Don Kreitz Jr. is surrounded by his court after scoring the biggest win of his sprint car career in the third annual Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway.
Rossburg, Ohio (July 26, 1986) – In just his second visit to the high banks of Eldora Speedway, 24-year-old Don Kreitz Jr. hit the jackpot Saturday night as the Sinking Springs, Penn., driver banked a record $52,000 top prize for capturing the third annual 40-lap Kings Royal sprint car spectacular.
“I couldn’t believe it when I saw the checkered flag,” the happy winner stated from his position on the king’s throne in victory circle.
Kreitz, the favorite of the large contingent from the Keystone state fans in attendance, grabbed the point from Jac Haudenschild on the 33rd tour of the high-banked, half-mile clay oval. He gradually opened a comfortable four-second margin over Haudenschild at the finish.
Dave Blaney, who finished right on Haudenschild’s rear bumper, claimed the third spot. Sammy Swindell and Bobby Allen rounded out the top five finishers.
Kreitz’s record winnings, which more than exceeded his best previous career single day purse by tenfold, resulted in part from the tough luck that sent frontrunners Doug Wolfgang and Blaney to the pits on lap 17 to replace cut right rear tires.
Wolfgang, the defending Kings Royal winner, charged from his inside front row starting berth into an immediate lead over the 24-car field. Blaney quickly moved up from his fourth starting position into second place behind Wolfgang.
By lap 10, Haudenschild and Kreitz had worked their way into third and fourth, respectively, but still some 10-car-lengths behind the duo of Wolfgang and Blaney.
The race’s momentum shifted 180 degrees when Wolfgang and Blaney ran over debris on the racetrack, and both cut their tires. The event’ lone caution flag resulted as both drivers were pushed to the pits for fresh rubber.
“Someone broke a nerf bar or something and dropped it on the track and that took out me and Dave,” Wolfgang explained afterwards.
Following the restart, with Wolfgang and Blaney at the tail of the field, Haudenschild and Kreitz hooked up in a thrilling side-by-side battle for the king’s ransom.
Haudenschild selected his customary high line around the oval while Kreitz chose the middle lane. Kreitz surged inside of Haudenschild on lap 25 and the duo crossed the finish line in a dead heat. Haudenschild pulled away down the back straight on lap 26 as Kreitz dropped back three-car-lengths.
The persistent Kreitz mounted another charge with an identical inside move through turns one and two on lap 33. This time he stayed even with Haudenschild down the back straight and blazed into the top spot at the start/finish line.
Continuing to run the middle groove, Kreitz built his advantage with each succeeding lap. As the checkered dropped, the near capacity crowd roared its approval.
Results –
1. Don Kreitz Jr.
2. Jac Haudenschild
3. Dave Blaney
4. Sammy Swindell
5. Bobby Allen
6. Doug Wolfgang
7. Brad Doty
8. Rick Ungar
9. Bobby Davis Jr.
10.Rick Hood
11.Jimmy Sills
12.Joe Gaerte
13.Dave Fisher
14.Troy House
15.Robbie Stanley
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