USAC LEGEND DAVE DARLAND RETIRES

By FloRacing.

Dave Darland, one of seven USAC Triple Crown Champions and the most successful driver in United States Auto Club (USAC) National Sprintcar history, has announced his retirement from racing.

He will bring down the curtain on a remarkable career at Indiana’s Kokomo Speedway, venue of some of his early successes, on Friday, October 13.

Darland achieved his USAC Triple Crown club status by winning the USAC Silver Crown title in 1997, the National Sprintcar Championship in 1999 and back-to-back National Midget driver titles in 2001-02.

Only Darland, Pancho Carter, Tony Stewart, JJ Yeley, Jerry Coons Junior, Tracy Hines and Chris Windom belong to that exclusive club.

The first of Darland’s record 62 career USAC National Sprintcar victories came in May, 1993 during the Tony Hulman Classic at the Terre Haute (Indiana) Action Track for car owner Brent Earlywine. In fact, his total of 115 USAC feature victories (nationally and regionally) ranks fifth all-time, and also includes 30 National Midget triumphs and 14 with the Silver Crown series.

Darland, of Lincoln, Indiana, recorded a total of 1,334 USAC National starts, which ranks first in series history, including 797 in USAC Sprintcars, 336 in the Midgets and 201 Silver Crown. His first USAC start came on September 29, 1986, with the National Sprintcars in the 4-Crown Nationals at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway. His most recent start came at his home track of Kokomo Speedway in August, 2023.

The 2017 National Sprintcar Hall of Fame inductee has raced everywhere and won nearly everything in his long and storied career.

He’s won on pavement and dirt, won from coast-to-coast, and titles upon titles, and was one of the most popular drivers to ever compete on the USAC trail, affectionately earning the nickname, “The People’s Champ.”

“Forty-two years of Sprintcar racing (52 years of being behind the wheel of a race car), that’s a long time,” Darland stated.

“One-hundred-plus races per year for many years, thousands and thousands of miles travelled, records set and records broken.

Fans who became friends and family, great car owners to fulfill the need of racing and awesome sponsors who made it happen.”

Darland announced the Friday, October 13, Kokomo Klash at Kokomo Speedway would be the last race of his career and now, the 57 year-old has decided it’s time to step away from the cockpit for good.

“Now is the time for my family and my five grand kids; my time,” Darland explained. “I’m retiring and (there’s) no looking back. The memories have been made and I’ve fulfilled my dreams and plans.”

Darland initially gained fame locally on the Indiana Sprintcar scene, driving his father Bob Darland’s well known yellow number 36D.

His first Sprintcar victory came at Kokomo when he defeated the legendary Bob Kinser. Several track championships came his way in the ensuing years, including four at Kokomo in 1987-91-93-94 and at Lincoln Park Speedway in 1990-91.

He broke onto the national scene with a Hoosier Hundred USAC Silver Crown victory in 1995 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds for car owner Galen Fox, then became a hired gun, winning the 1999 USAC National Sprintcar Championship tfor the Hoffman family’s Dynamics, Inc. team and the 2001-02 USAC National Midget points championships for car owner Steve Lewis – three of the most famous car owners and teams to ever compete in the sport.

All these years later, Darland has solidified his position as one of the all-time greats in USAC racing – a status he will retain for eternity.

“Who would have thought that a straggly kid from Lincoln, Indiana would have come this far?” Darland pondered.

“Thank you to every person who stood beside me, with me and against me. You made me the person that I am, the career that I’ve had, and for that, I am forever grateful. Thank you for being the best fans, friends and family.”