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Moderators:  /  David Smith Jr

Outlaws where here and the USA race in Devils bowl rained out. They held the race for wolfgang and rest of USA clan. Wolfgang and Kinser swapped the lead a dozen times coming out of 2. I promise there was over 8 thousand on their feet that day.

Getting to hang out in the pits and watch Leep,Walker and Suggs. Hoping someday to get a chance to drive. These where the good old days.

I have a lot of fond memories of SFS. My personel favorite was getting 2nd place in the 1997 Factory stock 50 lap enduro race held during the state fair. It was of only 2 times I got the chance to race there. I had planned on racing there last year (08) but they cut the class. I spent a lot of nights in the stands as a fan. The sprint cars were always great but my favorite was the stock cars. The Factory stocks to be specific. In the 90's when I went the most, they always had a large field of cars. That is also true of the late 80's. I remember a old black cadilac that ran well. It must of had a 125" wheel base. When he got sideways in the corner, he took up the hole track. I think he ran the 50 lap enduro that I was in and then followed it up with the demolition derby that followed. Its amazing some of the things that stick in our heads.

I can remember going to school in the summer of 89 in OKC. On Friday nights, they had the best $6 show I think I've ever been to. 2 weekly classes ran on the 1/4 mile and 2 ran on the half-mile. Fast moving and well run! If they had a big wreck that was going to take a little bit to clean up somewhere beside the front stretch, they would just run the other track while they cleared up the mess. I thought that was pretty cool and have never been anywhere else that they could do that. They had Winged Super Modifieds (I remember seeing Rick Barksdale and Shane Carson run a lot in that class) and Pro-Stocks on the 1/2 and a wingless, 6-cylinder super mod class and Pure Stocks for the 1/4. I went about 6 or 8 times that season and really enjoyed it.

Top 5 at Fairgrounds Speedway

5. Harold Leep coming out of the 5/8 th full throttle down the front stretch

4. Tony Armstrong getting a lot of air in the Ofixco Champ Dirt car, clearing the light pole, fence, and landing outside in the parking lot and then walking down the front stretch to the cheers of the crowd with no ill effects of that wild ride.

3. Herb Copeland putting it on the USAC boys in the old NCRA/USAC series. Shane Carson would have won one of those races if he and Vogler had not tangled down the back stretch

2. Walking the pits, listening to all the engines warming up, at the first race of the season after a long and boring winter.

Number one memory;

Taking my son to his first race at the age of two, and continuing that tradition for almost three decades only to realize he and I will not be allowed to start another tradition in 2010 with my two year old grand daughter. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what really hurts about losing the Speedway.

Memories: There are a plenty as I can't narrow them down to just one or two. Hang on, here we go:

My parents took me to the speedway back in 1969 when I was 4 yrs. old and I remember the night that Wayne Cox and Harold Leep tangled in turns three and four and the fight with the crowd in an uproar. I remember we quickly left for some reason.

We went quite often from then to about 1977 when my parents quick taking me and bought me season tickets to the OKC 89ers instead.

I got courious, after getting my drivers license, and went to the fair races in 1982 and have been going strong ever since.

I attended every weekly show in 1983 and every event the track hosted. The USAC/NCRA champ car challenge was one of the big races I remember for not only the Indy USAC veterans and our NCRA heros but I won the contest that gave away a free tv and clock radio - which still works today. The USAC/NCRA races were a hoot and was always anxious for that weekend to come, just as I was for MAR-CARs WoO races. I would always go to all the hotels and sit next to the highways and get goose bumps when I saw the WoO trailers. Luckily I got video of all those WoO races and the 1984-1986 USAC/NCRA races.

I met alot of drivers in the 80's to which I cherish them all to this day: All the Jennings', Jack Moulton, Steve Carithers, Shane Carson, Danny Wood are the main ones to come to mind. When Bruce Jennings and Mike Peters went down to the last points night to determine the final champ dirt car points champion in history, I remember jumping up and down with Bruces' wife, Susan, and I swear I must have step on her feet each time.

The USAC/CRA non-wing sprint car challenge in the mid to late 80's was also one of the hightlights to round out that decade.

