who is battling cancer.

"I can't even put it in perspective yet," said a smiling Dobmeier, surrounded by family and friends. "It doesn't seem like it is real yet. It's incredible. I think it will take about a month for this to sink in."

Campbell aboard the Americas Best Value Inn Maxim led the first 10 laps of the race, after winning his second dash of the season to earn the pole position. The native of Monroe, Mich., matched his best career World of Outlaws finish. While he was disappointed he did not pick up his first victory, the hard charging freshman driver was very pleased that he ran at the front of the field all night long.

"I tried," said Campbell. "I was so close. It was three wide going to the (finish) line. I'm amazed. I can't think right now. This was awesome."

Pittman in the Titan Garages & Carports Maxim led a race high 23 laps after starting fourth and quickly made his way into the Top-three. He took the lead on lap 11 as he dove around Campbell, and opened up a healthy advantage until getting slowed by a couple caution periods.

"I've won some races for these guys, and tonight I lost one," said a philosophical Pittman. "We probably had one of the best cars and led almost every lap."

Craig Dollansky in the Karavan Trailers Maxim ran in the top-five the entire night. Though he too was disappointed not to win, the native of Elk River Minn., was proud to be part of a great show for the fans that braved a chilly Wisconsin evening to see the event that was postponed by rain on September 23.

"We weren't real good, but we were definitely right there in the hunt," said Dollanksy. "It would have been nice to have seen some of those yellows go away and go more laps in lapped traffic. That was out best shot to win the race. It seemed like every time we got to that point the yellow would come out."

Justin Henderson in the Jolt Energy Gum Schnee started on the inside of the second row in the A-Feature and quickly powered his way into the runner-up spot on the first lap. He would hold that position until lap eight, and would eventually settle for a solid fifth place finish, while battling an ill handling car.

"We had a decent run all night," said Henderson. "The car was not quite right. We kind of hung in there for fifth place. We went backwards most of the night, and we ended up with a top-five. You can't complain about a top-five, at least we can't. We haven't had a lot of them this year. Hopefully we've gained a little momentum going into these last four races when you talk about the point battle."

The rest of the Top-10 was current championship point leader Donny Schatz in the Parker Store J&J in sixth. Randy Hannagan was seventh in the Penthouse Racing Maxim. Jac Haudenschild in the Wright One Construction Maxim came home eighth. Mike Kertscher in the Captain Jim's Yacht Sales Eagle was ninth. Joey Saldana rounded out the Top-10 in the Mopar-powered Dodge/Curb Records JEI, after sustaining a flat tire early in the race that sent him to the rear of the field after visiting the work area.

Dobmeier slipped back to fourth on the second lap, and stayed there until the 10th circuit when he slid around Henderson to snare the third position. From there he set his sights on Campbell and patiently watched his every move and on the 15th lap, Dobmeier got around him in traffic.

After a lap 25 restart, Dobmeier was able to get a run on Pittman in turns one and two to take the lead and held the top spot for that circuit. It was the first time in his career he led a lap in a World of Outlaws feature event. After battling back into the lead on the following lap, Pittman began to pull away from Dobmeier and the rest of the field.

With two laps to go, the native of Owasso, Oklahoma, got bottled up in heavy lapped traffic and that allowed Dobmeier and Campbell to close in on his back bumper.

"I came off the back straight-a-way and I thought I had the lead," said the winner. "Then I saw (Jeremy) Campbell inside of me and he led going into the last corner. I knew my only chance was to go up top. I was looking forward and that is where I was going.

I held it wide open and let it rip around the top, and it was by inches at the finish line."

https://www.motorsport.com/woo/news/wilmot-race-report-2006-10-14/

Charlie Fisher beating Gary Wright at KC in the Freedom 40. Gary past Charlie after 25ish laps and with 5ish to go Charlie pasted him back. Charlie won that race with a homebuilt car and engine.

Probably NOT one of the greatest upsets, but it is one that stands out in my mind.  Sammy was visiting Hepfners shop in Wisconsin for some parts, and the IRA was running Wilmot that night.  Todd Hepfner was not running his car and I guess the suggestion came up to see if Sammy was interested. They loaded up and arrived to the track between 5 and 6.  Sammy, never in the car until he strapped in, proceeded to turn  the quick lap.  He went on to win his heat and continued on to win the A, going away.  Again, not an upset, but a pretty good story, and I am not a Sammy fan. 

