Jerry Makara
He nosed out a Michigan rival,
Mike Eddy of Kawkawlin, when race officials had to go to qualifying times to
break a tie. The overall winner is determined by each man's finishes. Each had
six points but Makara had set a track one-lap qualifying record of 81.906 miles
per hour and was given the victory.
It was the second consecutive
year in which the Bluegrass 300 was won on qualifying times. Eddy had tied with
Charlie Glotzbach in 1975 and lost the title.
Glotzbach didn't enter a car this
time but qualified one for speed king Bobby Allison who was late in arriving
because he elected to qualify for a Grand National race in Brooklyn, Mich., on
the same day and fly into Louisville.
Makara and Eddy, who started on
the front row in the first 100-lap heat, waged a heated "duel" for
first place. Eddy led first then Makara took over on lap 35.
Eddy got the lead back on the
next lap when a slower car blocked Makara, but Eddy got boxed in on the following
go-around and Makara took the lead for good. Allison finished in 13th
place.
The field was inverted for the
second 100-lapper, based upon the first-race finish. Allison started 12th and
Makara and Eddy in the last row.
Allison went into the lead on lap
20 and Makara and Eddy were swapping second spot. After avoiding a 94th-lap
collision between two other cars, Makara and Eddy themselves collided moments
later on the second turn.
Allison won, Makara finished
second and Eddy third. Makara charged Allison tried to spin him by planting his
bumper into Makara's car but Allison shrugged off the whole thing.
Allison and Makara started in the
front row in the final 100 and Eddy came out of the third spot. Eddy passed
Allison on the first turn and the order was Allison, Eddy, Makara until lap 30.
Eddy and Makara collided in the
fourth turn and came to a stop. Eddy got restarted almost at once but Makara
was down by one lap by the time he could get going.
Allison was knocked out by
mechanical trouble on the 58th lap and Eddy went ahead to stay. Makara worked
his way into third - behind Eddy and Ellis Herbert - with the help of a
76th-lap collision between Ray Young and Dave Sorg.
Makara caught up with Young when
Eddy knocked Robin Schildknect into the wall on the same lap and passed Young
with 15 laps to go.
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