Today in Racing History

 

 

September 30, 1967

 

 

Today in Racing History

 

 

September 29, 1979

 

 

 

1958 – Tape check spoils Derr’s victory at the Downs’

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (September 28, 1958) - Don White won the Midwest’s final IMCA late model stock car event of the season at Hawkeye Downs Sunday, but not until a check of the official lap sheet showed a pit stop hadn't cost the Keokuk Komet the lead.

The championship trophy in the 200-lap event had already been presented to White's brother-in-law, Ernie Derr, also of Keokuk, when IMCA officials discovered White was the actual winner.

The mix-up was a result of White’s hurried pit stop on the 60th lap for gas. Promoter Frank Winkley thought Derr passed White while a field of 30 cars was on a caution flag.

Actually White held nearly a full lap lead when he pulled into the pit and he returned to the track before Derr could complete another lap. So unknown to most of the 8,500 fans in attendance, White was adding to his lead in the final 140 laps in the two-man fight.

Derr went the full 200 laps without a stop.

The IMCA point leader also got credit for a new world’s record for 100 miles. The clock caught Derr in 1 hour 33 minutes and one second, slightly under the 1957 mark of 1 hour, 33 minutes and 24 seconds established by Johnny Beauchamp at Hawkeye Downs. White will be given the 2nd place time as a new record although he had to run nearly 20 seconds ahead of it with a three-quarters lap lead at the finish.

White's 1958 Ford never trailed after starting from the pole position with the top time trial of 26.53 seconds.

Results –

 

1. Don White, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
3. Frank Lies, Wichita, Kan.
4. Lennie Funk, Otis, Kan.,
5. Larry Odo, Chicago, Ill.
6. Sonny Gross, Quincy, Ill.
7. Whitey Treador, Milwaukee, Wis.
8. Vince Rizzo, Chicago, Ill.
9. Bob Hilmer, Dysart, Iowa
10. Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa
11. Frank Richards, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
12. Darwin Smith, Keokuk, Iowa
13. Art Brady, Peoria, Ill.
14. Don Lewis, King, Wis.
15. Jack Leverenz, Lakefield, Minn.
16. Doc Narber, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
17. Jim Schaefer, St. Paul, Minn.
18. Ralph Wilhelm, Milwaukee, Wis.
19. Lou Fegers, Glenview, Ill.
20. Murray Folson, Mechanicsville, Iowa
21. Mert Williams, Rochester, Minn.
22. Bob Potter, Duluth, Minn.
23. Dick Santee, Bellflower, Calif.
24. Newt Bartholomew, Carlisle, Iowa
25. Carl Olson, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa
26. Bruce Nystrom, Oshkosh, Wis.
27. Herb Shannon, Peoria, Ill.
28. Bill Zwanziger, Waterloo, Iowa
29. Bob Burdick, Omaha, Neb.
30. Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Today in Racing History

 

 

September 25, 1975

 

 

 

1971 - Short Track crown won by Retallick

Bill Retallick in victory lane shortly after winning the National Short Track Championship 200 at Rockford. 

 

 

Rockford, Ill. (September 24, 1971) – “At no time did Dick Trickle have enough power to get around me,” said Bill Retallick of his victory Sunday by less than a car length in the 200-lap National Short Track Championship at Rockford Speedway.

“His car was handling a little better, but he seemed to be trying too hard and would lose it every once in a while.”

Retallick, of Madison, Wis., driving a 1969 Chevrolet won 1,500 plus $910 in lap money in defeating Trickle of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.

Retallick, starting on the outside of the front row, took the lead on the 18th lap coming out of turn two from Larry O' Brien of Harvard, Ill., who led the first 18 circuits coming from his pole position start. O' Brien would finish 10th. 

Retallick did own more than a lap lead over Trickle, who spun on the back straightaway before the tight battle developed on the 106th lap when a crash in turn two forced a complete restart.

