Jim
Sauter continued his winning ways by taking the second race of the Red, White,
and Blue State Championship Series at Wisconsin International Raceway. Al Baer,
The Fox Valley distributor for Old Style Beer, makes the trophy presentation. – Russ Lake Photo
By Gary Vercauteren
Kaukauna, Wis. (July 11, 1982) – Jim Sauter completed his blitz of Wisconsin short tracks by edging Joe Shear by less than two seconds to win the 70-lap feature of the Red, White, and Blue State Championship Series for late model stock cars Sunday afternoon at Wisconsin International Raceway.
It was Sauter’s fourth feature win of the week on Wisconsin ovals. He won Wednesday at La Crosse, Thursday at Kaukauna, and Friday at Madison.
“I believe it is the best week I’ve ever had, all in a string like that,” Sauter said.
Joel Laufer came off the front row to lead the first couple of laps until J.J. Smith slipped inside of Laufer and set the pace until the 11th lap when he pitted under caution with an overheating engine.
Dave Watson, the series point leader going into the race, grabbed second on lap 11 and inherited the lead when Smith pitted. Sauter quickly moved into second past Laufer on the 13th round.
Sauter sliced away at Watson’s four-car-length lead and moved up to his rear bumper when the caution flag flew on lap 19 when Gary Roehrborn blew his engine in his Firebird on the frontstretch.
Sauter flew past Watson with an outside pass on lap 23. Shear began his charge to the front on lap 24, taking fourth after Smith and Mike Melius tangled to bring out the caution flag.
Shear moved into third on the 28th round and moved into second by passing Tom Reffner on lap 29. Sauter and Shear gradually began to distance themselves from the rest of the pack and by the 40th lap, were running nose-to-tail, about a quarter of a lap ahead of the other drivers.
Shear was able to nose inside of Sauter several times but was never able to take command of the race.
Following Sauter and Shear to the checkered flag were Watson, Reffner, and Bob Iverson, a Michigan driver who posted his best finish ever in the series.
Shear broke Sauter’s one-lap qualifying record of 19.758 seconds with a lap of 19.649 seconds.
Results -
1. Jim Sauter, Necedah
2. Joe Shear, Beloit
3. Dave Watson, Milton
4. Tom Reffner, Rudolph
5. Bob Iverson, Hyde, Mich.
6. John Ziegler, Madison
7. Terry Baldry, Omro
8. Al Schill, Franklin
9. Jim Back, Vesper
10.Kevin Stepan, Mosinee
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