1979 USAC SPRINTS...

     Is there anything as exciting and as breath-taking as watching the non-wing sprint cars on a high-banked asphalt track? 

     I've always been able to imagine myself driving almost every type of race car on every type of circuit.  Formula 1 at Monaco?  Sure, with some practice and with someone telling me how to operate that darn complicated steering wheel with all the buttons and gauges.  NASCAR Cup at Talladega?  Sure, with some drafting practice.  Indy cars at Texas Motor Speedway?  Sure with some practice and assuming that they could find a "wide body" version of a Dallara.

     The exception to my fantasy driving career?  USAC sprint cars at Dayton.  Or Winchester.  Or Salem.  No amount of practice would help.  With A.J. himself as a dedicated tutor and with a year to learn the craft, it still would never happen.

     But just because I can't imagine myself in the cockpit of one of these cars doesn't diminish in any way my enjoyment watching them run.  I suspect that you are in the same boat.

     The photos on this page were provided by Todd Ridgeway and they document a sprint car event at Dayton Speedway in 1979, one of the last USAC events run at the old track.

                                                        ---Mickey

     Jeff Bloom in the #47 roadster works around Lenny Waldo in the #92.

     Chuck Gurney in the #2 Ben's Tire Clinic car goes high while Greg Leffler in the #43 takes the low line.

     Greg Leffler steps over the line.

     Sheldon Kinser battles Pancho Carter.

     Lenny Waldo shown here aboard the Stenger's sponsored sprint car was no slouch when it came to driving late model stock cars either.

     Chuck Gurney (#2), Pancho Carter (#44) and Jeff Bloom (#47) prove that there are at least three grooves for the sprint cars on this particular Sunday.

     Dana Carter challenges the Dayton high-banks.

     Gary Gray leads Lennie Waldo.

     Pancho Carter tries the high line against Greg Leffler.

     Sheldon Kinser goes inside Jeff Bloom's roadster.

     In a battle of the roadsters, Steve Chassey begins to bar-b-que his right front tire.

     Tom Bigelow finds himself in need of Mapquest in the Armstrong #1.

     Steve Chassey in the #67 roadster goes under Billy Cassella in #4.

     Chuck Gurney aboard the #2.

     Dave Peparak.

     Gary Bettenhausen.

     Dayton native Mac McClellan goes high around the car driven by Frey.

     Gary Irvin in the #90 tries to hold his position against #49.

     Jeff Bloom wears out his sidewalls against that unforgiving Dayton Speedway steel.

     Marvin Carmen takes his roadster low on the inside.

     Pancho Carter (#44), Lennie Waldo (#92), and Chuck Gurney (#4) prove that three is indeed a crowd at Dayton.

     Steve Chassey.

     Tom Bigelow goes high in the #1 Armstrong Mould around the Knepper #55.

     Tom Bigelow goes under Chuck Gurney.