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

Life does at times go full circle. My dad lived to be 84. Up until his late 70's, I was taking him to the races with my son. Both are gone now, (my son at age 36 4 years ago) but I'm sure glad we (I) had those days. 

I started a little earlier than you guys. I go back to the early 60's at Wilmot. Watched Ron Justen and Al Gouche (?) race their sedans at the old track, which was around the WIlmot HS football field. Later on watched the birth of the IRA (Modifieds)  with the likes of Whitey Harris, in the "Purse Snatcher", Roger "Von" Otto, Bill Bohn, Bob Dietrich, Ken Monroe ( The Orange Crate), Al Schill (Three Wheel Charger) (yes Al ran modifieds before switching to Late Models), the Bergsma brothers, Al Horton, Pop Kline, and even Rango Messel! Watched the old IRA at Wilmot, Lake Geneva, Waukegan, Cedarburg, Slinger and a few others.

Years later, when I was in sales traveling the midwest,  I was in Oskaloosa in August looking for a hotel room for the night and they were all sold out. Why? well the Nationals were in Knoxville. I didn't even know there was a Knoxville in Iowa so I went to the races. That had to be about 1983, wooden stands and all. The next year I took my 10 year old son and we were hooked. Our "GUYS VACATION" as my wife call it went from 1984-2005. Great-great memories shared with my son. My son had to quit going because of becoming a new daddy but now I take my Grandson who is also hooked. 

Since I was in sales and I traveled alot so I looked at WOO, All Star, IRA and other racing schedules and planned by sales trips around racing,  I've been fortunate to see WOO at Ascot, Wilmot, Williams Grove, San Jose, Hanford, Santa Maria, Cedar Lake, Davenport, Farley, IA, Eldora, Attica, Limaland, Big H, Beaver Dam, Hartford, MI and countless others. I was fortunate to watch the King, Sammy and Wolfie in their prime. I saw Wolfie run the alphabet at Knoxville, the King get sent to back of the field and win the races, I was on Beer Hill when Lasoski blew a tire and went head on into the wall. Listened to the stupid "Beer Hill" gang cheer when Lasoski crashed. Unfortunately, there are drunk morons at every track.I really appreciate Sammy who I think it the BEST driver/mechanic to ever drive a sprint car.

I do miss the old days when the drivers had more personality, not the cookie cutter drivers of today with their canned responses.

Great Memories!

As with most my dad took me to the old thunderbowl speedway in sedalia mo in early '60s as well as every race at the Missouri state fairgrounds. As I turned 16, we used to go to sportsman speedway in Marshall, mo and holt summits speedway. Started going to knoxville in '89 and havnt missed one since. Man do I miss the mile track at state fair speedway with the likes of ken Taylor , blundy, utz, genneten, blundy and many more

I agree. I really miss the Sedalia Mile, too. Saw some great races on it. I got to see the Dirt Champ cars there with Andretti, Unser, and etc. The track I miss most was Marshall. You probably went to the Memorial Day IMCA races at the fairgrounds on the half mile. Always Memorial Day afternoon. Track would get dry slick, but some damn good racing. 

Great thread! First time poster long time reader. Billy "the cat" Johnson gave me a can of spray paint when I was 10 years old and told me to paint some rims on his sons eastern wisconsin modified and I was hooked. His son the late Bill Johnson took me to my first Sprint car race at Impact Speedway in 1989, it was a USA Sprint show. Got to see Wolfgang,Swindell,Kinser and Blaney. Spent a lot of time watching IRA at Hales Corners and Beaver Dam. Miss those days!

my Dad in early 60's ..... Friday @ Williams Grove, Saturday @ either Lincoln or the Port & Sunday @ Hagerstown .... .... always two, usually three (always Hagerstown) ..... now have the chance to take my kids today

dttfowtm ...  
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My dad started taking me to the races long before I can remember. Literally once he felt I was old enough, I was going so I don't have that first race experience like most do. That said, I enjoyed a childhood full of barnstorming sprint car races around Central Pa and its a passion that I've passed on to pretty much all my friends who themselves have become pretty die hard and best of all, me and dad still go to the races every weekend. Sprint cars are our passion and we have shared it since day one. I consider myself pretty damned lucky to be able to say I grew up the way I did. Many of the kids I grew up hanging out with at the local race tracks have become lifelong friends. 

 My dad was working for Raymond Beadle at Blue Max and he sponsored a local racer in Dallas by the name of Bobby Marshall. My dad was building engines for Beadle's funny car when Bobby invited him to come watch a sprint car race at Devil's Bowl in Mesquite.  We went and after a few trips my dad showed interest in building a sprint car engine and the rest is history.

I really enjoy reading threads like this. I think the common denominator here is the fact that many of us were hooked at a young age. Probably why I'm such a believer in allowing kids 12 & under free at the races. Even if it's not your own kid, bring their friends to the races & you never know, they may become lifelong fans. I went to my first race when I was about five months old at Calistoga Speedway. My parents were fans so I was born into it. They went on one of their first dates to West Capital Speedway in Sacramento. Even better than all the great racing I've seen, are all the great people I have met along the way. I'm now 29 and there's been a lot of people who have passed away through the years, but I truly believe some of the best people you will meet are at a sprint car race.

www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com

A friend Geoff Morrison took me to the old Devils Bowl in the stone quarry.  This was super modofied racing. A few of the drivers were Billie Jak Casper, Shady Mcworter, Hooker Hood, JD Trowell. 

The current Devils Bowl was built in 67 or so.  They went to sprint cars right about them.  USAC would come around a cuple of times a season and bolt on the roll cages and go racing. One of the flyers in that era was 'No Wings, No Duels, No Deals'.  The duels were when they put duals on the right rear.  Once in while they would do both right and left.

Mac White

Two Dot, Mt

my uncle took me to Tri City Speedway Franklin Pa. 1964.... been hooked ever since

That was Scott Beirtzer who took down the fence. My son and I were there. Took the 10 dollar refund and went home.

My parents started taking weekly Me to Knoxville in 1961 - saw the very first Nationals - and have gone every week (Except when I did My 4 years in the Air Force) since then. What a change from the old modifieds to the super modified to sprint cars - from non-wing to winged. My personal favorite would still have to be the super modifieds.

1948, Sunday, at Carroll Spedway.  Bill V, T Ruttman and all the name drivers racing midgets.  I mostly remember the dust and the bright colored nylon jackets the drivers were wearing.

& you're an engine buider now, right? I'm jealous...

My 1st 2 years of HS were in Virginia, where I always took Wood Shop. I was a good student.

By my Junior year, we moved to Ct. & I was thrilled to discover they offered Auto Shop. The Guidance Counselor said, "Oh no, you can't take that, you're college material"... and like fool, I listened

Hiring any 65 yr. old apprentices????

My dad and granddad took me one time (78 or 79) to Kokomo for a midget and sprint car show.  Got a drivers autograph AND got to sit in his car after the race.  Naturally I was hooked.  Back then, Kokomo was a real bullring (not like it is now).  Also every chance I got I would watch sprint car races on TV.  Even though I've not been to Kokomo in many years still consider it my home track as I grew up about 20 minutes from there.  Now I've lived in Knoxville for the last 15 years and have had the privlage of covering the pits on radio every week.