Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Last night I was watching a DVD of the Nationals from the 80's. I noticed there was a race called the Mystery Feature every year and I'm just wondering what that was?

Half of those races we're from before my time so that was all new to me.

The Mystery Feature was run on Friday night, and was just that; it was a "mystery" as to who would participate in it. It forced teams to show up, if they were picked to run in it, and earn a few more bucks. But it also provided another opportunity to crash your car before Saturday....and it did nothing to help improve a teams seeding in the mains for Saturday night.

As a result, it wasn't always well attended by the teams......

Chuck.....

Thanks Spinter25. I was kinda suprised there was so many views without anyone answering! I can see now why it isn't around anymore!

The "Race of States" and "Mystery Features" were popular ways to get the 50 Saturday qualified cars to run on Friday. Several top teams didn't run them back in the day because they only had the one good car, but the races were very entertaining, and now many of those teams could bring a backup car out to run. I can tell you there is talk of a possible return in the future...

If this post isn't results, stories or something c
constructive, it isn't me! 
@BillWMedia
www.OpenWheel101.com

Those 2 features were usually the best races of the entire week!

I for one hope they bring them back ASAP

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I couldn't agree more. There was one Mystery Feature that helped me decide that I didn't want to be a sprint car driver. I believe it was Max Dumesney in the lead and Doug Wolfgang was in a back up Weikers Livestock machine. Doug tried every trick in his book to get by Max but never did. Wolfie would drive that car in harder than I had ever seen anyone dive into a corner, but could never get by Max. Wolfgang's effort to win that race scared the hell out of me and I decided that if I had to do that to drive a sprint car then I would rather watch someone else do that. That race was amazing and that was the best race I had ever seen at Knoxville.....and it was the on Friday....the non-qualifiers night.

www.ibracn.com
#PaulsToTheWall
GO SAMMY!

Interesting that you should mention Max Dumesny ....

His 21 year old son Mitchell is rapidly advancing to star status at Parramatta this season. Second to Donny 24 hours ago and a few weeks prior to that, Mitchell took both the A Mains on twin features night. Not to mention his victory in the second World Series round at PCR this season when he crossed the line upside down after tangling with Robby Farr at the chequered flag.

His speed and car control are phenomenal and you can be assured that Knoxville fans and others around the USA will surely see this young man in action very soon.

I sincerely believe that he will get a Parramatta feature win whilst Schatz, Kinser and colleagues are here this summer.

www.globalspeedwaytours.com.au 

Brad, that might have been the Race of States Feature in '85 w/ Dumesny holding off The Wolf...

Have 'W' double check my homework, but this might be the Mystery Feature winners at the National Sprint Car Championships in Knoxville..

1979-Danny Smith

1980-Tim Green

1981-Gary Scott

1982-Steve Kinser

1983-Rick Ungar

1984-Jac Haudenschild

1985-Tim Gee

1986-Nixed due to rain.

1987-Keith Kauffman wins the combined Mystery/Race of States Feature due to rain. Ran on Sunday.

1988-Sammy Swindell

1989-Steve Smith Jr.

1990-Dave Blaney

1991-Nixed due to rain.

1992-Jeff Swindell, last actual Mystery Feature held.

1993-Nixed due to rain.

1994-Implementation of the Scramble deals and the World Challenge Feature.

It's all on Knoxville's website...

Mystery Main...........................Race of the States Feature

1979 - Danny Smith
1980 - Tim Green
1981 - Gary Scott....................Steve Kinser INDIANA
1982 - Steve Kinser..................Bobby Marshall TEXAS
1983 - Rick Ungar....................Sammy Swindell TENNESSEE
1984 - Race of Champions - Jac Haudenschild
1985 - Tim Gee.......................Max Dumesny AUSTRALIA
1986 - none*
1987 - none*...........................Keith Kauffman PENNSYLVANIA
1988 - Sammy Swindell...........Doug Wolfgang SOUTH DAKOTA
1989 - Stevie Smith.................Steve Kinser INDIANA
1990 - Dave Blaney.................Danny Lasoski MISSOURI
1991 - none*
1992 - Jeff Swindell.................Danny Lasoski MISSOURI
1993 - none*

*weather related

If this post isn't results, stories or something c
constructive, it isn't me! 
@BillWMedia
www.OpenWheel101.com

'Back in the day' - we went to Wolfgang's qualifying night, and then Saturday night. So I obviously missed out on all the Mystery Feature and Race of States action. The scrambles are a joke, bring back the Mystery Feature & Race of States!!!

what I would love to see and it would make friday unresistable to me, would be a replay (with invert even better) of previous years A main,

I stand corrected....it was the Race of States...either way it was a great race.

www.ibracn.com
#PaulsToTheWall
GO SAMMY!

Max and Doug's mystery feature was the best ever for me. Couple of stand on the gas guys with great cars.

Just for fun. These would have been the 28 participants in a "Race of States" in 2008 in order of points. I say invert 12, and send them 25 laps on Friday night!

If this post isn't results, stories or something c
constructive, it isn't me! 
@BillWMedia
www.OpenWheel101.com

I remember reading about the Max v's Wolfie race in Open Wheel, the story made it a nail biter, I can't imagine how awesome it was to actually see it!