I went to a race at my local dirt track, there was this guy named Sheldon haudenschild, this was like a minor league of sorts but he lapped the field like twice. I can’t describe how fast he was he was flying. The next month he was in the world of outlaws 😂
One of the best on the circuit right now too, just wildly inconsistent. Legend has it his helmet still rests in the infield of Weedsport Speedway, if you know you know.
His dad is Jac Haudenschild, a hall of fame driver that has won some big money in sprint car racing and is one of the most exciting drivers of all time.
Sheldon got wrecked out of a race at Weedsport Speedway in NY last July and lost his temper, so he proceeded to throw his helmet in the direction of the track while still under green flag conditions, causing a completely preventable caution and subsequent uproar in the grandstands. After the race, someone decided to poke fun at the incident on Google Maps, with a parking pin labeled “Sheldon Haudenschild’s Helmet” in the infield of the track. If you look for it, you’ll still see it there to this day. I was in the sellout crowd that night, great show topped off by that hilarious yet kind of unsafe moment
one of the greatest and purest forms of motorsport, even here in Australia the Speedway scene is gaining traction, some of the biggest names in the USA often come down here to race during our summer season, its incredible and enjoyable to be a fan
@@nickphilkill818yes, I went up to adelaide earlier this year on a holiday and I’m a massive fan of sprints, so that weekend we were down there and there was a race weekend on and I can tell u WHAT A BLOODY TRACK IT IS, there’s practically no dust, the people there are the best, and the racing is amazing
Sounds more like the thing that was birthed from the amalgam of body(engine/machine) fluids that resulted from a night of debauchery of those machines.
Not close it is huge hp motor big back tires and big wings to keep them from flying. No weight high power needs huge tires to get half the power to the ground
@@Greg-nq4dj Ascot Park in Gardena California was my dad's home track. He raced stock cars rather than sprint cars. But we got to see a lot of sprint car racing as well. And, of course, a lot of bench racing after the race at the local bar and grill. These things are some of the baddest machines on the planet. Some of the best times of my life.
Slap!! You used a photo of my grandfathers super modified in the video at 5:59 holy shit that made my whole day! We still race sprint cars to this day, we’re one of the only 3 generation racing families in California still racing to this day
When I was about 12 years old my dad (now deceased) got a wild hair up his ass and pulled me out of school on a Thursday, and we beat it down to Charlotte to watch the WoO finals. I had never seen a sprint car in my life. He said "son, these things are what seperate the boys from the men". Well after seeing them shoot by at 140 mph on two wheels and then sit the front end down and immediately cut sideways and throw a 40 yard rooster tail, I was hooked. Been a big fan ever since.
I literally started to cry when I saw this video come up. As a world of outlaw fan that attends the church of Williams Grove three times a year I greatly appreciate this video.
So many of you PA people in the comments..... Take a trip out to Ohio for one of the big shows at Eldora. Crowd for the Kings Royal is mindblowing. You will say to yourself "I had no idea there were this many sprint car fans in existence"
I’m from NY. I have had a pure distain the PA posse for decades. I’ve attended the Kings Royal the last 10ish years. First time in 2000 or 2001. It used to piss me off that my favorite driver, Joey Saldana only finished in the top 3 once in 15ish years at the grove. I only mellowed out after Brett Marks won. I can firmly say the arrogant prick of PA actually do have a point. The only reason PA tracks haven’t gotten the crowd or big events in the past is that there infrastructure under built and way closer to population centers. That’s kind of changed a bit with investment at Port Royal and rise of Lincoln compared to 15 years ago. Also the PA tracks have massive non pit infields that makes the crowd look smaller. You really are only three church is left in Sprint Cars Knoxville, eldora, and Williams Grove. There are a couple of chapels but nothing that touches the big three.
I'm 44. I've watched racing all my life, but it took me til 40 til I went to a sprint car race. It was at my local high banked paved short track. I thought the late model stockers were fast. Well fast until I seen the sprints. And it they were only the 360 cube, or 5.9 liter, cars. Not the 410s.
In the UK, we have oval racing similar to this. BriSCA F1 (and F2), National 2L Saloons, 1300cc Stock Cars, National Hotrods, BriSCA/ORC Minis, GT Rods, Junior Rods, Stockrods, Rebels, V8 Hotstox, Superstox, A bunch more that I'm missing, and of course the good old British bangers in all of their divisions (2L, pre 90's, Junior, and so on) Best part about it is that there is probably a track within 1-2 hours of you, regardless as to where you in mainland Britain. Tell me a general area for where you are and I will tell you the closest track to you and my favourite within a distance. I can also provide some links to track and formula websites if you want
I have been all over the country and seen just about every dirt class race, and my favorite hands down is the USAC non wing sprint cars, followed closely by super late models
My father used to race local, and my uncle used to race in the World of Outlaws which is the pro level. They both were insanely good, and my uncle even got into a couple official World of Outlaw video games. Their names are Judd and Jeff Shepard if anyone remembers them
Jeff Shepard was a complete bad ass when he strapped in for battle...... Jeff was a typical sprint car whore... go where the money is. LOL I watched him for many years and he was cut from the same cloth as all the 70's and 80's guys were cut from. Sprint car racing has evolved into basically a wide open, slamming the cushion and they have made the car lay over on the left side. Some guys actually drag the rear left frame rail when they go WFO into the corner. Peace
As a diehard asphalt guy who has been trying for years to get into dirt racing but didn’t have an very good understanding of sprint cars or their origin, this video is perfection! Thank you S1ap!
They're faster, lighter, cooler lookin' AND the racing is better! Plus poetically enough, the World of Outlaws puts their highlights videos here on TH-cam after every race, you can effectively watch for free to dip your toe in the water!
What you need to know is that they put dirt on bristol, and sprint cars run 1 second and 15mph faster than the nascar track record. And who is the "premier" series?
Popular in Canada, too. First time I saw these things wasn't on TV, I was sitting on turn 4 of our local dirt track with my Dad, getting pelted with mud, covering my face with the race program, absolutely freaking out at how awesome this was!
Even in the Northwest, where racing is comparatively less iconic, you can see AWESOME Sprint Car racing. It's easily worth the price of admission too since you get to see an entire day of racing different cars. I also love the fun races that happen at these events, where they come up with weird stuff to race like busses, trailers, or tandem driving where one driver controls the gas and the other steers. Just make sure to bring some dust goggles.
Sprint cars, both winged and non-wing are by far my favorite form of racing in the world. Nothing else even comes close in terms of both racing quality and the cars being badass. Edit: Glad to hear the PA Posse get a mention. As someone from Maryland who has been traveling up to PA to watch 410 sprint cars for the past couple of years, I can vouch that it is huge in Central PA. Fans are about as diehard as they come in professional sports and it is pretty much a war between the PA drivers and the invading teams of the Outlaws or All Star Circuit of Champions when they roll into town. It is honestly bigger than NASCAR in that one section of Pennsylvania.
I’m the same come to central Pa each and every weekend from Maryland. The sprints are my passion and my life! The fans and drivers and teams are as close to a family as one can get. Same people week after week it becomes a very close family
I attended a sprint car event in Virginia, near Adelaide in Australia, and while I didn't appreciate getting dirt flung in my eyes, it was a fantastic experience that I absolutely recommend for anyone who gets the chance (just remember to put on some sunglasses or goggles if you sit up at the front). And these aren't just local things, either; some pretty significant players in the American sprint car scene, such as Danny Lasoski, Donny Schatz, and Joey Saldana, have won major Australian events. I'm hoping one day to take a road trip to see the Kings Challenge in Mount Gambier, SA, and the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic, Victoria, in the same year.
