National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum

11/24/2024

Bob Hogle was born this day in 1932. The 2001 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee began jalopy racing in 1956 in Huntington Beach, California. Jalopies gave way to modified stock cars and Bob drove them at Balboa Stadium in San Diego. In 1959, he made his sprint car debut at Ascot. He also made two NASCAR Grand National starts that season. He ran regularly with the CRA in 1961 and 1962, winning twice at Ascot and once at Manzanita in Phoenix in '61, when he finished fifth in points. In 1963, he settled into the Morales Brothers "Tamale Wagon" and won the CRA championship on the strength of nine wins. He led the series in wins in 1964 with 14, but settled for second in points behind Hal Minyard. Hogle was a true sportsman, and one can point to his help of the careers of Jimmy Oskie, Mike Mosley and Billy Vukovich Jr. as proof. His success continued through the '60's as he racked up numerous wins including the 100-lap event at Ascot in 1967, and he was a perfect 15 for 15 in wins in super-modified action in San Diego that same year. In 1968, he won another championship and 11 features with CRA with the Morales Brothers. He added a USAC win at Ascot, as well as the 200-lap Pacific Coast Championship there. Bob's last CRA win came in 1971 before his retirement in 1973. He retired on top in all-time in CRA feature victories with 63. He was always known for his honesty and colorful opinions! Bob passed away in 2020.

11/23/2024

On this day in 1901, Walter E. Bull was born in Manhattan. Walter worked in race publicity and announced at Cross Bay Speedway in Queen's before starting Illustrated Speedway News on May 7, 1938. The weekly publication touted itself as independent of any organization, and totally devoted to racing. What started as a nickel publication (or $1 a year), soon became $2 a year for a subscription. The midgets rivaled the "Big Cars" for popularity in the late '30's and early '40's, and the readers voted annually on a "King Doodlebug," the most popular midget driver of the year. Covers of the newspaper became popular, and each year, Illustrated Speedway News would produce a bound collection of the covers entitled "Breathtakers of the Speedway." Walter was also known for his generosity in helping injured drivers. He was on the committee for Vern "Flip" Fritch's benefit after a crash that left him paralyzed. Employing many of racing's best journalists, Walter ran Illustrated Speedway News into the 1970's. He passed away in 1978.

11/22/2024

Ira Vail was born this day in 1893. The 1993 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee was racing motorcycles by 1910, but soon was running on four wheels, and was known as "Cotter Pin." With owner Bill Pickens, Ira barnstormed the nation with AAA in the early 1900's. He set an official 100-mile record in Bakersfield, California. Of course, he was the only one still running at the end! He and Barney Oldfield also barnstormed an event in Cuba, and was good on boards and bricks, though he was best on the dirt. Ira was one of the first drivers to contract with accessory companies doing testimonials. He made a good profit at it. He was also good at reselling his cars for a profit. He made his way into a Tommy Milton/Harry Miller engine deal, and won at Forth Worth and Dallas in successive days, taking home $9,500. He was a winner around the country, but specialized at the tracks in Flemington, New Jersey and Mineola, New York. In 1925, the New York State Fair board asked Ira to take over the promotions at Syracuse's national championship event. He would promote the mile through the 1960's. He promoted under the AAA and USAC banners, and also at other east coast venues including Mineola, Rhinebeck, New York, Essex Junction, Vermont. Ira ran in five Indianapolis 500's, finishing in the top ten on four occasions. He passed away in 1979.

11/22/2024

Congratulations to the Knoxville Federated Garden Club for their successful fundraiser for the Butterfly Garden project, and to Kevin, the high bidder of our National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum wreath at this year's Living Windows Event! Thank you to the Garden Club for including us in this event and all who came out to enjoy the event or stopped by the light show in the museum window.

We hope you will join us Saturday, November 30th at 6:30pm as we light up the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum! Lighting ceremony will be immediately followed by cocoa, candy canes, and a visit from Santa (with gifts for kids)!

Brought to you by JB's Holiday Lights in partnership with Optimist Club of Knoxville.

