1973 – Shear Wins ‘White’ Race

 

Joe Shear won the 75-lap "White" race as part of the Red, White, and Blue State Championship Series at Wisconsin International Raceway. 

By Gary Vercauteren

Kaukauna, Wis. (July 15, 1973) – Joe Shear guided his 1973 Camaro to victory in the second race of the “Red, White, and Blue” State Championship Series at the Wisconsin International Raceway before a crowd of 8,396 race fans on Sunday afternoon.

Shear, a 29-year-old South Beloit, Ill., professional racer grabbed the lead from Bob Jusola of Burnsville, Minn., on the 38th lap of the 75-lap main event and won the contest by four seconds over Jim Back of Vesper. Back was also driving a 1973 Camaro.

During qualifications, Shear broke Back’s one-month-old track record with a time of 21.17 seconds. Back had established the time of 21.30 seconds during the first race of the “Red, White, and Blue” championship during June.

Steven Point’s Rich Somers bolted into the lead in the feature in his 1973 Mustang but was passed by Necedah’s Jim Sauter on the second round. Sauter held the number one position until the 8th lap when he was passed by Nekoosa’s Marv Marzofka.

Marzofka then battled wheel-to-wheel with Bob Jusola for several laps until Jusola surged into the lead. Jusola, a tough 20-year veteran of short tracks who has been crowned Minnesota state champion several times, lived up to his nickname “The Flying Finn” as he built up a three-second lead over the rest of the field.

However, Rich Davis of Highland, Ill., spun his 1973 Torino on lap 33 which caused the yellow flag to come out. This tightened up the field considerably with Marzofka and Shear glued to Jusola’s bumper on the restart.

Shear blazed past Marzofka on the restart and then moved up to challenge Jusola. The yellow flag waved again on lap 37 when Jim Pierson’s 1973 Camaro stalled on the frontstretch.

Shear would get the jump on Jusola on the restart and slipped into the lead entering the first turn on lap 38. Jusola would stay with Shear until the 56th circuit when he was forced out with a blown tire.

Back moved into second place following Jusola’s exit but couldn’t catch Shear. Milwaukee’s John Rank placed third in a 1973 Nova followed by Jim Sauter, also in a 1973 Nova. Dave Watson of Milton, driving a 1973 Camaro, rounded out the top five finishers.

Shear collected $750 for the victory while Back took home $575 and Rank $450.


Results –


1. Joe Shear, South Beloit, Ill.
2. Jim Back, Vesper
3. John Rank, Milwaukee
4. Jim Sauter, Necedah
5. Dave Watson, Milton
6. Marv Marzofka, Nekoosa
7. Larry Detjens, Wausau
8. Rich Somers, Stevens Point
9. Mike Miller, New Prague, Minn.
10.Jack Brewer, Oak Creek
11.Jerry Smith, Medina
12.Boyce Sparkman, Rockford, Ill.
13.Paul Christianson, Mosinee
14. Rich Davis, Highland, Ill.
15.Jon Chrest, Hamel, Minn.