Dirt Track Racing

[Jeff Higgins]

I spent last night at our local dirt track, the Skagit Speedway, watching the Jim Rapier Memorial Dirt Cup. Two classes of cars, Midgets and 360 Sprints. What an incredibly fun, yee-haw kind of a time. It's a 3/10's of a mile dirt oval, banked 15 degrees on the straights and 25 degrees on the corners. The feature event was the 40 lap main for the 360's, with about 25 cars running in it.

Let me tell you, these kids race with a capital "R". Three and four wide on this tiny little track, with a level of aggression that has to be seen live to be appreciated. Watching World of Outlaws on TV simply does not do it justice. It's been a long time since I have been so thoroughly entertained at a motor race.

I watched this through the eyes of a dyed-in-the-wool F1 fan. Last night drove home even more profoundly than ever just what a boring parade of self important pricks F1 has become. I wondered out loud on several occasions if a Lewis Hamilton, a Sebastian Vettel, or any one of those guys would even have the nut sack to climb into a 360 Sprint car with these kids. Maybe Kimi would, if they would let him wear his Santa suit...

These cars are of roughly the same power and weight of an F1 car. Probably far less downforce, even with their massive wings, but it's clear that downforce is of a different nature - they have no problem running nose to tail for lap after lap. And what a glorious noise - cast iron small blocks with aluminum heads, running on methanol, turning 10,000 barely muffled rpm's. Far, far better than the flatulant Subaru blat of the modern F1 car.

If you ever get the chance, you owe it to yourselves to get out to your local dirt track. You won't regret it.

[Sooner or later]

I have been a dirt track fan since I was a kid. Those 360 Sprints are rocket ships.

We have a local 3/8 mile track that I go to a couple of times a year. Big Outlaw fan. I have been to rhe Knoxville Nationals and saw the Outlaws at Bristol. They turned faster laps on dirt than NASCAR does on pavement

One of these years I have to try and make it to the Tulsa Shootout to watch the micro sprints indoors and the Chili Bowl Nationals to watch the Midgets. Every big time racer wants to win a Golden Driller

[Jeff Higgins]

Some onboard from Skagit Speedway:

[Sooner or later]

Damn Ausie

[Jeff Higgins]

There was a Kiwi there as well. Long ways to go to compete in a series of dirt track races. I cannot imagine the logistics of all of that. Unless, of course the cars and teams are local and only the drivers are imported. Oh, and a bunch of damn Canuks were racing as well...

[LWJ]

I passed a dirt-track in Lebanon, OR last night. Good times. I need to go.

Soon.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

If you ever get the chance, you owe it to yourselves to get out to your local dirt track. You won't regret it.

Sprint cars are the antithesis of F-1 - fuel injected 'merican V8s burning alcohol - no starter, no clutch, no transmission, and basically no suspension.
Eldora Speedway is just a bit north of me. Greatest dirt track in the country. I try to get up there once a year.
I tend to go to paved tracks, but dirt ovals are a hoot. I went with a friend to see some non-wing 410s run at a track near Allentown, Pa last year. Woo Hoo! Yep, great racing, and drivers with balls - even the women.

[Sooner or later]

I would like to see a race at Eldora.

[Sooner or later]

I grew up 4 houses down from Lanny Edwards. One of the giants of dirt track racing. He owned the Lawton Speedway and he always had a super modified parked on the side of his house. He gave me and the other neighborhood kids free passes to the races. He also ending up buying the Chili Bowl raceway in Mesquite, Tx and then helped develop the Tulsa Shootout and Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa. He was a great guy. RIP Lanny.

His racing biography


He earned numerous awards and recognitions in the racing industry, including being nominated multiple times for Regional and National Promoter of the Year, in which he won several, Regional Promoter of the Year Awards and was National Promoter of the Year in 2002. He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2006, was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2007, was inducted into the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 2012, was inducted into the Texoma Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2013, and will be inducted into the Amarillo Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2017.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Sprint cars are the antithesis of F-1 - fuel injected 'merican V8s burning alcohol - no starter, no clutch, no transmission, and basically no suspension.
Eldora Speedway is just a bit north of me. Greatest dirt track in the country. I try to get up there once a year.
I tend to go to paved tracks, but dirt ovals are a hoot. I went with a friend to see some non-wing 410s run at a track near Allentown, Pa last year. Woo Hoo! Yep, great racing, and drivers with balls - even the women.

