State
Fair Century winner Don White is interviewed in victory lane by Sid Collins.
Indianapolis, Ind. (August 26, 1966) – Don White survived a spinout on lap 99 to win the State Fair Century at the Indiana State Fair on Friday night.
White, leading by two-thirds of a lap and cruising, spun twice in the third turn when Hank Teeters blew an engine and spilled oil all over the track.
“I got into the fence and that killed the engine,” White said afterwards. “Boy, I really thought I was done.”
But the Keokuk, Iowa, driver gathered things together and continued on for his record smashing victory. He covered the 100 miles in his 1966 Dodge Charger in 1 hour, 9 minutes, and 26 seconds, for an average speed of 86.393 miles per hour.
That broke the old mark of 1 hour, 11 minutes, and 30 seconds set by Norm Nelson in a Plymouth in the Sesquicentennial Classic in July.
Nelson finished the race but was in no position to contend with White, as the 1963 USAC champion took command on lap 35 and steadily pulled away from the rest of the field.
It was White’s third straight victory following triumphs in a 200-miler at Milwaukee and a 100-miler at Springfield, Ill.
Third place went to three-time and defending Century winner A.J. Foyt of Houston, Tex., who was driving a 1966 Ford. He was the only other driver on the same lap as White and Nelson.
Foyt, making his first stock car appearance since Daytona in February, had his hands full the last quarter of the race with Jim Hurtubise, who was piloting a 1966 Plymouth. Hurtubise was on Foyt’s tailpipe every inch of the way from the 75th lap, but try as he might, couldn’t get past A.J.
The duel finally ended about two miles from the finish when Hurtubise ran out of gas. Ironically, Foyt’s fuel supply lasted two miles more and he coasted home on a dry tank.
The late pit stop cost Hurtubise one position at the payoff window as Sal Tovella nosed his 1965 Plymouth into fourth place with a steady drive.
White was the fifth driver to lead the race, following polesitter Billy Foster, Foyt, Tovella, and Whitey Gerkin.
Foster, driving a 1965 Dodge, took the lead at the drop of the green and led the first 15 circuits. But Foster, who set a new track record in qualifying with a time of 39.04 seconds (90.589 mph), got forced into the fence by a slower car he was trying to get by on lap 15 and had to stop one lap later.
That put Foyt in front – and on the yellow flag as Andy Hampton, running eighth in a ’65 Dodge, punched the outside fence in the third turn. A.J. stayed in front for four laps before making his mandatory pit stop. That put Tovella in front for a lap until he pitted as well.
Gerkin, driving a 1965 Chevrolet, then moved into the top spot for 14 laps before White got by him in the first turn of the 35th lap. Gerkin would last only two more laps before he was forced to the sidelines with an overheated engine.
As is the custom with the State Fair Century, the program was behind scheduled from the start. Despite promises to the contrary, the track was not turned over to USAC officials until 5:57 pm after State Fair workers finally remembered to install safety cables outside the second turn.
Things were on their way to getting back on track when J.C. Klotz tried to qualify his 1965 Plymouth. The first lap went well but the second lap saw Klotz get into the second turn too high, hit the guardrail, and perform a complete flip. In the process, he wiped out about 15 feet of guardrail which caused a 45-minute delay.
Results –
1. Don White
2. Norm Nelson
3. A.J. Foyt
4. Sal Tovella
5. Jim Hurtubise
6. Gary Bettenhausen
7. Butch Hartman
8. Billy Foster
9. Roger Regeth
10.Hank Teeters
11.Bobby Wawak
12.Keith Ploughe
13.Ted Brady
14.Jerry Norris
15.Dorus Wisecarver
16.Paul Wensink
17.Jim Martin
18.Rabon Hinkle
19.Jack Shanklin
20.Jim Welty
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