8/22/2020 - 17th Annual D ick Gaines Memorial at Lawrenceburg Speedway

17th Annual D ick Gaines Memorial Saturday at Lawrenceburg Speedway

The 17th Annual “D ick Gaines Memorial,” featuring the Kelsey Chevrolet sprint cars, will be held on August 22nd at the Lawrenceburg Speedway in Lawrenceburg, Ind. Saturday night’s race honors the memory of one of Indiana’s greatest sprint car heroes, D ick Gaines, who was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1992.

Gaines, from Mitchell, Ind., started racing in April 1949. The then 16-year-old drove a 1939 Ford sedan two-seater that didn’t have any shocks. During his early years Gaines turned over and crashed a lot in the stock cars, taking about ten years of ‘rough and tumble’ racing for Gaines to hone his racing skills.

In 1963 Gaines began driving for famed car owner Dizz Wilson. In the five years Gaines drove Wilson’s #70 it is estimated they won over 160 races. They were nearly unbeatable, winning Lawrenceburg Speedway track championships in 1963 and 1965 (he also added a third title in 1976).

In 1970 Gaines moved to Kinser Brothers Racing, teaming up with Karl Kinser. They raced all over the Midwest and south and won at places like Eldora, Salem, Indianapolis Raceway Park, Kokomo, and others. They won the “Little 500” at Anderson Speedway by four laps in 1973 and again in 1976, and in 1974 he won the “Knoxville Nationals,” beating Jan Opperman on the final lap.

In 1976 Gaines and Kinser won 29 of the 41 races entered – an astonishing 70% win average!

On September 17, 1977, while leading a race in Champaign, Ill., a rookie driver darted from the inside of the track directly in front of Gaines causing a multi-car crash. Gaines’ car flipped along a guard rail, then vaulted high into the air before slamming down and bouncing once more. Gaines’ injuries included a broken sternum, a lacerated and dislocated finger, and a severe case of double vision.

Those injuries forced Gaines to retire from a racing career that spanned nearly thirty years and in which he amassed over 600 victories. On February 5, 2000, Gaines suffered a heart attack at home, passing away at the age of 67.

Please join us Saturday night to honor D ick Gaines and the Gaines Family. The Kelsey Chevrolet Sprints will be group qualifying and their 25-lap feature will pay $3,000 to win / $300 to start. Also competing will be the KOI Auto Parts UMP Modifieds, Impact Sports Pure Stocks and the Bessler’s U Pull & Save Hornets.

This will be the last event to qualify for the "3rd Annual Hornet Nationals" that will be held on August 29th. To be eligible to compete in the $1,500 to win / $200 to start "Hornet Nationals," the driver and car must have competed in at least one prior Bessler's U Pull & Save Hornet points race at Lawrenceburg Speedway during the 2020 racing season (class and track participant regulations apply).

Saturday night the track is also hosting a “Pet Food & Toy Drive” in conjunction with their friends at Kroger. For each item you bring to donate you will receive a chance to win a $100 Kroger gift card.

And if that isn’t enough, it is also “47025 Night at the Races.” Any 47025 zip code resident who presents a valid driver license at the gate to prove residency will receive free general admission.

General admission gates are set to open at 5:00 pm Saturday with hot laps at 6:00 pm, and opening ceremonies are scheduled for 7:00 pm. Adult general admission is $18, children (7-12) are $7, and those 6 and under are free. Pit passes are $30 for all ages (pit passes cannot be purchased as an upgrade from a promo ticket, family four pack, or a theme night).

For more information please visit www.lawrenceburgspeedway.com or the “Lawrenceburg Speedway” Facebook page.