As someone local to Premier Speedway, Warrnambool where the Grand Annual is hosted, I highly recommend you book everything a full 18 months in advance, else you will not under any circumstances get accomadation anywhere near the track, and I mean within an hour or more, that long weekend is hectic around here
If you go to the Kings Challenge, do yourself a favor and grab a steak sandwich, one of the best feeds in the country. Also a good premier as it runs the night before the Grand Annual classic in Warrnambool.
Australia is actually where a lot of the big drivers go during the off season, and there are several drivers from Australia that come to the states to race during the racing season here.
@@koshie1293 I live in Sydney and I have been invited to join some other speedway fans here to see the Grand Annual. Guys I know from the ten pin bowling scene. Will do it one day. Meanwhile I had my first look at Perth Motorplex for the Australian Sprintcar Title in February and lovedi t :)
Saw that WoO made some trips up to North Dakota and wanted to include some b roll of their tracks. Then I saw that finish at River Cities Speedway and it just had to be my outro.
Grew up near Port Royal Speedway, Pennsylvania. The 410 sprint car racing is beyond exceptional. Especially when WoO, High Limit, or Usac comes to town. The Tuscarora 50 is a race my dad and I never miss - always a classic. Thanks for the PA Posse shout out btw, we take pride in our local drivers!!
I'm not an auto-racing fan per se, but I grew up in Bloomington, IN. About 6 miles from the dirt speedway. Could hear the VERY loud races every weekend in the summer. Only went a couple of times, but dirt track sprint racing is easily the most entertaining circle track racing. On the small tracks, the cars are almost completely sideways basically the whole race. Also, my 73 year old Dad's best friend since highschool is Steve Kinser, King of the Outlaws. So kind of tangentially pretty connected to sprint car racing.
Been waiting for this video for a while now haha. Sprint cars are an absolute blast to drive. There is nothing I can say to explain the feeling when your on the track. My family has done it for 4 generations over here in California so they are all we know in life. They can get very expensive and can sometimes hurt you pretty bad but i wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. You explained everything pretty damn good in this video! Props to you Slap
Being from central PA (and having Williams Grove effectively in my backyard) it’s nice to hear some history for the sprint cars. It is the only real form of racing around here, so it’s nice to get some history about the discipline because I’ve never been particularly interested in dirt racing. It’s cool to hear you mention the PA posse, they’re a testament to how big sprints are around here. Probably the only place where the Outlaws can’t come in and dominate.
Living that close to Williams Grove you owe it to yourself to check out the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing just a few miles down Route 15 in York Springs. It’s dedicated to history racing in and around PA over the last century. Really cool place to visit, tons of historic cars and it’s free to get in too (they do accept donations)
@@fivespeedsvx Is all the history that was once under the covered grandstands at Flemington? That was an entire hall of fame just in itself! I have been to W Grove when I was at the 2 bowling centers in York for a Maintenance Tech program during the PBA event there is 2 centers Colony park like south and west or east and south? Anyway of all the tracks I've been to from Grandview Bridgeport East Windsor Georgetown Delaware International Lebanon Valley Big Diamond Valusia Nazareth The Chile Bowl here in Tulsa where I live now There will Never Be another Flemington Fair and Harry Dee Dropping the Green on the short chute! Of course no matter when ya went all the the 80s into 91 the last year it was dirt chances are you saw Billy The Kid Pouch win in the Keystone 126 or the Barker Bus 126 other then that maybe once in a while Stan the man Poloski in the Trenton Mack 74 or Brett the Jett Hearn might pull one off but damn Billy can drive and now His son and little BP3 his grandson now just started in the midgets so he got some good tips coming from grandpa! Who still running and winning part time! Shit his house in Jersey is a hall of fame! I just seen the other day the shit he won from the Skoal Bandit days! MAN I HAD A FEW TEARS IN MY EYES CAUSE I WAS THERE FOR EVERY DAMN WIN HE SHOWED! THE SHIT I SEEN IN THE 80S THERE IN TURN 1 WAS AN ENTIRE LIFETIME ITSELF OF HISTORY AND MEMORIES! CRAZY HOW IT CAN SEEM LIKE IT WAS SOOOO LONG AGO AND YET FEEL LIKE IT WAS JUST ONLY YESTERDAY AT THE SAME DAMN TIME! LOL I DONT EVEN KNOW HOW THE HELL THAT WORKS BUT THAT IS WHAT IT IS!
Great video S1ap! Thanks for bringing this information to your viewers. Sprint cars are wild, and there are so many organizations in the states that put on great shows at all skill levels. Once you see them live, you'll never stop thinking about them.
Nice video, good to see explanations & history for people. Just a couple small notes- 3:40 is the insane Nutley Velodrome in New Jersey. The midgets back then also used Harley engines & even 2-stroke boat engines. 4:32 Sprint cars mostly used Ford V8-60 engines... very few had a 4-cylinder engine once the class was established, because the good 4-cylinder Offenhauser engines were expensive. 7:14 They were not using Sprint Cars with the Indy engines, those were still Champ Cars (Silver Crown now, as you mentioned later). Those are what you are showing at 6:55 as well.
Sprint cars are the reason I began watching racing in the first place even before I found out about Indy Car, F1, NASCAR, or any form of auto racing in the first place. Port Royal and Williams Grove are probably the best tracks to watch a sprint car race in Pennsylvania. Lance Dewease and Danny Detrick are two of my favorite drivers, and both have competed against the best of the best.
Very good informative video! I recall an interview with Mario Andretti after he was F1 champion (1978 IIRC), at this time he had driven every type of racing car imaginable and he said the USAC Sprint was the most challenging. USAC Sprint cars have V8s with no wings and often race on 1 mile oval tracks making them very fast and of course dangerous.
9:10 2023 Australian sprint car championship at Perth Motorplex in western Australia, my home track. glad you mentioned that sprint cars race down under. love the vid and keep up the good content
I've been waiting for this video. As someone who does run 410 winged and non-winged sprints, this is overall a pretty good video on history of sprint cars. Good work Slap, keep it up
Dammit you, you finally did it. I had a script written out and everything, just never got to making it, and you beat me to it. Fair play S1ap. Edit: nice to hear about the Posse and their ever-growing popularity. Central PA is probably the only place in the country where the Outlaws can’t just come in and assert themselves with no resistance. (I’m a bit biased towards central/upstate NY talent too but we don’t have anything on them) Best drivers in the country, racing on some of the best tracks. Doesn’t get much better than that.
@@breylankemp7596 plenty of great dirt drivers come out of CA! Dominic/Gio Scelzi, Kyle Larson, Rico Abreu, Shane Golobic, Jeff Gordon, and Brad Sweet!
Austin mccarl runs the iowa/south dakota area and is really good, sat on the pole for the knoxville nationals in 2022. Knoxville and Huests speedway have some of the best local talent anywhere
Eldora is almost literally in my backyard, and hearing the 410 sprints running all Saturday night during summers around the campfire is such a cool experience. I personally like to watch them race on smaller tracks with less banking though, they run a little loose at lower speeds and it’s very exciting to watch.
I'm at Gondik Law Speedway watching the North Nationals! If yall never seen a race(any type of race) in person, I HIGHLY recommend it(you're really missing out)! One of my things is I travel for races, idc what type of race, Indycar, NASCAR, NHRA, WOL, anything..., there is an element to being there that ONLY exist when you are there, that you will never feel watching it on a screen!
Watching all of these "What is..."-episodes has been a real treat for someone like me that is from Europe and have a very small understanding of anything beyond IndyCar and NASCAR. Especially your intros with the 100 year old history of every branch of these. It wants me to request you to make a "origins of motorsports"-series where you educate us about the ancient roots of motorsports. You seem very passionate about races from 1911 and before which is awesome.
Europe has these too! In the UK there's briSCA F1 and F2, which are a lot like sprint cars. There's also 2L saloon, ministox and a bunch of other formulas. There's probably a track pretty close to you
You should look for swamp buggy racing from Naples Florida. Also look for rock bouncers as well. Lucas Oil NHRA drag racing. And JR. dragsters which are small replicas of NHRA top fuel dragsters that children race. they are powered by modified lawnmower engines and reach speeds of about 80 mph. just some of the many race sports hear in the USA.
