Paul Fitzpatrick
By Dave Anderson
Rochester, Minn. (June 18, 1967) – Rochester’s Paul Fitzpatrick, holder of virtually every Minnesota Speedways, Inc., season and career records, has set a standard few MSI stock car drivers will reach.
Ftizpatrick’s noteworthy achievement came in his first race on the Olmsted County Fairgrounds track Sunday night. Despite the feat, it was the second race that the veteran jockey will remember for years to come.
Most avid racing fan (there were 2,475 on hand Sunday) are aware that Fitzpatrick has enjoyed tremendous success with MSI, the Rochester-based organization that was formed in 1963. However, few realize the extent of Paul’s “kingpin” role in the modified division.
Last season, the 37-year-old charger placed “in the money” in 51 races, winning 16. In 1965, he placed in 79 races, winning 19. In 1964, he placed in 39 races, winning six. In 1963, he placed in 19 races, winning seven. Thus far this season, “Fitz” has place in all 20 races he’s entered, winning seven.
Now, if you add those up, you’ll find the full-time backhoe operator has gathered “chips” 201 times, winning a grand total of 55 races. A fourth in his heat race Sunday was #200 and a win in the 15-lap feature was #201. Combined, the two events produced his largest ever MSI purse.
“I’ll continue to run with MSI as long as things continue as they are,” said Fitzpatrick, who makes weekly jaunts to Independence, Iowa, on Saturday nights. “They pay better in Iowa, but I certainly can’t complain about the way things have been breaking for me in Minnesota this season. I won a lot of trophies in the ’65 season but last year I had better payoffs. I have to believe we’ll do a lot better this season.”
When Paul says “we,” he’s referring to the to the other member of the four-man team that keeps his 1957 Chevrolet in top running order. They’re the Sperry brothers – Sam and Ken – and Dick Neitzel. Sam, the pit chief, works in Minneapolis, but Ken and Dick are both employed at IBM in Rochester. The quartet has been together for three years and as Neitzel says, “It looks as though we have a winning combination.”
In the feature, Fitzpatrick started on the outside of the second row. Austin’s Ron Kester drew the pole position and led the first nine laps before succumbing to Fitzpatrick’s steadily increasing pace.
No comments:
Post a Comment