Features VINTAGE SPRINT CAR PIC THREAD, 1965 and older only please.

These are the qualifying times my Mom wrote down at a USAC race in Dayton. I'm not sure of the year, but it had to be 67 or later. I copied these as they were written - so sorry if there are any mistakes.

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31 – Hess 17.28
26 – Cook 18.20
4 – Putterbaum 18.-- 105.4
11 – Breedlove 18.09 107.
7 – Congdon 19.44 98.
83 – Sessions 17.74
38 – Minyard 106.94
62 – Greg Weld 17.68 109.8
75 – Seelman 18.79 103.4
98 – Bigelow 18.02 107.8
31 – Baxter
6 – Pratt 17.27 112.3
89 – Poland 17.82 109.0
3 – Daniels (Scratch) 17.70
91 – Masters 18.26 106.4
44 – Wib Spaulding 17.96 108.9
50 – Al Smith 17.31
51 – Dickson 17.61
99 – Rutherford 18.18 106.88
36 – Mickey Shaw 18.13
15 – MacGury 18.26 106.41
93 – Sonny Yates 17.60
77 – Bud Randle 17.65
12 – Jim Malloy 19.61
23 – Chuck Booth 17.83
1 – Bruce Walkup 18.03
47 – Engle 18.13 107.18
49 – Don Hewett 18.34 105.9
18 – Don Brown 18.-- 107.65
31 – Hess 18.31
55 – Andretti 19.24
97 – Jones 17.80 109.
81 – Thomas 18.15

 

1967 me thinks, here's some 'faces' to go with the names:

 

.....'NICE! Thanks for that, easter and Rootie. Rootie, my records show that USAC's "Thunder & Lightning" Division ran two dates at Dayton in 1967. On Sept. 3rd, Rollie Beale won the feature in Kenny Lay's #82. And if you check that qualifying list up above.....no Rollie? So easter's Mom must have been at Dayton on October 15th when they ran 3, 33 lap features. Charles "Sonny" Ates won both the first and third race in Howard Iddings's #93 car, while Larry Dickson won the second race in Ray Smith's #51.



note: No wonder Rollie wasn't at Dayton for the three 33's. He broke his leg at Reading (PA) on September 23rd, ending his season.

 

That would seem to be correct, as J.R. was a DNQ and Pratt was in the 47 at the 9/3 race.

 

Minnesota State Fair A/P (after pavement).

Mid sixties.

Russ Laursen, photo by RB Blatz.

 

For LittleFauss........ Aldo in the Klincher Locknut Spl #55, and Mario in Watsons cammer, Oswego 1967.

 

Rootie you did it again, I was wondering who were the driver/drivers that drove the #47 car in 67 as Bobby Black did not have any USAC points that year. You just came up with two drivers, Chuck Engle and Bob Pratt. Thanks again, this is great info.

 

You guys never cease to amaze me with these great photos.
i remember in '69 there was an auto show of some kind at the now long gone Great Western Expo Center in L.A.This car was part of the CRA display(although it didn't run many races with CRA). This Edmunds built car was one of the nicest sprint cars I had ever seen and as time has passed it's still one of the nicest. Does anyone know the history of this car after 1969?

 

I stood inside turn #3. I always liked the infield and standing inside #1 or #3. Dayton was packed that day. I remember looking through the binoculars and scanning the crowd during breaks. Some guy was sitting outside turn #4 above the road down to the infield and he saw me looking at him though his binoculars. Funny the things you remember. I was eleven. I also remember the amount of money in those USAC cars - a lot of real nice paint and chrome.

 

I wish I did!

 

Wasn't there a "Ron" Laursen that raced, too? Brothers? Also, in your pic 28dreyer, I think that's a Wagner Chevy car behind Laursen - either Richert or Daniels? I never did understand what all that white powder was that got all over the tires at St. Paul.

 

Rootie,
In picture 13964. Sonny ates on the outside looks like he is all messed up, he was but not enough to keep him from passing all those car before he got to the start-finish line[ I think he was lapping all those cars]. They took the finishers from the first 33 and started them in one line. Took the finishers from the secound 33 and started them in the other line. That is why Sonny only won 2 of the 3 races[it was all he drove in that day], he was in a class all by himself that day- no one was even close. I think those 2 races were the best he ever drove, even better than when he won the Joe James-Pat O'Conner race. What about it Mac?
Jim Graybeal

 

There was/is a Ron Larson. Russ Laursen was killed in a crash in Fairmont, Mn. Ron Larson drove the old AJ Foyt car for quite awhile in the 70's here in the midwest. Ron is in the photo. I think that was Scratch's car in the background.

 

yea, the 'burg was pretty safe for a bullring. I look back at the names, Butch Wilkerson, Bobby Black, Dick Gaines, Rick Ferkel, Bernie Graybeal, Butch Smith, Danny Smith, Calvin Gilstrap, Dizz Wilson, Karl Kinser, all of the Kinsers, Bobby, Randy, Shelly, Steve. It was the whos who of Indiana dirt track sprint car racing. And believe it or not we were all like family - track owners (me and my family), officials, car owners, drivers, and fans. I was only in my early 30's, seems really young now! Today's 'burg is not to shabby and the racing is still great!

 

1982 Hershey stadium action. enjoy!

 

Hershey action 1982

 

Hershey 1982

 

Hershey 1982

 

Hershey 1982

 

Len Duncan in the 7, looks like Bobby Albert in the Tassi Vatis 9.

Looks like Len with the checkerd flag post before too.

#54 looks like Carl Miller's old rail job.

 

Happy Mardi Gras everybody. In two parades this weekend. My shoulders are killing me from throwing beads.

 

Hope your eyes are okay!!!

 

For sale on eBay

Vintage 1980s Sprint Car Complete Roller
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Vint...ce_Cars_Not_Street_Legal_&hash=item3f07e1e879

 

You had to have a serious set to drive one of those old Sprints at a track like Eldora!!

 

That was a vintage meet at Hershey. Godon White is in the #9. ARDC did not have any rail frames in the 80`s.

 

They raced TQ's at Hershey in the 80's. The Midget's were there for a vintage deal, but the guy's were racing like the did back in the day. Good old Len Duncan had the hammer down that night.

 

Here's some of the TQ action at Hershey in 82. enjoy!











Hey look who won the feature that night!

 

Lee,
I was there at that show. Cicconi was the class of the field. Classy as they come.

 

I don't know who "promoted" that event &/or how he went about it .. but geez the stands look to have been near empty. What a shame, as the ATQMRA probably put on a great show.

It takes both a car and a driver to be the class of the field and the ride that our always classy Bob Cicconi had that day was the famous #40 that was owned by the leader of the Long Island, NY "BAD GUYS" team .. the late Pete Petraitis. That car won almost countless features with drivers like Bob Cicconi, Nokie Fornoro, Billy Courtwright and others.

That Jim Reider built, Pete Petraitis #40 is now owned by TQ, midget, super modified and possibly future dirt modified driver Joey Payne and sits in the shop of his Dad .. Joe Payne, Sr.. They hope one day to together restore it to how you see it above.

BTW ,, It was Long Island's talented Ray Sigowski who built the traditional type tails and rear bumpers for the "BAD GUYS" owned team of Reider cars.

 

That is Foyt's old car, Scratch's had roadster type bodywork on the right side of the cockpit. I'm not sure but I think it was red and white.