I get to go see sprint cars on a 5/8 mile paved oval once a year at our local Monroe Speedway. As far as I know, they only come once a year for our biggest event. Three distinctly different cars are raced on the same night at this unique event. Sprint cars, Super Modifieds, and Northwest Tour NASCAR stock cars.

The Sprint cars are amazing on pavement. By way of comparison, a good lap in the Northwest Tour cars is about 22 seconds. Super Mods drop that to about 18 seconds. Sprint cars do it in 16 seconds. I still like seeing them in their native environment, in the dirt, though. They seem to take more chances and drive a bit more aggressively.

And, yeah, talk about "stone axe" simple. As a result, there really isn't a mechanical or technological edge to be had - it's all been so well vetted for so long. It's down to set-up, driving, and balls - like you said, even the young ladies drive like they have a pair. Pretty refreshing to see several that were honestly competitive as well. I think the Midget field was actually about half female, and they were well represented in the big cars as well.

[Sooner or later]

Don't forget 4'4" Rico Abreu.

I know this is politically incorrect. ...a midget in a midget!

He is a hell of a racer.

[Sooner or later]

Check out Rico's donuts after his 2016 Chili Bowl win. Take this NASCAR. Keepmin mind that track and stands are indoors.


https://youtu.be/PVcSCJZM8tU

[Rusty Heap]

invite me next time

[pwd72s]

There's an old tale of Jackie Stewart attending a dirt tack race, watching the oulaws.

Asked if he wanted to drive a heat, he said he didn't being his helmet.

Told he'd be loaned a helmet, he said he didn't bring his balls either...

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

invite me next time

Me too, Jeff.

Way back in the early 80s, the wife and I used to go to I55 Speedway in fashionable Peavley, Missouri. It was a complete hoot. These were some hardcore Show Me Staters, and the sprint cars then were pretty much the same as they are today. My neighbor wanted me to go in with him on a bomber class car (a $500 claimer class), but I had a brief attack of common sense and said no.


I gave up on F1 long ago, when Indycar started roaring back. I like the cars, the drivers, the venues, and the teams. Great race today at Road America.

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

I have been a dirt track fan since I was a kid. Those 360 Sprints are rocket ships.

We have a local 3/8 mile track that I go to a couple of times a year. Big Outlaw fan. I have been to rhe Knoxville Nationals and saw the Outlaws at Bristol. They turned faster laps on dirt than NASCAR does on pavement

One of these years I have to try and make it to the Tulsa Shootout to watch the micro sprints indoors and the Chili Bowl Nationals to watch the Midgets. Every big time racer wants to win a Golden Driller

I have a cousin that has raced in the Chili Bowl several times. Says it is a hoot, but noisy.

I would like to see an F1 car pull the front wheels up coming out of a corner.

The Outlaws used to run at Farley IA when it was a 1/2 mile track. Loads of fun.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

There's an old tale of Jackie Stewart attending a dirt tack race, watching the oulaws.

Asked if he wanted to drive a heat, he said he didn't being his helmet.

Told he'd be loaned a helmet, he said he didn't bring his balls either...

Then thing about sprint cars is that you have to sneak up on them. A driver from another type of racing knows this. F1 cars are all but undrivable until you can go at least 9.5/10ths. Just ask Richard Hammond.

Sprint cars are so set up to slide that if you can't get out there are toss and slide it in the first corner, you are destined to hit the wall. They just don't drive well until they are sideways. At the school for dirt track racing I well imagine they are set up with less stagger and weight bias for the beginners.

I drove what is essentially a NASCAR Infinity Series car at Las Vegas and I had to hold the wheel 10º to the right to go straight on the back straightaway. I have to believe that was a mild set up compared to race ready.

I used to do a little flat track on 125cc motorcycles and I loved sliding. Never got a chance to do it on 4 wheels.

[Sooner or later]

Flat track. Bultaco and the sweet smell of bean oil.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

Flat track. Bultaco and bean oil.

Yep, or Husqvarna and CZ. I rode a 4-stroke. Wasn't as fast.

[wdfifteen]

You guys got me itching to go the the local bull ring. Since I moved the "local" one is a different track. I've never been there. Maybe this Friday.
I used to frequent a place called Kil-Kare Speedway. Seemed like an unfortunate name for a race track, but - whatever. I remember the ads on top 40 radio when I was a yoot.
"Sunday!, Sunday!, Sunday! - The worlds most dangerous raceway! Thrills and chills in every corner! Don't miss the action this Sunday! at Kil-Kare Speeeedwaaaay!! "