Rick Ferkel. My original sprint car hero. An original sprint car genius builder and set up driver. I would get goose bumps watching him race. He was one of my greatest incentives for getting into owning a sprint car and running in the USAC series. Wish we could have been as successful at it as he was at being an Outlaw. My other most admired person was Carl Kinzer. Much appreciated his sharing his thoughts on sprint car set-up whenever I could corner him. An awesome crew chief with Steve. I am honored to have been in the same decade with these two "GOATS". Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts on here.
Loved to watch him at Fremont. After the race was half over, he took of like a mad man. Passing cars on low side then slide up to the top for another one.
Rick was from Lima, Ohio. ( My home town) I remember watching him as a young boy as he was a regular at Limaland Motor Speedway. After retiring from everything else, he had a big hand in renovating the track when UNOH took it over and was the track announcer for a while. Rick was the only driver I've heard of that NEVER ran side nerf bars on his car. And ALWAYS had #0.
"The Mile" as Springfield is known, although not really conducive to/for Sprint Cars (nor is any Mile Track, for that matter) is like no other (although the Indy Mile is very similar); the sound of a wide-open 410 rattling around in the cavernous, covered grandstands is awe-inspiring...and Ferkel was as good as anyone there. Thanks for publishing the video. I was certainly there, and it could have even been my Uncle Jim filming it (though I highly doubt it; he filmed every race we ever attended, but never published any film) as we would have sat "up high" in the stands.
I have always enjoyed watching races on many of the mile tracks. At that time it was the 3rd time I had ever filmed. I have somewhere around 600 races that I have filmed. Primary in the 80's. I don't publish other peoples work, only the videos I have shot or those someone filmed specifically for me.
I enjoyed the world of outlaws when they ran the mile. It was just to hard on equipment a half mile track is just as exciting like Granite City used to be. The silver crown cars put on a show. Ol Rick was a Helluva wheelman like Wolf, Blaney, Doty etc the good ol days from Shaheens etc great memories.🏁🇺🇸🏁👍
@@RealGritProductions True...about the mile track for sprint cars...but back in the day (1965-67) the old Trenton Speedway.... a mile asphalt track hosted midgets and sprint cars for 25 mile races during the state fair (unfortunately I witnessed the death of Don Gillette) ... but imagine with me.... the fact Trenton Speedway also ran a 300 mile midget race and a wild 100 mile Super Modified race won by Steve Krisiloff. Those were the days.... guys would race anywhere there was a green flag and checkered fag and a trophy.... money was not the bigger object
This race took place May 1st. They coined a name for it, but I don't recall what it was. The latter part of August is the big USAC weekend we always looked forward to. (Sprints friday at Shaheens, Saturday Silver Crowns on the mile then Midgets at Little Springfield AKA Shaheens then back to the mile on Sunday for midgets and stock cars.) They did race that weekend at Shaheen's. We went to the race at Shaheens on Friday night and I am thinking it was an All Star sanctioned race. The USAC Silver Crown cars were also at the Mile along with the World of Outlaw Sprints Saturday and Sunday.
Was Rick Adjusting the wing on his car during each lap? It looks like the wing became horizontal on the straightaway, then angled up for the turns. Thanks.
I am trying to remember what year or when they started using the adjustable wing. Interesting you should ask that. I do remember chatting with Rick about how the supermodifieds used a wing that would flatten out as they went down the straightaway and he said the way the supers did it, it didn't work on sprint cars on dirt. So I am guessing he probably tried it at some point. They were always experimenting with different things to go faster. The motto use to be "run what you brung". That weekend at Springfield, they even had a turbine-powered Sprint Car show up to compete with them. According to the Motortrend article Ted Johnson wouldn't allow it. But if memory serves me right he did get out on the track with it.
@@chuckg6039 Came across that getting groceries at Winn Dixie in '94. Sad they aren't worth much. I was in attendance at the first 2 Outlaw shows at Eldora in '78 & '79, so it's kind of sentimental.
