Bubby Jones (center) celebrates his victory in the Western United States Sprint Car Championships at Manzanita Speedway. He's joined on the podium by runner-up Ron Shuman (left) and third-place Fred Linder (right).
Phoenix, Ariz. (October 17, 1976) – Norman “Bubby” Jones has been on that podium for three years now, always looking for a way to that top step.
Saturday night, the Danville, Ill., youngster climbed two steps, all the way to the top of the Western United States Sprint Car Championships at jam-packed Manzanita Speedway.
And he did it in the most dramatic way, passing local favorite and defending champion Ron Shuman in turn three of the final lap.
Shuman, bidding to win his second straight Western, had led comfortably with up to a four-second lead for 49 and 3/4 laps in his backup Gary Stanton Chevy.
But Jones, who has finished second once and third twice in the past three Western’s, finally broke loose from the pack that included Lil’ Joe Saldana and Rick Ferkel and started to apply pressure on Shuman the last two circuits.
Shuman still looked like he could keep his lead despite running into heavy traffic.
This time, however, it wasn’t meant to be. Jones drove underneath in turn three while Shuman maintained his ride in the high groove.
By the time the ARA point leader realized what happened, Jones was home free by a car length.
“I had no brakes left,” Jones said from the top step on the podium. “I just about didn’t go back out after the red flag (on lap 14 when Leroy Van Conett tore a hole in the turn four fence). But I’m sure glad I did.”
The fastest car on the track at the finish, though, was Fred Linder of Fremont, Ohio, in his experimental all-aluminum Nance-built sprinter (the frame weighs 37.5 pounds).
Linder, unbelievably, came from the back row after winning the 25-lap semi to finish third ahead of 1974 Western champ Rick Ferkel and Saldana, who ran second to Shuman for most of the night before yielding to Jones on lap 35.
Results –
1. Bubby Jones
2. Ron Shuman
3. Fred Linder
4. Rick Ferkel
5. Joe Saldana
6. Dub May
7. Chuck Amati
8. Lealand McSpadden
9. Eddie Leavitt
10.Lee Osborne
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