Dave Marcis poses alongside car owner Dave Deppe. Marcis would win the
USAC-sanctioned 200-lapper at Wisconsin International Raceway.
Kaukauna, Wis. (May 21, 1972) – Wisconsin International Raceway on Sunday continued to feature its fascinating version of ‘the ball game is never over until the last man is out.”
A year ago, Jack Bowsher loomed as the apparent winner of the WIR 200 until running out of gas on lap 192. Norm Nelson capitalized on the opportunity and won the race.
On Sunday afternoon, Larry "Butch" Hartman, the 1971 USAC national stock car champion, looked like a sure winner under similar circumstances. But his 1972 Dodge Charger ran out of fuel on the 191st lap and Dave Marcis took advantage of the opening to score what he termed “the biggest win of my 14-year career.”
Marcis’ victory, in a 1972 Chevrolet Nova, was more popular with the crowd of 6,750 fans than it was with USAC officials. This was the third major stock car race of the year on the circuit and a USAC driver had yet to triumph. The first two events were won by IMCA champion Ernie Derr and Chuck McWilliams.
Marcis, formerly of Wausau and now a resident of Arden, N.C., is a regular on the NASCAR circuit and received permission to compete to compete at WIR for the first time in over four years.
The official results of the race were held up for almost 90 minutes as USAC officials made a thorough check (some racing buffs thought it was too thorough) of the winning car and no irregularities were found in the breakdown of the engine, so the Marcis victory – worth $2,180 in total prize money – stood.
The 30-year-old Marcis led only 23 of the 200 laps. But he said that his “game plan” was to drive a steady race because of his use of soft tires. The strategy worked well, for Marcis needed no tires and pitted only once for gas.
Hartman had picked up fuel on lap 95 when he pitted after a brief spinout. The South Zanesville, Ohio, veteran, who won here three years ago, thundered back into contention and took over the lead on lap 146. He held the top spot for the next 46 circuits until shot down by fuel woes and had to settle for a 10th-place finish in the 24-car field.
The most prolific lap leader of the day was Jack Bowsher of Springfield, Ohio. The fastest qualifier for the race, Bowsher gunned his 1971 Ford Torino out of the front row and into the lead. He led every inch of the first 97 laps before he was done in by mechanical problems. He would make several pit stops with gear issues and would eventually finished 14th.
The only other leader for any appreciable time – besides Bowsher, Hartman and Marcis – was Lem Blankenship of Keokuk, Iowa. He set the pace for laps 103 through 131 but could finish no higher than ninth.
Finishing second to Marcis was Verlin Eaker of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who also finished in the runner-up position to Bobby Unser in last August’s Miller High Life 250 here. Eaker, driving a ’70 Dodge, was running behind Hartman during most of Butch’s reign but was overhauled by Marcis at the time of Hartman’s gas problems.
Third-place finisher Sal Tovella of Addison, Ill., was the only other driver to complete the 100 miles on the hot afternoon.
Results –
1. Dave Marcis, Arden, N.C.
2. Verlin Eaker, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
3. Sal Tovella, Addison, Ill.
4. Ed Hoffman, Niles, Ill.
5. Terry Ryan, Davenport, Iowa
6. Bay Darnell, Deerfield, Ill.
7. Paul Feldner, Richfield
8. Paul Sizemore, Terre Haute, Ind.
9. Lem Blankenship, Keokuk, Iowa
10.Butch Hartman, South Zanesville, Ohio
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