Dan Prziborowski of Savage, Minn., stopped along the wall to avoid hitting a spinning Tom Jensen of New Lisbon, Wis., while running second, but several seconds later was walloped by Ed Hume in the rear. Prziborowski was towed to the pits where he made miraculous repairs and returned later.

Mike Miller of New Prague, Minn., who took over second after the crash, was spun out two laps later allowing Trickle, who made up a lap deficit to grab second. Retallick and Trickle then started their nip-and-tuck battle to the delight of the 7,200 fans in attendance.

Defending champion Wayne Stallsworth of Denver, Colo., failed to finish in the top 20 as did five-time Rockford Speedway track champion Joe Shear of South Beloit.

Winners of the four 30-lap qualifying races Sunday were Bob Jusola of Shakopee, Minn., Duane Walsh of Madison, Wis., Rich Bickle of Edgerton, Wis., and Terry Bivins of Kansas City, Mo.

Results –

1.       Bill Retallick, Madison, Wis.

2.       Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.

3.       Jim Sauter, Necedah, Wis.

4.       Bill Schmid, Madison, Wis.

5.       Dick Stang, Prior Lake, Minn.

6.       Roy Schmidtke, New Lisbon, Wis.

7.       John McNamara, Baraboo, Wis.

8.       Eric Johnson, Chicago, Ill.

9.       Larry O’ Brien, Harvard, Ill.

10.   Norm Setran, Bloomington, Minn.

11.   Terry Bivins, Kansas City, Mo.

12.   Vern Schrock, Middlesbury, Wis.

Today in Racing History

 

 

September 23, 1979

 

 

 

Today in Racing History

 

 

September 22, 1979

 

 

1969 - Ernie Derr Wins Stock Car Race at I-70 Track

Eventual winner Ernie Derr (1) leads Fred Horn (01) in the early going at I-70 Speedway. - Ken Simon Photo

 

 

 

Odessa, Mo. (September 21, 1969) - Ernie Derr of Keokuk, Iowa, taking the lead for keeps on the 76th lap, won the 200-lap (100 mile) IMCA late model stock car victory at I-70 Speedway near Odessa, Mo.

As a crowd of 7,200 looked on, Derr, driving in 1969 Dodge Charger, set an IMCA record for paved half-mile tracks by winning in 1 hour, 16 minutes, and 38.66 seconds. The former record of 1 hour, 18 minutes, and 20.96 seconds was set by Ramo Stott of Keokuk, Iowa, at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds track on September 6, 1965.

Irv Janey of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Fred Horn, also of Cedar Rapids, finished second and third respectively. Both drivers held early leads.

Derr also set fast time in qualifying at 19.62 seconds.

 

Results -

 

1. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Irv Janey, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
3. Fred Horn, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
4. Lewis Taylor, Shawnee, Kan.
5. Butch Hall, Russell, Minn.
6. Leland Cain, Miller, S.D.
7. Bob Perry, Springfield, Mo.
8. Glenn Arnold, Sweet Springs, Mo.
9. Jon Backlund, Kansas City
10. Hal Conn, Fulton, Mo.

1966 - Brown wins both halves of Big Car program at Hutch

Don Brown

 

 

 

Hutchinson, Kan. (September 20, 1966) - Don Brown, North Hollywood, Calif., won both halves of the 20-lap feature race which concluded the Big Car racing program at the Kansas State Fair, Tuesday afternoon.

The race was cut into sections of 11 and nine laps because Dale Reed, Wichita, spun out on the turn three curve on that 11th lap, and came to a stop with his car broadside in the track. Reed got out of there as if on an ejector seat to escape the hot oil spurting in the cock pit. However he suffered only minor burns.

Brown was ahead of Harold Leep, Wichita, by two car lengths when the drivers were red flagged to a halt, Lloyd Beckman, Lincoln, Neb. was a close third. Gordon Woolley, Waco, Tex., was fourth and Grady Wade, Wichita fifth.

