Bobby Layne holds his trophy after his stunning win in the Missouri
Sprint Car Nationals at the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia. National
Speedway’s Robert Lawton presents the checkers. – Ken Simon Photo
That happened at the Missouri Sprint Car Nationals Saturday night at the Missouri State Fairgrounds. Bobby Layne, 25, a guy who can’t venture too far because he works 60 hours a week managing a auto parts store, showed the “big boys” how to win.
He ran away from Green of Sacramento, Calif., from John Stevenson of St. Paul, Minn., and Ralph Blackett of Des Moines, Iowa.
He won by a straightaway over Green on the half-mile dirt track. And Green was coming on strong at the end. He had won the previous two National Speedways Contest Association features. Stevenson, the NSCA point leader and winner of three features thus far this season, led the first eight laps.
“We just had everything hooked up.” Exclaimed the triumphant Layne. “We had the right gears, the right tires, everything.”
He was so excited when he exited his car he took off his glasses and gave them to somebody, then demanded them back so he could see. He stripped off the top half of his driving suit on the hot humid July night.
“Wowwie, I can’t believe it!” he said as well-wishers crowded around him.
Layne, whose previous best payday had been $1,000 for winning a Cheater’s Day race in Sioux Falls, S.D., collected $3,000 for his victory at Sedalia. Green received $2,000 for his runner-up performance, Blackett $1,500, and Stevenson $1,000.
Shane Carson of Oklahoma City may have done the best job of driving, finishing sixth. He won the 25-lap B-main, then nearly didn’t get the opportunity to start the A-main because of power steering issues.
He started at the tail of the 25-car field and had only gone a lap when his car started smoking badly from oil escaping his power steering device. Bob Lawton, the flagman, thought of black-flagging Carson but decided not to and after a couple of laps, the smoke dissipated, and Carson began his charge to the front.
During a red flag stop on the third lap – for a Ken Potter crash – Carson briefly stopped into the pits where his crew made some quick repairs and Carson was back on the track.
Carson, driving a car owned by Ray Marler of Farmington, started weaving through traffic again. He was in 11th place on a yellow flag on lap 9 and in eighth place two laps later on another yellow flag. By the 21st circuit, he was up to fourth place but seemed to lose momentum in the closing laps and finished sixth.
Stevenson, Green, Sonny Smyser of Lancaster, who finished fifth, and Bobby Marshall of Dallas, Tex., had a battle royal for the runner-up spot at various times.
Lloyd Beckman of Lincoln, Neb., led the B-main for the first four laps before giving way to Carson. In the 15-lap C-main, Terry Smith of Raytown won, leading the last 13 laps.
Results –
C-main – Terry Smith, Raytown
B-Main – Shane Carson, Oklahoma City
A-main –
1. Bobby Layne, Kansas City
2. Tim Green, Sacramento, Calif.
3. Ralph Blackett, Des Moines
4. John Stevenson, St. Paul, Minn.
5. Sonny Smyser, Lancaster
6. Shane Carson
7. Steve Perry, Dallas, Tex.
8. Bobby Marshall, Dallas, Tex.
9. Chuck Amati, Freeman Spur, Ill.
10.Gary Scott, Holts Summit
11.Dick Howard, Kansas City
12.Tom Corbin, Carrollton
13.Rick Weld, Kansas City
14.Pat McKeehan, Windsor
15.Bill Baker, Mexico
16.Ken Potter, Kansas City
17.Bill Robison, Topeka, Kan.
18.Randy Smith, Norwalk, Iowa
19.Jimmy Sills, Sacramento, Calif.
20.Lloyd Beckman, Lincoln, Neb.
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