12 Inductees announced as "Class of '08" for Sprint Car HOF

1/25/08, 6:03 PM

[b]12 INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED AS

Dwight Clock · 1/25/08, 6:20 PM

Congrats to all the inductees. I am thrilled to see that Glenn Fitzcharles and Kramer Williamson are being inducted. I had the great pleasure of seeing and working with both of these great drivers during my time with URC. My plans for the week after the Indy 500 have now changed. I wouldn't miss their induction for anything. :applaud::thumb:

1/25/08, 6:49 PM

I am happy for Brent Kaeding who has won nearly 350 races to date and has earned his way into the Hall of Fame. Fitzcharles? With 85 career wins (per Open Wheel Times), and all but 4 coming from the ranks of the "B class" URC, his admission is a joke. This shows precisely why this is a damn popularity contest, with a predominantly heavy Eastern voting bias.

The fact that Fitzcharles gets in and Bobby Davis has to await another year is appalling. When are we getting some people who vote on this with a degree of logic and reason, instead of making it a popularity contest?

Can't we have more integrity than all the rest of organized sports?

DM

1/25/08, 6:58 PM

It is really nice to see Tony and Johnnie being inducted into the HOF. They are two of the best from their time in racing's history.

Congratulations to the Bettenhausen and Parson's families.

Dwight Clock · 1/25/08, 7:11 PM

URC a "B" class? That was the truth when URC was formed in 1948 and remained the truth into the 60's. Since then URC has produced some of the best sprint car racing to be seen anywhere. Four time Williams Grove track champion and 1986 Kings Royal winner Donnie Kreitz Jr. was a URC champion in 1983. Fitzcharles and Dave Kelly, another multi-time URC champ, moved UP to URC from the Reading modifieds. Kramer Williamson, another 2008 inductee, was a Williams Grove and KARS champion before moving OVER to URC. Larry Dickson was another URC champ. The title says "National Sprint Car Hall of Fame", not "National 410 Sprint Car Hall of Fame." Logic and reason does prevail. Fitzcharles and Williamson are both deserving.

kinser · 1/25/08, 7:32 PM

Well I guess on Dean`s next post he should rip everyone about Hampshire and Howells getting in too ! LOL Since the voting is east coast biased I can see Hamp getting in because he is from Ohio, but how did Doug get in since he is from North Dakota ? LOL I just read a post of his the other night ripping a guy for dogging on Kimb Stewart as an announcer. Dean said he shouldn`t be talking bad about someone that he didn`t know. But yet he wants to bash the entire voting panel for the NSCHOF inductions ? There are alot of people on here who need to live by the following quote. " NO ********, NO whining and NO crying, because there is no guarantee that life is going to be fair " - Glen Niebel

1/25/08, 7:53 PM

Mr. Mills,

You owe all of the members of URC an apology.

This is the oldest sprint car oirganization in the country. Yes, I will admit that in the beginning it was a 'B' class organization.

However the history of the organization proves otherwise.

Mario Andretti and Larry Dickson competed with URC before moving on to USAC.

Both Dave Kelly and Glenn Fitzcharles recorded wins in the 410 sprint car division in Cnetral PA either while competting with URC or after leaving the club for 410 racing.

Kramer Williamson is also another driver that you should do some research on. He was a Williams Grove Speedway Champion before starting his URC career. Also, drove in both the USAC sprint and Dirt Car Divisons for Maurie Amerling.

Yes, I will also admit that I have worked with and have known Firtz, Kelly and Kramer for longer than we would like to admit. It is a proud day for all of them.

These drivers entertained numerous fans up and down the Eastern Seaboard for years and in fact Karamer is still competitive with URC.

It is just a shame that someone of your stature feels it necessary to take away form this fine day.

John LeVan
OpenWheelRacers.com
e-mail to taz70739@yahoo.com

interpreter66 · 1/25/08, 9:10 PM

congrats to bob hampshire a great contributer to the sport from owner to mechanic to engine builder (and for putting up with hewitt:rolling

Gasman fan 50 · 1/25/08, 10:21 PM

Where oh, where is Johny Anderson?! One as equal as the Great GP!:headbang:

1/25/08, 11:41 PM

You people make me laugh...

Just because you saw a lot of these races, and like a guy as a person, that doesn't make him Hall of Fame material. Sure, Glenn Fitzcharles was a good racer. But, he WAS NOT an elite one. THE HALL OF FAME is not for for everyone who ever won a race in a sprint car. It's for guys who were the best of the best against everyone they came up against. THIS GUY WAS NEVER THAT.