And that was the exact finishing order nine laps later, after the re-start. Roy Bryant, Wichita, was sixth; Keith Hightshoe, Ashland Neb., seventh; Walt McWhorter, Wichita, eighth; Jerry Weld, Kansas City, ninth and Stan Borofsky, Kansas City tenth in the 16-car field.

Reed suffered minor burns but was not hospitalized.

Less fortunate was Kenny Wines, Kokomo, Ind., who lost a right rear wheel when running in the semi-final. Wines’ car skidded to the concrete wall at the head of the straightaway. The rear axle, sliding on the ground, clipped a corner post flipped the car's transmission to one side, pinning Wines' left leg. Wines was rushed to the nearby hospital. He was given first aid treatment and dismissed. He returned in time to see the “A” feature.

Feature:

1. Don Brown, North Hollywood, Calif.
2. Harold Leep, Wichita, Kan.
3. Lloyd Beckman, Lincoln, Neb.
4. Gordon Woolley, Waco, Tex.
5. Grady Wade Wichita, Kan.
6. Roy Bryant, Wichita, Kan.
7. Keith Hightshoe, Ashland, Neb.
8. Walt McWhorter, Wichita, Kan.
9. Jerry Weld, Kansas City, Mo.
10. Stan Borofsky, Kansas City, Mo.

Today in Racing History

 

September 19, 1968

 

 

 

 

 

Today in Racing History

 

 

September 18, 1999

 

 

 

1968 - Bryant Captures Feature, Point Crown at State Fair

Roy Bryant (left) and La Verne Nance - Racing From The Past Photo

Hutchinson, Kan. (September 17, 1968) - Roy Bryant, Wichita, well known to Hutchinson fans for his modified jalopy racing, captured the feature event in the speedway type car races at the Kansas Fair Tuesday, and with it the point championship of Big Car Racing Inc. for the season.

Bryant was second to Chuck Kidwell, Lincoln, Neb. in the point standings before the race, but Kidwell finished far back in the pack and Bryant grabbed 210 points for a winning finish, giving him a season total of 457 points to Kidwell's 385.

The 20-lap feature was strictly a three-car battle from the start, with Bryant and Dick Sutcliffe, Kansas City, Mo., dueling continuously for the lead with David Ross of Jetmore a steady third. All other cars were far behind. Sutcliffe had a narrow lead most of the race, but on the 17th lap he hit turn three a bit too fast, skidded wide into the soft dirt, and Bryant shot past him on the inside.

Finishing fourth was Jan Opperman, Des Moines. Gordon Woolley, Waco, Tex., was fifth. Others in order: Ralph Parkinson, Wichita Falls, Tex.; Joe Saldana, Lincoln, Neb.; Keith Hightshoe, Ashland, Neb.; Jim Golden, Palmyra, Neb.; and Dick Bloom, Wichita. The unofficial time of the race was 8 minutes and 10 seconds.

Bryant also had the best time in the trials, with a snappy 23.79. And he was winner in the four-lap trophy dash.

Dale Reed, Wichita, had a 100-yard lead with less than two laps to go in the consolation race when he blew his engine. Reed, starting third in the race, took over the front spot on the third lap and was steadily gaining ground when the engine quit and he rolled to a stop in the infield. Ralph Parkinson, Wichita Falls, Tex., was the race winner.

David Ross, Jetmore and Jan Opperman, Des Moines locked in a spirited duel for first in the third heat race, and it appeared one or the other would be a sure winner. They were running side by side into the third turn on the last lap, but built up too much speed on the back stretch and skidded wide as they started the turn.

Gordon Woolley, holding third place on a tight inside position, shot through the gap to capture the race.

Larry Dewell, Fowler, made his debut as a big car driver in the second heat race, but the gears went out on his car in the fourth lap and he was forced to drop out of the race. Harold Leep, Wichita, blew an engine in the third heat race.

The second heat race provided the most excitement. Al Bodenhammer, Raytown, Mo., skidded too wide on the fourth turn, and bounced against the wall. However he managed to right the car and keep going for a last place finish.