The depth of information, the always increasing production value, the way you tell your stories, all are just simply fabulous, such a pleasure to watch and listen, thank you!!!
I'm almost 54 and I have been a fan of all motorsport since 11. I've seen F1, Nascar V8 Supercars, rally, Moto GP, Top Fuel Dragsters and plenty more. In my top 3 spectacles was watching Steve Kinser racing at Parramatta Speedway in Sydney Australia. We have some very handy Sprintcar drivers in Australia but Steve lapped the 400 metre clay track like he was tethered to a rotating hook in the middle of the track. Just an incredibly exciting and pure form of racing.
Can confirm, we love sprint cars in Australia. There are tracks all over the country, always draws a big crowd, and is always a highly skilled and talented pool of teams and drivers
I'd love to see you put together a similar video focusing on Dirt Big Block Modifieds. There are a lot of oddities with these cars as well. They're chassis is similar to a sprint car, but they look so different and are mostly only seen in the US northeast. It would be interesting to see you explain their history.
🦅🇺🇸🦅 The World of Outlaw Sprint Car Racing is a marvel like no other. I spent several years as an Auto Extraction Specialist on the inflied of a 1/2mi track & those machines are about as vicious as they come! Truly a sight to behold as they scream past rotors blazing red against the night & the lights🏁
Well told. I'm an Australian and I remember watching these cars racing on Saturday morning TV in Sydney in the 60's. Nice to know they are still going.
My first experiences of going to watch races live were at the Gunnedah Speedway, also known as The Blue Vale Speedway, in Gunnedah, in rural New South Whales, Australia. Dad used to make the hour drive out there occasionally with mum and us three boys in the back seat of his old Leyland P76. Kids under 12 got in free so I remember when my older brother turned 13 the three of us sitting there looking dead ahead and straight faced as my dad lied to the gatekeeper :D It was just a great night out. I was only 8 or 9 but still have great memories. They didn't just have sprint cars. I distinctly remember one night they were racing something more like sedans, and one car in particular I can only remember as a Nissan Skyline because I distinctly remember their iconic taillight configuration. An important detail as they ended up pointing straight back at me when the car got into an accident in the front straight and got speared perpendicular into the infield with such force the driver's arm slipped and went through the gap in the wheel, then broke his arm when he got spun after the initial impact. I even remember that driver's name, Pedro Smith. For years after I used to play with a model that resembled his car and reenact the accident. Saw 3 cars stack up one night and distinctly remember the entire front right of the top car in the stack had broken and it was only held on by the spring which the wheel assembly and control arms etc. comically sprung up an down on for a few moments. My dad even won a raffle there one night. A dual cassette recorder and player with a radio and a graphic equalizer and detachable speakers! State of the art in the mid 80s. It was a bright canary yellow. $35 AUD worth of sound system. When the weekly wage was $80 a week, that was huge. We had that thing, still working and using, over 15 years later. It had a sad ending to it's life but that's another story. It was just a great family environment. With the small community every one always looked out for everyone. I'm in my 40s now and if I want to go now I go to the Parramatta Speedway in Sydney. A dirt oval tucked away in the middle of a busy city. Health for a long time has prevented me going but I might have to prepare properly and make another trip over. Quite a drive from South west to North west. I dont know the drivers or follow the scene, I just enjoy the battles, the engineering, and of course the crashes. Lets be real. No one wants to see drivers hurt but no denying a sprint car cartwheeling down the main straight at 100 mph with fire spewing out its ass is a sight to behold.
I grew up around late model racing. But over the last 4 years I've found a absolute love for sprint cars. Also living in Central PA on any given Friday or Saturday night there is always a sprint car race.
I grew up a nascar/Jeff Gordon fan. When I found out he started in sprint cars I started watching them whenever they were on speed channel or back in the TNN days. I try to get to at least one world of outlaws race a year but I live in a place where nonwing sprint car races are king. Was lucky enough to see people like Bryan Clauson, Dave darland, and others.
@@nickphilkill818 agree. USAC Drivers are more approachable. Most of the outlaw drivers are loaded up and gone by the time the fans can get back to the pits after the race. Some locals or the top 3 might stick around but others bail out pretty fast
As someone who had effectively no idea about any of this, I'm really impressed with how informative and dense this video is. Not a wasted second! Well done, sir.
As a long time sprintcar fan, part time pit crewman and former midget and sprintcar team co-owner I can say this is a good description of this kind of racing. Some of the very best drivers to ever strap themselves into a race car raced in or learned to race at this level.
I've been going to sprint car races my entire life, even before my first birthday. I grew up in southern PA, which is a mecca for dirt track racing in the US. I've inhaled my fair share of dust and burnt methanol at Lincoln, Susquehanna, Port Royal, Silver Springs, and Williams Grove Speedways. I can't describe how insane these machines are. They need to be experienced up close and personal. Feeling almost 23,000 horsepower roar by at 130+ mph is like nothing else. They move the atmosphere, shake the earth, and bend physics in a way that just doesn't make sense. If you've got $20 and a free Friday or Saturday night, PLEASE, go to a 410 sprint car event, you won't regret it!
Over here in Australia, pretty much every major town and city has a speedway where sprint car events are hosted. In the smaller towns you still get people pulling up with their cars right next to the track honking horns and flashing lights in celebration. It's a very enjoyable taste of the old ways in the modern era. If you ever find yourself in one of these small towns and they have a speedway event while you're there, go. You will not regret it.
Appreciate you giving a shoutout/mention to Australia/NZ Slap! I live close-ish to one of the biggest dirt tracks in NZ, I see a fair number of these awesome little racing machines on a regular basis. A nice surprise to hear NZ/Aus mentioned. Keep up the good work man!
I was literally just thinking this morning "Hmm, I wonder if S1ap's going to create one of his documentaries about Sprint Cars?", so thank you for delivering that so quickly.
Coming from a large Midwest city, when the weather gets nice every weekend there’s dirt track racing going on. It alternates between the modifieds and the sprint cars. As for the better cars they have insane amounts of power. You can hear them stretching their legs from miles away.
My Dad started driving Modifieds at 15 in 1956 and quickly moved into Sprints. Known as the Tender teenager Terry Thomson. At 17 he was Terrible Terry, winning Mains and driving as a hired gun. He was one of the Original Outlaws. After Nam he saved his money and built and campaigned his own car and won the East Coast Championship. At the end of the season he was broke...
My grandfather used to be the GM of Lakeside Amusement Park in Denver, CO in the late 1940's into the early 1960's. At that time, Lakeside had a dirt track that ran all types of races on Saturday nights. My grandfather hated the midgets and sprint divisions because of the number of deaths and injuries they had at the track. He said he had to cut people out of wrecked cars more times than he could count, and the turnover rate of the safety teams was horrendous. But he also said that he met some drivers that would later compete in the Indy 500.
Thanks for covering sprint cars! Ive been a fan since before i could walk and even get to drive them now. Not much compares to these things today. Where else in the world do you see cars with higher power to weight ratios than formula one at the local county fair every week anyway?
As someone born and raised in the Phoenix area, it's always nice to learn more about the deep racing history the Phoenix area has. Just wish our grassroots racing was better when I lived there, sucked when Manzanita Speedway closed.
Love sprint car racing, im planning on going to quite a few Outlaw shows this year including the High Bank and Knoxville Nationals if the weather ever decides to cooperate. Was hoping to catch the IRA last night but it was a no go.