Lets look at the facts (per Open Wheel Times)...

From 1975 to is retirement in 1999, Glenn Fitzcharles managed 85 wins. 81 of these came in URC, a 360 club for people on the way up, and those on the way out...It is universally known that 360 racing is not the elite form of sprint car racing in Pennsylvania, or anywhere in the free world for that matter. Only a select few have made it their life's mission to make a career out of URC. One is Fitzcharles. Of the four features he won outside of URC (all with a 410), 2 came at Selingsgrove, 1 at Lincoln, 1 at Williams Grove as part of a "twin 20" program. In the four years that Fitzcharles attempted to race 410s predominantly, his win percentage went from an average of around 27% to 7%, and that includes 6 wins in URC the first year he tried it (1991). Once he returned to where he could win regularly in URC, his win percentage shot back up to 25% in 1995, and 15% in 1996, the final year he actually won a race. He retired after going winless in his final three years (or 26 starts).

So, as long as he raced in the 360 club, he was a hero. When he raced with the best of the best in the 'tough-as-nails' Pennsylvania 410 circuit, he won just 4 races EVER!

Good racer. Not a Hall of Famer. Those are the facts, people. You can say whatever you want about me, you can scream and yell that I owe someone an apology, but I have not insulted anyone directly. I have merely STATED THE FACTS and in doing so, questioned the validity of the voting process. Say what you will, but I stand by my opinion, and with the facts bolstering my position.

BTW, I have no problem with the inclusion of Hamp, Howells, or any of the other inductees. Please do not presume to speak for me ever again, thank you very much.

DM - "Just the fax, ma'am. Just the fax" - Bruce Willis as John McClane, Die Hard 2 (1990)

1/25/08, 6:03 PM	#1 12 Inductees announced as "Class of '08" for Sprint Car HOF
Marty Boyer Posts: n/a	[b]12 INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED AS

1/25/08, 6:20 PM	#2 Re: 12 Inductees announced as "Class of '08" for Sprint Car HOF
Dwight Clock Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,233	Congrats to all the inductees. I am thrilled to see that Glenn Fitzcharles and Kramer Williamson are being inducted. I had the great pleasure of seeing and working with both of these great drivers during my time with URC. My plans for the week after the Indy 500 have now changed. I wouldn't miss their induction for anything. :applaud::thumb:

1/25/08, 6:49 PM	#3 Re: 12 Inductees announced as "Class of '08" for Sprint Car HOF
Millsvideo Posts: n/a	I am happy for Brent Kaeding who has won nearly 350 races to date and has earned his way into the Hall of Fame. Fitzcharles? With 85 career wins (per Open Wheel Times), and all but 4 coming from the ranks of the "B class" URC, his admission is a joke. This shows precisely why this is a damn popularity contest, with a predominantly heavy Eastern voting bias. The fact that Fitzcharles gets in and Bobby Davis has to await another year is appalling. When are we getting some people who vote on this with a degree of logic and reason, instead of making it a popularity contest? Can't we have more integrity than all the rest of organized sports? DM

1/25/08, 6:58 PM	#4 Re: 12 Inductees announced as "Class of '08" for Sprint Car HOF
dirtywhiteboy Posts: n/a	It is really nice to see Tony and Johnnie being inducted into the HOF. They are two of the best from their time in racing's history. Congratulations to the Bettenhausen and Parson's families.

1/25/08, 7:11 PM	#5 Re: 12 Inductees announced as "Class of '08" for Sprint Car HOF
Dwight Clock Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,233	URC a "B" class? That was the truth when URC was formed in 1948 and remained the truth into the 60's. Since then URC has produced some of the best sprint car racing to be seen anywhere. Four time Williams Grove track champion and 1986 Kings Royal winner Donnie Kreitz Jr. was a URC champion in 1983. Fitzcharles and Dave Kelly, another multi-time URC champ, moved UP to URC from the Reading modifieds. Kramer Williamson, another 2008 inductee, was a Williams Grove and KARS champion before moving OVER to URC. Larry Dickson was another URC champ. The title says "National Sprint Car Hall of Fame", not "National 410 Sprint Car Hall of Fame." Logic and reason does prevail. Fitzcharles and Williamson are both deserving.

