Can any one find what last -- I still call them Big Cars -- from the era of sprint cars and big cars, one to run on any paved oval?
The last upright dirt cars to race in a USAC Champ race on a paved oval were the eight used as field fillers in the 1981 Pocono race, but those were a anomaly.
The last upright dirt car to qualify for a USAC Championship race on a paved oval was Charlie Masters in 1969. Masters made the field for both Trenton races that year.
Dirt cars made the fields in a few more races in 1969. Tommy Copp qualified one for the Phoenix opener, Rollie Beale made the field at Langhorne and A.J. Foyt ran his at the second Milwaukee race.