Ralph Latham
Winchester,
Ind. (April 30, 1972) – Ralph Latham made the return of Automobile Racing Club
of America (ARCA) new cars to the Winchester Speedway on Sunday afternoon a
fast and exciting one as he won the 100-lap feature before a slim crowd of
2,500.
The race was
the first for ARCA at Winchester since 1964.
Latham, from
Cincinnati, Ohio, wheeled his gold and white 1972 Monte Carlo to the checkered
flag with a three-quarter lap lead over second place finisher Dave Dayton,
driving a 1972 Camaro.
It wasn’t
all that easy for the popular Latham, however, as he had his hands full with
veterans Les Snow and Bobby Watson until minor mishaps eliminated both
competitors.
Latham
trailed Snow for most of the first 74 laps. The veteran campaigner had the
right front tire on his 1970 Dodge shred at the 60-lap mark. Latham had run on
Snow’s bumper since the 17th lap and eased around the faltering Dodge on the 75th
circuit and was home free.
Three laps
later, Watson suddenly dropped from a close third with a broken fan belt after
running nose to tail with Latham from the 60th lap.
Neil Sceva
was third in a 1969 Ford with Snow hanging on for fourth and Ron Hutcherson,
moving from his 12th starting spot to claim fifth.
The yellow
flag was out for 10 laps eliminating Latham’s shot at establishing a new ARCA
track record for distance. His time of 37 minutes and 42 seconds was more than
two minute slower than the existing mark set by Jack Bowsher in ARCA’s last
appearance in 1964.
Bowsher’s
one lap qualifying record on the high-banked half-mile did fall, however. Snow
erased the 20.20 second standard with a lap of 18.79.
Leonard
Blanchard was running a strong fifth for most of the first 75 laps before
blowing a right rear tire, won the 4-lap trophy dash in 1 minute and 16
seconds, another track record.
Results –
1. Ralph Latham
2. Dave Dayton
3. Neil Sceva
4. Les Snow
5. Ron Hutcherson
6. Iggy Katona
7. A. Arnold
8. Andy Hampton
9. Leonard Blanchard
10. Delmar
Clark
11. Al
Straub
12.
Ed
Richardville
13. Leroy
Austin
14. Bob
McCoy
15. Bob
Thomas
16. Fred
Holbert
17. Bill
Green
18. Bobby
Watson
19. Larry
Moore
20. Bill
Clemons
21. Cliff
Hamm Jr.
22. Tony
Schiller
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