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

This weekend is a big weekend for the midwest sprint car scene as it's the 20th Jerry Richert Memorial.  410 IRA/knoxville sprints, 360 umss sprint, umss traditional sprints for saturday. This year they have added a second date as friday night will feature umss winged sprint cars, umss traditional sprint cars, micro sprints, and street stocks.  

Personally, this was my favorite race of the year before moving and it still is a race that if I have the opportunity I try to hit up.  With the limited races this year, what are the chances for this race having a large turnout of cars and fans?  Also, anyb ody have an idea of which drivers are planning to be in attendance?

No speculation on car counts but this has been my personal favorite since it's inception as well.  I made every Memorial from 2001 until last year when a Norway trip kept me away.  This year I will be watching from home as my wife and I agreed to avoid crowds and she is not on board with me attending any large events.  I will be contributing a bonus to the winner of the Traditional Feature as a tip of the hat to this event in my absence.  The UMSS Traditional Sprints were the logical choice because Jerry Richert made his name driving the non-wing Sprints of the 1960's.  I helped get the word out on the UMSS Traditional Sprints when I was writing and taking photos so I made a small contribution to their early success.

The first race I attended in 1960 was to watch an old Model A modified that Jerry Richert drove and my cousin and uncle did the maintenance on.  He drove that car on Sunday nights at Twin City Speedway in Blaine until his Sprint Car commitments took precedence.  My cousin went on to become a Sprint Car owner and though he had another driver Richert made a few starts in his cars culminating with their 1976 Cheaters Day win.  My cousin sold everything and got out of racing at the end of the 1976 season.

On a side note I moved from St. Paul to Forest Lake in 1997 which is the Richert family home town and have gotten to know most of the family.  I had the privlege of writing an article for Flat Out about the race and their continued involvement in racing.  Every kid has a sports hero growing up, my childhood friends picked the stick and ball heroes of the day, Fran Tarkenton and Harmon Killebrew were popular choices.  Mine was Jerry Richert and my favorite sport was racing. 

Stan Meissner

It’s a shame they won't let Brooke race in the traditional sprint race this year.

The 360 sprints are not UMSS sanctioned. I thought it was the Midwest Power Series but I don't see it on their schedule. Looks like rain overnight Friday into Saturday morning right now. Fingers crossed!

Referring to the traditionals that Brooke was banned from. 

I replied to the original post that says "UMSS 360". UMSS has not sanctioned 360 sprint cars for two years. 

why was brooke banned? hadn't heard that had happened

UMSS has not sactioned a 360 sprint car series in 2019 or 2020. The 360 portion of the event will be sanctioned by Midwest Power Series, the same as 2019. UMSS will still sanction the non-wing portion of the event. 

I for 1 am excited they are bringing Tony Bakhoven up to annouce the IRA feature. 

Check out the Top Shelf Racing Podcast

Per their rule book: "any driver that makes part of all of their living driving a sprint car or any other type of race car is not eligible to participate in any UMSS event."

Doesn't every driver from street stocks to NASCAR make a living or supplement their income through their racing?  True, some classes may only pay enough to cover some fuel for the drive home but it does supplement their income.  Anyways, I know the driver in question who lives nearby and most of the UMSS officials so I will sit this one out if it gets any traction.  Brooke, I would guess, will be driving the Nelson 14 and his Knoxville ride so two out of three classes ain't bad.  

The R word looks to be overnight into the early part of the day with only 20% later so hopefully the only effect will be a tacky track for hot laps and time trials.  I think that Karma will prevail and it will be a great night of racing.  

Stan Meissner

So no driver should receive any prize money? that's a pretty gray rule.