Mike
Eddy stands in victory lane awaiting an interview with ASA’s Garry Poindexter
after winning the Midwest 300 at Salem.
Salem, Ind. (September 17, 1978) – Mike Eddy set fast time in Saturday’s qualifications and then led every competitive he drove Sunday in capturing the 100-lap qualifying race and the 100-lap championship finale for a clean sweep of the triple-100 format of the Midwest 300 for American Speed Association late models at Salem Super Speedway. Eddy collected $3,050 for his efforts.
Eddy, from Midland, Mich., edged Mark Martin by a second and a half in the finale with Bob Sensiba placing third, one second behind Martin. The feature win was the first for Eddy in ASA competition.
The two-day show was marred by a series of mishaps which saw five cars go completely outside of the steeply banked .54-mile track within a period of 24 hours.
The unprecedented display of vehicular acrobatics started during the practice session when Steve Agnew of Brownsburg got into the fourth turn steel guardrail and then sailed over the bank. Agnew’s car was airborne for 120 feet before nosing and cartwheeling outside the track. The car was totally destroyed, and Agnew was taken to an area hospital with a mild concussion.
Sunday’s first 100-lap qualifying race started with fireworks anew with an unbelievable series of crashes, all of which occurred within 25 feet of where Agnew met misfortune.
On lap 11, Walt Grady of Fairfield, Ohio, making his first start in a late model, slid into the fence while running eighth and did a series of violent flips outside the track. He was taken to a local hospital with a severe concussion.
Only five laps were completed after the restart for Grady’s misfortune when Larry Zent of Fort Wayne, running second in pursuit of leader Bob Sensiba, hit the fourth turn guardrail and also cart-wheeled out of the park, finally coming to rest some 200 feet from its departure. He was hospitalized overnight for a separated shoulder and fractured elbow.
With the race restarted following Zent’s crash, Sensiba and Martin locked up in a heated battle, with the 19-year-old Martin, the current ASA point leader, diving under Sensiba to claim the lead on lap 59.
While Martin was busy passing Sensiba, Paul Stuerenberg and Bill Bartholomew, both of Cincinnati, tangled high on the opposite end of the track. Both cars climbed the guardrail and then cleared the barrier in a shower of flames as Bartholomew’s fuel cell split after catching the guardrail. Emergency crews were quick on the scene and got the fire extinguished quickly. Both drivers walked away unhurt.
With the normally half-hour duration race once again restarted, nearly two and a half hours had passed and Martin established a commanding lead, with Sensiba working his way forward from the tail of the pack after having a tire changed during the previous red flag shutdown.
Sensiba charged to within two and a half seconds of Martin but ran out of time and had to settle for second. Third went to Harold Scott with Lonnie Breedlove fourth and Bob Coffey fifth. Don Gregory, who had been a factor in the event’s early stages, was force to retire with steering issues after 52 laps.
The comparatively quiet second 100-lapper was dominated by Eddy, who led the entire distance and finished a straightway ahead of Jerry Makara, Ed Cooper, Mickey Flora, ad Terry Shirley.
Mechanical retirements in the second race included Charlie Glotzbach, who lost his differential gears in his mount, Dave Roahrig, with a broken crankshaft, and Larry Schuler, who blew an engine. Schuler, however, was able to start in the finale after his crew replaced the powerplant in his racer in only 38 minutes.
Eddy started the third 100 on the outside of the front row and won the drag race with polesitter Mark Martin into the first turn to take the lead he would maintain throughout the contest. Despite leading all the way, Eddy was pressured throughout the event by Martin and Sensiba.
The trio weaved spectacularly through slower traffic as they battled for the top spot during the duration of the event, prompting eddy to later say, “I know it looked like I was driving crazy, but the car handled so great I could go anywhere on the track.”
Gregory placed fourth after an amazing drive from his 24th starting position, and L.J. Lines came from his 20th starting berth to claim fifth.
Results –
1. Mike Eddy, Midland, Mich.
2. Mark Martin, Batesville, Ark.
3. Bob Sensiba, Middleville, Mich.
4. Don Gregory, Columbus, Ohio
5. L.J. Lines, Greensboro
6. Jerry Makara, Pinckney, Mich.
7. Terry Shirley, Seymour
8. Larry Gorman, Indianapolis
9. Roger Gillespie, Urbana, Ohio
10.Don Johnson, Hillard, Ohio
11.Wayne Howard, Fort Wayne
12.Dan Sprinkle, Indianapolis
13.Harry Brady, Louisville, Ky.
14.Gene Christie, Gaston
15.Luther Burton, Columbus
16.Larry Schuler, Lockport, Ill.
17.Bobby Sands, Henryville
18.Billy Howell, Louisville, Ky.
19.Harold Scott, New Castle
20.Bob Coffey, Indianapolis
21.Lonnie Breedlove, Indianapolis
22.Mickey Flora, Anderson
23.James Phillips, Louisville, Ky.
24.Ed Cooper, Clark Lake, Mich.
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