Chuck Hulse (8) and Roger McCluskey (2) lead the field to green at Terre Haute. McCluskey would dominate the race in record fashion. - IRMA Photo
Terre Haute,
Ind. (June 16, 1963) – Roger McCluskey trounced one of the fastest fields ever
assembled in sprint car history in a thrilling 30-lap feature on the Vigo
County Fairgrounds’ half-mile dirt.
McCluskey’s time of 12 minutes and 14.25 seconds set a new record for 15
miles. He took the checkers two seconds ahead of pole winner Chuck Hulse.
A.J. Foyt
brought his new Leader Card 255 Offy and brought it home in third place. Steve
Stapp drove to a best-ever fourth place finish and Don Branson rounded out the
top five.
It was a day
of records at the “Action Track” as one-lap, eight-lap and 30-lap marks were
set. The most important record to the drivers, however, was the record purse of
$10,965. McCluskey’s winning share was $2,422. Attendance was 7,500 paid and
with children admitted free, the total was well over 11,000.
Qualifications
proved interesting with Chuck Hulse first out to qualify and setting a new
one-lap record of 23.44 seconds besting the old mark of 23.60 set by McCluskey.
Then McCluskey took his turn and tried to regain the record and clocked a
23.46.
After
sweating out 18 cars, Hulse was about ready to collect his $25 for fast time
when Stapp turned in 23.42, which not only stunned the fans in attendance but
the other drivers.
Hulse got
his name in the record books by winning the eight-lap first heat in the record
time of 3 minutes and 9.52 seconds. That record beat the five-year-old mark of
3 minutes and 16.20 seconds held by Jim McWithey.
In addition
to Hulse winning his heat, Jim Hurtubise and Jim Miller would score heat wins
as well. Jiggs Peters was the semi-main winner.
Feature
results –
1. Roger McCluskey
2. Chuck Hulse
3. A.J. Foyt
4. Steve Stapp
5. Don Branson
6. Jim Miller
7. Bob Mathouser
8. Chuck Engel
9. Bobby Black
10. Billy
Earl
11. Ted
Pfeiffer
12.
Don
Bullock
13.
Jim
Hurtubise
14.
Jiggs
Peters
15.
Ronnie
Duman
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