1971 – Tobias Bests USAC Sprints at Knoxville

 

Dick Tobias grabbed the 40-lap USAC sprint car feature at the Marion County Fairgrounds. Joining him victory lane is USAC sprint car supervisor Russ Clendenen (left) and Knoxville promoter Marion Robinson. – Beetle Bailey Photo

Knoxville, Iowa (June 5, 1971) – Dick Tobias of Lebanon, Penn., overcame mechanical problems and a $18 cab fare to win the United States Auto Club 40-lap sprint car feature before 8,000 fans at the Marion County Fairgrounds on Saturday night.

Tobias went through two fuel pumps and spun out during time trials before finding the right combination to tie Joe Saldana of Brownsburg, Ind., for the evenings’ fastest qualification run.

The 38-year-old open wheel veteran earlier in the day had missed a connection at the Des Moines airport and had to travel to the track in a taxicab. With adversity out of the way, Tobias quickly turned the tables on a stable full of USAC standouts.

He started in the third row in the feature, moved into second behind Sam Sessions of Nashville, Mich., on lap 10 and then overtook thee Indianapolis 500 veteran on lap 21.

Only Sessions and Knoxville regular Ray Lee Goodwin of Kansas City challenged seriously after that, with Sessions taking second and Lee Kunzman of Guttenberg, Iowa, in third. Goodwin would take fourth and Tom Bigelow of Whitewater, Wis., rounded out the top five.

Two minor accidents delayed the feature with Jim Malloy of Denver, Colo., involved both. Malloy, Merle Bettenhausen of Tinley Park, Ill., and Bill Puterbaugh of Speedway, Ind., got tangled up on the third lap with Puterbaugh hitting the turn three wall an being forced out of action.

Then, on lap 29, Malloy and Saldana spun coming out of turn three and both went to the sidelines.

Greg Weld of Kansas City, a popular Knoxville super modified star of several seasons ago, had engine trouble and complete only eight laps of the feature.


Results –

1. Dick Tobias, Lebanon, Penn.
2. Sam Sessions, Nashville, Mich.
3. Ray Lee Goodwin, Kansas City
4. Lee Kunzman, Guttenberg
5. Tom Bigelow, Whitewater, Wis.
6. Rollie Beale, Toledo, Ohio
7. Gary Bettenhausen, Tinley Park, Ill.
8. Johnnie Parsons Jr., Reseda, Calif.
9. Karl Busson, Toledo, Ohio
10.Don Nordhorn, Woodsville, Ind.
11.Darl Harrison, Tiffin, Ohio
12.Jimmy Oskie, Maywood, Calif.
13.Larry Rice, Linden, Ind.
14.Merle Bettenhausen, Tinley Park, Ill.
15.Joe Saldana, Brownsburg, Ind.
16.Jim Malloy, Denver, Colo.
17.Larry Cannon, Fort Worth, Tex.
18.Doc Dawson, Lima, Ohio
19.Greg Weld, Kansas City
20.Bill Puterbaugh, Speedway, Ind.