Fred Lorenzen is joined by starter Art Kelly after winning the 100-lap Chicago
City Championship at O’Hare Stadium. – Bob Brown Photo
By Bud Booth
Chicago, Ill. (August 14, 1959) – Defending USAC and O’Hare Stadium late model stock car champion Fred Lorenzen of Elmhurst tonight added another title to his impressive and long list as he won O’Hare’s second annual Chicago City Championship before a capacity crowd.
Fred and his 1956 Nickey-owned Chevrolet were never in trouble as he ripped through the grueling distance covering 400 turns and 25 miles in the record time of 27 minutes and 11.27 seconds. That knocked over 8 seconds off the old track record he set himself last August 25 – 27 minutes and 19.72 seconds.
Before the race began, Fred had ranked slightly behind point leader Bill Lutz of Louisville, Ky., in the role of favorite, but Lutz had trouble with his 1957 Chevrolet from the very start even though he turned in a masterful job and finished third.
Lorenzen’s chief opposition for most the race came from two-time champion Gene Marmor of Schiller Park and “Gentleman” Bryant Tucker of Hillside, who was running a strong third until he dropped out with a blown engine in his ’57 Buick on the 72nd lap.
Marmor ran a solid race throughout and managed his way through traffic as aptly as Lorenzen. He held the lead briefly in the early stages before Lorenzen took over on lap 9 and was never headed again. At the finish it was Lorenzen with a third of a lap advantage over Marmor.
After Lorenzen and Marmor it was Lutz, Roy Martinelli of Half Day, and Butch Linden of Deerfield. The race was fast and furious all the way but miraculously free of mishaps, blowups, and blowouts.
Results –
1. Fred Lorenzen, Elmhurst
2. Gene Marmor, Schiller Park
3. Bill Lutz, Louisville, Ky.
4. Roy Martinelli, Half Day
5. Butch Linden, Deerfield
6. Neil Houston, Chicago
7. Al Warfield, Forest Park
8. Don Oldenberg, Highland, Ind.
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