Sleepy Tripp
Encyclopedia
Ron "Sleepy" Tripp is an American Hall of Fame midget car
driver. Tripp got his nickname as a youth when he would fall asleep in his quarter midget car while waiting for his next race to start.
(USAC) National Midget championships. He stayed on the national tour for more several years before he started racing on the Western States series on the West Coast
. He consistently placed in the first or second place in the series' points, winning championships in 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991 and 1992. He had won 97 Western States races by 1993. He reached his 100th win in 1998 at Ventura Raceway
. Sleepy sits on top of the Western States Feature list with 104 wins.
He also had 59 National Midget car victories, which places him fifth on USAC's all-time National Midget Car Series Feature Winners list. And those 59 National USAC total victories, placing him 11th on USAC's all-time National Career Feature Victory Leaders list. His combined National, Western and Regional USAC wins have him the winningst driver in Midgets. With over 250 careers wins to his name.
. Growing up in a racing family had the boys racing at a very young age, winning their way into the record books. The boys raced at a very young age in Quarter midgets, winning numerous trophies along the way. Then tried their hand in motorbikes, before jumping up to the full-size Midget cars. During Sleepy's high school years, he was a wrestler and accomplished football star at Newport Harbor High School, being named MVP for their 1970 football season. Last played in July 1971 at the Aloha Senior Football Classic at Honolulu Stadium
. Now been married to Erin since Nov 1982, whom he met in New Zealand
while racing and they have one grown daughter, Shay. Both of Sleepy's parents have since passed and the boys still work together at their families electrical contracting business.
, in 2003.
, winning many of the prestigious races, such as the 50 Lap Classic (nine times), the World 30 Lap Derby (four times), Bob Tattersal Memorial and the City of Auckland Grand Prix.
Tripp also had success in Australia during the 1970s and 1980s with many feature wins including winning the 1983 and 1984 Australian Speedcar Grand Prix
on the paved Liverpool Speedway
as well as both the Harry Neal and Rick Harvey Memorial's and the 40 Lap Speedcar Derby at Adelaide
's Speedway Park
.
Midget car racing
Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...
driver. Tripp got his nickname as a youth when he would fall asleep in his quarter midget car while waiting for his next race to start.
Midget car career
Tripp won the 1975 and 1976 United States Automobile ClubUnited States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
(USAC) National Midget championships. He stayed on the national tour for more several years before he started racing on the Western States series on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
. He consistently placed in the first or second place in the series' points, winning championships in 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991 and 1992. He had won 97 Western States races by 1993. He reached his 100th win in 1998 at Ventura Raceway
Ventura Raceway
Ventura Raceway is located at Seaside Park in Ventura, California. The 1/5 mile, high banked clay oval is owned and operated by Jim Naylor, who is also the track announcer...
. Sleepy sits on top of the Western States Feature list with 104 wins.
He also had 59 National Midget car victories, which places him fifth on USAC's all-time National Midget Car Series Feature Winners list. And those 59 National USAC total victories, placing him 11th on USAC's all-time National Career Feature Victory Leaders list. His combined National, Western and Regional USAC wins have him the winningst driver in Midgets. With over 250 careers wins to his name.
Career award
- He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of FameNational Midget Auto Racing Hall of FameThe National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame and museum for midget cars. The Hall of Fame is located at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and can be accessed during weekly Sunday races during the summer.-A-C:...
in 1986. - He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Museum in its second class in 2000.
- He was inducted in the Legends of Ascot Hall of Fame in 2004.
History
"Sleepy" was born Ronald James Tripp to parents Barbara and Gerald Tripp, August 13, 1953, and he was raised with his older brother, Bob and younger sister, Karen in Costa Mesa, CaliforniaCosta Mesa, California
Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 109,960 at the 2010 census. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to a primarily suburban and "edge" city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light...
. Growing up in a racing family had the boys racing at a very young age, winning their way into the record books. The boys raced at a very young age in Quarter midgets, winning numerous trophies along the way. Then tried their hand in motorbikes, before jumping up to the full-size Midget cars. During Sleepy's high school years, he was a wrestler and accomplished football star at Newport Harbor High School, being named MVP for their 1970 football season. Last played in July 1971 at the Aloha Senior Football Classic at Honolulu Stadium
Honolulu Stadium
Honolulu Stadium was a stadium located in the Moiliili district of Honolulu, Hawai'i, at the corner of King and Isenberg Streets. It was opened in 1926 and demolished in 1976. It was the primary sports venue in Hawai'i preceding Aloha Stadium. Famous athletes who competed in Honolulu Stadium...
