How old were you when you went to your first race?

[kadams1991]

Lots of great stories on here about the 'good old days'!

How old were you when you went to your first race? Where? When?

[MRM]

I don't remember my first race I was so young. I'm sure it was at Smoky Mountain Speedway when it was a 1/2-mile asphalt track. My uncle raced there back then.

[foxfire2dirtracing]

5 years old. Went with my dad & uncle to the old fairgrounds racetrack at Newport, Tennessee. Flat head coupes were the stars of the show. I rode in the back cubby hole of a Triump TR3. 59 years ago- and still attend 40+ races all over the country per year!

[PushinDad]

Four or five years old - 1956 - Sportsmans Park, Keokuk, Iowa. Jalopy days, watched Ramo Stott, (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Hutcherson, and many others cut their teeth. Next season will be year number sixty seven of racing, not slowing down just yet!

[Josh Bayko]

I was six. It was a USAC Silver Crown race at Nazareth National when it was still dirt.

[CIRF]

I was 8 years old. The track? None other than Fairbury American Legion Speedway. I've attended at least one (most times it's a half dozen) racing event at Fairbury every year since.

[zyoung25]

I was 3. The track is the now defunct brown county speedway near Russellville, Ohio. So many memories there as a kid and young teen. That place just hit different. Not exactly sure on the date, had to be 88 or 89.

[flagone]

11 days old. 1971 Confederate Motor Speedway - Woodruff, SC

[buckeyebandit7]

I honestly cannot remember how old I was but I was not much older than 3 or so. Was at Brownstown every Saturday night during the heyday of Russ Petro, Paul Crockett, Jim Curry, Ray Godsey…vaguely remember stopping at The Brick in Jonesville on the way home and staying in the car with my mom as dad would get me a Brick burger and a Big Red….wow, that was a long time ago

[crow]

I was 8. 1985 @ Highland Speedway, 10 minutes from home. Remember lots of beer drinking and fighting in the stands back then.

[kazual]

Several posts have a common theme, attending with a parent or relative. Should help demonstrate the importance of including family in your racing plans. Same here, defunct Fort Wood Speedway in Missouri with my Dad

[larsonwon]

i was probably 4 or 5 my first time and it was probably Highland Speedway as my Dad was an official there and a few other local tracks. i live about 20 mins from Highland so that was probably for sure my first

[bleedblue55]

5 yrs. old, probably 1960, Interstate/ I-79 Speedway. Was named Sirks, or Serks, Super Speedway back then.

[FastEd95]

I was six years old in the summer of 1973 when I saw my first race at Chateau Speedway in Lansing, Minnesota. Still attend several shows there every year. My dad introduced me to the sport back then and he was my main racing buddy for the first ten years I attended.

[fastford]

my first race was a drag race at green valley drag way near gadsden AL , my uncle and dad ran a 1961 ford galaxy super stock during the early 60,s I was born in 63 and have pictures of me lying on the hood in a blanket at , my mom says was 6 months old , my first dirt track experience was in 1979 at good ole talladega short track right after it was converted from a moto cross track , been hooked ever since ........

[d-glenn]

My first race was 1951 at BIR, Birmingham, 12 at that time, would ride my bike about a mile on Sunday afternoons.
Next up, ICE BOWL for the Saturday finals, then on to East Bay in February, camping for a week.

[Car Biz]

4-5 1982 Fairbury every Sat. night for 13 yrs to watch my uncle

[baker1b]

I was born in May and at The World the same year. I don't know what month they ran it in 73. lol

[Kyle7117]

I was born in turn 1 at Eldora

[CIRF]

I was born in turn 1 at Eldora

Born or conceived?

[Kyle7117]

Haha maybe both

[CIRF]

Haha maybe both

Hahahahaha!!!

[weatherman85]

Don’t remember it, but I’m told by my parents they had me sitting on my dad’s truck hood in a baby carrier at 4 months old trackside at Hartwell Speedway.

[B_K]

There was a moment where it looked like I would be born at EAMS. My mom went into some sort of false labor 3-4 weeks before I was due.

Honestly no clue. Before I could walk and probably Dixie.

[ace1]

1-2 years old. Marshall, TX. My dad raced there around 1964-1966

[cubcadet31]

Probably about 5 or 6 yrs old at Windber speedway in Pa....long gone now but track was around a high school football field...lots of good tight racing

[Barbecueboy]

It’s not racing but my first recollection of anything motorsports related was 5/6 years old and watching my dad and uncle do motorcycle hill climbs…….

[dirtcrazy4u]

First one ? To long ago to remember to be honest. Started out following my dad's car to various tracks in the late 50's to early 60's . Took a break from 64 to 68 because of his passing then started going myself in 68. I've had the pleasure of doing everything from cleaning tires to driving to owning cars at one time or another. I miss the 80's as I think that was the greatest of times in dirt racing.