Roger Lane, Blue Springs, Mo., wasn't as fortunate. He spun out on the first turn, and finally came to a stop, against the wall and heading the wrong way on the track. The race was re-started.


Feature results –


1. Roy Bryant, Wichita, Kan.
2. Dick Sutcliffe, Kansas City, Mo.
3. David Ross, Jetmore, Kan.
4. Jan Opperman, Des Moines, Iowa
5. Gordon Woolley, Waco, Tex.
6. Ralph Parkinson, Wichita Falls, Tex.
7. Joe Saldana, Lincoln, Neb.
8. Keith Hightshoe, Ashland, Neb.
9. Jim Golden, Palmyra, Neb.
10. Dick Bloom, Wichita, Kan.

1969 - Brickhouse Wins Boycotted Race at Talladega

Richard Brickhouse enjoys the spoils of victory after winning the Talladega 500.

Talladega, Ala. (September 16, 1967) - Richard Brickhouse, driving a borrowed 1969 Dodge Daytona Charger, charged through the final 26 miles of the boycotted Talladega 500 Sunday to win the inaugural Grand National race at Alabama International Motor Speedway, which most drivers found so dangerous they refused to race.

Brickhouse, of Rocky Point, S. C., stepped into the purple twin "T" tailed car when a driver boycott took virtually every star on the big stock circuit out of the race Saturday. His average speed was 153.778 miles per hour over the 2.66-mile, high-banked tri-oval.

Brickhouse charged past Jim Vandiver, Charlotte, N. C., on the 77th lap of the 188 lap chase, turned on the steam, and took the checkered flag for his first victory in Grand National competition and a $24,550 payday.

Although the driver boycott called by NASCAR's professional Drivers Association limited the field to only a few cars which could have won the race barring accidents, the entire 500 miles was a dogfight between Brickhouse, Vandiver, the second place finisher, Ramo Stott, Tiny Lund and Bobby Isaac.

The car Brickhouse drove belonged to Ray Nichels and Paul Goldsmith. Goldsmith is a former Grand National Star. Stott, Keokuk, Iowa, a driver on the ARCA circuit, was third in a 1969 Dodge and, Isaac, Catawba, N. C., was fourth in the race's other airfoil-equipped Dodge Daytona.

Although the drivers had been told by the tire companies that they would not furnish tires for speeds of more than 190 mph, Brickhouse turned better than 195 over the final laps. "We got our tire tests in on those last laps" an official of one tire firm said.

One of the things that triggered the driver boycott was belief by drivers that tires built for the track were not safe. The tires Brickhouse ran, however, had never been adequately tested, tire men said.

"That was just great, just great," Brickhouse said as his car pulled into victory lane, the first time Chrysler has been in the winner's circle on a major superspeedway this year.

In the battle to claim the first Talladega crown, Brickhouse, Vandiver, Isaac, Stott, Lund and Dr. Don Tarr seesawed back and forth into the lead 35 times. During most of the race, the top cars were in the same lap - running two and three abreast at times.


