1961 – Sedalia Big Car Main to McElreath

 

Sedalia winner Jim McElreath (second from right) is joined in victory lane by (l-r) Col. Willis Lewis, announcer W.W. Chism, and promoter Al Sweeney. – Ken Simon Photo

Sedalia, Mo. (August 20, 1961) – A new twist resulted in the big car racing Sunday afternoon when Jim McElreath of Arlington, Tex., jumped to a first lap lead in the feature race of 25 laps, staved off threats, and won by a close margin.

It was a thrill because the racing circuit’s favorite and International Motor Contest Association champion, Pete Folse of Tampa, Fla., was unable to do better than a seventh-place finish.

Folse started in the ninth slot due to his slower time in qualifying. The three fastest qualifiers, McElreath, Harold Leep of Wichita, Kan., and Buzz Rose of Gardena, Calif., earned starting berths in the first two rows.

As the green flag waved, McElreath took advantage of everything and dashed forward, with Leep and Rose close to his rear tires. Folse was never able to creep up on them nor was he able to move forward past any off the other five cars.

The only break the champion got in moving up the prize list was when two cars among the first slot starters dropped out because of mechanical issues, and Folse moved into seventh place.

It was McElreath, Leep, and Rose all the way, in a race between themselves.

Then, another competitive battle for fourth through sixth ensued between Buzz Barton of Tampa, Fla., Ralph Donaldson of Encino, Calif., Colby Scroggins of Pasadena, Calif. That battle blew up when Donaldson retired with a blown engine after 18 laps.

Folse and Arnie Knepper of Belleville, Ill., battled along, but much as he tried, Knepper was unable to slip by Folse and he placed eighth.

Gordon Woolley of Waco, Tex., suffered a serious injury in the first heat on the first lap when a rock was thrown from the track and struck his racing goggles, injuring his right eye. Woolley was treated at the track, then sent to Bothwell Hospital for further examination.


Results –


Heat #1 – Mack Terry, Tulsa, Okla.
Heat #2 – Herschel Wagner, Hickman Hills, Mo.
Heat #3 – Johnny Rutherford, Fort Worth, Tex.
Heat #4 – Ralph Donaldson, Encino, Calif.
Trophy dash – Ralph Donaldson
Consolation – Ray Duckworth, Anderson, Ind.
Feature –
1. Jim McElreath, Arlington, Tex.
2. Harold Leep, Wichita, Kan.
3. Buzz Rose, Gardena, Calif.
4. Buzz Barton, Tampa, Fla.
5. Colby Scroggins, Pasadena, Calif.
6. Jerry Blundy, Galesburg, Ill.
7. Pete Folse, Tampa, Fla.
8. Arnie Knepper, Belleville, Ill.
9. Herschel Wagner
10.Mack Terry
11.Dale Breedlove, Waco, Tex.
12.Al Fredenberg, Madison, Wis.