Planning on both of those as well as cedar lake, ogilvie, river cities, Fargo, beaver dam and Jackson with late model races at cedar lakes USA nationals, woo late models at fountain city wis (Next weekend) and deer creek. The upper Midwest sprint car schedule is awesome this year #minnesota mafia
@@kevineakman8586 Cedar Lake and Ogilvie are both regular tracks for me, both very nice facilities for the most part. Always wanted to go to the Nationals but it's always the same weekend as IMSA @ Road America and that takes priority.
IMO cedar lake is one of the premier dirt tracks in the country. And the atmosphere around the USA nationals is electric, you may want to skip r/a for the nationals one year, you won’t regret it. Ogilvie is nice, just not a fan of dry slick tracks and that place is one of the worst but I’m really looking forward to woo there, it’s gonna be a show, one way or another. I’ll be there in 2 weeks for umss, wearing an “anybody but Schatz” shirt. Buy ya a beer if you’re there.
Every time I come across a sprint car race on TV, I stop and give it a watch. Sprint car racing was one of my grandfathers favorite things in the world, and the family taking him to one of those all day events was one of the few times I ever saw that man smile and laugh all day long. I had a great time, and it took nearly a week for my ears to stop ringing.
When I was a teenager I went to every meet at the local speedway, sprintcars were a rarity but we had TQs, saloons, stock cars and my favorites Modifieds, similar to sprint cars just a bit less aerodynamic. An engineer turned up that season with an all new Modified he designed and built himself, absolutely blew everyone away. One race he started effectively a lap down, he was in front of the field, and won the 20 lap race!
Might have undersold the down under involvement in the sport. I've been to exactly once sprint car race, Ironman 55 in Missouri, and I found myself sat right beside an Aussie couple
from Hanover PA here. PA Posse I get what your talking about lol. Love the video, old shots of the Grove and I think I even seen Bobby Allen in there. Ran Hunterstown Speedway when I was a kid with Logan and many others that have blown up, Its awesome to see. Again awesome vidoe!
I'm not a big fan of car racing but I love knowing the history of stuff. I just love the spirit of human ingenuity and perseverance in this kind of stuff.
As a employe at one of the most renown engine shops for sprints and midgets and some silver crown stuff. You nailed it. Our shop has tons of old banners, posters random nicknacks. Whens the midget video coming out? But dont forget to add Chili bowl in that video. I wanna see what you had, maybe Ill spot one of our engines in those little power houses! Eldora and Kokomo are my two favorite tracks to go watch. I encourage anyone who loves big bad open header v8s and I4s to go out and watch one of these races. Anythin can happen out there.
My auto mechanics instructor was a sprint car racer. My first time tearing down an engine was the motor from his car. Just before I graduated he was allowing me to assist on his pit crew. I'll always have a special place in my heart for these machines.
Love hearing the history about these things, I've got a good friend who races 410 sprint and have gone out to the local races a number of times, helps having two nearby tracks. Amazing video as always slap, and can't wait to see the short track tour return to Oswego
I grew up around a lot of dirt racing in the upper Midwest, and sprint cars were ALWAYS the most fun to watch. I need to get back out to some tracks. Great video!
I just hope Buddy doesn't get stolen by NASCAR. I certainly wouldn't blame him for making the jump but if he doesn't I think he could lead the next wave of Outlaw front runners along with guys like Gio.
Great video, I remember being from Maryland and seeing a sprint car as a kid on the back of a trailer once and seeing it was like looking at Frankenstein and loved every second.
Posse 4 LIFE!! At my local track I can often get big block dirt modifies and sprint cars on a double header a few times a year on a Saturday night and it's awesome how different they race. The Outlaws show up for a mid-week special and it's totally packed and so do the wingless 410's (which are WILD). Sprint cars saved my local track because people are willing to drive 2hrs to spend $35 and get a wild race and still make it to work in the morning.
I used to watch Donny Shatz race up in Grand Forks, ND every Friday night. Been to the Knoxville Nationals many times! Had a Brad Doty signed Racing Champions 1/64th that wound up lost in a move......Outlaws used to come through where I live now, but the people who own Rt 66 aren't doing much with the track these days, and, I must say, it sucks! I miss the Outlaws. I was a firm believer in the saying "If you dont have dirt in your beer, you're not at a real race!". Great video, Slap! See ya next time!
I went to a race at my local dirt track, there was this guy named Sheldon haudenschild, this was like a minor league of sorts but he lapped the field like twice. I can’t describe how fast he was he was flying. The next month he was in the world of outlaws 😂
One of the best on the circuit right now too, just wildly inconsistent. Legend has it his helmet still rests in the infield of Weedsport Speedway, if you know you know.
His father Jac just recently retired. They didn't call him the Wild Child for nothing!!!
@@gabehowe2778 Care to explain?
His dad is Jac Haudenschild, a hall of fame driver that has won some big money in sprint car racing and is one of the most exciting drivers of all time.
Sheldon got wrecked out of a race at Weedsport Speedway in NY last July and lost his temper, so he proceeded to throw his helmet in the direction of the track while still under green flag conditions, causing a completely preventable caution and subsequent uproar in the grandstands. After the race, someone decided to poke fun at the incident on Google Maps, with a parking pin labeled “Sheldon Haudenschild’s Helmet” in the infield of the track. If you look for it, you’ll still see it there to this day. I was in the sellout crowd that night, great show topped off by that hilarious yet kind of unsafe moment
one of the greatest and purest forms of motorsport, even here in Australia the Speedway scene is gaining traction, some of the biggest names in the USA often come down here to race during our summer season, its incredible and enjoyable to be a fan
Warnambool is on my bucket list. Looks like a very cool place.
@@nickphilkill818yes, I went up to adelaide earlier this year on a holiday and I’m a massive fan of sprints, so that weekend we were down there and there was a race weekend on and I can tell u WHAT A BLOODY TRACK IT IS, there’s practically no dust, the people there are the best, and the racing is amazing
Sprint car: The mutant lovechild of a NASCAR Cup Series race car, an IndyCar, a WRC Rally Car and an F-15 Eagle.
Sounds more like the thing that was birthed from the amalgam of body(engine/machine) fluids that resulted from a night of debauchery of those machines.
@@pandalover900 That works.
Not close it is huge hp motor big back tires and big wings to keep them from flying. No weight high power needs huge tires to get half the power to the ground
One of my college professors used to race sprint cars. He built his own engines and was always full of stories.
Nothing like a good old bench race
@@Greg-nq4dj
Ascot Park in Gardena California was my dad's home track.
He raced stock cars rather than sprint cars.
But we got to see a lot of sprint car racing as well.
And, of course, a lot of bench racing after the race at the local bar and grill.
These things are some of the baddest machines on the planet.
Some of the best times of my life.
My collage professor drove a Prius
@@henrywood5462
Hey, Henry. Say hello to a fellow hobbyist.
I have a few RC cars of my own.
Go Dodger blue!
@@henrywood5462
A Prius? One feels badly for your professor.
This is the most exciting entertaining motorsports racing to watch!
I always tell everyone they need to do exactly this. Dirt track racing is so much fun to watch.
Pavement is for getting there
Dirt track racing is the most pure form of Motorsports in the world. Can’t beat a 410 winged sprint car race.
Being able to feel the sound of the cars in your chest takes it to whole other level
Slap!! You used a photo of my grandfathers super modified in the video at 5:59 holy shit that made my whole day! We still race sprint cars to this day, we’re one of the only 3 generation racing families in California still racing to this day
That is crazy dude that’s awesome
Just asking... Are you and your family Brazilian by any chance?
@@PaoloGiovanoli Portuguese
@@markchavesjr555 Bill Scott?
@@snuscaboose1942 Bill drove for my grandfather. He was the owner of the Blue Goose back in the day and built the engines and chassis
World of outlaws and USAC non wing sprint car racing is the best racing in america
When I was about 12 years old my dad (now deceased) got a wild hair up his ass and pulled me out of school on a Thursday, and we beat it down to Charlotte to watch the WoO finals. I had never seen a sprint car in my life. He said "son, these things are what seperate the boys from the men". Well after seeing them shoot by at 140 mph on two wheels and then sit the front end down and immediately cut sideways and throw a 40 yard rooster tail, I was hooked. Been a big fan ever since.
