1972 – Woodside Cops Modified Title

 

Jay Woodside receives his trophy for winning the Missouri Super Modified Championship. Flagman Al Hall presents the checkers while announcer Jimmy Glenn interviews the winner. – MRA Collection 

Sedalia, Mo. (August 19, 1972) – Jay Woodside of Kansas City won the top money, but Gene Gennetten of Gladstone, Mo., won the crowd in the Missouri Super Modified Championship on Saturday night at the Missouri State Fairgrounds.

Gennetten, who finished second to Ron Perkins in the 35-lap IMCA sprint car feature that same afternoon, took runner-up honors behind Woodside in the 50-lap feature that evening in a torrid driving performance that had the capacity crowd on his side.

In the 50-lapper under the lights on the half-mile track, Gennetten survived a lap 16 spinout that dropped him all the way from second place to the rear of the field.

Less than 30 laps later, Gennetten was back in the running, challenging Woodside from his newly acquired second place.

Gennetten somehow managed to avoid a near-tragic accident on lap 34, that sent Bob Williams of Kansas City, himself a past champion of the event, to the hospital and local favorite, Bill Utz, to the pits.

The accident happened started as Williams lost control of his racer between the third and fourth turns and flipped four times, end over end. In the mishap, Utz, who was running a strong third, broke the frame on his car, coming in contact with another car and the outside guardrail.

Also involved in the mishap was last year’s winner, Steve Schultz of Chillicothe, Mo. However, after some quick welding work during the stoppage, Schultz was able to rejoin the field and finished third. Eddie Leavitt of Kearney, Mo., the 1970 champion, was fourth, and Wib Spalding of Granite City, Ill., rounded out the top five.

This was Spalding’s first shot at the prestigious title as it was for anyone else outside of the “Show-Me” state, as this was the first year the event was open to out of state drivers and cars.


Results –


Heat #1 – Bob Williams, Kansas City
Heat #2 – Gene Gennetten, Gladstone, Mo.
Heat #3 – Wib Spalding, Granite City, Ill.
Heat #4 – Jay Woodside, Kansas City
Heat #5 – Steve Schultz, Chillicothe, Mo.
Semi-main – Ralph Parkinson, Jr., Kansas City
Feature –
1. Jay Woodside
2. Gene Gennetten
3. Steve Schultz
4. Eddie Leavitt, Kearney, Mo.
5. Wib Spalding
6. Russ Hibbard, Slater, Mo.
7. Flea Atkin, Holts Summit, Mo.
8. John Johnson, Independence, Mo.
9. Tom Corbin, Carrollton, Mo.
10.Dale McCarty, Independence, Mo.
11.Sonny Smyser, Glenwood, Mo.
12.Al Murie, Kansas City
13.Roy Bryant, Wichita, Kan.
14.Chuck Amati, Greenfield, Tenn.
15.Jay Lyle, Warrensburg, Mo.