🗓 Saturday, November 30th
⏰ 6:30 - 8:00 PM
📍 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum

11/20/2024

Frank Luptow was born this day in 1915. The 1995 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee won his first ever event in Jackson, Michigan, and went on to race with the CSRA before World War II. After serving in the War, he returned to racing, winning his first IMCA feature in Davenport in 1946. He moved to Tampa after marrying trophy girl Betty Drake. In 1948, he raced in seventeen states, winning with IMCA in Lebanon, Ohio, Eldon, Iowa, Danville, Illinois, Tampa (both Plant Field and Speedway Park), Nashville and Birmingham. He finished third in points behind Emory Collins and Deb Snyder. He purchased his first Offy for the 1949, and drove what would be billed the "Black Panther." Frank ripped off 33 of 40 feature event wins and the IMCA championship! The title stopped Collins string of three in a row following the war. 1950 was even better for Frank. He won 35 of 48 events, and placed second in 11, meaning he was either first or second in 46 of the 48 features run! Another IMCA championship came ahead of Collins and Snyder. Because of his dominance in Tampa, all features were inverted. It didn't slow Frank down any. 33 wins came in 1951, along with his third straight IMCA crown. His success from 1949-51 also garnered him the National Speedways, Inc., point title. His goal to tackle the 1952 AAA "Big Car" and Stock Car campaigns was cut short when he passed away after injuries suffered in a crash at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta. He was inducted into the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1988.

11/20/2024

John Ge**er was born this day in Kansas in 1896. The 1992 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee raced for the first time in 1921, finishing second in St. Joseph, Missouri. He had built a model 490 Chevy 4-cylinder. He designed his first bobtail car in 1923. It was a Chevy, with an Oldsmobile head and no tail. The lightweight car was a smashing success, and John won races from Cedar Rapids to Houston. In 1932, he built a car with his own chassis and a body from Fred Bokorney. While he hired Maynard "Hungry" Clark to drive his car, he drove the bobtail. In the period of a month, Clark won at Lincoln and Lexington, Nebraska, and Topeka and Hutchinson, Kansas. In 1933, Ge**er built another car like Clark's and the two barnstormed the country. In the East, they were billed as the "Iowa Farm Boys." They wore big overalls, straw hats, camped in the infield, and were even provided a baby pig in the promotion. The winning continued. With wife Rose, John moved to Iowa and promised to stop driving if they had children. He won his last race in October of 1933 at Bel Aire, Maryland. In 1934, John built a new 220-inch, 8-valve, single overhead cam engine from his own drawings and patterns. Clark set recoreds and won features at Dayton, Chicago, Hamburg, New York, Cleveland and Atlanta. Clark retired after serious injuries in Atlanta in 1936. The wins kept coming in the Ge**er car. Bob Sall, Jimmy Snyder, Billy Winn, Rex Mays, and Paul Russo. John also manufactured engine parts and other auto parts and reworked cylinder heads. John and Rose bought and promoted the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds in Davenport for a time, and put together a book with Rose's notes. A recreation of John's 1930's garage in Davenport can be found in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum. He passed away in 1979.

11/19/2024

Thad Dosher was born this day in 1935. Thad was born in North Carolina and served at Forbes Air Force Base in Kansas. He would stay in Topeka, and bought his first car for $12.50, racing it at Windy Hill Raceway in Maple Hill. It was a tough start, as he ended up getting upside down in his first two outings. In 1958, he partnered with owner Duane Vobach, who had developed a super-modified with fuel injection. Thad honed his skills at tracks in Kansas and Missouri. He was track champ at Savannah Speedway in Missouri in 1960. In 1961, Thad won his first feature event at Knoxville, and added a Jayhawk Nationals win in Topeka following that. He also was awarded "Most Popular Driver." Arguably the biggest win of Thad's career came in the Luther Brewer Chevy at the 1967 Knoxville Nationals. Thad campaigned on the IMCA and BCRA circuits in those years. He won both the Topeka track championship, and the Jayhawk Nationals for Gary Hanna in 1970. In 1972, he was a regular winner with Hanna at Eagle and Topeka, and then climbed in the R&H Farms car, winning an IMCA race in Lincoln and finishing fifth in IMCA points. In 1973, Thad won with BCRA at Wakeeney, Kansas, and followed that up with IMCA wins at Wichita, Lincoln and Spencer, Iowa. Eleven top fives with the IMCA that season propelled him to the championship. He was also inducted into the S-K Mechanics Hall of Fame in Chicago that season. Other accolades in Thad's career included the Hard Charger Award by the Topeka Auto Racing Boosters in 1974, the 1977 Bill Hoback Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Sport, induction into the Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame in 1979, the BCRA Hall of Fame in 2011 and the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2012. Thad passed away in his native state of North Carolina in 2021.

