The Who What When Where and Why

OK, I know this makes me OLD, but 33 years later I remember watching this race like it was yesterday!

It was Terre Haute, August, 1975. It was a loaded field of sprint cars. All the heavy hitters were present. The track was a typical Action Track day race-heavy early, hard slick by the feature. Gary Bettenhausen who had been severely injured at Syracuse the previous year was back in the Willie Davis car but had made it out of his heat and started about 17th in the feature. Ever so slowly he worked his way up through the field running the bottom. With about 5 laps to go, he is running third, then steals second with two to go. Coming off of 4 on the final lap Gary gets a bite down low and WINS BY A WHEEL!

Gritty, tough Gary Bettenhausen was near tears in Victory Lane. Many had said after his accident he would never win in a sprint or dirt car again. This was his first victory in a sprinter and he would win more in both sprint cars and and dirt cars and a USAC Silver Crown Championship.

I've been lucky to see many "best" races but this one that sticks in my memory so vividly it is like it is a DVD. I've been privileged to see many of the Midwest's and nation's best sprint car racers. Unfortunately, so many have been lost. Opperman, McElreath, Tobias, Vogler, Stanley to name just a few. May they all rest in peace and may we always honor their memory by preserving the sport!!