HammerDown! Race Gear online store.

OPEN NOW. OPEN ALWAYS.

Drivers List

Images

Latest Projects:

Respects

The Injured List

Tangents

Tracks

Yearbook Headlines - ...Another HammerDown! "work-in-progress" that we enjoy sharing with our readers. Please check back often, as each year will be updated further.

25 Greatest Sprint Car Drivers of All-time

40 Most Exciting Drivers in NARC History

HammerDown! Race Gear

online store.

Always open.

 

 

 

Old School DRIVERS

Johnny Anderson

Gary Costa's Interrogation of Johnny Anderson

Steve Kinser, Johnny Anderson, Kenny Woodruff, Jim Raper, & Lee Osborne among Hall nominees By Tom Schmeh, KNOXVILLE, IOWA (January 25, 2005) - The nominees for induction into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in June of 2005 have been announced today by museum foundation executive director Thomas J. Schmeh. Thirty-six individuals have been nominated by the 72-member National Induction Committee, of which twelve will formally be enshrined on Saturday afternoon, June 4, during the sixteenth annual induction ceremonies on the Marion County Fairgrounds in Knoxville, Iowa. The nominees are: Drivers: Johnny Anderson, Charles "Dutch" Baumann, Gene "Tiger" Brown, Steve Butler, Bob Carey, Vic Felt, Elmer George, Sam Hoffman, Bill Holland, Steve Kinser, Lee Kunzman, Lee Osborne, Francis Quinn, Roger Rager, Bud Rose (Harry Eisele), Robbie Stanley, Ray Tilley, Earl Wagner, Bobby Ward, Kramer Williamson. Owners-Mechanics-Builders-Manufacturers-Car Sponsors: Don Brown, Joe Jagersberger, Clarence "Pop" Miller, Glen Neibel, Jud Phillips, Dick Simonek, Taylor "Pappy" Weld, Kenny Woodruff. Promoters-Officials-Media Members-Event/Series Sponsors: Ken Coles, Louis "Rusty" Espinoza, Paul Knierim, Allan Krause, John Mahoney, H.B. Overstreet, Jim Raper, Norm Witte. The results of the final voting process will be announced in early February. Those seeking more information on the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame are encouraged to visit the web-site at www.sprintcarhof.com. Induction banquet tickets will be available starting on February 15th by calling museum administrative assistant Denise Deaver at 1-800-874-4488.

...Time again for a rant on the subject of Johnny Anderson and the Hall of Fame. I get VERY frustrated with the fact that Johnny Anderson is not yet in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. I understand that the voters simply do not know how good Johnny was. That has to be the reason. So... we must do better to educate. As I continue to spend hours reading through the scrapbook materials that Johnny's wife Brenda has provided for me, I am reminded at some of the incredible feats this man accomplished. How about the night at West Capital in the competitive Tri-Holiday series, where Anderson and Jimmy Boyd flipped on lap 31, only to return minus their wings for the final 19 laps on the quarter-mile dirt track. Anderson came back to win the 50 lapper without his top-wing by a car-length over the winged sprinter of Mike Wasina. ...Or how about the Petaluma "Outlaws Holiday", Oct. 1, 1978? Johnny lapped all but two cars in a 50 lap feature that went the final 40 laps caution free. The guys he didn't lap? Steve Kinser (2nd), Jack Hewitt (3rd). Down a lap in fourth and fifth were Lee Osborne, and Rick Ferkel. ...I just finished going through scrapbook number one of four of Anderson's career. The feature win tally will climb without question as I go through the stories but it already stands at 40 wins in four states and New Zealand.

Johnny Anderson met up with an unusually tall trophy girl at Calistoga Speedway. The car is the Snow's Speed Shop #15. In the background to the right you can see Gary Patterson leaning against the famous Ross #56. (From the Brenda & Johnny Anderson collection)

Feature wins for Johnny Anderson - an ongoing project.

