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

I guess Rick Sutcliffe, since his Dad ran a sprinter or a midget.

The late Heath Ledgers and his Father are race fans in Australia. I believe his father owns a midget.

I heard stories awhile back about them being big sprint car fans and his dad racing sprints.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands 
in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he 
stands at times of challenge and controversy." 
Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Erich Petersen 

Heath's Dad (Kim) not only owned, but drove midgets at Claremont in Perth, West Aust for many years. He pioneered the Rotary engine in a speedcar when Heath was just a lad, winning a couple of WA titles along the way.

He helped his Dad in the pits at Claremont up until he he moved to Sydney to further his acting career. The USA was next for Heath, but he always remembered his dirt track roots whenever he returned to Perth.

www.globalspeedwaytours.com.au 

Dick Sutcliffe was definitely a sprint car racer. Dickie Smothers raced sports cars, for sure. I was in a race that he ran. The only time my parents came to one of my races - but I think it was to see Smothers, not me. Paul Newman loved sprints. Hoss ??? loved racing and sponsored an Indy car. Not sure if Kenny Rogers or Loretta Lynn liked racing, but their PR person most certainly did. Steve McQueen raced sports cars (and Baja - off road) and was killed in his Porsche coming back from a sports car race. I don't know if he was into sprints or not. I would think so since he also liked bikes. I also ran Baja one time when he did.

Actually Marty Robbins had a significant racing connection. We caught a special tribute to him at the Country Music Hall of Fame a few years back and he drove/owned/sponsored everything from micromidgets to early Nascar stocks. Ran agains the likes of Coo Coo Marlin and Richard Childress.

Larry the Cable Guy is a huge dirt racing fan, but his taste leans towards Modifieds and Late Models I believe. He attends racing at Eagle numerous times every year, but not nearly as often as he'd like.

Bob and Tom have always been HUGE supporters of injured drivers. They held a benefit for Jan Opperman after his 2nd and career ending accident. Raised around $10,000 if memory serves.

I am lucky enough to work at one of the best tracks 
anywhere.

Yes that is correct. He visits Pennsylvania Tracks a good bit. He is very good friends with the Rahmer family. He has been known to sit with Freddie's wife while she sells Tee-shirts.

Adam Brand the Australian country and western singer. Not only a fan he actually sings songs about sprint car racing.

In the early 2000's Chevy Chase was at the knoxville nationals

Watched Paul Newman wheel Al Unser Jr's pennzoil sprinter at ascot back in the day

They were also among the first to help Jan Opperman after he got hurt.

I can't recall the details but someone posted something on here one time about a drummer from AC/DC being a Sprint Car fan. Don't know much more than that or how much the band lineup has changed over the years aside from lead singer. Maybe somebody knows something.

Stan Meissner

Gary Scelzi is a huge sprint car fan,good friend with the Dude. Ron Capps also does dirt .

Riki Rachtman from Poison and the weekly NASCAR Racing Rocks radio show has been known to sport an Eldora sprint car t-shirt on tv once in a while...

Brian

Johnny Gibson could verify this better than I but I seem to remember the group Diamond Rio were sponsors of Jason Sides when he first got on the WOO tour.

Very true.. First on the ASCS 360 Car and then the 410 Gumout car. I do remember going to a banquet or something at Tunica Casinos for them.. Still think they are involved in Nascar in a small way..

Clark Gable played in my favorite movie of all.... To Please A Lady!

Johnny Knoxville was seen in JACKASS the movie wearing a sprintcar teeshirt. Not sure but I heard Paul Newman made some laps at BEAVER DAM WI.