Sig Haugdahl

Sigurd Olson “Sig” Haugdahl (born January 10, 1891 in Norway - died February 4, 1970) was an IMCA champion and an early promoter of stock car racing in the United States. Haugdahl moved to the United States in 1910 and lived in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

Racing career

Haughdahl's U.S. racing career in 1912, when he drove a specially equipped Indian Motorcycle in ice races in Minnesota. He began dirt track racing in 1918. He became the IMCA champion six years in a row, between 1927 and 1932.cite web
url=http://www.historicracing.com/drivers_alpha.cfm?driverID=7929
title=Sigurd Olson "Sig" Haugdahl
accessdate=2008-05-12
work= HistoricRacing.com] He built the Wisconsin Special to unseat USAC champion Tommy Milton. The car was named after its 836 cubic inch Wisconsin Airplane 6-cylinder motor, which was directly connected to the rear wheels. The car was convert|192|in|mm long, convert|20|in|mm wide, and had convert|250|hp. The speed would first be exceeded after over ten years.

World speed record

Haugdahl is reported to have set a world land speed record of 180 miles per hour in his Wisconsin Special car at the Daytona Beach Road Course on April 7, 1922.cite web
url=http://members.cox.net/sprintguy/Sig_Haugdahl.html
title=Picture and brief biography
accessdate= 2007-06-03] A world record was not awarded, however, because the run was not timed by the American Automobile Association and as such could not be verified. It is considered by some that the record speed was claimed by IMCA for the promotional benefits that it would offer. If true, this record would have represented a record speed convert|50|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on faster than the official record, set by a car with a quarter less power than the current holder, five years before the official record reached this level.

Daytona Beach Road Course

World land speed record attempts moved from Daytona to the more consistent surface at the Bonneville Salt Flats with Campbell's Bluebird in 1935.

Not wishing to lose the valuable visitor trade, Daytona Beach officials asked local racer Haugdahl to organize and promote an automobile race along the convert|3.2|mi|km|sing=on course. Haugdahl is credited for designing the track. The city posted at $5,000 purse. The ticket-takers arrived at the event to find thousands of fans already at the track. The sandy turns became virtually impassable, and the event was stopped after 75 of 78 laps. The city has not promoted an event since.

Haugdahl talked with another local driver named William France Sr., and they talked the Daytona Beach Elks Club to host another event in 1937. The event was more successful, but still lost money. Haugdahl didn't promote any more events. France used the experience to found NASCAR.

Award

Haugdahl was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1994.

References

* cite book
title=The Unauthorized NASCAR Fan Guide 1998-99
author=Bill Fleischman and Al Pearce
date=1999