1/25/08, 7:32 PM	#6 Re: 12 Inductees announced as "Class of '08" for Sprint Car HOF
kinser Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 487	Well I guess on Dean`s next post he should rip everyone about Hampshire and Howells getting in too ! LOL Since the voting is east coast biased I can see Hamp getting in because he is from Ohio, but how did Doug get in since he is from North Dakota ? LOL I just read a post of his the other night ripping a guy for dogging on Kimb Stewart as an announcer. Dean said he shouldn`t be talking bad about someone that he didn`t know. But yet he wants to bash the entire voting panel for the NSCHOF inductions ? There are alot of people on here who need to live by the following quote. " NO ********, NO whining and NO crying, because there is no guarantee that life is going to be fair " - Glen Niebel

1/25/08, 7:53 PM	#7 Re: 12 Inductees announced as "Class of '08" for Sprint Car HOF
taz70739 Posts: n/a	Mr. Mills, You owe all of the members of URC an apology. This is the oldest sprint car oirganization in the country. Yes, I will admit that in the beginning it was a 'B' class organization. However the history of the organization proves otherwise. Mario Andretti and Larry Dickson competed with URC before moving on to USAC. Both Dave Kelly and Glenn Fitzcharles recorded wins in the 410 sprint car division in Cnetral PA either while competting with URC or after leaving the club for 410 racing. Kramer Williamson is also another driver that you should do some research on. He was a Williams Grove Speedway Champion before starting his URC career. Also, drove in both the USAC sprint and Dirt Car Divisons for Maurie Amerling. Yes, I will also admit that I have worked with and have known Firtz, Kelly and Kramer for longer than we would like to admit. It is a proud day for all of them. These drivers entertained numerous fans up and down the Eastern Seaboard for years and in fact Karamer is still competitive with URC. It is just a shame that someone of your stature feels it necessary to take away form this fine day. John LeVan OpenWheelRacers.com e-mail to taz70739@yahoo.com

1/25/08, 9:10 PM	#8 Re: 12 Inductees announced as "Class of '08" for Sprint Car HOF
interpreter66 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 4,371	congrats to bob hampshire a great contributer to the sport from owner to mechanic to engine builder (and for putting up with hewitt:rolling

1/25/08, 10:21 PM	#9 Re: 12 Inductees announced as "Class of '08" for Sprint Car HOF
Gasman fan 50 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 461	Where oh, where is Johny Anderson?! One as equal as the Great GP!:headbang:

1/25/08, 11:41 PM	#10 Re: 12 Inductees announced as "Class of '08" for Sprint Car HOF
Millsvideo Posts: n/a	You people make me laugh... Just because you saw a lot of these races, and like a guy as a person, that doesn't make him Hall of Fame material. Sure, Glenn Fitzcharles was a good racer. But, he WAS NOT an elite one. THE HALL OF FAME is not for for everyone who ever won a race in a sprint car. It's for guys who were the best of the best against everyone they came up against. THIS GUY WAS NEVER THAT. Lets look at the facts (per Open Wheel Times)... From 1975 to is retirement in 1999, Glenn Fitzcharles managed 85 wins. 81 of these came in URC, a 360 club for people on the way up, and those on the way out...It is universally known that 360 racing is not the elite form of sprint car racing in Pennsylvania, or anywhere in the free world for that matter. Only a select few have made it their life's mission to make a career out of URC. One is Fitzcharles. Of the four features he won outside of URC (all with a 410), 2 came at Selingsgrove, 1 at Lincoln, 1 at Williams Grove as part of a "twin 20" program. In the four years that Fitzcharles attempted to race 410s predominantly, his win percentage went from an average of around 27% to 7%, and that includes 6 wins in URC the first year he tried it (1991). Once he returned to where he could win regularly in URC, his win percentage shot back up to 25% in 1995, and 15% in 1996, the final year he actually won a race. He retired after going winless in his final three years (or 26 starts). So, as long as he raced in the 360 club, he was a hero. When he raced with the best of the best in the 'tough-as-nails' Pennsylvania 410 circuit, he won just 4 races EVER! Good racer. Not a Hall of Famer. Those are the facts, people. You can say whatever you want about me, you can scream and yell that I owe someone an apology, but I have not insulted anyone directly. I have merely STATED THE FACTS and in doing so, questioned the validity of the voting process. Say what you will, but I stand by my opinion, and with the facts bolstering my position. BTW, I have no problem with the inclusion of Hamp, Howells, or any of the other inductees. Please do not presume to speak for me ever again, thank you very much. DM - "Just the fax, ma'am. Just the fax" - Bruce Willis as John McClane, Die Hard 2 (1990)