. Now been married to Erin since Nov 1982, whom he met in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
while racing and they have one grown daughter, Shay. Both of Sleepy's parents have since passed and the boys still work together at their families electrical contracting business.
USAC Years
After Sleepy took the Rookie of the Year and USRC 1974 Championship and headed for the Midwest and tried his luck with USAC, taking Rookie of the Year honors and Championship in 1975 and then again winning the USAC Championship back-to-back in 1976. He was invited race in Australia during their 1976/77 season (since they have the reverse seasons, December, January, February are their big racing months). In turn, Sleepy raced 17-years in either Australia, New Zealand or both. He raced with USAC until he returned to California to race the newly formed USAC Western States Championship, in which he joined car owners George and Gary Zarounian, to dominate the early years, winning the 1983, 85, 87, 88, 90, 91, 92 Championships. During those years, he won 104 features, putting him at the top of the feature list. He raced until he was injured in a crash at a BCRA race at Stockton, CaliforniaStockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, in 2003.
New Zealand/Australia
First invited to tour 'down-under' through Australia and New Zealand in 1976/77 where he began to win races and fans for nearly two decades. After running his own car, he teamed up with car owner, Danny LendichDanny Lendich
Danny Lendich is a business owner and franchise operator, having opened the first Wendy's in New Zealand more than 20 years ago. Danny also owns his own large equipment company, Lendich Construction. Danny has been heavily involved in racing in New Zealand, sponsoring one of the most successful...
, winning many of the prestigious races, such as the 50 Lap Classic (nine times), the World 30 Lap Derby (four times), Bob Tattersal Memorial and the City of Auckland Grand Prix.
Tripp also had success in Australia during the 1970s and 1980s with many feature wins including winning the 1983 and 1984 Australian Speedcar Grand Prix
Australian Speedcar Grand Prix
The Australian Speedcar Grand Prix is an annual dirt track racing meeting held for Speedcars. The meeting has traditionally been held in Sydney but on occasions has been held on tracks in Victoria and in 2000 the race was held at Perth's Claremont Speedway, not long before the 1/3 mile Showground...
on the paved Liverpool Speedway
Liverpool Speedway
Liverpool Speedway was located in Green Valley, Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Liverpool was opened by Frank Oliveri, the mayor of Liverpool at the time, and ran until its sudden and unexpected closure in 1989...
as well as both the Harry Neal and Rick Harvey Memorial's and the 40 Lap Speedcar Derby at Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
's Speedway Park
Speedway City
Speedway City is a Dirt track racing venue located 26 km north of Adelaide in Virginia, South Australia, adjacent to the Adelaide International Raceway...
.
Accomplishments
- 1974 - USRC 'Rookie' and Champion
- 1975 - USAC 'Rookie' and National Champion
- 1976 - USAC National Champion
- 1979 - Night Before the 500 Midget race winner
- 1983-85-87-88-90-91-92 - USAC Western States Champion
- 1985 and 1987 Belleville Nationals Champion
- Won over 250 career feature wins
- 104 USAC Western States Midget wins
- Won 18 USAC Features in the 1988 season
- Won 33 features at Ascot Park - (12 wins coming in 1983-84)
- Scored his record 132nd win, May 4, 1991 at El Centro, CaliforniaEl Centro, CaliforniaEl Centro is a city in and county seat of Imperial County, the largest city in the Imperial Valley and the east anchor of the Southern California Border Region, and the core urban area and principal city of the El Centro metropolitan area which encompasses all of Imperial County. El Centro is also...
- to make him the winningest driver in combined USAC (National, Western and Regional) wins - Won in four different countries: USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
- 1986 - Inducted into the USAC National Midget Racing 'Hall of Fame' (at the time) was the youngest driver to be inducted.
- 1999 - Inducted into the Daily Pilot Sports 'Hall of Fame'
- 2000 - Inducted into the Belleville Nationals 'Hall of Fame'
- 2004 - Inducted into the Legends of Ascot 'Hall of Fame'
- 9 Time New Zealand 50 Lap Classic Winner
- 4 Time New Zealand 30 Lap Derby Winner
- 2 Time Australian Speedcar Grand PrixAustralian Speedcar Grand PrixThe Australian Speedcar Grand Prix is an annual dirt track racing meeting held for Speedcars. The meeting has traditionally been held in Sydney but on occasions has been held on tracks in Victoria and in 2000 the race was held at Perth's Claremont Speedway, not long before the 1/3 mile Showground...
race winner