Yes Brian did everything right that night.  That was big!  Very good post!

Luna's Ford engine style that won 2 WoO titles and 3 
Kings Royals before a weight rule against the best EVER
in their prime and now DOMINATES super dirt late model
racing is no longer allowed/wanted in a WoO sprint
car.... Was Luna a miracle worker?

I wondered if you may not bring this one up.  I agree not an upset, but a cool set of circumstances to get to victory lane. 

LOL  That's it.  I am from IRA country so when Balog doesn't win, maybe those are upsets.  There hasn't been an awful lot of those. The rest of the races that were upsets that I may not remember, were as you suggested, beverage impaired.  Doesn't matter as long as you remember having a great time.....

Hillbilly Gaines beating Opp off turn 4 to the flag to win the 1974 Nationals. Jan lead the whole way till turn 4.

Allen over Sammy at Knox

Brain over WoO at Lincoln

Rahmer from 24th was UNREAL. As it was unfolding it wasn't a question of would he catch them, it was did he have the time!

Kramer Williamson over Weikert 29 with Bobby Davis as the dominant car in the east. Not an upset for HoF'r KW, but was the Armstrong 92a with help from Pappy and Mike Lloyd at the end of their run. I believe the 92a was running a 350 steel block? Bone dry conditions and a driver who knew how to keep a car under his a$$.

Perhaps the best of all time - Joey Allen in a true $hitbox A1 at the WG National Open blowing by one of the greatest teams of all-time; Wolfgang in the Weikert 29. Rumor had it the A1 was cobbled together from the junk pile at the Allen shop. Primer black or brown, with an equally primer colored A1 sprayed on the wing. If I recall it was fast the week before (broke) and the night before (broke). Wolfgang said something to the effect he wasn't sure what had passed him, possibly even a lapped car.

Dave Wickham winning the Labor Day Classic at Port Royal in 1984.

Sammy went into turn 1 too hot and missed the bottom.  The Dude drove under him.  

The fuel bladder issue was just a typical Sammy excuse for getting beat.

How about Jac -the wild child- winning the Mopar Million in 2003 I believe at Eldora. And add Stevie Smith finishing second that night too. This was a non wing race and these two were wing guys that came in stole it  from all the USAC and west coast non-wing guys. Plus it paid 200 grand to win I believe, seems to me thats an UPSET.

Ding Ding Ding....we have a winner! The entire time from when it was announced and leading up to the Mopar Million the USAC and wingless "experts" were tossing names around. At least a dozen names popped up over those months.....and not one mention of Jac Haudenschild, let alone Stevie Smith, Jr. I was fit to be tied with every article or mention of the MM! Even though the "experts " couldn't hear me.....I was hollering "You Idiots!" Haudenschild races 100 times a year and drove wingless long before he drove winged. I had Haude winning that one from day one.....and then Stevie....FIRST TIME EVER without a wing and he runs second...and was all over Haude at the end.  I loved it!!! It wasn't an upset to me, but plenty of tha "experts" sure had a dish of crow to chew and swallow.

One that really sticks out in my mind, was when Dave Hahn won his first and only feature at Port Royal. He held off Lance Dewease and Todd Shaffer to do so. For those who never heard of him, he's a guy like Robert Bell who ran on a shoe string budget but always gave it his all. He retired a couple of years ago but for about 20 years, the yellow #2H was a fixture in the pits at Port. I'll never forget that night.

You know I may be reconsidering.  Dave Blaney's All Star win at Butler Michigan a couple years ago with a RY Ford would be hard to top.  Not a single item on that engine is deemed worthy to even consider trying to run very part time by TSR.  Does anyone know if a driver has ever won a race with no engine in the car at all?  If not, Dave on a big half mile with a mean cushion that night with that terrible little Ford may be the winner!

Luna's Ford engine style that won 2 WoO titles and 3 
Kings Royals before a weight rule against the best EVER
in their prime and now DOMINATES super dirt late model
racing is no longer allowed/wanted in a WoO sprint
car.... Was Luna a miracle worker?

Nick Rescino the 1st Supermodified to win a WOO race @ West Capital Raceway 1979

That place was rocking that night, Ed in victory lane said the lernerville speedway fans "can hold their heads up and be proud tonight". That victory was a big monkey off his back. He almost pulled a repeat a few years later (05 or 06), led the first 33 laps but a late caution closed a big lead he had and Schatz got by him off 2 and Ed had no tires left to challenge.