Dick Gaines is remembered as one of the country’s toughest sprint-car drivers and one of the best.
Born in Floyd’s Knob, Ind., Gaines raced mostly in his native state and won more than 600 features in 30 years.
Gaines received much of his fame from his time driving for legendary team owner Dizz Wilson. Together, the pair won 164 races during a five-year span in the 1960s. Later, Gaines drove for Karl Kinser and won the 1974 Knoxville Nationals, passing Jan Opperman on the final lap.
Gaines and Kinser worked together for eight years, winning numerous races, including the Little 500.
Gaines died in 2000 at age 64. His son Dickie is a popular sprint-car driver on the Indiana non-winged circuit.
Featured here (clockwise from top left): Celebrating a Little 500 win; In victory lane in 1968 at Bloomington Raceway; On the podium at Whitewater Valley Speedway in 1977 with Rick Ferkel (left) and Danny Smith (right); Receiving a feature trophy from Cincinatti Reds second baseman Pete Rose in 1965; Waving to fans after his Knoxville Nationals win; At Cincinatti Gardens; In victory lane in 1977 at Lawrenceburg Speedway; With his son Dickie in 1995; Behind the wheel. — NSSN Archives