I’ve got a memory of my dad saying the same phrase when taking me to see the outlaws for the first time
I literally started to cry when I saw this video come up.
As a world of outlaw fan that attends the church of Williams Grove three times a year I greatly appreciate this video.
So many of you PA people in the comments..... Take a trip out to Ohio for one of the big shows at Eldora. Crowd for the Kings Royal is mindblowing. You will say to yourself "I had no idea there were this many sprint car fans in existence"
I’m from NY.
I have had a pure distain the PA posse for decades.
I’ve attended the Kings Royal the last 10ish years. First time in 2000 or 2001.
It used to piss me off that my favorite driver, Joey Saldana only finished in the top 3 once in 15ish years at the grove.
I only mellowed out after Brett Marks won.
I can firmly say the arrogant prick of PA actually do have a point.
The only reason PA tracks haven’t gotten the crowd or big events in the past is that there infrastructure under built and way closer to population centers.
That’s kind of changed a bit with investment at Port Royal and rise of Lincoln compared to 15 years ago.
Also the PA tracks have massive non pit infields that makes the crowd look smaller.
You really are only three church is left in Sprint Cars Knoxville, eldora, and Williams Grove.
There are a couple of chapels but nothing that touches the big three.
@@FreeJaffa92chili bowl should probably be on that list too
Your right on the big 3 of the big 4, add the chili bowl though. Husets Speedway is also close. That place is amazing.
Williams Grove is the greatest sprint car track. Just something special about it.
Love Sprint cars, thanks for doing a feature on them!
Being someone from the UK who hasn’t has the opportunity to see these kinds of cars it’s nice to have proper explanations
The UK's equivalent would be BriSCA formula 2 stock cars. You should check them out.
Same here
I'm 44. I've watched racing all my life, but it took me til 40 til I went to a sprint car race. It was at my local high banked paved short track. I thought the late model stockers were fast. Well fast until I seen the sprints. And it they were only the 360 cube, or 5.9 liter, cars. Not the 410s.
In the UK, we have oval racing similar to this. BriSCA F1 (and F2), National 2L Saloons, 1300cc Stock Cars, National Hotrods, BriSCA/ORC Minis, GT Rods, Junior Rods, Stockrods, Rebels, V8 Hotstox, Superstox, A bunch more that I'm missing, and of course the good old British bangers in all of their divisions (2L, pre 90's, Junior, and so on)
Best part about it is that there is probably a track within 1-2 hours of you, regardless as to where you in mainland Britain. Tell me a general area for where you are and I will tell you the closest track to you and my favourite within a distance. I can also provide some links to track and formula websites if you want
@@Tmccreight25Gaming mate they are nothing like some stockcars man
More dirt please! Modifieds, Late Models, etc. Love it.
Sprint cars are the best form of racing. Great video
I have been all over the country and seen just about every dirt class race, and my favorite hands down is the USAC non wing sprint cars, followed closely by super late models
My father used to race local, and my uncle used to race in the World of Outlaws which is the pro level. They both were insanely good, and my uncle even got into a couple official World of Outlaw video games. Their names are Judd and Jeff Shepard if anyone remembers them
Fred who??
I use to wax people with Jeff Shepard on Ratbag World of Outlaws. I’ve seen him race many times
Jeff Shepard was a complete bad ass when he strapped in for battle...... Jeff was a typical sprint car whore... go where the money is. LOL I watched him for many years and he was cut from the same cloth as all the 70's and 80's guys were cut from. Sprint car racing has evolved into basically a wide open, slamming the cushion and they have made the car lay over on the left side. Some guys actually drag the rear left frame rail when they go WFO into the corner.
Peace
Please do more on dirt cars. I'm a huge fan of dirt track and it was awesome learning the history.
Just out the dirtracker channel he does a daily rundown on what happening in dirt racing
As a diehard asphalt guy who has been trying for years to get into dirt racing but didn’t have an very good understanding of sprint cars or their origin, this video is perfection! Thank you S1ap!
They're faster, lighter, cooler lookin' AND the racing is better! Plus poetically enough, the World of Outlaws puts their highlights videos here on TH-cam after every race, you can effectively watch for free to dip your toe in the water!
Get dirtvison or flo racing its worth the money if you like short track racing
What you need to know is that they put dirt on bristol, and sprint cars run 1 second and 15mph faster than the nascar track record. And who is the "premier" series?
@@EnglertRacing96 Facts bro.
@djjazzyjeff123 I should also specify that 20 years ago they laid down those times, and today nascar is still 1 second and 15mph slower lolol
Popular in Canada, too. First time I saw these things wasn't on TV, I was sitting on turn 4 of our local dirt track with my Dad, getting pelted with mud, covering my face with the race program, absolutely freaking out at how awesome this was!
The dirt track at Cornwall was awesome
Outlaw sprints are wild to watch in person! Highly recommend catching a race live if they are in your area.
Even in the Northwest, where racing is comparatively less iconic, you can see AWESOME Sprint Car racing. It's easily worth the price of admission too since you get to see an entire day of racing different cars. I also love the fun races that happen at these events, where they come up with weird stuff to race like busses, trailers, or tandem driving where one driver controls the gas and the other steers. Just make sure to bring some dust goggles.
Skagit speedway is a top 10 dirt track facility in america great track
Friggin Love Skagit Speedway
I live about 3 kilometers from the sprint track in Auckland, New Zealand and the sport has a huge following here!
Having the last part of the video being called by Johnny Gibson at the 2020 River Cities Speedway WoO race was the icing on the cake!
He's an icon!
Sprint cars, both winged and non-wing are by far my favorite form of racing in the world. Nothing else even comes close in terms of both racing quality and the cars being badass.
Edit: Glad to hear the PA Posse get a mention. As someone from Maryland who has been traveling up to PA to watch 410 sprint cars for the past couple of years, I can vouch that it is huge in Central PA. Fans are about as diehard as they come in professional sports and it is pretty much a war between the PA drivers and the invading teams of the Outlaws or All Star Circuit of Champions when they roll into town. It is honestly bigger than NASCAR in that one section of Pennsylvania.
I’m the same come to central Pa each and every weekend from Maryland. The sprints are my passion and my life! The fans and drivers and teams are as close to a family as one can get. Same people week after week it becomes a very close family
In indiana, Iowa and South dakota and parts of Ohio sprint car racing is bigger than nascar
I attended a sprint car event in Virginia, near Adelaide in Australia, and while I didn't appreciate getting dirt flung in my eyes, it was a fantastic experience that I absolutely recommend for anyone who gets the chance (just remember to put on some sunglasses or goggles if you sit up at the front). And these aren't just local things, either; some pretty significant players in the American sprint car scene, such as Danny Lasoski, Donny Schatz, and Joey Saldana, have won major Australian events.
I'm hoping one day to take a road trip to see the Kings Challenge in Mount Gambier, SA, and the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic, Victoria, in the same year.
As someone local to Premier Speedway, Warrnambool where the Grand Annual is hosted, I highly recommend you book everything a full 18 months in advance, else you will not under any circumstances get accomadation anywhere near the track, and I mean within an hour or more, that long weekend is hectic around here
If you go to the Kings Challenge, do yourself a favor and grab a steak sandwich, one of the best feeds in the country. Also a good premier as it runs the night before the Grand Annual classic in Warrnambool.
Australia is actually where a lot of the big drivers go during the off season, and there are several drivers from Australia that come to the states to race during the racing season here.
