Harold Smith
Carnegie, Penn. (October 13, 1968) – Harold Smith of Dayton, Ohio, who swept through the Pittsburgh Racing Association ranks late in the season, won the fifth annual Pittsburgher 200, a national open championship race for late model stock cars at Heidelberg Raceway.
The husky Ohioan, who qualified first and started in the pole position, led the field for 175 laps and by the time he received the checkered flag, he had lapped every driver except Jim Bickerstaff, the Mineral Ridge, Ohio, leadfoot who finished a distant second.
A field of 117 cars and drivers entered Saturday’s qualifying events, and 55 of them started in the 200-lap event on the high-banked, half-mile paved oval.
Bickerstaff started second but jumped into the lead at the drop of the green flag. There were four restarts because of accidents during the first 25 laps. Bob Blaney of Hartford, Ohio, spun out on the 25th circuit to bring out another yellow flag.
When the green light flashed again, it was Smith jumping out front of Bickerstaff. He would go on to extend his lead en route to picking up the biggest share of the $12,500 purse.
Bob Senneker of Grand Rapids, Mich., Joy Fair of Pontiac, Mich., and Tom Colella of Whitehall, Penn., rounded out the top five finishers.
Results –
1. Harold Smith, Dayton, Ohio
2. Jim Bickerstaff, Mineral Ridge, Ohio
3. Bob Senneker, Grand Rapids, Mich.
4. Joy Fair, Pontiac, Mich.
5. Tom Colella, Whitehall, Penn.
6. Herb Scott, Wexford, Penn.
7. Dale Hafer, Sarver, Penn.
8. Dave Sorg, fort Wayne, Ind.
9. Bob Frederick, Clawson, Mich.
10.Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa
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