Billy Pauch held the world record at 144+ mph at Syracuse in 1994 until Paul MacMahan broke it at Rolling Wheels Elbridge N.Y. at over 145 mph on a 5/8 mile track which is only about 15 miles from Syracuse!
When it comes to all out speed of any type of vehicle I tend to think of the Bonneville Salt Flats. Damion Gardner best time in a sprint car was 211.58844 mph. That may have been broken by now. Everyone knows records are made to be broken. It is exciting to see a a new track record set/broken anywhere and it is a great accomplishment for the driver and crew that put the vehicle on the track (not to mention is some cases, the track preparations personnel). That is one of the reasons I like time trials/qualifying.
211 mph is fast for a sprint car but he was going in a straight line ,i'm sure they got up t0 160+ down the straights but going 160 mph then having to turn left that takes BALLS!@@RealGritProductions
QUESTION / I WENT TO SAN JOSE CALIF TRACK 1 TIME WHILE ON VAC = LONG AGO / QUESTION DID THEY SPRINTS RUN THE FULL MILE TRACK ?? #2 DID MOTORCYCLES RUN FULL MILE TRACK / I LIVE IN NYS / SO THIS IS FOR NOODLE BIN INFO /TK/YOU
Rick Ferkel. My original sprint car hero. An original sprint car genius builder and set up driver. I would get goose bumps watching him race. He was one of my greatest incentives for getting into owning a sprint car and running in the USAC series. Wish we could have been as successful at it as he was at being an Outlaw. My other most admired person was Carl Kinzer. Much appreciated his sharing his thoughts on sprint car set-up whenever I could corner him. An awesome crew chief with Steve. I am honored to have been in the same decade with these two "GOATS". Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts on here.
What a great driver, and even better person, he will be missed.
I got to see Rick Ferkel at Ascot a few times at in the late ‘70s early ‘80s. Thanks for the memories Rick! God Bless you and your family.
Loved to watch him at Fremont. After the race was half over, he took of like a mad man. Passing cars on low side then slide up to the top for another one.
Rick was the man!
Truely a master at his craft !!!
Got to spend many rainy days @ Kears speed shop admireriing this Man.what nice human being. Rest in Peace .
Rick was from Lima, Ohio. ( My home town) I remember watching him as a young boy as he was a regular at Limaland Motor Speedway. After retiring from everything else, he had a big hand in renovating the track when UNOH took it over and was the track announcer for a while. Rick was the only driver I've heard of that NEVER ran side nerf bars on his car. And ALWAYS had #0.
Awesome
To the great race track beyond my friend!!
RIP my old friend
The Indy of dirt track racing.
I loved Rick!
"The Mile" as Springfield is known, although not really conducive to/for Sprint Cars (nor is any Mile Track, for that matter) is like no other (although the Indy Mile is very similar); the sound of a wide-open 410 rattling around in the cavernous, covered grandstands is awe-inspiring...and Ferkel was as good as anyone there. Thanks for publishing the video. I was certainly there, and it could have even been my Uncle Jim filming it (though I highly doubt it; he filmed every race we ever attended, but never published any film) as we would have sat "up high" in the stands.
I have always enjoyed watching races on many of the mile tracks. At that time it was the 3rd time I had ever filmed. I have somewhere around 600 races that I have filmed. Primary in the 80's. I don't publish other peoples work, only the videos I have shot or those someone filmed specifically for me.
@@RealGritProductions thanks for keeping the legends alive .. much appreciated!👍🇺🇸
I enjoyed the world of outlaws when they ran the mile. It was just to hard on equipment a half mile track is just as exciting like Granite City used to be. The silver crown cars put on a show. Ol Rick was a Helluva wheelman like Wolf, Blaney, Doty etc the good ol days from Shaheens etc great memories.🏁🇺🇸🏁👍
@@RealGritProductions True...about the mile track for sprint cars...but back in the day (1965-67) the old Trenton Speedway.... a mile asphalt track hosted midgets and sprint cars for 25 mile races during the state fair (unfortunately I witnessed the death of Don Gillette) ... but imagine with me.... the fact Trenton Speedway also ran a 300 mile midget race and a wild 100 mile Super Modified race won by Steve Krisiloff. Those were the days.... guys would race anywhere there was a green flag and checkered fag and a trophy.... money was not the bigger object
I live a few miles from the track, love hearing the cars or bikes screaming around the place
do they race 410 sprinters there these days.
