1964 - Good's Chevy Cops Little 500

 

 

 

Anderson, Ind. (May 23, 1964) - The largest crowd in Sun Valley Speedway history, 13,641, saw ever-charging Dick Good return the driving championship of the “Little 500” national championship sprint car classic to the Hoosier state when he wheeled the #41 Wood Chevy, owned by G.E. Wood to first place honors in the 16th renewal of the 500-lap endurance run here on Saturday night.

Despite the appearance of the yellow flag six different times, totaling 72 laps, Good toured the 125-mile distance in 2 hours, 13 minutes, and 42.88 seconds as he finished with an eight-lap advantage over the W.J. W. Chevy from St. Paul, Minnesota, which was co-driven by Jerry Richert and Jerry Daniels.

In the best position battle in the race, Richert-Daniels driving team salvaged second place money by a six-second margin over Shady McWhorter who was driving his own #72 McWhorter Chevy.

Only two different cars led the race, which was sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association and run under the direction of Al Sweeney and National Speedways, Inc., for the third straight year.

Good set the pace for a grand total of 400 laps, picking up one block in prize money for each time he went across the finish line first, in this swelled his earnings to $2,175 for the race.

Al Smith, who put the #0 Bob Trimble Buick in the coveted pole position, was the only other driver to lead the race. He led for 100 laps, picked up $500 as fast qualifier for the race and made a grand total of $1,225 for his fourth place finish.

The six separate accidents which brought out the yellow flag did not bring about injury to any driver although it did for several cars out of the race.

Even at that, 27 machines were still on the track and running when Good received the checkered flag.

At the 100-lap mark it was Good, Al Smith, Norman Brown in the #51 Doug Lang Chevy; Dean Mast, and the #75 W.C. Griffth Chevy, and Claire Lawicki, at the wheel of the #71 Diz Wilson Chevy, running in that order.

Smith finally caught up with good and passed it right at the starting line at the end of 154 laps to regain the top spot. His lead didn't last long, however, as good went back in front entering turn number one on the 163rd lap.

Good was the leader for even shorter. It time as he spun in the home stretch on the hundred and 163rd turn of the track and Smith once more became the pacemaker.

At 200 laps it was Smith, Richert, Tommy York, Good and McWhorter in that order.

Smith went into the pits for fuel and attire change after completing 241 circuits and good, who passed you work on lap 203 and Richert on lap 228, became the race leader for the last time. New paragraph after 300 laps it was good, McWhorter, Richert, Lawicki, York, Smith, Duckworth, and McCune.

Results –

1. Dick Good
2. Jerry Richert
3. Shady McWhorter
4. Al Smith
5. Tom York
6. Jim McCune
7. Darl Harrison
8. Charley Masters
9. Dick Carter
10. Claire Lawicki
11. Leon Wieske
12. Bob Leever
13. Wib Spaulding
14. Duke Cook
15. Bob Davis
16. Jay Woodside
17. Wilbur Robinson
18. Jack Thomas
19. Doc Shaeffer
20. Jerry Daniels
21. Ken Clifton
22. Norman Brown
23. Dean Mast
24. Rollie Beale
25. Don Brunch
26. Buzz Gregory
27. Sam Sessions
28. Al Simko
29. Serg Tesolin
30. Harold Smith
31. Don Daniels
32. Greg Weld
33. Bob Pratt