Oklahoma City, Okla. (October 2, 1954) – Bill Harrison of Topeka, Kan., took the lead on the 97th lap, and went on to win the 200-lap International Motor Contest Association stock car feature race at the Oklahoma State Fair on Saturday.
It was only the second feature win of the season for Harrison, who has finished third eight times and has had more hard luck than any other driver on the IMCA stock car circuit.
His winning time was 1 hour, 55 minutes, and 30 seconds, some 10 minutes slower than the world mark for the 100-mile distance. Harrison may have threatened the record had the field not been slowed several times because of accidents.
Don White of Keokuk, Iowa grabbed the lead at the onset and held on until the 50th lap when a piston broke, and his car was forced out of action.
At that point, Ernie Derr of Fort Madison, Iowa, the 1953 national stock car champion, moved into the lead. He stayed out front until lap 79 when he hit some water on the track, spun out and hit the fence.
He spent the next 15 circuits in the pits before getting back into the race. The water on the track resulted in a broke radiator hose from another car.
Harrison took over first place after Derr’s mishap and was never overtaken the rest of the race. Engine difficulty slowed his car six laps from the finish, but the motor finally responded before Harrison could be seriously threatened.
The most spectacular flip of the race occurred on lap 173 when Robert “Doc” Narber of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, blew a tire and flipped high in the air over the fence. The car was completely demolished but Narber escaped without injury.
Derr came back from his long pit stop and turned in some great driving to finish seventh. The starting field included 17 cars with 12 car still on the track at the end.
Results –
1. Bill Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
2. Bob Carpenter, Wabash, Ind.
3. Roxy Dancy, Shreveport, La.
4. Bob Potter, Duluth, Minn.
5. Russell Cross, Quincy, Ill.
6. Ray Vance, Springfield, Mo.
7. Ernie Derr, Fort Madison, Iowa
No comments:
Post a Comment