Ernie Derr is joined by Auto Racing, Inc., promoter Frank Winkley after winning the Pelican 200 in Shreveport.
Shreveport, Lou. (April 19, 1964) – “It’s wonderful. I think we’re going to have a great season,” commented driver Ernie Derr, after the Keokuk, Iowa, speedster piloted his 1964 Dodge to victory in the 11th annual Pelican 200 classic before a record crowd of 10,582 at the Louisiana State Fairgrounds Speedway.
Derr’s victory was somewhat like nursing a baby for his crew chief, Andy Anderson of Oklahoma City.
As the race neared the finish, Anderson was constantly nervous, giving signals to his driver.
“I was nervous because I recalled one time when we lost a race on the last lap,” said Anderson, a former modified driver.
“Those guys in the 18-car field drove like crazy early on in the race but they seemed to loosen up in the late stages,” Derr remarked.
Derr was supposed to enter a 1964 Plymouth but said the factory delayed its delivery. Derr drove the same car he recently piloted to a second-place finish in a Daytona Beach contest, and it was the same machine he set a new track record in Houston several weeks ago.
Dick Hutcherson, a member of the Holman-Moody racing team and who is defending his 1963 International Motor Contest Association championship had a bad day. He showed up here following a series of new records on the NASCAR circuit and was favored to win on Sunday.
Hutcherson led the race for 48 laps before being forced to the pits to repair an air cleaner. Derr took over the top spot and stayed ahead for the rest of the contest.
The Pelican was a hard affair for the field who made the first 100 laps in 49 minutes and 57 seconds.
Derr’s winning time was 1 hour, 40 minutes and 37 seconds.
Ramo Stott, a fellow Keokuk, Iowa, driver took second while Hutcherson settled for third.
Hutcherson, however, did set a new one-lap record in time trials, touring the half-mile dirt oval in 26.08 seconds.
Results –
1. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa
3. Dick Hutcherson, Keokuk, Iowa
4. Lenny Funk, Otis, Kan.
5. Bill Thomas, St. Paul, Minn.
6. Roland Wilson, Bedford, Iowa
7. Phil Cronin, Houston, Tex.
8. Pat Henry, Beaumont, Tex.
9. Dave Stephens, Minneapolis, Minn.
10.Ralph Wilhelm, Milwaukee, Wis.
11.Gil Haugen, Sioux Falls, S.D.
12.H.B. Bailey, Houston, Tex.
13.Bob Jusola, Mound, Minn.
14.Bill Gibson, Kansas City, Kan.
15.Eddie Harrow, Corpus Christi, Tex.
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