Arnie Knepper
Kansas City, Kan. (July 15, 1966) – Arnie Knepper, the hot-driving flash from Belleville, Ill., capped a record-breaking night by capturing the 30-lap United States Auto Club sprint car race at Lakeside Speedway.
As a crowd of 7,000 looked on, Knepper bided his time in the early stages, charged forward as the race reached the midway point, and once in front was never threatened.
Knepper’s time in the feature was 12 minutes and 8 seconds, topping the mark of 12 minutes and 40 seconds set last year by the late Jud Larson.
The record-snapping began in qualifying as eight drivers – Bobby Unser, Don Branson, Ralph Liguori, Greg Weld, Bud Tinglestad, Roger McCluskey, Wib Spalding and Knepper all bettered the 1-lap mark of 22.88 seconds set by Greg Weld last year.
Bobby Unser was the best of the lot, touring the half-mile in 22.06 seconds.
Another record to fall was Larry Dickson’s semi-feature time of 3 minute and 56 seconds, bettering the mark of 4 minutes and 4 seconds set by Ronnie Duman last year.
Knepper, in winning the feature, started on the inside of the third row and let Unser, Branson and Weld do the early dueling. After about 10 laps, Knepper broke out in front and won going away.
Mario Andretti, who had trouble qualifying with a time of 23.40 seconds, and then spun out on his second attempt, placed 16th in qualifying and started the feature in the sixth row. Andretti quickly overcame those immediately in front of him, but Knepper and Unser were just too much.
Two Kansas City drivers, Dick Sutcliffe and Jerry Weld, qualified cars, but Sutcliffe was unable to place high enough to compete in the feature. Weld made the semi-feature, finished fourth and took 13th in the 30-lapper.
A large field of 34 cars appeared at the speedway.
The drivers were competing for a $6,500 purse of which Knepper collected $1,075 for his winning effort.
Results –
Time trials – Bobby Unser (22.06)
Heat #1 – Bobby Unser
Heat #2 – Roger McCluskey
Heat #3 – Chuck Booth
Semi-feature – Larry Dickson
Feature -
1. Art Knepper
2. Bobby Unser
3. Mario Andretti
4. Don Branson
5. Wib Spalding
6. Larry Dickson
7. Greg Weld
8. Chuck Booth
9. Ronnie Duman
10.Roger McCluskey
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