Neighbour called me last week and said he was heading to Eldora for the Kings Royal and I should come along. Being that I am retired, without hesitation I said "Hell yeah".. I had been once about 20yrs ago for "The Dream". This will now have to be a regular trip! What an awesome show and facility. $3 whiskey shots (the bartenders don't actually know what a shot is supposed to be, I think, as a double left no room for more than a dash of mix in a large cup. Thursday night isna bit of a blur). Inexpensive food, great racing and a ton of fun. They know how to put on a show and not gouge you for everything. They paid $175,000 to the winner (Brad Sweet), the largest wing sprint car purse in history. Already checking with a few friends if the want to head down for the Four Crown Nationals in September.
Grew up going to the WoO races around the NE and absolutely loved it. What a show! Hell, I remember watching Jeff Gordon in a sprint car.
That reminds me I havent gone to Knoxville yet this season. Last time I went was a USAC non wing show. Epic.
We had talked about doing Knoxville, but wheat is late and will likely still be coming off at that time here.
If you like WoO at Eldora you have to go to the 4 Crown Nationals there. Wing Sprints, nonwing sprints, midgets, and champ dirt cars all in one day. That is the best openwheel rearing ever.
We raced against Gordon in midgets for years. Same with Stewart and a few others. Hell, I remember meeting Parnelli Jones at Chilibowl one year. Really nice guy.
Eldora is a great facility, even the NASCAR trucks put on a great show there. WOO is awesome no matter what track. I’ve been to the Bloomington Indiana races quite a few times, watching Steve Kinser kick everyone’s ass, especially Sammy Swindell was a treat. Indiana Sprint week was last week, sadly didn’t make it to any.
We were there last year for the World. Awesome facility and the place was packed. We plan on going back again this year if at all possible. Would like to see the WOO sprints there if we were closer but if I’m making the trip it’s for the World.
My cousins ran/managed/owned/raced Lawrenceburg Speedway in SE Indiana....Went to every wknd of races for years ....the KINSERS and Sammy Swindell were the hot dogs back then. Free admission, free food, and we ( siblings, relatives, friends) were paid to clean the stands and the grounds on Sunday.....at least $15 for the day. We still have pics of Jeffy Gordon in the pits at 15 or 16, i don't think he was 18 yet. A little flat track there too. Raced some LT250R quads once upon a time. http://www.lawrenceburgspeedway.com/
Swindell couldn't hold Kinser's jock... Steve Kinser is a 20-time World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Car Series champion. He competed in his first career World of Outlaws race on March 18, 1978 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. Steve has won every major Sprint car race during his racing career. Achievements include: 690 career WoO Sprint Car Series A-Feature victories 12 Knoxville Nationals championships 14th in the 1997 Indianapolis 500 14-time National 410 Sprint Car Driver of the Year 19-time American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association All-American honoree 12-Time Gold Cup Race of Champions Winner 2-Time United Sprint Association Champion Slick 50 World Sprint Series Champion Listed as America’s winningest driver in StockCar magazine Won International Race of Champions (IROC) feature at Talladega in 1994 Set National short track record with 56 feature victories, including 46 of 69 World of Outlaws main events in 1987 Inducted into the Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2005 Has over 900 career feature wins His first feature win was at Paragon Speedway in 1973 at the age of 20 Most current win came in January 2015, at the age of 60 Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2017
Buddy ran in tha event. Had motor troubles and didnt do well. Was just trying to see how close they could get to the A.main. A main paid 8,000 to start. They ended up 8th in the D Main and still got paid $450.
That race at Devils Bowl WAS the first WoO race. Been to that track a ton. Raced at it a few times. Saw a good friend die in a midget in turn 3. I have a love hate relationship with that track.
We raced at Lawrenceburg back in the late 80s with the midgets. Showed up late and missed time trials. Finished 2nd in our heat and made the feature, but had to start at the back because we didn’t time in. Came from the back to finish 3rd. All this in a car that was over 20 years old at the time. Everything was just right that night. I love that track.
Earl did an amazing job building it up, and Tony Stewart is doing an amazing job keeping Earls legacy going.
Watched Tony tonight, running up here at Ohsweken with Rick Abreu and Cristopher Bell in 360 sprints.
