1972 – Janey Establishes Three Pelican Records

Irv Janey

Shreveport, La. (April 16, 1972) – Take it from Irv Janey – stock car racing requires teamwork just like any other sport.

And thanks to some great teamwork from Janey’s pit crew that “gave 110 percent,” the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native breezed in his 1970 Plymouth to the Pelican 300 title on Sunday afternoon at the Louisiana State Fair Speedway.

And that teamwork helped Janey smash not one, but two International Motor Contest Association records in the circuit’s season opener.

“You can’t win a race by yourself,” Janey said, whose 1 hour, 58 minutes and 7.04 second timing broke Ray Putnam’s 1971 Pelican 300 mark of 1 hour, 59 minutes and 38.02 seconds by over a minute.

Janey also established a new 75-mile (150 lap) mark of 57 minutes and 57.51 seconds which erased Ernie Derr’s old mark 58 minutes and 2.33 second record set in last year’s Pelican.

Janey’s first pit stop was on lap 125 and took only 30 seconds. Not bad when you consider that his crew not only filled up his tank but changed the two right-side tires.

Then on the 254th lap, Janey’s second and last stop took a mere 20 seconds to refill the gas tank. “they checked all the tires, cleaned the windshield and even gave me a drink of water,” he chuckled.

“So, we only took 50 seconds for pit stops, which is excellent,” said Janey, who praised the crew of Marty Sixt, Jim Peterson, Dave Stodola, Vince Wolrab, John Moss, and Gary Beck.

Buzz McCann of Webb Lake, Wis., took the early lead in the race but was overtaken by Warren Hughes of Baton Rouge, Lou., on the 3rd lap.

Hughes led by as much as three-quarters of a lap in his 1968 Camaro until he made his initial pit stop for gas on lap 167. Janey took the lead during Hughes’ pit stop and never relinquished it.

Hughes’ attempt to regain the lead fell short when a broken oil line forced him to make another pit stop only 13 circuits after his first. That stop cost Hughes six and half minutes. He still managed to finish third despite lost oil and no brakes.

Don Simpson of Kentwood, Lou., finished second in the race driving a Chevelle. Gerry Harrison of Topeka, Kan., finished fourth despite not having any brakes for most of the race.

Joe Plowman of La Marque, Tex., turned in the fastest qualifying time with a clocking of 22.26 seconds on the half-mile. Unfortunately, he withdrew from the race on lap 126 due to transmission failure.


Results –


1. Irv Janey, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2. Don Simpson, Kentwood, Lou.
3. Warren Hughes, Baton Rouge, Lou.
4. Gerry Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
5. Gene Newsome, Monroe, Lou.
6. Verne Covert, Topeka, Kan.
7. Vern Mondry, Lake Elmo, Minn.
8. C.H. Cave, Oklahoma City, Okla.
9. Tommy Taylor, Dallas, Tex.
10.Joe Plowman, La Marque, Tex.
11.Bill Meazell, Lufkin, Tex.
12.Freddy Cook, Monroe, Lou.
13.Bob William, Jackson, Miss.
14.Buzz McCann, Webb Lake, Wis.
15.Billy Hagan, Lafayette, Lou.