Results -


1. Richard Brickhouse, Rocky Point, N.C.
2. Jim Vandiver, Charlotte, N.C.
3. Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa
4. Bobby Isaac, Catawba, N.C.
5. Richard Brooks, Spartanburg, S.C.
6. Earl Brooks, Lynchburg, Va.
7. Jimmy Vaughn, Greenville, S.C.
8. Billy Hagen, Lafayette, La.
9. Tiny Lund, Cross, S.C.
10. Coo Coo Marlin, Columbia, Tenn.
11. Billy Ward, Talladega, Ala.
12. Ernie Shaw, Winston Salem, N.C.
13. Amos Johnson, Raleigh, N.C.
14. Bobby Fleming, Danville, Va.
15. Ben Arnold, Fairfield, Ala.
16. Dr. Don Tarr, North Miami Beach, Fla.
17. Frank Sessoms, Darlington, S.C.
18. Buck Baker, Charlotte, N.C.
19. Dick Lawrence, Chesapeake, Va.
20. Dr. Wilbur Pickett, Daytona Beach, Fla.
21. Larry Bach, Mishawaka, Ind.
22. Stan Starr Jr., Madison, Tenn.
23. Richard Childress, Winston Salem, N.C.
24. C. B. Gwyn, Marion, Va.
25. Jim Hurtubise, North Tonawanda, N.Y.
26. Earl Canavan, Old Fort Johnson, N.Y.
27. Homer Newland, Detroit, Mich.
28. T. C. Hunt, Atlanta, Ga.
29. Roy Tyner, Lake View, S.C.
30. J. W. King, Oklahoma City, Okla.
31. Harry Gailey, Claremont, Ga.
32. Doug Easton, Louisville, Ky.
33. Neil Castles, Charlotte, N.C.
34. Bob Burcham, Rossville, Ga.
35. Al Straub, Louisville, Ky.
36. Don Schisler, Anderson, Ind.

1963 - Mark Broken In Dayton 500

Dayton, Ohio (September 15, 1963) - An overflow crowd of 8,501 fans, the biggest since 1958, watched Sunday as Indianapolis mechanic Keith Ploughe roared into the lead on the 361st lap and then held it for record victory in the 11th edition of the Dayton 500 late model stock car race.

Ploughe scorched the distance in 3 hours, 15 minutes and 5.5 seconds to better the all-time mark of 3 hours, 25 minutes and 6 seconds set in 1958 by Nelson Stacy of Cincinnati.

It was the first race the 32-year-old diesel mechanic ever won in a late model stock car, and the effort was worth $2,075 to him. Virgil Barbe of Detroit finished in the runner-up position, almost 13 seconds behind Ploughe. Virgil Stockton of Melvindale, Mich., was third followed by Mike Klapak of Warren, Ohio.

Ploughe lead footed his 1963 Ford to the win from the 18th and last row of the starting grid.

Only 10 laps of the 370-mile race were run under the caution light in the almost accident-free event. The Dayton 500 was the next-to-last Midwest Association for Race Cars (MARC) go of the season.

Two former winners of the grueling race had to withdraw because of mechanical problems. Homer Newland of Detroit, the 1961 winner, had completed 369 laps when the radiator of his car fell against the engine fan. Jack Shanklin, the 1957 winner, went out after 286 laps when his radiator went dry.

Jack Bowsher of Springfield, Ohio, the current MARC champion, failed to finish when his engine threw a tie rod in the 361st lap while he lead for the third time.

Barbe tooled a 1962 Pontiac and Stockton handled a ‘63 Pontiac Next came Mike Klapak of Warren, Ohio, ‘63 Ford; Andy Hampton of Louisville, Ky., ‘63 Pontiac, who established a one-lap qualifying mark of 20.68 seconds; Bobby Watson of Louisville, ‘63 Ford; Chuck Weinstiger, of Springfield, Ohio, ‘62 Ford; Don Schisler of Detroit, ‘63 Ford; Clyde Parker of Detroit, ‘63 Chevrolet, and Grant Wilmont of Middletown, Ohio, ‘62 Mercury.

 

Results –

1. Keith Ploughe
2. Virgil Barbe
3. Virgil Stockton
4. Mike Kalpak
5. Andy Hampton
6. Bobby Watson
7. Chuck Weinstiger
8. Don Schisler
9. Clyde Parker
10. Grant Wilmont
11. Homer Newland
12. Jack Bowsher
13. Jack Shanklin
14. Dick Freeman
15. Paul Clark
16. Jim Cushman
17. Earl Balmer
18. Dick Dunlevy
19. Les Snow
20. Elmer Davis
21. Bill Kimmel
22. Cleo Ashley
23. Dudley Stacy
24. Jim Robinson
25. Tom Dill
26. Blaine Kaufman
27. Bill Brown
28. Paul Wensink
29. Ralph Latham
30. Jerry Norris
31. Tommy Thompson
32. Terry Blakely

Today in Racing History

 

 

September 13, 1981

 

 

Today in Racing History

 

 

September 12, 1992

 

 

 

RIP - Jack Housby

Car owner and race supporter Jack Housby (shown here with Ramo Stott), passed away on September 10th.