11/18/2024

Born this day in 1904, few had the track record of 1991 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee Emory Collins. He racked up wins for 30 years across the United States and Canada. The four-time IMCA champion (1938, '46-'48) was as popular a driver as there was between 1921 and 1951. Born in Sibley, Iowa, Emory moved with his family to Saskatchewan at the age of three. He worked at a garage in Regina by the age of nine, and fixed up and raced a Model T at the age of 15, winning his first race at Semons, Saskatchewan. When he won at the "big" races in Winnipeg, promoter J. Alex Sloan wanted a piece of this action. Fred Horey took the youngster, who had also become one of the top junior hockey players in Canada, under his wing. Under Fred's guidance, Emory not only became a great driver, but also honed his skills as a mechanic. By 1929, Emory had bought his own "Fronty" Ford and joined Gus Schrader, Horey, Sid Haugdahl, Glen Heitt and John Ge**er as the pre-eminent "outlaw" drivers in America. With Schrader, Emory helped what was possibly the largest boom in the history of sprint car racing. When Jimmy Wilburn joined the pair, they became the "Big Three" of the IMCA. As great a driver as Emory became, he was even more proud of his mechanical expertise, which enabled him to race some of the best running and looking sprint cars in the country. He was one of the first IMCA "outlaws" to run the 255 cubic inch Miller/Of¬fenhauser in the Midwest in 1936. Not content with his equipment, Emory worked with Lee Goossen to make improvements on the 318 cubic inch Offenhauser engine and he used it to win the 1938 IMCA driving crown, his first, over Schrader and Wil¬burn. After World War II, Emory was known as the elder statesmen in "big car" racing, and he retired to LeMars, Iowa as the all-time leading feature winner in IMCA with 264. He added 19 wins with CSRA. He was inducted into the IMCA Hall of Fame in 1971 and passed away in 1982.

11/18/2024

View Walter "Bud" Raymond Dyer, Jr.'s obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

11/18/2024

Gary Bettenhausen was born this day in 1941 to two-time national driving champion Tony Bettenhausen. The 1993 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee began his racing career in 1963 in the USAC Stock Car division. He raced in midgets and in the champ car series before diving into a sprint car for the first time at Ascot in 1966. He won the trophy Dash and finished third in a feature won by AJ Foyt. In 1968, he focused on the USAC open wheel ranks, and won seven times in Willie Davis's #24 sprinter. His wins included the Knoxville Raceway. He finished second to Larry Dickson in the final standings, and the "Larry and Gary Show" was born! The following year, Gary won seven more times and claimed his first USAC sprint car title. In 1970, it was Dickson's turn to win the championship again, though Gary added seven more wins to his resume, including Salem Speedway's Joe James/Pat O'Connor Memorial. The rivalry went to Gary again in 1971, when he won his second title, winning five times, four with Ford power. At the conclusion of the season, Gary announced he would concentrate on the championship car circuit ending his full-time run in USAC sprint cars. Despite his part-time status, he racked up 13 more wins including the 1974 Tony Hulman Classic at Terre Haute, bringing his all-time total to 40. He won championship dirt car titles in 1980 and 1983. The six-time Indy car winner never forgot his roots and returned to the dirt tracks when he could. Gary competed in 21 Indy 500's with his best finish a third (from 32nd) in 1980. In eight career NASCAR starts, he notched four top tens. He won 27 times in the USAC National Midget series including the first leg of the Astro Grand Prix in 1969, which was held in the Houston Astrodome. He won the 1967 and 1970 Turkey Night Grand Prix, the 1972 Astro Grand Prix, and the 1976 Hut Hundred. He was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1998, the HARF Hall of Fame in 1978 and the USAC Hall of Fame in 2012. Gary passed away in 2014.

11/17/2024

Happy Birthday Eric Gordon! Eric began racing sprint cars as a teenager in Indiana in the winged sprinters. After some success, the live USAC events on ESPN drew his interest. He had a USAC top ten under his belt with a wing at Paragon in 1988. He entered the USAC National Sprint Car Series full-time in 1989 and proceeded to finish second in the points and Rookie of the Year honors. His first USAC win came at Toledo that season. 1990 and 1991 also saw him second in series points. In 1990, he also ran in the Silver Crown Series and finished second in those standings as well as another Rookie of the Year honor. His first Silver Crown win came at Milwaukee. The Premier Racing Association replaced the Silver Crown Series in 2006 and 2007. Eric won the championship with that series in 2007. His prowess came at the famed “Little 500” in Anderson, Indiana. His first attempt came in 1992, and he was eliminated early, and learned a lesson in Patience at the 500-lapper. The next year he led 215 laps and took his first victory at the classic event. He would rack up nine wins in his career in Anderson (1993, 1998, 2001-2005, 2007, 2010), the most all-time. Eric has also been inducted in the Little 500 Hall of Fame.

