1979 - Miller Cops Main Event in Geneva ARTGO Go

 

Mike Miller won the ARTGO Racing 100-lapper at Lake Geneva Raceway. – Stan Kalwasinski Photo

Lake Geneva, Wis. (June 2, 1979) – Mike Miller of Wisconsin Rapids, captured the 100-lap ARTGO Racing-sanctioned late model stock car feature race at the Lake Geneva Raceway on Saturday night, Miller, third in ARTGO points going into the evening’s action, drove his 1978 Cutlass to the victory.

A field of 20 cars blistered the pavement at the drop of the green flag for the25-mile contest with Tom Reffner and Larry Hicks battling for the top spot. Reffner led the first circuit, with Hicks coming back to lead laps 2 through 7. Reffner, in his 1978 AMX, then charged back to the front to lead lap 8, leaving Hicks, Dick Trickle, Miller, and Tom Jones to battle for positions two through five.

The yellow flag flew on lap 10, as the rear bumper on Dave Watson’s Camaro dragged dangerously on the racetrack. Watson, who was charging hard through the field from his ninth-starting position, was sent to the back of the field, making his run for the checkered flag even more difficult.

A few laps later, Dave Evans lost control of his 1979 Firebird, sliding into the infield just past the start/finish line and bringing out the yellow flag once again.

When green flag racing resumed, Reffner stayed on top with Miller, Trickle, and Jones in hot pursuit. The caution light flashed again just before the halfway point, as Jerry Eckhardt spun his Camaro between turns three and four.

Miller, who pressed Reffner for most of the first half of the race, moved to the outside of Reffner and charged into the lead on lap 55.

On lap 63, the red flag appeared as Reffner and Jones tangled coming off of turn two, sending Jones’ Firebird off the backstretch, with the popular Illinois chauffeur flipping after hitting a dirt mound. Jones escaped injury.

When the green flag came out again, Miller maintained command with a quick recovering Watson moving in on the leader. Watson, a former Lake Geneva track champion, tried numerous times to get by Miller on the outside, but it was to no avail.

Lap 81 saw Larry Detjens, who was running fifth, loop his Camaro in turn four. With less than 10 laps to go, it was Miller and Watson, with Trickle just a car-length away. Trickle made his move on lap 85, getting by Watson for second place.

At the checkered flag, it was Miller, Trickle, and Watson, with Larry Schuler and Mark Martin rounding out the top-five finishers.

Watson set a new one-lap track record during time trials with a lap of 15.80 seconds around the flat, quarter-mile paved oval, besting the 45 entries.


Results –


1. Mike Miller, Wisconsin Rapids
2. Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids
3. Dave Watson, Milton
4. Larry Schuler, Lockport, Ill.
5. Mark Martin, Batesville, Ark.
6. Conrad Morgan, Dousman
7. Larry Detjens, Wausau
8. Jerry Eckhardt, Watertown
9. Larry Hicks, Geneva
10.Leonard Reimer, Janesville
11.Dave Evans, Crystal Lake, Ill.
12.Willie Goeden, Kewaskum
13.Bob Strait, Flossmoor, Ill.
14.Vern Brown, Wauconda, Ill.
15.Tom Reffner, Rudolph
16.Tom Jones, Northbrook, Ill.
17.John Holdorf, Janesville
18.Ron Schuyler, Dousman
19.John Knaus, Rockford, Ill.
20.Bill McDonald, Crystal Lake, Ill.