National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum

A stock car boy meets the mecca of sprint car racing.

I grew up in Illinois.  I grew up on quarter-mile oval bullring stock car racing.  I was nearly 25 years old before I saw my first ever sprint car race.  When I DID finally see a sprint car race it wasn’t even on dirt.  That first experience was an asphalt USAC event at the Queen City Speedway in West Chester, Ohio.  The year was 1974.  Jan Opperman competed in that race.

Ascot Park….what a place!

However, I was about to get my feet wet with sprint car racing.  We moved to California in 1976.  Ascot Park then became my hometown track until it closed in 1990 (minus 1980-83 when we lived in Connecticut and back in Illinois).  I fell in love with wingless sprint cars.  I don’t recall any track having better sprint car racing week in and week out than Ascot.  I saw the likes of Jimmy Oskie, Dean Thompson and Rick Goudy battle it out.  Buster Venard was my favorite.

My first visit to Knoxville.

In 1979 my stepfather and I made our first trip to Knoxville.  Ronnie Shuman would win the Saturday night “A” main.  This would be the first of many return trips to Knoxville.  The World of Outlaws were just getting going at this point.  In the late 70s I was a “racechaser”.  Despite living in California most of the time I could travel to faraway places to see my racing.  I saw the World of Outlaws back when they didn’t run wings.  I’ve seen Steve Kinser win more than 50 times.  I’ve been to Australia and Canada several times to see the best of the best race sprint cars.

I must tell you that I am not a big WINGED sprint car fan.  They just don’t pass enough for my tastes.  Nevertheless, it is fun to look back on sprint car history….even if I did get a late start on becoming a sprint car fan.

You had best make your way to Knoxville, Iowa.

If you’re interested in seeing and experiencing sprint car history then you had best show up in Knoxville, Iowa.  Knoxville is home to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum.  I’ve been there several times.  When I was working we had a plant in Iowa City that I loved to visit.  Whenever I did visit that plant I tried to stop by the Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum in nearby Knoxville, Iowa.  I remember on one snowy winter’s morning I was the only person visiting the hall of fame.  I really got the “cook’s tour” on that visit.

Don’t miss my photo album.

I’ve attached a photo album from my July, 2015 visit to the museum.  I took photos of all of the drivers, owners, etc. who I had either met or who had some special space in my memory bank.  I didn’t caption all the photos.  Real sprint car fans will recognize just about every one pictured.  I hope you get the chance to visit this place.  If you do give yourself some time.  There’s a lot to see.  Of course if you do make it to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum make sure you get to see a sprint car race at the famous Knoxville Raceway!  

Click on the link below for a photo album from today’s visit to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum.  Double click on a photo to begin the slide show or watch the photos at your own pace.  Hover over a photo to read the caption.

National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum Tour – 2015