[Bigdaddio]

I would say about 4 or 5. My dad drove coupes at the old sunset speedway in Omaha on Sundays and playland Speedway on Saturdays

[TS FAN]

3 yrs old Glen Este Speedway.

[Harperfan00H]

1953 I was 3 years old at Elkins Speedway. It was a race included Lee Petty and other traveling races. I just have memories in flashes. Not enough to discuss the event. I remember the board fence all the way around

[TerryM]

Around 1967 or 1968 — I was 4 or 5. Bluestone Speedway in Morehead, Kentucky. That’s my dad’s hometown and grandma lived just down the road from the track. Dad had just come home from his last tour in Vietnam and we were still living in Fort Hood, Texas, but he got some leave time and wanted to go back home for a few days. He wanted to meet up with his friends somewhere and they decided on the racetrack. I don’t have any real recollection of that night, but I know I was there. Have heard many stories about it over the years.

His military service ended a few months later and he took a job in Dayton, Ohio. Eldora quickly became our home track for a couple years before we moved back home to Kentucky in 1970. I was hooked by then, and Bluestone, Florence, Frankfort, Richmond, Clay City, Ponderosa, Glasgow, Taylor County, etc … all became my home tracks lol. Those were awesome times for a kid hooked on racing. Every single night at the track was a thrill.

[pierceFAN]

have to go back to 1968 at Kankakee speedway, i was 4. My neighbor Billy Wasnea took me my first race. I remember the race because a driver named Bill Bohnam (sp) broke an axle and his wheel went flying thru the air...i think thats all i talked about for about 2 weeks lol...he was a huge izzo fan and i a huge oconner fan...those were the good ol days

[ZERO25]

The year was 1966, I was 4, at New Smyrna Speedway. My uncle had won the race by disqualification as my dad was the flagman. Im pretty sure it was one of the Reutimans from Tampa and wanted to fight my dad. He handed me to my mom and of course they backed down.lol

I had been to many races before that, Cup and dirt, but that was the first one i remember!

[obamaracing#1]

4 years old probably, 1982 Kankakee Speedway with mom and uncles.

[obamaracing#1]

have to go back to 1968 at Kankakee speedway, i was 4. My neighbor Billy Wasnea took me my first race. I remember the race because a driver named Bill Bohnam (sp) broke an axle and his wheel went flying thru the air...i think thats all i talked about for about 2 weeks lol...he was a huge izzo fan and i a huge oconner fan...those were the good ol daysMy aunt was a huge Izzo fan in the pink 66 at Kankakee. Potts, Shafer, O’Connor, Pierce, Weaver, Reints, Long, Kroll, Gardner, Davis, Friend and the rest, the good ole days. Kankakee should be the most celebrated track in Illinois with its rich history. Darn shame the fair board has screwed it all up over the years.

[jlacey]

1st race ever I was maybe 8 or 9 so I dont remember very well. Cup race at Martinsville and all I can remember from the race was Rusty Wallace won in the Allugaurd #27. 1st dirt race was Potomac when I was maybe 10-12 years old, however old I was it became a weekly thing after that. I remember seeing Booper Bare, Les Hare and Ronnie Miles run weekly with the locals. Rodney Franklin, Jim McBee, Jim Bernhiesel, Ernie Davis, Stuhler and Eckert would come down a few times a year. Only had 3 classes back then with full fields and sometimes consi's for the LM's and Streets. Semi lates usually had around 20 or so. Good times..

[kzach]

I was about 16 months or so when my dad took me. I obviously have no recollection of it, but my dad tells the story that I just sat there and was mesmerized by watching the cars go by and didn't fuss or get irritable. He then began taking me weekly so my actual memories go back as far as I can actually remember. Getting to go became my whole world, always checking the weather forecast and being totally crushed if they rained out. Some of my best childhood memories!

[Morgs153]

Age 5 or 6, Golden Sands Speedway (pavement). Became a life long fan of D!ck Trickle from that moment on.

[TerryM]

These threads are so cool. I googled Bluestone Speedway. It’s so funny to look at the somewhat “specific” details, compared to my memories. Track ran from 1965 to 1974. Seems about right. Someone else said 1980. I don’t believe that. Another pic had Charlie Swartz winning a big show at Bluestone in 1970. The crowd was packed. Dad only went to the big ones, so I’m sure I was there. My first World 100, a decade later, Charlie won. I had no idea at the time, I’d seen him win, or even race, before.

[Dlmfan123]

Don't remember when my first time was, but I remember watching lynn giesler at pittsburgh from a young child to probably 8 years old. Then I Went away when I was doing my own dirtbike racing. Then got back into it after highschool

[foxfire2dirtracing]

FWIW: this in one of the better threads on 4m in a long time. Only a couple of sidetrack post.
Thanks to everyone who has posted! This is a great example of what 4m should be!