11/17/2024

Larry Beckett was born this day in 1905 in Ohio. The 2014 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee talked his way into a ride in Richmond, Indiana in 1922 while still in high school. He won the race. He joined the Dayton Police Department, but was given an ultimatum, race or work as a motorcycle cop. The choice was easy for Larry. He was now a full-time racer. He finished third in the only 200-lap event ever held at the Dayton half-mile. He tied Bob Carey's track record in Greenville, Ohio in 1930, and won there and at Troy, Ohio in 1932. By 1933, Larry was winning with regularity after hooking up with Harlo John "Jack" Sheppard in Tampa. The pair raced in 17 states that season, winning 21 times. The next season saw more success, and included a win against the "King of the Dirt Tracks", Gus Schrader in Tampa. Larry became a regular on the IMCA and CSRA circuits. The wins kept coming, and by 1938, he was winning in stock cars too. That season, he won at Lakewood Speedway, both in a stock car and a "big car". The midget craze was sweeping the late 1930's as well. Unfortunately for Larry, he passed away after a midget crash at Capitol Speedway in Washington, D.C. in 1939.

11/16/2024

Robbie Stanley was born this day in 1967. The 2005 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee began racing quarter-midgets at age six. In ten years, he won over 200 events and the 1980 QMA Grands national championship in Waterford, Michigan. His transition to sprint cars came at the age of 16 and he was named Paragon Speedway Rookie of the Year. He began traveling the Midwest from there. In 1983, a surgery on his knee from a wrestling injury went awry, leaving him with a permanent disability. He turned his full attention to racing. In 1989, he decided to run the full All Stars tour, and took it by storm, by not only winning Rookie of the Year, but the series championship. Among his wins was the $10,000 Hoosier Fall Classic at Lawrenceburg. He finished third in points with the All Stars in 1990, and then turned his attention to USAC in 1991. Making his USAC debut in April at the intimidating high banks of Wi******er, he stunned the USAC world by winning. Battling all season with Steve Butler and Eric Gordon, Robbie did the unthinkable, winning the sprint car championship in his first year. Driving for Steve Stapp, as well as the family car, and for Paul Hazen, he repeated his title in 1992. He hooked up with the potent Hoffman Racing #69 team in 1993. Five wins, and 11 podium finishes in 19 starts made him a three-time USAC National Sprint Car champion. Robbie sprinkled in a few NASCAR Busch Series events as well. In 1994, he was going for history, attempting to be the first driver to win four USAC titles in a row. Tragically, he passed away in May after a crash at Wi******er. Robbie was inducted into the HARF Hall of Fame in 1994, and the USAC Hall of Fame in 2017.

11/16/2024

Happy Birthday Bruce Ellis! Bruce's father hooked his son on racing early. By the time the 2015 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee was eight, he had a quarter-midget and raced it until he was 13. After a crash at the age of 12, a few weeks off due to a crash, gave Bruce the opportunity to fill in for an adult announcer at the track, and he got his first taste of track announcing. Bruce's first visit to Williams Grove Speedway came with his quarter-midget racing club in 1959. It was a sad day that saw Bruce get Dale Van Johnson's autograph before the driver perished in a crash that night. As fate would have it, Bruce was also in attendance at Reading in 1966 when Jud Larson and Red Reigel were killed. Nonetheless, Bruce was hooked as a sprint car fan. After graduating from college in secondary education as well as communications and speech, Bruce and wife Denise were teachers and regular race fans, attending as many as 100 events a year. In 1976, Bruce started writing a column for Gater Racing News, specializing in Friday nights at Reading and Saturday at Selinsgrove. When Reading closed, Williams Grove became his beat as his column transitioned to National Speed Sport News from 1981 to 1986. Bruce wold write for Racing Cars, Stock Car magazine and for Open Wheel until it shut down in 2001. He has penned a column for Sprint Car & Midget magazine since its first issue in 2002. Meanwhile, Bruce served as publicity director at Williams Grove from 1982 through 2012, and with Cable Channel 4 in York for their televised programs from Williams Grove from 1984 to 1986. On the eve of the 1987 Williams Grove National Open, P.A. announcer Tedd Reitz left his post. Bruce was asked to fill in, and has been announcing at the Grove on Friday nights ever since. He has also announced at tracks in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland and West Virginia. He also been heard at the Knoxville Nationals, both in the booth, and on various radio stations. In the off-season, you can find Bruce behind the mike at a high school basketball game as well. Bruce was awarded the 1987 North American Sprint Car Poll "Media Member of the Year", and is an inductee of the York County Racing Club Hall of Fame.

