1961 – Mazon Opener to Ritchie

Mazon, Ill. (April 23, 1961) – Miserable weather, including heavy rains and leap-frogging tornados, held down the crowd this afternoon at Wayne Carter’s Mazon Speedbowl opener.

Newt White gunned his Dick Herman V8 from his sixth starting position into the lead within four laps while Dick Ritchie jammed his way through traffic in his Jim Patton V8 to settle into second. Bob Hauck pushed his McDowell Motor Volvo past Johnny Riva in the Turner Offy to make it a three-way battle.

This trio drove within inches apart for the full 20 laps until Hauck fouled his engine and dropped far off the pace. Ritchie shit high on the backstretch and took the lead from White on lap 26 and continued a torrid pace to win by just a few car lengths.

White would settle for second with Riva six lengths back. Buzz Rose of Gardena, Calif., took fourth in the Langton Offy, Bob Hanson of Madison, Wis., was fifth and Henry Pens of Joliet, Ill., a converted stock car pilot, finished sixth.

Results –

Fast Time: Bob Hanson (13.30)

First Heat: Newt White

Second Heat: Russ Palumbo

Third Heat: Bob Hauck

Fourth Heat: Johnny Riva

Handicap: Bob Hauck

Feature:

1.       Dick Ritchie

2.       Newt White

3.       Johnny Riva

4.       Buzz Rose

5.       Bob Hanson

6.       Henry Pens

7.       Mel Kenyon

8.       Aaron Willis

9.       Russ Palumbo

10.   Bob Hauck

11.   Ron Smiles

12.   Jigger Sirois