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

Not taking anything away from Ryan Timms and team, just the made for tv statement of 'being only the third to win Knoxville and The Tuscarora 50 in the same year and the first in 40 years' . There haven't been that many Knoxville winners that even ran the Tuscarora 50 - and in the same year. Has there ?

The Weikert 29 would be one of the few.

I'm going to guess the other driver might be a Kinser? Pretty sure Wolfgang won the Kings Royal along with Knoxville and the Tusky in one year.

Kenny Weld in 1973. No Kinser has won the Tuscarora Fifty.

Is the Weikert 29 the only Knoxville winner that ran the Tuscarora 50 in the same year  - in 58 years of T50's ????

Most Knoxville winners were WoO, even if they wanted to, the WoO was headed west - for as long as I can remember.

Flo sid: Kenny Weld & Doug Wolfgang.

Not to take anything away from the Tuscaro 50, but most people have never heard of it. Outside of Pennsylvania, the only big sprint car races that most fans recognize are the Knoxville Nationals and the King's Royal. The only reason I, and most other sprint car fans know of it is because of the internet.  Another example: I know there's a National Open coming up in PA. Witho looking it up, I don't recall if it's at Lincoln or Williams Grove.

In the past, I think few WoO drivers ran those races. It was the PA Posse guys' races. That was before sprint car racing got taken to "the next level".

The Tusky used to be a one night show the All Stars started sanctioning it in the mid 90s. The National Open has always been at the Grove and has been sanctioned by the Woo since the 80s. If you look at the early winners list of the open you'll find some very big names in the sport.

Some pretty big names ran both those races before the Outlaws were thought of. I was there when Gordon Johncock won at Williams Grove. Kenny Weld has won the Tuscarora Fifty Wolfgang threee times And a few Other Outlaws before they were Outlaws they were true Outlaws. The outlaws tried to get Get the Tuscarora Fifty and failed because they didn't understand the connection between it and the fair so they took their toys and left. Are they the knoxville Nationals? No, But both have a long history. You might want to try getting out more. 

All Stars - maybe Tim Shaffer the only other Knoxville winner that ran the T50 in the same year - besides the Weikert 29 ???

That would be because Outlaws have won most Knoxville Nationals resently  and they are on the west coast the week of the Tuscarora Fifty. Bobby Allen likely did maybe Lasoski and Opperman.

The original poster is spot on. Very few times has the Knoxville winner had the opportunity to run the Tusky. 

However, plenty of drivers have had both the Knoxville Nationals and Tusky 50 on their schedules for the same season.  I think that was the point being made.  I can look through the list of Tusky 50 winners and see plenty of guys who would have also been at the Nationals.  

Schatz won Tuscarora 50 in 2018 and ran 2nd in Nationals.  Sweet won the Nationals that year and ran 4th at the Tusky

That happened because the Tuscarora Fifty was rained out that year so they called on of the Outlaw races that Oct. the Tuscarora Fifty and paid its purse.

Yep for sure

 So, guys that ran both and won neither? Good point, definitely more of them. 
I guess my point is Flo making it out to be a crown jewel race, and it's not. It could  be, but I don't see the WoO making breaks in their schedule for big HL races - especially Port as Port - and Lernerville - are prime examples of where the WoO/HL rift has really played out. 
All said, I'm ok if it was sanctioned by neither. But I was fine with the wood, covered grandstands - gotta fill the palace to pay for it.

Rico, Brown, Macri, Reutzel, Schatz, and Marks are all recent guys who have won the Tusky 50, and also ran the Knoxville Nationals that year. 

Looking back further, you have guys like Hodnett, Rahmer, Stevie Smith, and Bobby Allen that also won the Tusky 50, and I'm sure most, if not all, were entered into that year's Nationals.

So, yes, there were a ton of chances for someone to do what Timms pulled off this year, and it is a big deal that he pulled off both.  

Is Timms in the 10 car next year? I'd guess some larger teams have made calls. I know Ryan has said he doesn't feel ready yet, but with the ride swapping going on he may receive an opportunity that he can't pass up. 

It would be tough to leave Shane, but I'm sure he'd understand. They have become a leathel combo. Scott ran well in this ride too prior to Timms. 

Keep It Real

Bogucki ran really well in that car.  I was shocked to see him replaced, because I thought Scott was the reason for the success.  Liebig said everyone was baffled how he was unhappy with the 8th place finish at the Nats in 2024.  He said he thought they had a car to win it.  Everyone laughed at him.  No one is laughing now!  

For my own selfish reasons, I hope Timms stays in the car so I can watch him at Knoxville on a regular basis.  Realistically though, I'm pretty sure his phone is going to be ringing off the hook---if it isn't already!  

Timms is very hot, In the #10 car and with the team he currently has.

He may not fare so well with a different Car & Team.

I would think him throwing what he has going now out the window for something new & different would take some serious thinking. 

The grass isn't always greener!!!

I thought the same thing after the Nationals. I assumed there would be some good Teams looking his way. And then with the Tusky win even more so.