@@koshie1293 I live in Sydney and I have been invited to join some other speedway fans here to see the Grand Annual. Guys I know from the ten pin bowling scene. Will do it one day. Meanwhile I had my first look at Perth Motorplex for the Australian Sprintcar Title in February and lovedi t :)
At least make it to Murray Bridge! Short little bull ring, but can put on some damn good racing (and its not that far from Adelaide).
10:09 Yo, that literally *is* in my backyard. World's a small place after all
Saw that WoO made some trips up to North Dakota and wanted to include some b roll of their tracks. Then I saw that finish at River Cities Speedway and it just had to be my outro.
you own a dirt track?
Was in the stands when Larson pasted Schuchart there! River Cities normally puts on a great outlaw show!
Grew up near Port Royal Speedway, Pennsylvania. The 410 sprint car racing is beyond exceptional. Especially when WoO, High Limit, or Usac comes to town. The Tuscarora 50 is a race my dad and I never miss - always a classic. Thanks for the PA Posse shout out btw, we take pride in our local drivers!!
I'm not an auto-racing fan per se, but I grew up in Bloomington, IN. About 6 miles from the dirt speedway. Could hear the VERY loud races every weekend in the summer. Only went a couple of times, but dirt track sprint racing is easily the most entertaining circle track racing. On the small tracks, the cars are almost completely sideways basically the whole race.
Also, my 73 year old Dad's best friend since highschool is Steve Kinser, King of the Outlaws. So kind of tangentially pretty connected to sprint car racing.
Been waiting for this video for a while now haha. Sprint cars are an absolute blast to drive. There is nothing I can say to explain the feeling when your on the track. My family has done it for 4 generations over here in California so they are all we know in life. They can get very expensive and can sometimes hurt you pretty bad but i wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. You explained everything pretty damn good in this video! Props to you Slap
From a PA guy, thanks for the shout out! 😂
So glad you showed River Cities at the end. Great racetrack!!!
Being from central PA (and having Williams Grove effectively in my backyard) it’s nice to hear some history for the sprint cars. It is the only real form of racing around here, so it’s nice to get some history about the discipline because I’ve never been particularly interested in dirt racing. It’s cool to hear you mention the PA posse, they’re a testament to how big sprints are around here. Probably the only place where the Outlaws can’t come in and dominate.
California too
Narc and Cra sprints in California are no joke either....
Oh hi neighbor
Living that close to Williams Grove you owe it to yourself to check out the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing just a few miles down Route 15 in York Springs. It’s dedicated to history racing in and around PA over the last century. Really cool place to visit, tons of historic cars and it’s free to get in too (they do accept donations)
@@fivespeedsvx Is all the history that was once under the covered grandstands at Flemington? That was an entire hall of fame just in itself! I have been to W Grove when I was at the 2 bowling centers in York for a Maintenance Tech program during the PBA event there is 2 centers Colony park like south and west or east and south?
Anyway of all the tracks I've been to from Grandview Bridgeport East Windsor Georgetown Delaware International Lebanon Valley Big Diamond Valusia Nazareth The Chile Bowl here in Tulsa where I live now There will Never Be another Flemington Fair and Harry Dee Dropping the Green on the short chute!
Of course no matter when ya went all the the 80s into 91 the last year it was dirt chances are you saw Billy The Kid Pouch win in the Keystone 126 or the Barker Bus 126 other then that maybe once in a while Stan the man Poloski in the Trenton Mack 74 or Brett the Jett Hearn might pull one off but damn Billy can drive and now His son and little BP3 his grandson now just started in the midgets so he got some good tips coming from grandpa! Who still running and winning part time!
Shit his house in Jersey is a hall of fame! I just seen the other day the shit he won from the Skoal Bandit days!
MAN I HAD A FEW TEARS IN MY EYES CAUSE I WAS THERE FOR EVERY DAMN WIN HE SHOWED!
THE SHIT I SEEN IN THE 80S THERE IN TURN 1 WAS AN ENTIRE LIFETIME ITSELF OF HISTORY AND MEMORIES!
CRAZY HOW IT CAN SEEM LIKE IT WAS SOOOO LONG AGO AND YET FEEL LIKE IT WAS JUST ONLY YESTERDAY AT THE SAME DAMN TIME! LOL
I DONT EVEN KNOW HOW THE HELL THAT WORKS BUT THAT IS WHAT IT IS!
Great video S1ap! Thanks for bringing this information to your viewers.
Sprint cars are wild, and there are so many organizations in the states that put on great shows at all skill levels. Once you see them live, you'll never stop thinking about them.
Nice video, good to see explanations & history for people. Just a couple small notes-
3:40 is the insane Nutley Velodrome in New Jersey. The midgets back then also used Harley engines & even 2-stroke boat engines.
4:32 Sprint cars mostly used Ford V8-60 engines... very few had a 4-cylinder engine once the class was established, because the good 4-cylinder Offenhauser engines were expensive.
7:14 They were not using Sprint Cars with the Indy engines, those were still Champ Cars (Silver Crown now, as you mentioned later). Those are what you are showing at 6:55 as well.
The video you used in the outro is actually my home track! It provides the greatest racing I’ve ever seen, dirt or otherwise.
Love this! More dirt car content!
Great timing! Went to my first sprint car race last night and had an absolutely blast
Can you share which track?
Gotta see non wing if you liked it. USAC is the premier tour. Still super fast but no downforce which makes the racing better
Winged world of outlaws tour great as well
The best cars
Sprint cars are the reason I began watching racing in the first place even before I found out about Indy Car, F1, NASCAR, or any form of auto racing in the first place. Port Royal and Williams Grove are probably the best tracks to watch a sprint car race in Pennsylvania. Lance Dewease and Danny Detrick are two of my favorite drivers, and both have competed against the best of the best.
Lance Dewease is cool but F%$k Danny Detrick.
Lol
Borden
Brent marks is the best right now
Grandview is really awesome too, the pa speedweeks race there is a hoot. Sellinsgrove is also cool if you like big tracks
Also theres other tracks in PA that arnt posse tracks like lernerville in western PA that place is amazing
Very good informative video! I recall an interview with Mario Andretti after he was F1 champion (1978 IIRC), at this time he had driven every type of racing car imaginable and he said the USAC Sprint was the most challenging. USAC Sprint cars have V8s with no wings and often race on 1 mile oval tracks making them very fast and of course dangerous.
9:10 2023 Australian sprint car championship at Perth Motorplex in western Australia, my home track. glad you mentioned that sprint cars race down under. love the vid and keep up the good content
As a proud member of the Beer Hill Gang. This did the Sprint Car world proud. Well done bud
I've been waiting for this video. As someone who does run 410 winged and non-winged sprints, this is overall a pretty good video on history of sprint cars. Good work Slap, keep it up
The greatest racing vehicle ever created by mortal hands.
On dirt but the Oswego Super Modified are mortal for pavement. Is it time to offset the sprint car motors?
@@waynespyker5731No offset!
Dammit you, you finally did it. I had a script written out and everything, just never got to making it, and you beat me to it. Fair play S1ap.
Edit: nice to hear about the Posse and their ever-growing popularity. Central PA is probably the only place in the country where the Outlaws can’t just come in and assert themselves with no resistance. (I’m a bit biased towards central/upstate NY talent too but we don’t have anything on them) Best drivers in the country, racing on some of the best tracks. Doesn’t get much better than that.
That was so cool hearing him mention the Posse randomly in his video. You're right though, dirt track racing here in PA is a league of its own.
theres some guys out in cali that are pretty good too. i think those little bull rings out there make some good drivers
@@breylankemp7596 I definitely respect a lot of the Cali guys too. Big fan of Rico Abreu and Buddy Kofoid has really impressed me this year too.
@@breylankemp7596 plenty of great dirt drivers come out of CA! Dominic/Gio Scelzi, Kyle Larson, Rico Abreu, Shane Golobic, Jeff Gordon, and Brad Sweet!