The WoO were still a highlight of mine in the 90's while I left all the weekly racing at OKC and traveled out of town to races because of my extreme dislike of Bruce Holtz. The mid 90's brought another round of anticipation with the All-Star/NCRA outlaw Thunder Through the Plains tour, which I was proud to have been asked to cover for both series, which still found me on the road. The highlight of those OKC races was the night Steve Kent started tail back in the feature in the Shelma-Shell #11k out of California. He then was the only driver to find the top side to his liking, drove the guardrail and on the last lap, caught race long leader Bobby Davis, Jr. to take the victory. He then got fired by his car owner as he was suppose to bring the rig back home right after the Knoxville Nationals but ran the Thunder Tour instead.

I remember the lovely OKC scorers arguing the All-Star officials (1998 I believe) and with the very beautiful series official Kelly Dawson sitting with me, in uniform and radio headset in hand, telling me that they would never be back to OKC again. And they never were.

This website was born in 1998 and I met several more drivers (and fans) from here in Oklahoma City and after seven years at one business, I was then a part of a local racing parts place when it very first opened. Gary Flatt, Dutch Ter Steege (both who have plenty of great stories from the past by the way), Stanley Reed, Cale Levascy, Randy Timms, Frank Dittman are just a few of the drivers I still am proud to have known from the racing ranks here. Some I consider people I can count on.

I hit the road from 1998 and still have to this day but always looked forward to "coming home" where I met alot of great drivers and fans. Yes, there are a couple I don't necessarily care for but it happens.

The crashes, it is hard to narrow it down to just one. Harold Leep flipping end over end as high as the light poles in the Spring of 1984 teared me up as Harold was my favorite driver from the outset. It was also the time Earnest Jennings broke his neck in the same melee.

I always sat in turn four and watched Gerald Smith and Mike Allison retire after busting their butts hitting that guardrail coming out of turn four. The night I think it was Carithers slamming the guardrail and landing on top of Sammy Swindell, who feuded with WoO president Ted Johnson and drove Tony Bruces' (Sr.) Challenger Chassis house car on a weekly Friday night show.

"Tiger" Tony Armstrong, my favorite driver of the 80's scared me and everybody else when he exited the track entering turn one during the Firecracker Nationals and cleared the 5/8ths mile fence and landed outside the track into the parking area.

Danny Woods stuck throttle in 1983 during time trials for the USAC/NCRA challenge race aboard J.T. Filans #08 I can still hear reving through the air to this day. Of course, who can forget the late Larry Rice stuffing Donnie Crawford entering turn one in heat race action of the 1986 USAC/NCRA race, which was a preview to come to Rich Voglers stuffing of Jon Johnson down the back stretch on the first lap. The near riot of the crowd during and after is also one I will never forget. This is the race that friend Dr. Pat Sullivan (USAC announcer) calls "the most controversial race in USAC history."

Of course it was also the scene of all of us losing a good man on opening night when a too tacky to race track cost us Ken Whitehouse.

There are more most memorable moments but those are all I can recall. I do hear people say that Amarillo's Conner Pullen crash in turn three with everything breaking and descenigrating except him and the cockpit was probably one of the more scariest crashes ever.

That is all for this short novel but all that comes to mind when I look on our Fairgrounds Speedway and the many memories this person will never forget.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

Ratmotor, you're a little off on the NCRA/USAC thing.

Copeland won in'83. Shane won in '86 after Vogler took out Jon Johnson coming off turn one on the first lap. That two day show in '86 may have been the most dramatic and exciting in the history of the speedway.

Dave, many of your memories mirror mine. Lots of good stuff.

Kent's drive from the back. Wolfgang and Kinser wheel to wheel for the checks at Shane's springnationals. The V-6 modifieds on the 1/4 mile. McSpadden using the guardrail for a cushion. The three car/three lap match races I arranged during the '86 season. The list goes on and on.

Scary crashes were numerous. Thankfully I wasn't there when Ken lost his life. Armstrong's dump was remarkable. Leep's was scary. But none I can think of looked worse than Pullen's flip going into three. About as ugly as it gets.

For me though, the greatest memory was that '86 USAC/NCRA weekend. Great names. Great drama. Fantastic racing. Funny incident from that night. I was working for Larry then and had arranged the pace car and trophy girl (MAJORS, try to find pics from the night for a little memory jog)...sorry I got lost for a minute. Anyway I'm driving this Mustang GT convertible, pacing the A feature. I don't remember the speed but USAC and Larry told me to maintain that speed for the pace laps. Going through two I'm running the speed I was told when lo and behold who drives up next to me-motioning me to drive faster-other than a-hole Rich Vogler. Vickie the trophy girl was more than a little freaked out. All I could think was what a pr*&k. Good stuff.