 

 

Des Moines, Iowa - Jack Dan "JD" Housby was born in Des Moines, Iowa on January 10, 1935 and he passed away on September 10, 2015 at 80.

Jack, a lifelong resident of Des Moines attended East High School and worked at the Orville Lowe Ford dealership where he met his wife Shirley in 1955. Mr. Lowe became a key mentor and was supportive of his entrepreneurial ambition.

In 1957 Jack became self-employed and opened a truck and car washing business. Two years later in 1959 he expanded his business into heavy duty truck repair, painting and towing.

Jack became the Mack Truck dealer for Central Iowa in 1969. Housby Mack became and still remains one of the largest Mack Truck dealerships in the country. The Housby Truck operation expanded to Charlotte, North Carolina, Carroll, Iowa and now also includes the Isuzu Truck dealership.

As the founder of Housby Mack, Jack was also the inspiration behind the other Housby Companies. His ambition, work ethic and integrity established the core values of the Housby organization. Jack took pride in having many long term employees as well as having several start their own successful dealerships.

Jack was highly active in motorsports. He was a car owner/sponsor in both the NASCAR,  INDYCAR and USAC Stock Car Series as well as supporting racing throughout the State of Iowa. Jack was on the NASCAR National Motorsports Appeal Panel and was on the board of directors and past president of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum Foundation.Jack enjoyed work, family, racing and fishing - he worked hard and he had fun.

Jack is survived by his wife of 60 years, Shirley; sons Kevin, Kelly and Mike; daughter-in-law Patty Housby, Paula Tursi and four grandchildren.

1959- Ernie Derr Cops Stock Car Honors

Ernie Derr

 

 

 

Lincoln, Neb. (September 11, 1959) – Auto racing fans got a lesson in how not to drive one's automobile Friday at the Nebraska State Fairgrounds.

For those who went out expecting to see shiny late-model cars in top condition were disappointed. The cars were of late-model stock, but most of them looked like they had been passed through the ringer at the local laundromat.

Appearance, however, is not what these cars are judged on. Speed is important factor in one of these races.

Ernie Derr had plenty of speed and savvy on Friday as he piloted his automobile to victory in the 200-lap, 125-mile International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) stock car race before 9,000 race fans.

Derr, the IMCA point later for the season, won a fierce battle with Darrell Dake for the top spot. The Keokuk, Iowa, veteran drove his 1957 Pontiac to victory, with Frankie Lies of Wichita, in a ’58 Ford, edging the hard luck Dake for second.

Dake, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, drove a 1957 Chevrolet convertible and held the lead 144 of the 200 laps. He moved in front on the first lap and kept it there until he went in for a pit stop.

Derr, who had stopped for a 10 second refueling job on the 59th lap, took the lead then as Dake was in for nearly 30 seconds. After that, it looked as though Derr had won easily.

But a bit more drama was to come.

Derr, with less than 20 laps remaining, began signaling for a pit stop. He was out of oil. Dake was close enough he might have had time to catch Derr on the stop.

But Dake’s luck ran out. Just before Derr pulled in, Dake's car locked in gear, throwing him into a spin on the first turn. With the yellow flag out to rescue Dake, Derr took his pit stop in an easy manner.

Dake got rolling again, but had to stop once more on the 197th lap for gas, having taken only a light load earlier, and Lies moved past for second.

Derr’s waiting time was two hours, 11 minutes, and 38.44 seconds. This included several laps run under the yellow flag in the early stages, when the big 25-car field was being chopped down.

