1982 Sprint Car Racing

1982

Sammy Swindell wins the World of Outlaws Championship, the Eldora Nationals, and the Syracuse Mile. The Mile paid over $19,000 to win!
Lynn Paxton won the National Open at Williams Grove.
Sheldon Kinser wins his 3rd USAC Sprint Car Championship.
Hank Butcher wins his 100th midget feature.
Ken Schrader is the USAC Silver Crown champion.
Ron Shuman wins his 4th consecutive Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix, and snags 4 Crown Nationals - Silver Crown at Eldora.

Back in 1982, the Gambler "house car" was a premier ride on the National sprint car scene. Indiana's Danny Smith was the shoe in this photo. (HammerDown! Collection)

Danny Smith wins Sprint Car portion of 4-Crown at Eldora.
Lee Osborne is All-Star Champ for the 2nd year in-a-row.
Dave Blaney wins $20,000, and a new Chevy Monte Carlo for his Syracuse Mile win.
Tim Green wins 29 features, and the Knoxville Track Championship for the 2nd year in a row.
Steve Kinser wins $15,000 in the Western World Championship.
Doug Wolfgang wins the Gold Cup, and two USAC Silver Crown events.
Jimmy Boyd wins Dirt Cup in Brandy & Glaspy XX. Boyd is first driver to win the Dirt Cup three times.
Non-wing NARC logo circa 1982
Brent Kaeding wins the NARC driving title, his first.

James Patterson sent us this picture of his late father Gary at his final Knoxville Nationals in 1982.

Doug Wolfgang wins Knoxville season opener, sanctioned by WoO.
Kevin Olson is USAC Midget champ.
Cecil Walker is the Skagit Speedway Sprint Car Champ.
Bobby Davis Jr. becomes youngest driver to win a WoO feature, at age 18. The win came at Devils Bowl.
Gary Bettenhausen wins his 3rd DuQuoin 100.
Chuck Gurney wins Hoosier Hundred.
Brad Doty is the World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year.
Rick Hood is Hulman 100 winner.
Kenny Schrader wins the All-Star season opener at Haubstadt, IN.
Springfield runs twice: Larry Dickson, and Bobby Olivero are USAC Silver Crown winners.
Keith Kauffman is USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year.
Joe Hill is Placerville Speedway (CA.) sprint car champion.
Billy Boat is a sprint car rookie.
Kevin Pylant starts in Street Stocks.
Bobby McMahan is Placerville Speedway Rookieof the Year.
The racetrack in Dixon, CA. known as the Dixon May Fair 3/8's ran it's last race.

Congratulations to Jimmy Sills who will be inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame this June. The photo is from 1982.

1981

1983

Driver Index

Images

Tracks

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25 Greatest Sprint Car Drivers of All-time

40 Most Exciting Drivers in NARC History

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Old School Drivers Index

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Yearbook Headlines - ...Yet another HammerDown! "work-in-progress" that we enjoy sharing with our readers. Please check back often, as each year will be updated further.