Butch
Lindley receives congratulations from AMS/OIL President Al Amatuzio after
winning the 300-lap event at the Minnesota State Fair. – John Vass Photo
St. Paul, Minn. (September 6, 1981) – Butch Lindley proved to be the catalyst to make the Chevrolet Cavalier V-6 volatile in American Speed Association racing, as the Greenville, S.C., driver delivered the first major win for “the little green car,” in Sunday’s AMS/OIL 300 at the Minnesota State Fair Speedway.
Mike Miller, who won the Fair-opening “300” last Sunday, drove intensely to finish 2.7-seconds back in a Camaro, easily becoming the dual-weekend money winner with over $10,00 accounted for.
Though dominating the previous Sunday’s “300,” Lindley was prevented from enjoying a sure win when a rod in the 302-inch cubic engine broke with just over 50 laps to go.
Lindley and the agile Cavalier didn’t run away at the start as polesitter Jim Sauter led the first our laps before Mark Martin joined Lindley in passing Sauter to hookup in a highspeed shadow-boxing match that saw then incessantly racing side-by-side, often exchanging the lead several times a lap.
Martin’s challenge was doomed by faulty electrics in his Camaro, forcing retirement after 63 circuits.
At that point, Lindley was also startled by a balky transmission that refused to stay in top gear.
Grimly holding the car in gear with one hand and racing some 30-odd cars on the .52-mile paved oval with only the other hand to steer, Lindley finally got some relief from the dilemma with a pit stop on lap 121.
As his crew lashed the errant gear lever, he emerged a painfully swollen left wrist in ice water and returned to the trenches. Another stop two laps later to finish repairs stripped him of a lap advantage he’d built on the rest of the field.
When the green reappeared, Lindley still had the lead but shared the lead lap with Miller, a charging Tom Reffner, a very fast Joe Shear, plus local ace Jim Weber, who was spectacularly taking measure of the visiting pros.
Attrition rapidly pared down the usual frontrunners as Bob Senneker (rearend gears), then Martin (electrical), ASA points leader Mike Eddy (drive gear), and the leader of the “Wisconsin Gang,” Dick Trickle (ignition) all exited with assorted issues.
Sporadic cautions caused anxiety for Lindley and renewed hope for Miller. With each slowdown, Lindley was forced to restart with just one gear and cooling tires his lightweight machine didn’t get “hooked” as rapidly as the heavier V-8 powered cars.
Miller expertly dashed into the lead on lap 229 off a caution but once the fire lit in the droning V-6, it was Lindley reclaiming the top spot.
Four brief cautions during the final 50 circuits each served to set up the same dramatic situation, and despite a yeoman’s effort on Miller’s part, he could never get back around Lindley.
Shear would finish third, the only other car on the lead lap with Lindley and Miller. Rusty Wallace was fourth, a lap down, and just edging a game Tom Reffner, in the final two laps which dropped the Wisconsin ace to fifth.
Lindley’s win, his first-ever in ASA competition netted him $5,950 from a $40,000 purse. Cast in the role of “David Versus Goliath” by his petite machine, Lindley’s win was well received by the 12,000 in attendance.
Results –
1. Butch Lindley, Greenville, S.C.
2. Mike Miller, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
3. Joe Shear, Twin Lakes, Wis.
4. Rusty Wallace, Valley Park, Mo.
5. Tom Reffner, Rudolph, Wis.
6. Jim Sauter, Necedah, Wis.
7. Butch Miller, Lawton, Mich.
8. Steve Murgic, Burnsville
9. John Boegeman, Shakopee
10.Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
11.Alan Kulwicki, Milwaukee
12.Bob Strait, Flossmoor, Ill.
13.Don Gregory, Columbus, Ohio
14.Pat Schauer, Watertown, Wis.
15.Jay Sauter, Necedah, Wis.
16.Jim Weber, Roseville
17.Jim Derhaas, Shakopee
18.John Knaus, Rockford, Ill.
19.Clark Swyer, Colorado Springs, Col.
20.Steve Burgess, Eau Claire, Wis.
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