Jim Back
By Gary Vercauteren
Kaukauna, Wis. (June 23, 1974) – Jim Back, driving a newly-built 1974 Camaro, grabbed the lead on the eighth lap of the 75-lap main event in the first race of the Red, White, and Blue State Championship Series at the Wisconsin International Raceway on Sunday afternoon, and wheeled to victory, some 10-car-lengths ahead of runner-up Larry Detjens.
The Vesper driver got the jump on the 24-car field as he passed Jim Sauter of Necedah on lap 8 as he breezed to victory. Beloit’s Don Leach paced the field for the first five laps before being passed by Sauter.
It was Back’s first win in the three-year-old series and was worth $750. Former champions Dick Trickle and Joe Shear were not threats in the race as Trickle dropped out on the sixth lap with transmission issues and Shear, after setting the afternoon’s fast time with a time of 21.1 seconds over the half-mile, was a non-factor and finished seventh.
Detjens was second followed by Tom Reffner of Rudolph. Tom Jones of Northbrook, Ill., and J.J. Smith of Appleton rounded out the top-five finishers. Reffner, Jones, and Smith waged a torrid duel for the third spot with Smith briefly holding that position only to be passed by both Reffner and Jones late in the race.
Semi-feature honors went to Al Schill of Franklin. Conrad Morgan of Dousman was the only double winner of the afternoon as he posted win in the first heat and the consolation. Gary Hemmerling of Beloit was the second heat winner and Bobby Wawak of Villa Park, Ill., won the third heat.
Results –
1. Jim Back, Vesper
2. Larry Detjens, Wausau
3. Tom Reffner, Rudolph
4. Tom Jones, Northbrook, Ill.
5. J.J. Smith, Appleton
6. Jim Sauters, Necedah
7. Joe Shear, South Beloit, Ill.
8. Rich Somers, Stevens Point
9. Don Leach, Beloit
10.Bob Jusola, Burnsville, Minn.
11.Mike Miller, New Prague, Minn.
12.Jim Olson, Mazomanie
13.Tom Musgrave, Mundelein, Ill.
14.John Knaus, Rockford, Ill.
15.Tony Strupp, Slinger
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