The Dobbins #6 Sprint Car

[webby]

In the winter of 1973 Steve Stapp was building sprint cars for numerous customers coast to coast, he built one for himself to campaign for the 1974 United States Auto Club (USAC) national sprint car season. His driver for that year would be second generation open wheel standout Duane "Pancho" Carter jr. The state of the art construction for midgets and sprint cars of that era, was the four bar cross torsion space frame design. A few builders would stay with the lighter, but older design of using cross torsion on the rear, but using the old "cross spring", or "buggy spring" front suspension. Stapp's choice was to use the old "springer" front suspension. With Indiana Chevrolet dealer, "Dobbins Chevrolet" on board as sponsor, Stapp and Carter set out on the USAC trail, and what a combination it turned out to be. As one of only 2 drivers to complete all 31 USAC sprint races that season (2nd place in points Tom Bigelow was the other) Carter won 7 features in a dominatint performance and won the 1974 USAC National sprint car championship. In 1975 the Stapp/Carter team used the same car, although not as successful, due to Carter missing some sprint shows due to his Indy car career starting. They finished 4th in points in 1975. The old "springer" front car was replaced for 1976 with a brand new 4 bar car, which they really spanked the competition with, winning 12 features out of 36 and the 1976 USAC national sprint car championship. Here's a look at a beautiful car from a time when one car was used on dirt and pavement, regardless of track length, and cars that were crafted to last.

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=6&pictureid=49
Here's a great Harry Dunn color shot from an August 1987 "Open Wheel Magazine" that featured the fully restored Dobbins 6, sprint car, beautiful eh? This is how it looked in 1974, and how it looks now.

Below is Pancho giving the Dobbins 6 a workout in pavement trim, at the Winchester Speedway in Indiana, 1974, that's Jerry Poland in the #54 behind Pancho.

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=6&pictureid=52

Pancho Carter on his way to the USAC national sprint car championship in 1974, "pitchin" the Dobbins 6 at Terre Haute, Indiana.

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=6&pictureid=50

Now wearing the champions #1 on the Stapp built sprinter, Pancho at Terre Haute in 1975.

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=6&pictureid=51

[mrailing]

So, does anyone have a copy of the August 1987 Open Wheel magazine they would like to part with, or by chance scan me the article about the #6 Dobbins/Stapp Sprint?

[LittleFauss]

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5136/5550612359_c0fe0e309a_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34494273@N05/5550612359/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5131/5550612377_7e76ea2ef7_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34494273@N05/5550612377/)

[mrailing]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate this. I will be showing it to Buzzy (Dobbins) very soon, and I am sure he will love to see it if he hasn't. I haven't told him about it yet because I just found the die-cast Champ car model that was released in 2007 and I found one for him.

[Racephoto1]

Nice picture of the car on the Indy mile. On that night though it was the SECOND best Stapp car on the track. Some guy named Foyt bagged both of the twin 50's that night in a Stapp car.

The next car they had was also a beautiful one, the robins egg blue 4 bar car.

[LittleFauss]

.....'This is a photo from the race that night at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Mile on Friday night, May 24th, 1974 that will live on forever, to those that were there. It was two nights before that Sunday's Indy 500 and A.J. Foyt was there just to "blow off a little steam" before the big race that weekend!

Copyrighted Photo credit: John Mahoney

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/3178437115_ed2ec05bbd_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/23435060@N02/3178437115/)

[LittleFauss]

.....'Racephoto1, I thought it was pretty cool that after seeing the article on the Dobbins Sprinter that you immediately thought of A.J. Foyt and those twin 50's at the Indiana Fairgrounds that night. I'm sure very few people have any idea of just what an amazing accomplishment that was. Unless I'm wrong, I don't think A.J. had been in a sprinter since he ran one of Wally's at Terre Haute in 1970. Sure, he had been running his dirt car in the few USAC National dirt races but that schedule was so meager, they didn't provide much seat time. Pancho and the rest of the 'Thunder & Lightning' Divivsion drivers on the other hand, were at the top of their game. And, a sprint car race that went 100 miles! Then Sunday, he went out and gave Rutherford a run for his money until he broke.

So, I needed to go back and read all about that race again so, if you're interested I went ahead and scanned the article and pic.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5253/5554836327_5ef8f63cf7.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34494273@N05/5554836327/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5554836329_430a29aec5.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34494273@N05/5554836329/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5171/5554836331_efbac96a84_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34494273@N05/5554836331/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5268/5554836333_436013f56b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34494273@N05/5554836333/)

[Mitch G.]

LittleFauss, I remember when that happened, seems to me during the ABC telecast of the Indy 500 they showed clips of Foyt winning that sprint car race, Foyt is the man. Could you guys check, but I remember hearing the George Snider had a hand in building that #11 sprint car. Thanks for posting the article!

[Racephoto1]

Ziggy Snider also drove the car when Fot didn't . Snider is probably one of the nicest guys in racing I know, and is rarely mentioned. I know no one that could put a car in the show with no laps in the seat except Ziggy. He did it more then once for AJ at Indy.

[SPRINT56]

Nice picture of the car on the Indy mile. On that night though it was the SECOND best Stapp car on the track. Some guy named Foyt bagged both of the twin 50's that night in a Stapp car.

The next car they had was also a beautiful one, the robins egg blue 4 bar car.

That blue car was the C&S racing car. C was for Dean Cook of Farmington mo. S was for Stapp.

[Indybail]

What a treat. I saw this car run many times (thank you, Jimmy Voyles). I was probably there when many of the contemporary pictures were taken.

This post brings back great memories. Thank you.

[Racephoto1]

The blue car was the last Dobbins car, at least Dobbins is on the hood.