I think Danny dumped the Felan 08 in '85.

I have pictures of 1 of the 3 lap OK-Tx-Kansas match races,NW Bill. I will have to dig them up but I do remember Peters in the #75 Challenge Chassis House Car & Bob Ewell in the 1n

One of the greatest 410 shows I remember was an NCRA show, the lights went out on part of the 1/2 mile.(IMAGINE THAT)

Drivers were allowed to re-setup the cars & change gears, etc and the feature was ran on the 1/4 mile. I LOVED IT although a lot of folks didn't. Seeing Shane work the traffic was like watching a master at work.

I too am at a loss for words as SO MANY memories have ran through my head the past week.

1969 was probably my first yr to be in attendance at FAIRGROUNDS SPEEDWAY.

I can say with 2009 drawing to a close I was able to attend races there 40 yrs.

Every once in a while the place was actually sort of pretty....sort of.....

Anyone know who took this photo?

John Stewart

Retro Racing Custom Model Cars
405.922.6163
[email protected]
Oklahoma City, OK

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To All,

My memories start early in '64, used to set in the second set of bleachers between the north pit gate and concession stand with 3 of my school buddy's John Dowds, Paul Grey & Steve Slater. When Steve Morgan flipped through the fence and landed in the bleachers we were sitting in the top row scared all of us shit less, remember Carl Fergusion coming off turn 4 in that beautiful maroon & gold #10 and he just steped out of the left side as it errupted in flames leaving his loafers in the car, of course most old fans remember Cox & Leep Sr. crashing in turn 3 after an early lap incident, it was classic Cox pulled back on the track and waited for Leep and took both into the fence. Remember #501 with Ronnie Brotherton kicking everybody's butt on the 1/4 mile track, followed in the next few years by Roy Patton & a young Mike Kuepker, these guys were pretty good on that 1/4 mile track. There were also a couple more that I really liked on the 1/4 mile Bob Hurley #40, Bill Parker #47, Larry Beckman #98 & Ray Barrow #107 these guys were my 1/4 mile hero's. In the early '70's there was a couple that came along with the name of Carson (Scott & Shane) man at that time who whould have thought they would do as good as they did. Of course I really remember Danny Daniels #66 mainly for running over my front end and breaking my steering box on the 2nd lap of a heat race and then the GREAT advice that my old friend Bruce Moss gave me about crashing, stand on the gas 9 times out of 10 that will save you well I stood on the gas and drove in to that front stretch wall wide open (didn't take long to figure that was a big mistake) Perry Bodine winning an A-Fea. in that black #84 with a corvair engine. Of course there was Troy Matchen in that #86 he was deadly for years on that 1/4 mile. Of course Tiger Bob Williams winning the Nationals in Al Weilands #37 was pretty big, another favorite memory Grady Wade in Schipert's #4 winning the Nationals in '71 is one of my all time favorite memories. Benny in the Old Mans #13 it was usually win it or wear it. Pat Patterson knocking down the 1st turn guard rail wide open after a starter hit him square in the face knocking him out. Tom Pickard in Arter's beautiful #38 with I believe Traco power that thing sounded awesome, later Bobby Reynolds would drive this car as #50 and win a A-Fea. before being hurt critically in a turn 2 crash. Of course then you had Dale Case #7, Bud Linstrom #35, Terry Linville #32 who was an up and coming driver who lost his lower arm in an Enid crash. Hank Malone in that beautiful red & gold #99, Aaron in his black & gold #1 hutmobile. Damn I'm setting here just pulling these off the top of my mind and I haven't even got started, I don't think we have room on here for all of these memories, I can tell you this we haven't even touched the 80's 90's or 2000's and there are loads more for the 60's & 70's. One thing about it I've just been a very small minute part of racing here at OKC, I have been forunate to have raced all over the country and made alot of friends and enemys doing it but I wouldn't take any amount of money or trade any of it for the times, enemys, friends & memories that I've had at this old track!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some of my memories, white pants in the pits, winning our 1st driver of the month jackets, 1st modified 1st super 1st dirt champ feature, Different race cars, Sonic Blue, Black Magic, Roy Patton's KOCO 5, Bob Bible's ford super, Goldfinger, Davey Ross's black 54, Ray Crawford's oil derrick walker's, Aaron Madden's walker , Any of Harold Leep's ( Ray Cates Edmunds- Aaron Maddens Jelly- Pat Suchy's etc.) The sound of Wallace Collins 6 cylinders hedders, Pitting in the in-field, Being at the Mar-Car Nationals and announcing the landing on the moon, All the tall tales told before, during and after the races, Bruce Moss loaning us a spare motor the last points race so we could battle him for the title, Jimmy Whitson's crash, NCRA vs USAC battles, WOO's , Leland McSpadden Pushin the cushin like no one else , The 2 different tracks 1/2 & 1/4, Jack Miller and all the other announcers , The list could go on forever

I have no clue,but thanks for sharing that with us. AWESOME.