Date Track / Location Sanctioning Body / Type of car Additional Notes
1971 Rowley Park Speedway Rick Harvey Memroial - Speedcars Johnny was 25 years old when he won this race in the former Merle Bettenhausen car. The car was owned by Laurie Jamieson.
06/21/74 Fremont, CA. BCRA Midgets  
07/26/74 Fremont, CA. BCRA Midgets Fast time, dash, and main all Johnny Anderson.
08/02/74 Fremont, CA. BCRA Midgets Fast time, dash, and main all Johnny Anderson.
08/09/74 Fremont, CA. BCRA Midgets
08/21/74 Fremont, CA. BCRA Midgets Hank Butcher was 2nd.
08/30/74 Fremont, CA. BCRA Midgets
09/02/74 Anderson, CA. BCRA Midgets Ken Nichols was 2nd.
09/??/74 West Capital Raceway West Sacramento California Open Competition Gold Cup Race of Champions win came on last lap over Aussie Garry Rush.
05/02/75 Petaluma, CA. BCRA Midgets
05/16/75 Petaluma, CA BCRA Midgets
06/27/75 Fremont, CA. BCRA Midgets Harry Stryker Jr. was 2nd.
07/18/75 Fremont, CA. BCRA Midgets Also had quick time.
08/01/75 Fremont, CA. BCRA Midgets
09/28/75 San Jose Speedway, San Jose CA. NARC Sprint Car 100 Laps "Calvalcade of Auto Racing"
09/28/75 San Jose Speedway, San Jose, CA. BCRA Midgets 100 laps "Calvacade of auto racing. Johnny won two 100 lap races on same day!
06/19/76 Calistoga Speedway, Calistoga, CA. NARC sprints Driving the Snow's Speed Shop #15.
07/17/76 Calistoga Speedway, Calistoga, CA. NARC sprints Johnny started 10th, now driving the Carville & Alves #45
07/24/76 Redwood Acres Fairgrounds, Eureka, CA. NARC sprints LeRoy Van Conett was 2nd. Don Melvin was third, Jimmy Boyd was fourth, and Gary Patterson was fifth.
1976 West Capital Raceway West Sacramento California Open Competition Leg #3 of the Tri-Holiday Sweepstakes. Anderson won the 50 lap feature with Gary Patterson 2nd, Gary Howard 3rd, and 21 year-old Jimmy Sills 4th.
1977 Phoenix Sprint Cars Cobra Classic.
03/26/77 West Capital Raceway West Sacramento California Super Modifieds 56 cars!
04/09/77 West Capital Raceway West Sacramento California SMCOA Super Modifieds
4/23/77 West Capital Raceway West Sacramento California SMCOA Super Modifieds Nick Rescino 2nd, Wayne Sue 3rd, John Viel 4th, Rich Forsberg 5th.
05/28/77 Calistoga Speedway, Calistoga, CA. NARC sprints Driving the Brandy & Glaspy XX.
05/30/77 West Capital Raceway West Sacramento California Open Competition Classic unbelievable race. Johnny crashed with Jimmy Boyd on lap 31 of the 50 lap Tri-Holiday Sweepstakes. Both returned minus their top wings, and Johnny went on to pass Mike Wasina and win by a car-length.
07/23/77 Calistoga Speedway, Calistoga, CA. NARC sprints  
09/04/77 Calistoga Speedway, Calistoga, CA. NARC sprints  
12/20/77 Western Springs Speedway, Auckland, New Zealand. Midgets  
12/28/77 Waikaraka Park Raceway, New Zealand USA, Australia, NZ Production Saloon Challenge Series In his first visit to the track in a borrowed car, Johnny won this event that drew coverage from the Auckland Star newspaper.
4/22/78 West Capital Raceway West Sacramento California NARC Sprints Top ten that night: 1. JA, 2. Mike Andreetta, 3. Rendy Boldrini, 4. Russ Nickell, 5. Nick Rescino, 6. LeRoy VanConett, 7. Jimmy Boyd, 8. Weddall Anderson Jr., 9. Mike McCreary, 10. Smokey Stover.
6/4/78 Altamont Raceway Altamont Pass California NARC Sprints - no-wing pavement Tire went flat in winners circle.
7/30/78 Altamont Raceway Altamont Pass California NARC Sprint Car - No wing pavement. Near 100 degrees. ...Johnny in Don Snow's #4 won a blanket finish over Rendy Boldrini and Ron Horton.
9/2/78 Calistoga Speedway Calistoga California NARC Sprint Car. No-wing. Top 3: 1. Anderson, 2. Van Conett, 3. Jan Opperman.
9/15/78 Dixon May Fair Dixon California NARC Sprints -no-wing Became the first five-time NARC winner of 1978.
9/23/78 Calistoga Speedway Calistoga California World of Outlaws Hank Butcher was 2nd, Gary Patterson was 3rd.
10/01/78 Petaluma Fairgrounds Speedway Open Competition Billed as the "Outlaws Holiday", Johnny lapped up to thrid place in the 50 lapper. Steve Kinser, and Jack Hewitt finished 2nd and 3rd on the lead lap. The top five was completed by Lee Osbourne, and Rick Ferkel.
04/14/79 Champaign Motor Speedway, Champaign, IL. World of Outlaws
8/2/80 Silver Dollar Speedway Chico California Open-comp - sprint cars
9/26/80 Silver Dollar Speedway Chico California World of Outlaws winged sprint car Gold Cup prelim.
9/27/80 Silver Dollar Speedway Chico California World of Outlaws winged sprint car Gold Cup
       
       
       
       
       
       

 

Johnny Anderson for Hall of Fame!

Hall of Fame Credentials? YES!