USAC: Hoffman Racing Team Set to Tie Stapp for Win Record
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
August 16, 2001The famed Hoffman Auto Racing team of Milford, Ohio is closing in on a significant USAC milestone and could tie the all-time Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car victory record for car owners this Friday night at the Anderson (Ind.) Speedway. Current record holder Steve Stapp would like to put his record total a little further out of reach but has no plans to compete at Anderson.
Stapp has 51 USAC wins to his credit, while the Dynamics, Inc. Racing Team, owned by the Hoffman family, added wins #49 and #50 this year at Toledo, Ohio July 13 and Indianapolis Raceway Park July 14 with driver Brian Tyler.
"We've been aiming at this record for several years," says Dick Hoffman, who along with son Rob Hoffman and mechanic Dan Launderville have masterminded the team's recent success. "My dad Gus, who passed away in March at the age of 90, started his career in racing 70 years ago when he converted a "speedster" into a sprint car. It was a goal of his to end up with the record so we're going to give it a shot. We've been chipping away at it the last several years and if the law of averages hold, we should have it soon."
Gus Hoffman was an integral part of the Indianapolis 500 scene from 1973-1984, fielding cars for drivers like Larry Cannon, Jerry Grant, Joe Saldana, George Snider, Jerry Sneva and Spike Gehlhausen. The team's initial USAC National Sprint car victory came with driver Jim Hemmings at Salem, Ind. on June 18, 1961 and Tyler's back-to-back victories this season have put them on the threshold of tying Stapp's mark of 51.
"Records are made to be broken," says Stapp, whose initial USAC victory came with Johnny Rutherford at Terre Haute, Ind. June 13, 1965. "We haven't been steady competitors for a while now but I hope to be a regular again next season and be able to give the Hoffmans a run for their money."
Although Brian Tyler is entered in the Hoffmans' Folgers/Pringles/Kroger/Sunny Delight Gaerte/Beast at Anderson, it is not certain he will drive the car. Tyler is competing in Friday's Busch Grand National qualifying session at Michigan International Speedway and the Hoffmans have driver Brad Armstrong standing by just in case Tyler is unable to return to Anderson in time to compete.
Text provided by Dick Jordan
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