1966 – First Major Victory for Tingelstad

Bud Tingelstad

Du Quoin, Ill. (September 5, 1966) - Bud Tingelstad, Speedway, Ind., won the 100-mile USÂC championship race here Monday when he took over the lead from Arnie Knepper, Belleville, Ill., with just 12 laps to go.

It was Tingelstad's first major win in his career and boosted him into 11th place in the national championship point standings. His share of the $21,300 purse was $5,081.

Knepper took the lead from pole-sitter Bobby Unser, Albuquerque, N. M., on the 24th lap of the 100-lap race and held it until he ran into magneto trouble on the 88th lap. Tingelstad took over and dashed to the finish, line ahead of Dick Atkins, Hayward, Calif.

Mario Andretti, Nazareth, Penn., lost his chance to pick up points on the current point leader, Gordon Johncock, Hastings, Mich., when he had piston trouble in practice and then went out of the race on the 29th lap running 6th. Johncock was not entered.

Tingelstad started in seventh but didn't run into trouble experienced by the rest of the field. Defending champ Don Branson, Champaign, Ill., lost a tire and had to drop out. A. J. Foyt, Houston, Tex., never made-up time he lost while making a tire change. Roger McCluskey, Tucson, Ariz., went out with magneto trouble.

Unser finished in third place, followed by Joe Leonard, San Jose, Calif.; Ralph Liguori, Tampa, Fla.; Branson and Foyt.


Results –


1. Bud Tingelstad
2. Dick Atkins
3. Bobby Unser
4. Joe Leonard
5. Ralph Liguori
6. Don Branson
7. A.J. Foyt
8. Larry Dickson
9. Billy Foster
10. Jim McElreath
11. Arnie Knepper
12. Gary Congdon
13. Bob Tattersall
14. Al Miller
15. Mario Andretti
16. Chuck Hulse
17. Carl Williams
18. Roger McCluskey