[txl9t]

I was at least 6 or 7 months old, Stateline Speedway in Busti New York. Been going there every Saturday since. Finally got the opportunity to race there too, that started 5 years ago!

[Jim11h]

2 months, Mansfield speedway when dirt and the original home of Johnny appleseed classic

[i-pod]

Summer of 1997 watching my Dad race endures at Winston Speedway in Rothbury, Mi. That would have made me three when I attended my first race.

[t3r3e3]

5 years old at the World 100

[CIRF]

This really is a good thread. Apropos to the Christmas Season.

It wasn't my first race but it is the most special to me. My folks took me to the Springfield Mile during the Illinois State Fair when I was 12 years old. My Dad was a stock car guy so it was the ARCA race on the last day of the fair.

I'd NEVER seen anything like a 1 mile dirt track. Everything about it was bigger than life to a farm kid from a tiny hick town in Illinois. The biggest tracks I'd ever seen at that time was Peoria & Fairbury. I remember every detail of the track, grandstands and especially the race. My Dad & I have had several conversations about that race in the years following that day and, ironically, he remembers very little.

People ask me why the Springfield Mile is so special to me and that day is the reason!!

It's been said that, as a parent, you don't know when, where or why a moment in your child's history will be a seminal moment in their lives. My parents had no idea that day at Springfield was going to be so special to me for the rest of my life.

Very odd how these things fall in place.

[Pennsboro32]

I'm not even sure on the age. I had to have been anywhere from 1 to 1.5 years old. It was early 90's at Tyler County Speedway when my dad raced street stocks.

[EvelB7]

First race I remember was at West Liberty Ia, mid 70's. My dad was 'partners' in a car with a buddy of his and they would take turns driving (that was short lived). I remember sitting with my mom and grandparents weeks later when he bought his first car (Canadian Stock car Products car), Sportsman division; he would hit the turn 1 wall every week! I remember him telling me that Larry Eckrich was pitted next to him and after the umpteenth time of him knocking the right front off came over and offered some help.... I still feel very lucky may parents got me into racing, although there are times that I wished they had given me a crack habit- at least they have treatment programs for that!

[muddy mike]

mid 70s at Tri City or Belle Clair speedway maybe Lake Hill also but probably one of the first two.

[Billy_the_kid]

i think i was about 6. sante fe speedway. hooked ever since

[HoosierDirtFan]

6 year old

Fall of 1987
My first 4 tracks all with in a couple of weeks going for the first time.

Southlake Speedway / Crown Point Speedway - Indiana
Kankakee Speedway - Illinois
Santa Fe Speedway - Illinois
Shadyhill Speedway - Indiana

Been hooked on racing ever since.

[3 wide]

I was about 8 when the old coupes an skeeter use to race the skeeter was the start of sprints.

[grumfan]

The dates are fuzzy. I was 5 or 6 when my brother (who is 7 years older than me) was "helping" Tom Foust. He got to ride in the 49 Chevy coupe (#57) while being towed to and from the tracks by Tom's wife's sparkling new 55 Buick convertible. Supposedly he was in there in case the car came loose. I think the first track I went to was Ebensburg at the Fairgrounds, but it could've been Johnstown or Jennerstown. I was too cool for words to describe, riding in the back seat of the Buick with the top down and big brother riding behind in a race car. I remember Tom would take the race car to the local Chevy dealer (D.P. Luther's, my hangout) if he wrecked and for tune ups. I just assumed that was what everyone did.

[smokin19]

My story is a little different. Grew up in the mx racing world and didn't even really look at dirt car races until I was asked to help crew in 1986 now I'm 25. But got an opportunity to drive a couple lm races in 87' and that was it! So in 1988 went and bought all new equipment and finished national UMP ROY.

[BHinBC]

Not sure about the first but I do know (or at least have always been told) I went to the first Gaston Co. Shrine 100 in 1973 just shy of 4 years old. Next one will be the 50th and I haven’t missed one yet. Drove back from vacation & back to the beach (4 hours each way) the same night on 2 separate occasions.

[KDCHRLMNGE]

I was 10 years old, July 1, 1990 at Motordrome Speedway in Smithton PA (first year it was asphalt). My dad and I went with family friends who were race fans. Harry Gant, Dale Jarrett, Michael Waltrip and Rick Wilson were there and did an autograph session and exhibition race in some of the locals late models. Steve Peles won the regular late model feature and there was a fight in the pits during the victory lane interview. Someone posted a video of that days events on YouTube not long ago and it was so cool, I was like "I remember that!" I was hooked after that day, crewed for my friend in the street stocks, pro trucks and eventually late models for 20 years. Racing is definitely a virus, once it gets into your blood there's no getting it out.