Rick
O’Brien powered his Buick Regal to his first career USAC stock car victory at
the Du Quoin State Fair. – Todd Healey Photo
Du Quoin, Ill. (September 5, 1982) – Rick O’Brien scored his first USAC stock car feature victory in the circuit’s 100-mile event Sunday afternoon at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds.
O’Brien took the lead on the 96th tour of the one-mile dirt oval by ducking underneath frontrunner Ramo Stott, who drifted too wide as the pair diced through a turn.
Driving a Buick Regal, O’Brien led the remaining distance to score the triumph. He averaged 82.305 miles per hour and took home $5,808 from a total purse of $33,000.
Stott hung on to take second and Joe Wallace finished third to give Regal pilots a clean sweep of the top three positions. USAC stock car point leader Dean Roper came in fourth driving a Grand Prix to boost his advantage over Bay Darnell to 170 markers in their battle for the season title.
Marv Smith, also driving a Buick Regal, rounded out the top-five finishers.
Arnell was the event’s fastest qualifier at 96.850 miles per hour and led the first 11 circuits starting from the pole position. Butch Garner ruled the next dozen revolutions before Roper too charge for six laps beginning on lap 24.
Stott moved in front on the 30th mile and with the exception of the 58th circuit, which was paced by Darnell, stayed in front until O’Brien garnered the upper hand.
Darnell was credited with a 14th-place finish after being sidelined with an oil leak after 72 miles.
Results –
1. Rick O’Brien
2. Ramo Stott
3. Joe Wallace
4. Dean Roper
5. Marv Smith
6. Tom Meinberg
7. Bob Brevak
8. Steve Drake
9. Gordon Blankenship
10.Terry Pearson
11.Jiggs Lindhorst
12.Tracy Read
13.Jeff Schwister
14.Bay Darnell
15.Herman Huffman
16.Larry Nau
17.Butch Garner
18.Len Baran
19.Dick Taylor
20.Cleve Smith
21.Ken Rowley
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