1963 – Daniels scratches his way to Minnesota State Fair win

St. Paul, Minn. (August 24, 1963) - Jerry “Scratch” Daniels gambled with the wall Saturday at the Minnesota State Fair and won the 20-lap IMCA sprint car feature.

The rim-riding Daniels powered by Bill Horstmeyer on lap 16 and was never headed. Daniels drove a Chevy-powered sprint car owned by St. Paul plumbing executive Jack Wagner. Finishing third behind Daniels and Horstmeyer’s Johnson Offy was Sonny Helms in the Colvin Offy.

After the race, Daniels said, “I didn’t want to try it on the inside. It was getting slick down there, so I went up near the wall. I know I could have looked silly if I didn’t bring it off, but I saw the opening and I figured better now or never.”

Carl Williams of Kansas City opened the action before a grandstand crowd of 12,205 by setting a new five-lap track record of 2 minutes flat for the banked half-mile dirt. He drove the Diz Wilson #70 Offenhauser.

Results –

1.       Jerry Daniels

2.       Bill Hortsmeyer

3.       Sonny Helms

4.       Red Amick

     5.       Calvin Gilstrap

6.       Dale Reed

7.       Carl Williams

8.       Buzz Barton

9.       John Leverenz

10.   Jud Larson