@@alanm2842 USAC silver crown, ump sportsman, ARCA cars, last weekend of the Illinois state fair, AMA Flat track motorcycles Labor Day Weekend
Not to be confused with Rick Springfield at the Ferkel Mile
Awesome vid
On a rail !
I was at this race
Was this part of Shaheen Super Weekend with a race at Little Springfield also?
This race took place May 1st. They coined a name for it, but I don't recall what it was. The latter part of August is the big USAC weekend we always looked forward to. (Sprints friday at Shaheens, Saturday Silver Crowns on the mile then Midgets at Little Springfield AKA Shaheens then back to the mile on Sunday for midgets and stock cars.)
They did race that weekend at Shaheen's. We went to the race at Shaheens on Friday night and I am thinking it was an All Star sanctioned race. The USAC Silver Crown cars were also at the Mile along with the World of Outlaw Sprints Saturday and Sunday.
1982 , Today it's probably more like 21 to 22 second range.
Was Rick Adjusting the wing on his car during each lap? It looks like the wing became horizontal on the straightaway, then angled up for the turns. Thanks.
I am trying to remember what year or when they started using the adjustable wing. Interesting you should ask that. I do remember chatting with Rick about how the supermodifieds used a wing that would flatten out as they went down the straightaway and he said the way the supers did it, it didn't work on sprint cars on dirt. So I am guessing he probably tried it at some point. They were always experimenting with different things to go faster. The motto use to be "run what you brung". That weekend at Springfield, they even had a turbine-powered Sprint Car show up to compete with them. According to the Motortrend article Ted Johnson wouldn't allow it. But if memory serves me right he did get out on the track with it.
I don’t think wings were adjustable until long after this. I’m not trying to be rude with that answer. We quit in’86 and it still wasn’t a thing yet
These days they only adjust wings at low speed. I believe what she are seeing is wing lift, for sure helping his straight speeds
The only die cast sprint car I own, #0.
Wish I had that one!
@@chuckg6039 Came across that getting groceries at Winn Dixie in '94. Sad they aren't worth much.
I was in attendance at the first 2 Outlaw shows at Eldora in '78 & '79, so it's kind of sentimental.
@@tsmcbride06I never got to see Rick race. Sounds like I really missed out.
And that die cast is worth something to you. That is all that matters!
Billy Pauch held the world record at 144+ mph at Syracuse in 1994 until Paul MacMahan broke it at Rolling Wheels Elbridge N.Y. at over 145 mph on a 5/8 mile track which is only about 15 miles from Syracuse!
When it comes to all out speed of any type of vehicle I tend to think of the Bonneville Salt Flats. Damion Gardner best time in a sprint car was 211.58844 mph. That may have been broken by now. Everyone knows records are made to be broken. It is exciting to see a a new track record set/broken anywhere and it is a great accomplishment for the driver and crew that put the vehicle on the track (not to mention is some cases, the track preparations personnel). That is one of the reasons I like time trials/qualifying.
211 mph is fast for a sprint car but he was going in a straight line ,i'm sure they got up t0 160+ down the straights but going 160 mph then having to turn left that takes BALLS!@@RealGritProductions
So whats the average speed on a track like this?
QUESTION / I WENT TO SAN JOSE CALIF TRACK 1 TIME WHILE ON VAC = LONG AGO / QUESTION DID THEY SPRINTS RUN THE FULL MILE TRACK ?? #2 DID MOTORCYCLES RUN FULL MILE TRACK / I LIVE IN NYS / SO THIS IS FOR NOODLE BIN INFO /TK/YOU
NOODLE BIN MEMS / I HOPE I"M RIGHT / SPRING 1973 ?? TRIP TO PHOENIX VISIT BROTHER HE HAD CONCERTS TICKETS / I WENT TO "MANZINIA" DIRT TRACK