Jan Opperman became known as one of the “Original Outlaws.” He drove many different cars in a number of states on an even greater number of tracks, recording 44 feature victories in 1972. He raced motorcycles, midgets, sprints, champ cars and IndyCars. His USAC sprint wins include the 1976 Hulman Classic at Terre Haute, Ind., in Bill Smith’s No. 4x. He won the Knoxville Nationals in 1971 and drove in two Indy 500 races prior to career-ending injuries in a sprint car. Opperman passed away September 4, 1997. He was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1998.