Doug with car owner bob weikert and davey brown at the 1985 kings royal at eldora. Dawley set him to work doing odd jobs around his shop. Jimmy horton, danny smith, rickey hood, kelly kinser, jeff swindell and finally doug wolfgang. Myracepass is a valuable tool for any driver, track, association, or team owner. The howells have made every world of outlaws show in 1981. From news and results, to online fantasy racing has it all. One of the greatest sprint car drivers in history tells his story. Another serious injury in 1997 brought his remarkable career to a conclusion. Doug wolfgang born july 26, 1952 in sioux falls, sd is a retired american racing driver. At the track, he would search out buddies like doug wolfgang to sit and watch the races with. He finished second in the outlaws standings four times and had four. He has more determination to succeed than any sprint car driver anybody that ive ever seen, said car builder and owner bob trostle of des moines, who gave wolfgang his big break in the mid1970s and watched him become a star.
But the double fatality of dawley and larson was apparently just a brutal crash. Johnson organized the world of outlaws sanctioning body and established a national schedule, a set of rules and a points system to crown a champion of his series. Doug doug doug doug doug doug doug doug doug doug doug doug. Kenny weld was a great driver but his true talent was as a car builder and mechanic. Darryl could see that wolfgang wanted to be a racer himself.
In 1983, nance went through a series of replacement drivers. Tim richmond is usac sprint car rookie of the year. Doug wolfgang myracepass online ticket sales, race. Doug started racing sprint cars at knoxville, iowa in 1975, and quickly became one of the drivers to beat. The king of the outlaws has relinquished his throne. Doug wolfgang was in the feature that night at knoxville and tells a pretty graphic tale about the crash in his book. At the time sprint car racing in the united states lacked a true national series. Wolfgang won the knoxville iowa nationals, the indy 500 of sprintcar racing, five times 1977, 78, 84, 85, 89. Wolfgangs stellar career essentially ended with a devastating crash and fire at kansas citys lakeside speedway in april 1992. The most comprehensive sprint car racing website on the web. Selected eighth on the national sprint car hall of fame drivers of the century list. Doug wolfgangs first feature win although he was never a track champion at husets, sioux falls doug wolfgang is arguably one of sprint cars most celebrated and wellknown drivers.
It brings all motor sports media into one central location. A number of cars that ran at husets were built and repaired in the shop, and at 11 years old, doug would sweep floors in exchange for a ride to the track. Although he later managed to race and win, the wolfgang magic of the previous years had vanished. The man complained to doug that he was receiving ten to fifteen calls a day to speak to the sprint car driver doug wolfgang and he was just plain sick of it. If they do find the funding and field a car for robby. Fourtime runnerup for the outlaws series points championship. See more ideas about sprint car racing, sprint cars and dirt track racing. But wolfgang wanted to be a sprint car racer, like his mentor, darryl dawley, who by this time was one of the top sprint car drivers in the midwest. Steve kinser is easily the most successful sprint car driver in the history of the discipline, but its a career that reached a conclusion on.
He also, incredibly, won the first ten races of the knoxville season, on his way to a national record 45 amain wins. April 8, 2007while doug wolfgang never sought fame, it certainly found him. He holds 140 world of outlaws sprint car series wins fifth alltime, 37 all. Doug wolfgang speedway motors museum of american speed. Wolfgang hammered out over 125 wins with legendary carowner bob weikert. At the 1990 knoxville nationals doug wolfgang was returning to knoxville after dominating the event in 89. The south dakota native began racing in the early 1970s and quickly established himself as a front runner.
Doug wolfgang to hold the ultimate sprint car chassis setup seminar. Doug wolfgang with robin miller at pri 2014 youtube. Doug wolfgang was in control of the race in the bob weikertowned machine before having a flat tire. Doug wolfgangmy all time favorite driver sprint car racing, dirt track racing. From speedweek, an update on wolfgangs serious injuries suffered in a world of outlaws crash. Driver doug wolfgang 1987 nascar winston cup results. Doug wolfgang 1979 1984 lee johnson racing collection. If you decide to go up and check out dougs race shop. The pairing won the 1978 nationals and wolfgang admits he has more memories of the event itself.
