Sedalia, Mo. (August 29, 1976) – Bill Utz could probably be called the master of the Missouri State Fairground’s one-mile dirt track. A winner twice before in the Missouri Futurity for IMCA sprint cars, Utz, a Sedalia businessman, notched his third career victory in the prestigious race in the auto racing finale on Sunday afternoon.
Utz, who first won the Missouri Futurity in 1966, and then again in 1973, turned the track in record time despite four caution laps.
Utz, who came out of retirement about a month ago, showed no signs of rust in scoring the feature win Sunday afternoon before approximately 5,000 race fans.
“I may keep going for a hundred years,” Utz said after climbing out of his racer for the trophy presentation. But quizzed about whether he was going to Spencer, Iowa, for the IMCA sprint car season finale, the two-time IMCA champion said, “I don’t know. That’s a long way.”
The hometown favorite had a fat paycheck waiting for him after his victory. He collected a total of $2,300, nearly half of which - $1,000 – was for his feature victory. He collected an additional $500 from Firestone for winning the race on that company’s tires. Utz also set fast time ($100), won his heat ($100), and finished third in the match race ($30). The balance of the check ($200) was for appearance money he gets for being the defending point champion for IMCA.
His winning time of 30 minutes and 46.54 seconds in the feature broke the 1969 record set by Jerry Blundy. That new benchmark earned himself another $100.
Utz’s biggest challenge came from Doug Wolfgang of Des Moines, who survived a tangle with Gary Scott of Holts Summit, Mo., in the second heat and was forced to qualify through the consolation just to make the field for the 50-mile main event.
Wolfgang charged from his third row starting position and took over the lead from Gene Gennetten of Parkville, Mo., on lap 10. Wolfgang led for 12 circuits before Utz passed him on the backstretch. Utz led from the 22nd lap on, and the hot pursuit from Wolfgang ended on lap 39 when he pulled into the pit area with mechanical issues.
With Wolfgang out, that left only four cars on the same lap as Utz, who had a commanding half-mile lead over the second-place driver, Tom Corbin of Carrollton, Mo.
In addition to Utz, Corbin, and Gennetten on the same lap, was the IMCA point leader, Sonny Smyser of Glenwood, Mo. But he would eventually be lapped by Utz and finish sixth.
Corbin held on to second place until he started sputtering on lap 48. On lap 49, Corbin was out of fuel and Gennetten passed him on the backstretch of the last lap to secure runner-up money. Corbin coasted across the finish line in third place.
Gary Scott of Holts Summit, Mo., was fourth and Junior Parkinson of Kansas City rounded out the top five finishers.
Results –
Time trials – Bill Utz, Sedalia (36.62)
Heat #1 – Bill Utz
Heat #2 – Sonny Smyser, Glenwood
Heat #3 – Dale McCarty, Kearney
Match race – Junior Parkinson, Kansas City
Consolation – Doug Wolfgang, Des Moines
Feature –
1. Bill Utz
2. Gene Gennetten, Parkville
3. Tom Corbin, Carrollton
4. Gary Scott, Holts Summit
5. Junior Parkinson
6. Sonny Smyser
7. Steve Lewis, Kansas City
8. Bill Campbell, Russellville
9. Jim Braden, Kansas City
10.Cliff Woodward, Kearney
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