Results –

1. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Frankie Lies, Wichita, Kan.
3. Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
4. Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa
5. Mert Williams, Rochester, Minn.
6. Sonny Morgan, Beaumont, Tex.
7. Frank Richards, Marion, Iowa
8. Wayne Lee, Burlington, Iowa
9. Shorty Eberts, Avondale, Mo.
10. Dick Johnson, St. Paul. Minn.
11. Joe Dolph, Minneapolis, Minn.
12. Doc Narber, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
13. Bob Kosiskie, Omaha, Neb.
14. Clyde Ellis, Kansas City, Mo.
15. Lloyd Jorgenson, Anita, Iowa

1972 - White in Milwaukee 250-Mile Governor's Cup Victory

Don White accepts his trophy after winning fourth career Governor's Cup at Milwaukee. 

Milwaukee, Wis. (September 10, 1972) - Butch Hartman fell a few points short Sunday of winning the United States Auto Club top-driver trophy for the 1972 late model stock car race season.

With the help of some convenient rain, Don White of Keokuk, Iowa, won the USAC 250-mile Governor's Cup race Sunday while Hartman finished fourth.

Hartman leads the USAC standings with 3,492.5 points, but Roger McCluskey, who finished fifth in Sunday's test, remains in striking distance with 3,270 points.

There are 250 first-place points available in the circuit's final race, in Nashville, Tenn. White, in a 1972 Charger, took the lead on the 213th lap after a long duel with Hartman's 1972 Charger.

Then Hartman ducked into the pits for fuel, rain arrived as White reached his 229th lap, the caution flag was out until the 248th lap, and the field was unable to catch White with only two laps remaining.

White averaged a conservative 84.784 miles an hour on the State Fair Park mile oval, finishing four seconds ahead of Gordon Johncock.

Bobby Unser, fastest qualifier for the $37,675 purse bowed out of the race in the eighth lap with a blown engine

"Honestly, I hoped the race would finish on the yellow," White said. "I knew I could win it anyway, because I felt it was fast enough. But it gets dangerous out there with rain hailing on the spilled oil and gas."

"It was like grease. I felt it was too wet for the green flag to come out. It's bad for me to say that, because I was leading and nobody could do a thing about it while the yellow was out. If we'd have had 15 miles to go, I'd have had to sprint to stay ahead. This way all I had to do was be careful."

White said he was confident he could have handled any challenge down the stretch because he had enough gas left and his tires were in good shape.

"Everything went my way for a change," he said. "I've led a lot of races and then had one thing or another go wrong. But this time I made my third and last pit stop on the 172nd mile, and I know I can get 85 miles out of a tankful.”

"I had figured to go all the way without another stop. Then the rain came again, and I can't say I was unhappy about it. It was a close race for quite a way, and you wouldn't be a racer if you didn't like it that way. But can't recall the last time I won, when something didn’t foul me up."


Results –


1. Don White
2. Gordon Johncock
3. Jack Bowsher
4. Butch Hartman
5. Roger McCluskey
6. Sal Tovella
7. Whitey Gerken
8. Paul Feldner
9. Larry Beranger
10. Dave Whitcomb
11. Terry Ryan
12. Johnny McNamara
13. Ed Hoffman
14. Harold Fair
15. John Schultz
16. LeRoy Austin
17. Tom Klippel
18. George Rondelli
19. Jim Tobin
20. Billy Ries
21. Harry Cooper
22. John Reimer
23. Rick Kleich
24. Bruce Jacobi
25. Lem Blankenship
26. Ralph Latham
27. Frank Freda
28. Chuck McWilliams
29. Gary Wroan
30. Ramo Stott
31. Al Unser
32. Jeff Haar
33. Bay Darnell
34. Dick Beinlich

Today in Racing History

 

September 9, 1995

 

 

1978 – Eldora’s World 100 Winner is Walton

 

 

Rossburg, Ohio (September 8, 1978) – Ken Walton won the eighth annual World 100 for late model stock cars at Eldora Speedway on Sunday afternoon. The first place prize of $11,090 was the biggest paycheck Walton has collected in his five-year career.