11/16/2024

Fred Brownfield was born this day in 1952. The 2010 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee began racing at the Sky Valley Speedway in Monroe, Washington in 1972 and was named Rookie of the Year. At Skagit Speedway, he was a four-time sprint car champion. His last title came in 1993, and the following two years, he and wife Debbie operated Skagit Speedway. In 1995, he took his talents to the Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma. A goal of Fred's was ending the 15-year absence of the World of Outlaws in the Pacific Northwest. The result was his promotion of the Wild Wild Northwest tour in Wyoming, Montana, Oregon, Colorado and Washington. The tour earned him Promoter of the Year honors in both 2004 and 2005. In 1996, he created the Northern Sprint Tour, a 360 series in Oregon, Washington, Montana and Alberta, Canada. That would earn him 360 Promoter of the Year honors in 2001. When talk of a need for another national sprint car series emerged after the 2005 season, Fred jumped at the chance when drivers turned to him after a failed forming of the National Sprint Car League. The National Sprint Tour (NST) was born. The series was a rousing success, but Fred's untimely death in June of 2006 at an event at Elma ultimately ended the series existence after one season. Posthumously, Fred was honored with the North American Sprint Car Poll's "Outstanding Contribution to the Sport" in 2006.

11/16/2024

Chuck Amati was born this day in 1940. The 2004 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee began his racing career in 1959, driving a 1949 Ford. Wins came within a year of his start, and super-modifieds were evolving. After dominating in 1961 at Paducah, he decided to hit the road. The gypsy life of chasing the biggest races was just what the doctor ordered for Chuck! He raced in Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. If there was a high paying race, you could count on Chuck being there! It was at "The Ditch" in West Memphis, that he first ran into Clarence "Ho**er" Hood. He became somewhat of a role model, someone Chuck wanted to be like and more importantly to outrun. In 1964, a board fence in Milan, Tennesee, damaged tendons and muscles in his right bicep. The injury hampered him for a decade, and for a time, a leather harness held his right arm in his lap while he drove with his left. "The One Armed Bandit" nickname was born. In 1967, he drove the Hil-built car, owned by Les Hill of Greenfield, Tennessee. A teen named Jack Elam began a career with the team that would lead to J&J. Chuck was with the team until 1970, and he kept racking up wins. In 1971, he drove the potent M.A. Brown #44 car and traveled even more. The team finished second to Ray Lee Goodwin in the IMCA standings in 1972. In 1976, Chuck joined forces with Sam and Richart Short of Marion, Illinois. They bagged 50 races that season across the Midwest and East. In 1977, they won 30 more, but Chuck reinjured his arm and the team disbanded after the season was over. Beginning in 1980, he teamed for a couple of successful seasons with Richard Briscoe, and then bounced around in different rides for a while before a hard crash in the first King's Royal in 1984. He returned to win at Lawrenceburg two years later. With Daryl Tate maintaining the car, Chuck won 20+ shows in each season from 1988 to 1990, and took the 1989 and 1990 Indiana Sprintweek titles. He took a ten year break, returning to the cockpit on a limited basis in 2001 and 2002. He lamented those were the only two years he didn't score a feature win. His career feature win total is estimated to well exceed 600. Chuck passed away in 2008. He was inducted in the HARF Hall of Fame in 2001.

11/15/2024

Progress continues on the Dennis Albaugh Suite Tower at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum in Knoxville, Iowa! 🏗️

Neumann Brothers Construction crews are on schedule to have the new suite tower completed before the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series visit to Knoxville Raceway on April 18th & 19th, 2025 🏁

11/15/2024

Our prayers and thoughts are with our own Lori DeMoss. Please keep her family and friends in your thoughts and prayers...

Kathryn Louise “Kate” Beary was born October 26, 1936 in Russell, Iowa the daughter of John and Leona (Lemonds) Kasper. She was raised in rural Melrose, Iowa where she graduated from high school wi…