Austin mccarl runs the iowa/south dakota area and is really good, sat on the pole for the knoxville nationals in 2022. Knoxville and Huests speedway have some of the best local talent anywhere
Eldora is almost literally in my backyard, and hearing the 410 sprints running all Saturday night during summers around the campfire is such a cool experience. I personally like to watch them race on smaller tracks with less banking though, they run a little loose at lower speeds and it’s very exciting to watch.
I'm at Gondik Law Speedway watching the North Nationals! If yall never seen a race(any type of race) in person, I HIGHLY recommend it(you're really missing out)! One of my things is I travel for races, idc what type of race, Indycar, NASCAR, NHRA, WOL, anything..., there is an element to being there that ONLY exist when you are there, that you will never feel watching it on a screen!
Watching all of these "What is..."-episodes has been a real treat for someone like me that is from Europe and have a very small understanding of anything beyond IndyCar and NASCAR.
Especially your intros with the 100 year old history of every branch of these. It wants me to request you to make a "origins of motorsports"-series where you educate us about the ancient roots of motorsports. You seem very passionate about races from 1911 and before which is awesome.
Europe has these too! In the UK there's briSCA F1 and F2, which are a lot like sprint cars. There's also 2L saloon, ministox and a bunch of other formulas. There's probably a track pretty close to you
You should look for swamp buggy racing from Naples Florida. Also look for rock bouncers as well. Lucas Oil NHRA drag racing. And JR. dragsters which are small replicas of NHRA top fuel dragsters that children race. they are powered by modified lawnmower engines and reach speeds of about 80 mph. just some of the many race sports hear in the USA.
I love watching outlaw racing. Them boy's are crazy fast. Best racing to watch along with AMA.
The depth of information, the always increasing production value, the way you tell your stories, all are just simply fabulous, such a pleasure to watch and listen, thank you!!!
I'm almost 54 and I have been a fan of all motorsport since 11.
I've seen F1, Nascar V8 Supercars, rally, Moto GP, Top Fuel Dragsters and plenty more.
In my top 3 spectacles was watching Steve Kinser racing at Parramatta Speedway in Sydney Australia. We have some very handy Sprintcar drivers in Australia but Steve lapped the 400 metre clay track like he was tethered to a rotating hook in the middle of the track.
Just an incredibly exciting and pure form of racing.
My dude, you mentioned PA Posse. Grew up near Williams Grove. Hearing someone from SC mention them was really cool.
Can confirm, we love sprint cars in Australia. There are tracks all over the country, always draws a big crowd, and is always a highly skilled and talented pool of teams and drivers
I'd love to see you put together a similar video focusing on Dirt Big Block Modifieds. There are a lot of oddities with these cars as well. They're chassis is similar to a sprint car, but they look so different and are mostly only seen in the US northeast. It would be interesting to see you explain their history.
🦅🇺🇸🦅 The World of Outlaw Sprint Car Racing is a marvel like no other. I spent several years as an Auto Extraction Specialist on the inflied of a 1/2mi track & those machines are about as vicious as they come! Truly a sight to behold as they scream past rotors blazing red against the night & the lights🏁
Well told. I'm an Australian and I remember watching these cars racing on Saturday morning TV in Sydney in the 60's. Nice to know they are still going.
If you live in Sydney you can see them race at the new circuit at Eastern Creek.
My first experiences of going to watch races live were at the Gunnedah Speedway, also known as The Blue Vale Speedway, in Gunnedah, in rural New South Whales, Australia.
Dad used to make the hour drive out there occasionally with mum and us three boys in the back seat of his old Leyland P76. Kids under 12 got in free so I remember when my older brother turned 13 the three of us sitting there looking dead ahead and straight faced as my dad lied to the gatekeeper :D
It was just a great night out. I was only 8 or 9 but still have great memories. They didn't just have sprint cars. I distinctly remember one night they were racing something more like sedans, and one car in particular I can only remember as a Nissan Skyline because I distinctly remember their iconic taillight configuration. An important detail as they ended up pointing straight back at me when the car got into an accident in the front straight and got speared perpendicular into the infield with such force the driver's arm slipped and went through the gap in the wheel, then broke his arm when he got spun after the initial impact. I even remember that driver's name, Pedro Smith.
For years after I used to play with a model that resembled his car and reenact the accident.
Saw 3 cars stack up one night and distinctly remember the entire front right of the top car in the stack had broken and it was only held on by the spring which the wheel assembly and control arms etc. comically sprung up an down on for a few moments.
My dad even won a raffle there one night. A dual cassette recorder and player with a radio and a graphic equalizer and detachable speakers! State of the art in the mid 80s. It was a bright canary yellow. $35 AUD worth of sound system. When the weekly wage was $80 a week, that was huge. We had that thing, still working and using, over 15 years later. It had a sad ending to it's life but that's another story.
It was just a great family environment. With the small community every one always looked out for everyone.
I'm in my 40s now and if I want to go now I go to the Parramatta Speedway in Sydney. A dirt oval tucked away in the middle of a busy city. Health for a long time has prevented me going but I might have to prepare properly and make another trip over. Quite a drive from South west to North west.
I dont know the drivers or follow the scene, I just enjoy the battles, the engineering, and of course the crashes. Lets be real. No one wants to see drivers hurt but no denying a sprint car cartwheeling down the main straight at 100 mph with fire spewing out its ass is a sight to behold.
I grew up around late model racing. But over the last 4 years I've found a absolute love for sprint cars. Also living in Central PA on any given Friday or Saturday night there is always a sprint car race.
I grew up a nascar/Jeff Gordon fan. When I found out he started in sprint cars I started watching them whenever they were on speed channel or back in the TNN days. I try to get to at least one world of outlaws race a year but I live in a place where nonwing sprint car races are king. Was lucky enough to see people like Bryan Clauson, Dave darland, and others.
USAC non wing sprint cars are better people
@@nickphilkill818 agree. USAC Drivers are more approachable. Most of the outlaw drivers are loaded up and gone by the time the fans can get back to the pits after the race. Some locals or the top 3 might stick around but others bail out pretty fast
idk if it’s just me but sprint car racing constantly defies my mind on the laws of physics lol
No car looks like it should be able to race at speeds over 100mph on a dirt oval
Especially When they are thrown into the turns so hard they are almost backing into the turns in the transition to attack the next straight stretch.
yeah, i did not know either that was phisically impossible to turn right.
Ironically these cars have to turn right to go left.
As someone who had effectively no idea about any of this, I'm really impressed with how informative and dense this video is. Not a wasted second! Well done, sir.
As a long time sprintcar fan, part time pit crewman and former midget and sprintcar team co-owner I can say this is a good description of this kind of racing. Some of the very best drivers to ever strap themselves into a race car raced in or learned to race at this level.
I've been going to sprint car races my entire life, even before my first birthday. I grew up in southern PA, which is a mecca for dirt track racing in the US. I've inhaled my fair share of dust and burnt methanol at Lincoln, Susquehanna, Port Royal, Silver Springs, and Williams Grove Speedways. I can't describe how insane these machines are. They need to be experienced up close and personal. Feeling almost 23,000 horsepower roar by at 130+ mph is like nothing else. They move the atmosphere, shake the earth, and bend physics in a way that just doesn't make sense. If you've got $20 and a free Friday or Saturday night, PLEASE, go to a 410 sprint car event, you won't regret it!
Thank you for this. 410 sprints are my favorite.
Over here in Australia, pretty much every major town and city has a speedway where sprint car events are hosted. In the smaller towns you still get people pulling up with their cars right next to the track honking horns and flashing lights in celebration. It's a very enjoyable taste of the old ways in the modern era. If you ever find yourself in one of these small towns and they have a speedway event while you're there, go. You will not regret it.