The 35-year-old construction foreman from Viola, Iowa, started 13th, but did not earn the victory easily. The race was a third over before Walton joining the duel between Jerry Inmon and former winner Verlin Eaker.

Eaker and Inmon swapped the lead four times. Walton, driving the DeWayne’s Radiator 1977 Camaro, finally took command on lap 95, leaving Inmon to take runner-up honors followed by Eaker.

The engine that powered Walton to his win was just built the week before. “It had been Georgia cars that had won it (World 100) and I do have a Georgia car," quipped Walton after the race.

Only Inmon, Bubby James, Don Hobbs, Ed Sanger, Pat Patrick and Rodney Combs earned guaranteed starting spots by virtue of qualifying times.

The balance of the 24-car field gained entry through 15-lap heats, which were won by Verlin Eaker, Doug Kenimer, Larry Moore, Danny Dean, Buck Simmons, and Jim Patrick.

Results –

1.       Ken Walton

2.       Jerry Inmon

3.       Verlin Eaker

4.       Pat Patrick

5.       Billy Teegarden

6.       Rodney Combs

7.       John Lawhorn

8.       Bill Beckman

9.       Danny Dean

10.   David Speer

11.   Buck Simmons

12.   Larry Moore

13.   Don Hobbs

14.   Ray Godsey

15.   Roger Long

16.   Gary Fedewa

17.   Floyd Gilbert

18.   Bubby James

19.   Ed Sanger

20.   Doug Kenimer

21.   Jim Patrick

22.   Danny Eichler

23.   Skip Watterman

24.   Billy Clanton

Lap leaders – 1 -36, Jerry Inmon; 37 – 88, Verlin Eaker; 89-94, Jerry Inmon; 95 – 100, Ken Walton

1963 – Moughan Captures Sprint Feature with Fast Finish

Topeka, Kan. (September 7, 1963) – Just when it appeared that the old International Motor Contest Association war horse, Pete Folse, was about to win one of his patented Mid America Fair sprint car features on Saturday afternoon, an upstart from the back of the pack snatched victory from the wily veteran.

Jim Moughan, who gained experience racing modifieds near his hometown of Springfield, Ill., won his first career IMCA sprint car feature with a late rush driving the Hyneman Offenhauser.

Moughan started eighth in the 20-lap event, and suddenly appeared in the fourth spot at the halfway point of the race. The apparently finding a hard slick piece of the track that was eluding everyone else, he started picking off the leaders one-by-one.

On lap 15, he moved past Carl Williams, in the Diz Wilson Offenhauser, to take third. Two laps later, he swooshed by Jud Larson, who was driving the Pete Mocca Offy, into second place.

He still had considerable ground to make up to catch Folse. But at the beginning of lap 17, he was right on the Honore Offy’s tailpipe. Coming out of turn four on the same lap, he did to Folse what he had done to the rest. It looked easy as he flashed into the lead and stretched it to a half of a straightaway margin by the time he got the checkered.

Folse managed to hang on to second despite a hard challenge from Larson at the wire. Williams was fourth, with Bill Burdick, driving the Diz Wilson Chevrolet, finishing just behind his running mate.

Gordon Woolley, who went into the race with a good lead over Folse in the IMCA sprint car nationals point standings, finished sixth after switching cars. He qualified the Weinberger Chevrolet sixth in time trials, but in the first heat, he was unable to avoid Dale Reed, who was crosswise on the track in the Goodrich Chevrolet. In the melee, Woolley received a ruptured fuel tank.

 

Results –

Fast Time – Pete Folse (26.94)

First Heat – Herschel Wagner

Second Heat – Buzz Barton

Third Heat – Gordon Woolley

Handicap – Carl Williams

Consolation – Pete Folse

Feature –

1. Jim Moughan
2. Pete Folse
3. Jud Larson
4. Carl Williams
5. Bill Burdick
6. Gordon Woolley
7. Sammy McDaniel
8. Dave Ross
9. Buzz Barton
10. Jay Woodside