Rollie Beale
Beale finished about 25 car-lengths ahead of runner-up Greg Weld, Kansas City, Mo., after taking the lead on lap 14 from pole-sitter Ralph Liguori of Tampa, Fla.
The victory was worth $1,328 and pushed his season point mark to 354. Beale won the race in 22 minutes and 41 seconds.
Liguori finished third while Don Thomas of Los Angeles was fourth. Bill Vukovich Jr., Riverside, Calif., rounded out the top five.
Chuck Booth was the fastest qualifier of the day, turning in a time of 24.39 seconds on the half-mile. The four other fastest qualifiers for the afternoon were Ralph Liguori (24.48), Beale (24.50), George Snider (24.52), and Bobby Unser (24.82).
Liguori, who was injured last Sunday at the Hut Hundred when his midget flipped, won the first heat. Bobby Unser, winner of one of the twin-30 events in June, won the second heat. Jerry Poland was the winner of the third heat.
Gary Congdon started on the pole of the 10-lap semi-feature and was never headed in scoring the victory.
Sixteen cars faced the starter’s green flag in the 50-lap feature. Ralph Liguori sat on the pole position by virtue of his victory in the first heat race. Liguori took the lead going into the first turn despite a race with Chuck Booth to get to the corner first.
At the end of five laps, it was Liguori, Booth, Beale and Unser. Beale, who had been pushing to get to the front took over second-place when Booth and Sonny Ates tangled in the first set of turns bringing out the yellow flag.
When the race restarted, it was Beale staying glued to Liguori’s bumper. On lap 14, Liguori drifted high in turns three and four, allowing Beale to slide by for the lead and eventual win.
Liguori would have a firm grasp on second place until hard-charger Greg Weld, who started 16th, passed him on the white flag lap to take runner-up honors.
Jim Hurtubise, debuting a new A.J. Watson sprint car, had trouble throughout the day and did not make the afternoon main event.
The winning drivers shared a $7,390 purse.
About 6,500 racing fans watched the action on a fast track under sunny, but comfortably cool weather.
Results –
1. Rollie Beale
2. Greg Weld
3. Ralph Liguori
4. Don Thomas
5. Bill Vukovich
6. Johnny Rutherford
7. Bruce Walkup
8. Gil Hess
9. Bill Puterbaugh
10.Bobby Unser
11.Jerry Daniels
12.Sam Sessions
13.Jerry Poland
14.Chuck Booth
15.Sonny Ates
16.Mickey Shaw
17.Larry Dickson
18.Hal Minyard
No comments:
Post a Comment