Event promoter greg deatherage and his 4 speed promotions are proud to announce that the legendary sprint car driver doug wolfgang will be conducting the ultimate sprint car setup clinic on friday afternoon, january, 2012 inside the exchange center conference room. Doug wolfgangby tony veneziano winning was what doug wolfgang knew best when he was behind the wheel of a sprint car. He won 5 knoxville nationals titles and became the winningest driver in knoxville history. If having a mechanical advantage is cheating, weld dominated the category. Dawley was a supermodified driver of some note in the sioux falls area. He holds 140 world of outlaws sprint car series wins fifth alltime, 37 all star circuit of champions wins, and is a fivetime knoxville nationals champion and twotime kings royal winner. Obviously, it is a terrible event any time a driver loses his life. Doug wolfgang at the wheel during the 1980 racing season. Perhaps the two biggest wins of the howellswolfgang partnership were at each end of the 1981 racing season.
In the video above you can see how his knoxville nationals started with a vicious crash in his heat race. Paul arch photo at the end of the 1977 season, doug wolfgang left bob trostle to drive the famed no. He was voted driver of the year by the national sprint car racing poll in 1985 and 89. The first time the sioux falls sprint car driver broke his neck, he crashed during a 1992 practice session at. Doug clark 2012 husets speedway hall of fame inductee. Click on the year to see the standings for that year. Midco motorsports extended interview with doug wolfgang. Doug wolfgang racing career profile driver database. He and doug have stayed in touch ever since, and in fact, this past october, when dougs son robby was married, the family passed out wolfgang candy bars to all the wedding guests.
Doug wolfgang started his career working for darryl dawley. The tracks, the people, the wins, the losses, and everything in between. Even being rated as one of the best sprint car drivers of all time, the man is more at home in his garage, far away from his adoring fans, building another chassis for the track. Former sprint car driver, doug wolfgang works on a new sprint car chassis thursday at his wolfweld shop in tea, march 19, 2015. I first saw him drive at booneville iowa in 1975 or 76. He captured four straight tuscarora 50s 198487, three williams grove national open.
Doug was one of the best drivers of his time as he battled steve kinser and sammy swindell for honors every race. However, lavern did wind up 11th in car owner points that year. Gary patterson is outside of johnny anderson in calistoga speedway action. Kenny with doug wolfgang, ray lee goodwin and steve kinser kenny kenny interviewed. Reviewed in the united states on november 7, 2015 this is a must read for anyone that followed dougs racing career, doug was a class act and certainly one of the best. Rod pattison sits down with doug wolfgang to talk about his past, present, and future of sprint car racing. Doug wolfgang began his husets speedway career in 1972 before making the move to the sports highest level with the world of outlaws. Home apparel salute to champion doug wolfgang tshirt black. The dirt show photo gallery dirt track racing radio. Click on the number of races to see individual races for that year. Click on the site to see doug wolfgangs career results at that track glossary. Joanne is a very vital part of this extremely busy and ambitious operation. Bottom line, dougs son robbie that started racing sprint cars last season is a very mannerly young man,so im sure doug and his wife have always had their priorites straight. Won 107 feature events on the world of outlaws circuit.
Sprint car legend doug wolfgang relives his glory days with racers robin. Sprint car racingdirt track racingauto racingvintage race carsports. Doug wolfgang has never been comfortable in the spotlight. This makes the management of that media simple and less time consuming for everyone involved. Myracepass takes care of the distribution and sharing of your content so you dont have to. Doug wolfgang sprint car racing news, schedules, results. Sioux falls native doug wolfgang, one of the greatest sprint car drivers in the history of the sport, is coming out of retirement sort of. The series was founded in 1978 by ted johnson, a former midget racer from madison, wisconsin. Get the best deals on doug wolfgang when you shop the largest online selection at. Voted driver of the year by the national sprint car racing poll in 1985 and 1989.
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