I am pretty sure I was there, if that was 1986 USAC/NCRA Challenge.

Top 10 ways to tell you are a long-time Fairgrounds/State Fair Speedway Fan

10. The state fair was just a place to get a corn dog , a jug of A&W root beer & a chance to listen to the clown in the dunk booth hurl insults at people . You did this between "A" features during the fair.

9. The number 23 does not make you think of Michael Jordan or LeBron James. It makes you think of Greg Wooley

8. Anyone who ever announces any public sporting event ever in the history of mankind,you always say to yourself, "Man That guy's voice will never be as good as Jack Claxton".

7. No driver in any form of motorsports sends a chill up your back like Lealand McSpadden, scrubbing the dust off the 1/2 mile guard rail,takin the long way around the track & just dusting off everybody crowding around the bottom searching for a bite.

6. When you were a little kid you thought the ramps under the grandstands leading up to your seats were the steepest climb known to mankind. The second you stepped out the walk way, seeing the cars packing the track or hotlapping made the LONG climb worthwhile.

5. Being the hottest & dustiest ,and the Coldest and shivering harder than ever within a couple weeks of each other. Welcome to racing in Oklahoma.

4. Finally having enough $$ to buy pit passes on a consistent basis,hangin them from the pickup mirror so thick you cant get anymore on there. Your truck gets broke into & 1 of the things that gets ripped off(literally) is the rear view mirror w/ about 20 pit passes on there. DAMMIT

3. Gettin the spare tire stolen from your truck out in the fairgrounds parkin lot & not really caring. Your favorite driver just won an A feature & the jerk you can't stand DIDN"T.

2. You raced your friends in running races as a little kid. They were all Franco Harris, Greg Pruitt or a baseball player or other athlete. You were either Aaron Madden or Harold Leep. Nobody out ran me.

1. Most important of all--- You make friends for a lifetime like I have in the past 40 years. Those of you who know me know what I'm talkin about. Mayor Mickey can close the track, tear it down, whatever. But 1 thing he cannot & will not take away is the admiration & respect I have for so many people involved in the sport of racing .

Some more of my Favorite memories, Although there has been a bunch. Another great wreck i saw was when Bruce Jennings, Flipping coming out of 4 on the 1/2 and stoping entering turn 1 of the 1/4 mile.

The First time i went into the pits and how i got in there. Me and Jimmy Taylor were helping Wade Jarvis i was like 13 or 14 and Jimmy Was barely 14 maybe 15 we used to walk up to the pit gate. Put our Keys down on the ledge, and they never questioned that we werent 16. Only time i ever got asked for my Drivers License was after i turned 16.

One of my all time Favorite Drivers. on the 1/4 Was the one arm Bandit. Stan "the man" Constant. Amazed me on how he put that car around the track.

Always remembered going to the races during the Fair, then after all of the A's had been runned Everybody in the Pits taking over the Midway. Most of them drinking a Few cold golds. But also getting a jug of root beer and just having a blast with everybody. No matter if the guy wrecked you in the A you still had a good time with him.

Loved the Thunder Through the Plains races. Those were some of the Best races around. I was there unfortunately when we lost Ken Whitehouse man could he make that Dodge Fly. We used to go by his shop all the time and he would straighten out the front axels for us.

Remember all of the Fighting in the Pro Stocks. Between the Dodge Camps and the Chevy Camps.

Man the list just goes on and on.

David Foley

"Just let me make it to the Dirt Track.. Truck then u 
can break down!!!"

That grandstand pic is from either the '83 or '85 USAC/NCRA show.

My guess is that either Alan Odom or Jeff Taylor took the photo.

Thanks Bill, I think this is from the first one because my dad's Cor Vett is in the pic. I remember Barry Grable with the Ofixco USAC car and Carrol Nance with his 1n car worked out of our shop that weekend.

