Tom Bigelow
Falcon Heights, Minn. (August 31, 1975) – Tom Bigelow of Whitewater, Wis., scored another victory today on the half-mile paved oval at the Minnesota State Fair.
Bigelow was behind the wheel off the Leader-Card Lodestar Championship Dirt car powered by a .255 cubic inch Ford engine prepared and maintained by top Indy mechanic A.J. Watson.The 35-year-old Bigelow picked up $7,890 first place prize money by winning the first race of its kind ever run on a half-mile paved track.
Bigelow was also the day’s fastest qualifier with a time of 19.866 seconds.
Pancho Carter, starting next to Bigelow, took an early lead over the 23 other starters at the beginning of the race Carter and Bigelow rapidly pulled away from the rest of the field. For the next 41 laps Bigelow followed Carter thru traffic created by slower cars.
On lap 42, Bigelow made his move and passed Carter for the lead and promptly opened up a sizeable margin.
By lap 150, Bigelow had lapped most of the field. On lap 153, Carter spun out in the third turn when a tire failed causing the only caution of the race.
The restart added zest to the race as a battle for second place ensued between Bruce Walkup and Jimmy Caruthers. Carruthers would edge Walkup for second on lap 178 and closed his gap with Bigelow to 10 seconds with 10 laps to go, but time would run out. Walkup, Bill Cassella and Jackie Howerton would round out the top five.
Johnny Rutherford, driving a car owned by D.J. Caruthers, finished 11th.
Results –
1. Tom Bigelow
2. Jimmy Caruthers
3. Bruce Walkup
4. Bill Cassella
5. Jackie Howerton
6. Jerry Miller
7. Sheldon Kinser
8. Bill Engelhart
9. Rollie Beale
10. Roy Hicks
11. Johnny Rutherford
12. Lee Kunzman
13. Joe Saldana
14. Pancho Carter
15. Spike Gelhausen
16. Rich Vogler
17. Lee Osborne
18. Sam Sessions
19. Larry Dickson
20. Bill Vukovich
21. Steve Chassey
22. Arnie Knepper
23. Jim McElreath Jr.
24. Johnny Anderson
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