1978 – Victory in Illiana Feature First in ARCA For Dotter

Bob Dotter and Bill Hahnlein pose with the winner’s trophy and checkered flag after dotter drove Hahnlein’s Chevelle to victory at Illiana Motor Speedway. – Stan Kalwasinski Photo

Schererville, Ind. (June 24, 1978) – Coming on strong in the second half of the race, Bob Dotter of Chicago won Saturday night’s Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) national championship stock car feature at Illiana Motor Speedway. It was Dotter’s first career ARCA Victory.

Sharing the spotlight with Dotter was Ray Young of Dolton, Ill., who won the track’s weekly 25-lap late model event.

Dotter started on the pole position after setting fast time with a 22.18-second clocking in qualifications. Then, after leading the first four circuits, Dotter yielded the lead to Marvin Smith and eventually dropped back to fourth place.

Moose Myers pressured Smith throughout much of the first half of the contest but dropped from contention when he was forced to the pit area to change a tire. Despite the unscheduled pit stop, Myers still managed a seventh-place finish.

Dotter recovered from his slow start near the event’s midpoint and grabbed the lead for good, passing Smith on the 68th circuit.

Ed Hoffman of Niles, Ill., also got around Smith in the last portion of the contest and pressured Dotter all the way to the checkered flag but had to be content with runner-up honors.

Plagued by mechanical issues late in the feature, Sith finished third, nearly one lap behind the winner. Bob Schact took fourth, ahead of Delmar Clark and ARCA point leader Bill Kimmel.

Young edged Lee Schuler and Chuck Acres to capture the 25-lap weekly late model feature.


Results -


1. Bobby Dotter
2. Ed Hoffman
3. Marvin Smith
4. Bob Schact
5. Delmar Clark
6. Bill Kimmel
7. Moose Myers
8. Larry Berwanger
9. Ned Tracy
10.Bill Clemons
11.Bill Green
12.Gary Sharp
13.Bob Slawinski
14.Darrell Basham
15.Chuck Weick