1970 – Bowsher Wins Sunday, Title to McCluskey

Jack Bowsher (21) won the race, but Roger McCluskey (1) won the title after the dust settled on the 250-miler at Milwaukee.

West Allis, Wis. (September 20, 1970) – Jack Bowsher won Sunday’s 250-mile late model stock car race, but second-place finisher Roger McCluskey clinched the United States Auto Club national championship for the second year in succession.

Bowsher, Springfield, Ohio, toured the paved, one-mile State Fair Park Speedway oval in his 1969 Ford Torino at an average speed of 95.483 miles per hour – good for $7,170 of the $35,725 purse.

Bowsher took the lead on lap 224 from front runner Don White of Keokuk, Iowa, whose car engine failed. White was finally forced out of the race for good on lap 231.

A.J. Foyt, Houston, Tex., ran into trouble on lap 32 when he and Bay Darnell, Deerfield, Ill., collided. Darnell’s engine failed and he was trying to cross the track into the infield when he ran into the back of Foyt’s car. Both driver’s hit the wall.

Foyt was taken to an area hospital with a neck injury and later released.

Norm Nelson of Racine, Wis., finished third followed by Lem Blankenship of Keokuk, Iowa and Butch Hartman of South Zanesville, Ohio.

Some 18,700 race fans watched Sunday’s race, postponed one week earlier because of rain.


Results –


1. Jack Bowsher, Springfield, Ohio
2. Roger McCluskey, Tucson, Ariz.
3. Norm Nelson, Racine, Wis.
4. Lem Blankenship, Keokuk, Iowa
5. Butch Hartman, South Zanesville, Ohio
6. Whitey Gerkin, Villa Park, Ill.
7. Bob Wawak, Villa Park, Ill.
8. Paul Feldner, Colgate, Wis.
9. Bruce Sparrman, Excelsior, Minn.
10.Billy Ries, Shakopee, Minn.
11.Larry Berwanger, Gary, Ind.
12.Dave Whitcomb, Valparaiso, Ind.
13.Lou Burmeister, Butler, Wis.
14.Don White, Keokuk, Iowa
15.Roger Regeth, Kimberly, Wis.