Jerry Blundy
Wausau, Wis. (August 12, 1971) – Defending International Motor Contest Association champion Jerry Blundy got a big assist from his smooth, hardworking crew on Thursday night as he won two events and set two new track records in the IMCA sprint car races at the Wisconsin Valley Fair.
Blundy, of Galesburg, Ill., turned the fastest circle in time trials when he was clocked in 24.21 seconds and then went on to win his 8-lap heat in a record time of 3 minutes and 22.70 seconds and the 25-lap feature in 11 minutes and 24.14 seconds. The races were held on the half-mile Marathon Park.
It looked like Blundy was all but eliminated from the feature event when his car was one of three that slid together on the first turn of the first lap. His orange-colored Chevy-powered sprinter was pushed into the infield with a broken tie rod, brake line and radius rod. His three-man crew went to work immediately and in the 15 minutes it took the race to restart, they had Blundy back in the race.
Blundy, who tops the IMCA point standings, did the rest as he outdueled Dick Sutcliffe of Greenwood, Mo., for the victory. Sutcliffe, a double winner himself, jumped off to a good-size lead in the feature but caught a bad break when the race went under caution on lap 13.
Blundy, who had come from the rear of the field after his first lap accident, had made his way through the field and was in third place when the yellow waved.
On the restart, Sutcliffe grabbed the lead and Blundy moved quickly into second. Two laps later, however, Blundy would get by Sutcliffe on the high side of the track and take the top spot. He wouldn’t look back as he extended his margin and won comfortably at the finish.
“My pit crew won the race for me as far as I’m concerned,” Blundy said from victory lane. “They did a tremendous job under pressure.”
Sutcliffe, who won his heat and the 6-lap trophy dash, settled for second after it appeared he had the race won. Bill Hudson of Montezuma, Iowa, was third followed by Ron Larson of White Bear Lake, Minn., and Hank Albers of Bismarck, N.D.
Jerry Richert of Forest Lake, Minn., a four-time IMCA national champion and one of the more popular drivers on the circuit, was forced to miss the feature race because of mechanical issues.
Results –
Time trials – Jerry Blundy, Galesburg, Ill. (24.21)
Trophy dash – Dick Sutcliffe, Greenwood, Mo.
Heat #1 – Jerry Blundy
Heat #2 – Dick Sutcliffe
Heat #3 – Dick Kelly, St. Paul, Minn.
Consolation – Dick Jones, Whitewater
Feature –
1. Jerry Blundy
2. Dick Sutcliffe
3. Bill Hudson, Montezuma, Iowa
4. Ron Larson, White Bear Lake, Minn.
5. Hank Albers, Bismarck, N.D.
6. Dick Kelly
7. Ron Perkins, Wood River, Ill.
8. Tom Custer, Rock Island, Ill.
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