YOU WANTED THE BEST YOU'VE GOT EM FOUR ABREAST! thanks for another history video. Love these. Cheers
Appreciate you giving a shoutout/mention to Australia/NZ Slap! I live close-ish to one of the biggest dirt tracks in NZ, I see a fair number of these awesome little racing machines on a regular basis. A nice surprise to hear NZ/Aus mentioned. Keep up the good work man!
I was literally just thinking this morning "Hmm, I wonder if S1ap's going to create one of his documentaries about Sprint Cars?", so thank you for delivering that so quickly.
Coming from a large Midwest city, when the weather gets nice every weekend there’s dirt track racing going on. It alternates between the modifieds and the sprint cars. As for the better cars they have insane amounts of power. You can hear them stretching their legs from miles away.
My Dad started driving Modifieds at 15 in 1956 and quickly moved into Sprints. Known as the Tender teenager Terry Thomson. At 17 he was Terrible Terry, winning Mains and driving as a hired gun. He was one of the Original Outlaws. After Nam he saved his money and built and campaigned his own car and won the East Coast Championship. At the end of the season he was broke...
My grandfather used to be the GM of Lakeside Amusement Park in Denver, CO in the late 1940's into the early 1960's. At that time, Lakeside had a dirt track that ran all types of races on Saturday nights. My grandfather hated the midgets and sprint divisions because of the number of deaths and injuries they had at the track. He said he had to cut people out of wrecked cars more times than he could count, and the turnover rate of the safety teams was horrendous. But he also said that he met some drivers that would later compete in the Indy 500.
Thanks for covering sprint cars! Ive been a fan since before i could walk and even get to drive them now. Not much compares to these things today. Where else in the world do you see cars with higher power to weight ratios than formula one at the local county fair every week anyway?
I love how the Bojack intro syncs perfectly with the video. Very informative work btw
As someone born and raised in the Phoenix area, it's always nice to learn more about the deep racing history the Phoenix area has. Just wish our grassroots racing was better when I lived there, sucked when Manzanita Speedway closed.
The Bojack theme made the video even better, and makes me love your channel that much more.
Love sprint car racing, im planning on going to quite a few Outlaw shows this year including the High Bank and Knoxville Nationals if the weather ever decides to cooperate. Was hoping to catch the IRA last night but it was a no go.
Planning on both of those as well as cedar lake, ogilvie, river cities, Fargo, beaver dam and Jackson with late model races at cedar lakes USA nationals, woo late models at fountain city wis (Next weekend) and deer creek. The upper Midwest sprint car schedule is awesome this year #minnesota mafia
@@kevineakman8586 Cedar Lake and Ogilvie are both regular tracks for me, both very nice facilities for the most part. Always wanted to go to the Nationals but it's always the same weekend as IMSA @ Road America and that takes priority.
IMO cedar lake is one of the premier dirt tracks in the country. And the atmosphere around the USA nationals is electric, you may want to skip r/a for the nationals one year, you won’t regret it. Ogilvie is nice, just not a fan of dry slick tracks and that place is one of the worst but I’m really looking forward to woo there, it’s gonna be a show, one way or another. I’ll be there in 2 weeks for umss, wearing an “anybody but Schatz” shirt. Buy ya a beer if you’re there.
USA nationals was always alot of fun when I went. Definitely an underrated crown jewel
@@Jack-o8t5l Taking a break from IMSA at Road America to go this year (been going since 2015 and it's always the same weekend), looking forward to it.
Every time I come across a sprint car race on TV, I stop and give it a watch. Sprint car racing was one of my grandfathers favorite things in the world, and the family taking him to one of those all day events was one of the few times I ever saw that man smile and laugh all day long.
I had a great time, and it took nearly a week for my ears to stop ringing.
I love to see some attention given to our sport. Great job on the video Slap.
From a current sprint driver
When I was a teenager I went to every meet at the local speedway, sprintcars were a rarity but we had TQs, saloons, stock cars and my favorites Modifieds, similar to sprint cars just a bit less aerodynamic. An engineer turned up that season with an all new Modified he designed and built himself, absolutely blew everyone away. One race he started effectively a lap down, he was in front of the field, and won the 20 lap race!
Might have undersold the down under involvement in the sport. I've been to exactly once sprint car race, Ironman 55 in Missouri, and I found myself sat right beside an Aussie couple
from Hanover PA here. PA Posse I get what your talking about lol. Love the video, old shots of the Grove and I think I even seen Bobby Allen in there. Ran Hunterstown Speedway when I was a kid with Logan and many others that have blown up, Its awesome to see. Again awesome vidoe!
I'm not a big fan of car racing but I love knowing the history of stuff. I just love the spirit of human ingenuity and perseverance in this kind of stuff.
As a employe at one of the most renown engine shops for sprints and midgets and some silver crown stuff. You nailed it. Our shop has tons of old banners, posters random nicknacks. Whens the midget video coming out? But dont forget to add Chili bowl in that video. I wanna see what you had, maybe Ill spot one of our engines in those little power houses! Eldora and Kokomo are my two favorite tracks to go watch. I encourage anyone who loves big bad open header v8s and I4s to go out and watch one of these races. Anythin can happen out there.
Yeah World of outlaws is the best racing in the world vastly superior to NASCAR
My auto mechanics instructor was a sprint car racer. My first time tearing down an engine was the motor from his car. Just before I graduated he was allowing me to assist on his pit crew. I'll always have a special place in my heart for these machines.
Love hearing the history about these things, I've got a good friend who races 410 sprint and have gone out to the local races a number of times, helps having two nearby tracks. Amazing video as always slap, and can't wait to see the short track tour return to Oswego
I grew up around a lot of dirt racing in the upper Midwest, and sprint cars were ALWAYS the most fun to watch. I need to get back out to some tracks. Great video!
This is the best racing there is, bar none. And when you mention the future stars are currently racing midgets, Buddy Kofoid instantly comes to mind.
I just hope Buddy doesn't get stolen by NASCAR. I certainly wouldn't blame him for making the jump but if he doesn't I think he could lead the next wave of Outlaw front runners along with guys like Gio.
Ryan timms
Hope buddy stays on dirt because he could be a top guy in WoO for a long time
@@nickphilkill818 another guy I hope stay on dirt
Kofoid is running mostly 410 sprints now and doing very well
As someone from Pennsylvania it's nice to see you shout out the PA Posse
SPRINT CARS, YEAH!
Thanks for including my local track Perth Motorplex in this video, Hi from Down Under!
Great video, I remember being from Maryland and seeing a sprint car as a kid on the back of a trailer once and seeing it was like looking at Frankenstein and loved every second.
Posse 4 LIFE!! At my local track I can often get big block dirt modifies and sprint cars on a double header a few times a year on a Saturday night and it's awesome how different they race. The Outlaws show up for a mid-week special and it's totally packed and so do the wingless 410's (which are WILD). Sprint cars saved my local track because people are willing to drive 2hrs to spend $35 and get a wild race and still make it to work in the morning.
Love the early racing history! It's so fascinating how our sport got its start and evolved so quickly. Keep up the good work!
I used to watch Donny Shatz race up in Grand Forks, ND every Friday night. Been to the Knoxville Nationals many times! Had a Brad Doty signed Racing Champions 1/64th that wound up lost in a move......Outlaws used to come through where I live now, but the people who own Rt 66 aren't doing much with the track these days, and, I must say, it sucks! I miss the Outlaws. I was a firm believer in the saying "If you dont have dirt in your beer, you're not at a real race!". Great video, Slap! See ya next time!
I love these modern history pieces. You have become the Ken Burns of American Motorsport to me.
Man, that "then why does it take all day to put on a race" had me, great video as always!
Very cool to see what an Indycar split has created (for once it was a good thing), could you do a video on Stadium Super Trucks
Nice video I like that you put that race from River cities at the end that race was amazing
I saw they raced in the Dakotas and I had to mention such an obscure racing scene, then I found that finish and I had to add it in at the end.