Mark Malcuit won the "Wayne Carter Classic" at Grundy County Speedway. It was the first ARTGO victory of his career.
By Stan Kalwasinski
Morris, Ill. (August 12, 1980) – Making one of his infrequent ARTGO Racing starts, “Captain Sizzle” Mark Malcuit, wheeled his Camaro to victory in the circuit’s sixth annual Wayne Carter Classic 100-lap late model main event at Grundy County Speedway on Tuesday night. It was Malcuit’s first-ever ARTGO victory and made him the tenth different winner in the circuit’s 21 main events so far this season.
After taking the lead from early pacesetter John Knaus of Rockford on lap 17, Malcuit held off the persistent challenges of two-time ARTGO champion and current point leader Dick Trickle of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., to score the win.
Trickle was second at the drop of Bill Gronley’s checkers with Joe Shear of South Beloit, Jim Sauter of Necedah, Wis., and two-time Wayne Carter winner Mike Miller of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., was fifth.
Knaus vaulted to the front of the 20-car field at the drop of the green but only two laps were completed when the yellow appeared for debris on the front stretch.
Knaus stayed in front for 15 more circuits before Malcuit took over the number one spot as the lead duo battled down the front chute on lap 17.
Lap 40 saw the caution light flash when Frank Gawlinski of Lynwood came to a stop when ball joint broke on his Camaro. On the restart, fast qualifier Steve Burgess of Eau Claire, Wis., lost control of his Camaro halfway down the front stretch. The car, which was suffering from a broke drive train, wound up spinning in the first turn.
In all, five drivers eclipsed Bob Senneker’s two-year-old qualifying mark of 15.31 seconds with Burgess coming away the fastest at 14.81 seconds.
Trickle, who had been running second since lap 26, made several attempts to overtake Malcuit but was unable to accomplish the task. Trickle later revealed that his car was not functioning up to par after making contact with the backstretch wall on lap 16.
The fifth and final caution flashed on lap 67 when Trickle of Steve Seligman of Lake Bluff tangled in the first turn after the transmission in Seligman’s car locked up just as Trickle was going by. Trickle, whose racer sustained left side damage, darted away from the scene of the accident to retain his second-place position.
Results –
1. Mark Malcuit, Strasburg, Ohio
2. Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
3. Joe shear, South Beloit
4. Jim Sauter, Necedah, Wis.
5. Mike Miller, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
6. Larry Detjens, Wausau, Wis.
7. Ed Hoffman, Bensenville
8. Mark Martin, Batesville, Ark.
9. John Knaus, Rockford
10.Tom Jones, Northbrook
11.Ray Young, Dolton
12.Jerry Kemperman, Blue Island
13.Johnny McPartlin, Dolton
14.Rusty Wallace, St. Louis
15.Steve Seligman, Lake Bluff
16.Tom Musgrave, Des Plaines
17.Steve Burgess, Eau Claire, Wis.
18.Frank Gawlinski, Lynwood
19.Bill Venturini, Chicago
20.Bobby Dotter, Chicago
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