Shane Carson scored the hometown victory in the 50-lap championship dirt car feature at Fairgrounds Speedway in Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City, Okla. (July 20, 1986) – If there wasn’t a rivalry between the United States Auto Club and the National Championship Racing Association before Sunday night at Fairgrounds Speedway, there sure is now.
Oklahoma City’s Shane Carson, the NCRA points leader, evened the fourth annual USAC-NCRA championship dirt car battle at two apiece by winning the 50-lap Silver Crown feature before 2,996 spectators.
The USAC points race started innocently enough – at least through turns one and two. Down the back straightaway, pole-sitter Jon Johnson of Utica, Kan., pulled out front by a nose. USAC’s Rich Vogler, who started alongside Johnson on the front row, pulled up alongside Johnson and apparently side-swiped the NCRA driver into the guardrail.
Johnson’s car performed several end-over-end flips before hitting the rail again and coming to a rest. While rescue crews rushed to Johnson’s demolished car, the rest of the field came to a stop on the front straightaway. But Carson pulled his to the tail of Vogler’s and nudged the Booneville, Ind., driver’s car until they both came to a halt at the beginning of turn one.
Carson got out of his machine and walked to Vogler’s car.
“I told him I hope I have enough room if I’m there, said Carson, who was disqualified from a second-place finish last year due to an illegal bleeder valve.
“He told me he thought he (Johnson) had enough track. I was right there. Both cars were going for the high groove. I mean, this is a 50-lap race, and I don’t think it’s necessary to bang wheels on the first lap. Maybe late in the race because it’s a crucial time and you need to make a move.”
“Jon’s a good driver and I hated to see something like that happen to him. But there’s a lot more of us out there than Jon Johnson.”
Johnson, who was shaken but uninjured, ran across the track, along with several followers, ready to have a “chat” with Vogler. But Fairgrounds Speedway officials and local police stopped any possible fisticuffs.
“Vogler couldn’t stand me jumping to the front, so he knocked me into the guardrail,” said Johnson, who broke the USAC-NCRA record for fast time around the half-mile dirt oval.
“It can’t be said in print what I’m going to say next. People were holding me back when I got out of the car, but when they let go, I ran like hell.”
“I had full intentions of jumping on him. But once I got there, I figured I’d better not do anything in front of the public. But all he had to do is open his mouth and I would’ve pecked him.”
Johnson didn’t intend to let the altercation end there, though.
“I’m going to file a protest with USAC,” he remarked. “I’ve got two choices. Let USAC handle it the right way or let me handle it the wrong way.”
Vogler, who finished half-a-lap behind Carson for second place, had Oklahoma City police surround his trailer in the pit area after the race. He was unavailable for 30 minutes after the race.
After the race was restarted, Vogler, using the top of the track, led for the first 10 laps. Carson ran second from laps 4 through 7 before Garry Lee Maier took over that spot. On the 11th circuit around the dusty, dry-slick oval, Maier, of Dodge City. Kan., cut to the inside and outran Vogler down the front straight.
Vogler, Carson, and Larry Rice followed, respectively. Rice moved past Carson on lap 20, then Maier down the back straight on lap 22. Rice, a USAC pilot from Brownsburg, Ind., was on top by five car lengths until lap 40. Carson, who once fell back to third place, battled back with the help of slower traffic, and finally passed Rice coming out of turn four.
A few laps later, the power steering in Rice’s car would fail, sending him to the pits with five laps to go.
Carson would hold on for the last 10 laps with Vogler finishing a distant second, Gary Bettenhausen third, Mike Peters fourth and Rick Hood rounding out the top-five.
Results –
1. Shane Carson
2. Rich Vogler
3. Gary Bettenhausen
4. Mike Peters
5. Rick Hood
6. Bill Engelhart
7. Bruce Jennings
8. Greg Wooley
9. Dave Blaney
10.Tony Armstrong
11.Sheldon Kinser
12.Bob Ewell
13.Leon Thickstun
14.Steve Carithers
15.Jay Maupin
16.Howie Sewell
17.Larry Rice
18.Garry Lee Maier
19.Steve Chassey
20.Steve Butler
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