SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Doug Clark, one of the most respected dirt track racing officials in the United States and a longtime flagman at Huset’s Speedway and Knoxville Raceway, has died. He was 73.
Clark passed away peacefully Thursday, according to posts from the racing community and the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series.
A Sioux Falls native, Clark spent approximately 45 years as a flagman, including 30 years at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon and nearly 40 years at Knoxville Raceway in Iowa, widely regarded as the premier sprint car racing venue in the country.
“He was a prominent figure at Knoxville Raceway and Huset’s Speedway, an icon in the flag stand, but more importantly, a great friend to us all,” the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series said in a social media tribute.
Clark’s final night as a flagman came Aug. 20, 2022, at I-90 Speedway in Hartford, where he began his officiating career in 1976.
A 1971 graduate of Sioux Falls Washington High School who attended the University of South Dakota at Springfield, Clark initially worked as a pit crew member for several drivers, including South Dakota racing legend Doug Wolfgang, before moving to the flag stand.
Throughout his career, Clark officiated races at dozens of tracks in 19 states and earned a reputation as one of the nation’s premier flagmen, known for his commitment to safety and professionalism.
In 2016, Clark received sprint car racing’s highest honor when he was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa. He also was inducted into the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame in 2022, as well as the Huset’s Speedway and Knoxville Raceway halls of fame.
In 2024, Clark achieved another career milestone when he served as a flagman for a NASCAR Xfinity Series race.
Clark is remembered throughout the racing community as an iconic official whose passion for the sport, dedication to safety and decades of service left a lasting impact on drivers, race fans and fellow officials across the country.