Tag: Indiana State Fairgrounds

The State Fair Century-A Forgotten Gem of a Race

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Photo: Paul Goldsmith, inaugural winner of the State Fair Century

The Indiana State Fair opens Friday, and once again the only racing will be one horsepower competitors. From 1962 until 1977, The State Fair Century, a USAC stock car race, was part of the state fair or held just after its conclusion.

Paul Goldsmith won the inaugural race, and A. J. Foyt won the next three races. Foyt would win two more times. Don White, however, later won the six times at the fairgrounds He won four in a row beginning in August,1966, a sweep of the two 1977 races, and the June race in 1968. White won 52 races in his ISAC stock career, a record that will stand forever

The 1963 program featured the first winner on the cover

.USAC had a stock car division, which began in 1956, USAC’s first year of operation. NASCAR qat the time was a competitor, but still trying to find its way onto the national stage. Several drivers raced in both series. My favorite State Fair century was 1964. One could say Foyt was having a pretty good year. he won the Indianapolis 500, won seven Indycar races in a row on his way to 10 victories, and he also dabbled in sprints and stock cars

The September 9 event at the fairgrounds began with A. J losing the engine in his car before qualifying. For the race he took over teammate Len Sutton’s car and started last in the 30 car field. I watched as he went outside on the backstretch on lap one and passed four rows of cars. On laps he picked off five more cars. Foyt took the lead with 39 laps to go and won from last place. The 1964 win was the middle of his three consecutive victories in this race.

Foyt after winning his third Sate fair Century in a row in 1965. He took the with less than five laps to go when leader Paul Goldsmith ran out of fuel.

In 1966, a mid summer stock car race was added, the first year in July, The early race did not have a long history. and then in June. No summer race took place in 1971. The race returned in 1972 but ran for just three years.

The race associated with state fair ran through 1977, with the exception of 1976. The final time on the mile dirt oval 1977 in May, just nine days before the Indianapolis 500.

23 stock car races ran at the fairgrounds. The Hoosier Hundred, once the world’s richest dirt track race for Indycar, has also taken its place history’s trophy case.

The decision to remove auto racing from the track was in response to the horse owners, who wanted the track solely for the use of their trotters.

To this day i find it odd that the Indiana State Fair does not include an auto race on their program. Indiana had more than 100 car manufacturers at one time. And there’s that race in May on the other side of town which is kind of a big deal.

The Fair is not a complete showcase of the state without racing. I hope one day there is a path for cars to return. This is Indiana.

Stock Car Winners at the Indiana State Fairgrounds

Aeroscreen Test Update

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Photos by Eric Smith of Race Review Online

Photos: Eric Smith, Race Review Online

When the teams broke for lunch, I took some shots from inside the cockpit.  It is  a tight fit. The drivers seemed to have difficulty getting in and out of the car.  I wonder how taller drivers like Graham Rahal or Alexander Rossi will be able to get in without a challenge.  This enhances my concern about a driver getting out after an accident.

Another noticeable thing was the glare from the front wing and suspension arms. The mirrors look to be in a different spot as well.

I went to the turn 2 mounds for a bit.  The aeroscreen is noticeable a bit at first, but after a a couple of laps I didn’t even think about it. One thing I noticed this morning, and in turn 2 as well,, is the reverberation off the walls sounds different. It seems a bit muted and deeper.

The cars are supposed to run together at some point today to determine how much dirty air there is and see how well they can pass.

Back after the press conference.

 

 

 

Hoosier Hundred, Once the World’s Richest Dirt Race, to End May 23

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Another part of Indycar’s heritage dies at the conclusion of the May 23 Hoosier Hundred. The Indiana State Fairgrounds will convert the famous one mile dirt oval to an all weather track for harness race training year round.

I find sadness in this announcement for many reasons.  The Hoosier Hundred was the first major race I attended in 1958. I loved watching the cars slide through turns 1 and 2 with the dirt flying behind them.  This race was at one time one of the best paying races on the USAC Championship Trail.

The early September date gave me one more day of racing before winter came to Indiana.  It was something to hold onto until the following May. School had started about a week before the race, so it was also one of the last weekends to relax before the homework load got heavy.

Closing this track is another loss of racing heritage as the sport on all levels seems to be divorcing itself from its roots. The dirt tracks are where the eventual stars of the Indianapolis 500 honed their skills.  While there used to be many one milt dirt tracks- the Fairgrounds, Langhorne, Sacramento, Springfield, Duquoin, and some others I’m not remembering right now- I believe only Springfield and Duquoin remain. I have always thought removing dirt tracks from the Indycar championship was a mistake. Today’s news reinforces that view.

The link below contains the release from USAC.  I have been planning a series on the old dirt tracks. My timeline has just moved up.