John Stewart

Retro Racing Custom Model Cars
405.922.6163
[email protected]
Oklahoma City, OK

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Your dad brought his Vette out for my homecoming parade at Midwest City in '80. I remember calling him and explaining that I was a race fan and we needed a really cool car for the Journalism Princess to ride in. Far and away we had the least attractive "homecoming princess" but she was riding in the best car in the parade.

Street Stockers: 2-Jim Stewart, 8-Paul Shade, 11-Johnny Cunningham, 12 Perry Robb jr., 13-Hiawatha Newton, 14-Rnndy Brotherton, Darrel Kroth, 16-Charlie Gunter, 17- Duke Hill, 23-Don Newton, 28-Joe Stewart, 76 - Flop Myers, 78 Brian Dromberger, 96 Larry Allen, 181- Bruce Jennings, 500 - Leon Coker

Modifieds: 2-Joe Roberts, 3-David Raines, 4-Ron Smith, 5-Jim Bean, 6-Jerry Havill, 7-Dutch, 9-Mike Bickel, 10-Jeff Abernathy, 11-Terry Barnes, 12-Pete Frazier, 13-Terry Courtney, 16-Bruce Moss, 17-Stan Constant, 22-Jerry Schwartz, 24-Kyle Forysythe, 25-John Stewart, 27-Danny Shouse, 36-Butch Roberts, 45-Wes White, 48-Wanyne Wade, 56-Steve Sanders, 59-Richard Havey jr., 66-David Lambert, 70-Sluggo, 82-Larry Wilson, Lynn Shebester, 83-Glen Owens

Super-Modifieds: 1-George Amstrong, 2-Steve Gastineau, 03, Joe Wood, 4-Tommy Coker, 5-Kenny Butler, 8-David Btotherton, 9-Danny Wood, 10-Matt Mercer, 11-D.E. Suggs, Mike Peters, 12-Evard Humphries, Tony Poe, 13-Benny Taylor, 16-Larry Allen, Gary Flatt, 17-Mark Banister, 24-Kyle Forsythe, 25-John Stewart, 27-Danny Shouse, 29-Mike Peters, Shane Carson, 33-Glen Owens, 42-David Brotherton, Gary Flatt, 52-Hahn, 55-Ray Crawford, 56, Frankie Lies, 59-Richard Harvey, 61-Earnest Jennings, Jerry Walkingstick, 64-Bobby Walker, Rusty Gilmore, 66-Danny Daniels, David Lambert, 74-Robert Trice, 76-Harold Leep, 79-Fred Hembree, 85-Bob Ewell, 86-Jon Johnson, 801-Darrel Jennings

All I could think of for now, I know I missed a bunch.

Anyone remember the supercross events, dune buggy races, midgets, stunt men, the racing clown, flat track races, the night Hiawatha Newton plowed into the grader in 1, the night the Cor Vett Center van go hit by a tire/wheel off of Madden's car, the night Leep spanked the modified guys in a grudge match on the 1/4 mile, Jan Opperman running a few shows, the weekly show on tv "Fast Formula" with Steve Michaels?

John Stewart

Retro Racing Custom Model Cars
405.922.6163
[email protected]
Oklahoma City, OK

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Ok, heres some of mine from the time I was little & playing under the temporary bleachers that used to be in front of the grandstands. Back then one of my favorite playing buddies was Shane Carson!!!

My Dad (Babe Gordon) owned a car, #78, that was driven by Rusty Towe. After the races my mom & I would go to the pits, see my dad & Rusty then off I'd go to see Stan Schoenberg, Bobbie Reynolds, Carl Fergeson(sp), & C.J. Ruckman. C.J. was always the last one I'd stop to see & most of the time thats where my mom would find me! He was kind of like my 2nd dad!

I remember presenting car models to Rusty & C.J. Mom has the pics somewhere!

Running during the State Fair was always a highlight for the year for me, pitting on the 1/4 mile, the packed stands & just the plain ol excitement in the air! Running against the NCRA Late Models in '83 & '84 was a real rush also. The Late Model shows Bud Carson put on in '86 on Sunday afternoon's. That was a blast to run in too!

The Factory Stock 50 lap enduro's was alot of fun! Like Randy said, when the Hog Wagon won the A this year was right up there near the top of the list.

There are so many great memories its just too hard to list all of them!

Hopefully these memories won't be the last ones from SFS!!!!

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